Seasonal scents

One of the most exciting things about choosing a fragrance is experiencing that 'moment' when you hit on a scent that does something simply amazing for you. Imagine how Coco Chanel felt when, even with a splitting headache, she reached for the bottle of No 5 that her perfumer Ernest Beaux had left on her mantelpiece. Little did she know that his assistant had accidentally poured in a mixture of aldehydes - synthetic scents that add a little 'lift' to a fragrance - that would normally have been 10 times too strong. In that instant, Coco realised this was the perfect expression of luxury and voluptuousness she'd been searching for.

If you're on the hunt for a new scent to add to your fragrance inventory, tuning in to the seasons can help guide you to some fabulous new discoveries. We asked Nada Nutt, a Perfumery Buyer at London's Fenwick department store, and Sonia Seoane, Manager of L'Artisan Parfumeur in London, to suggest their favourite scents for each time of year, and we've added some of our own top choices. All are available at department stores or, where specified, from stockists.

Winter
Cold weather makes fragrance molecules less volatile, which means they last longer. In fact one spritz of a heavy, spicy, aromatic scent may take you through the entire day without having to reapply. Heady, sensual oriental fragrances with amber and musk are top choices for the chilly season. Try Cinnabar by Estee Lauder and Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. Nada recommends the legendary Chanel No 5, which contains aldehydes of ylang ylang, jasmine from Grasse (the centre for perfume manufacturing in the South of France) and woody vetiver.