Author: The Candy Perfume Boy

What I’m Wearing: Autumn 2024

I’m a firm believer that fragrance should be approached much in the same way as fashion. You would not dream of having only one outfit for every single occasion or season, so why would you do the same with your scent? There is literally a fragrance for everything and I always try and match my scent to my outfit, whatever it is I may be doing, and the season of the time. For these reasons I’ve got into a cycle of curating a seasonal fragrance wardrobe which sits on a lovely little marble tray in my bedroom. I’ll be sharing this selection with you every season (whether you like it or not….)

Now this comes with the caveat that I have an ADHD brain (this is what the doctors tell me, anyway) so it’s likely that there will be some shift in this selection over the coming weeks. But for now, this is what I’m wearing for Autumn 2024. What’s the vibe of the season, I hear you ask? Well, it’s a bit hard to pin down and you’ll see that my wardrobe is somewhat chaotic, but I’m being drawn to warmer, smokier things, whether those be sparkling gourmands, transparent ambers or haughty chypres. Let’s dive in to The Candy Perfume Boy’s Fragrance Wardrobe for Autumn 2024. Drumroll please…

This is what I’m wearing this season.

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Perfume Review: Eau d’Ombré Leather by TOM FORD

Hey there, it’s been a while.

I’ve been a bit out of the loop with new fragrance launches for quite some time. Whilst I’ve still maintained an interest and have visited stores to keep up to date with what’s fresh and exciting, I have to admit that I’ve only been moved by a handful of new scents over the last 12 months or so. Perhaps I’m too out of the loop or I’m not smelling the right things, or maybe I’m just getting fussy in my old age, but certainly in the mainstream, there doesn’t seem much to get me excited.

I did recently come across something that tickled my nose in the right away and I’m sure you’re already guessing what it is: Eau d’Ombré Leather, the latest launch from TOM FORD. I’ll admit now that I hold the controversial opinion that the TOM FORD Signature Collection (Black Orchid, White Patchouli, Noir, Costa Azzura etc.) is miles better than the more expensive (and often, IMHO, underwhelming) Private Blends. I’d happily own one of each of the Signature Collection scents (and in fact, do own my fair share) and this new, somewhat lighter interpretation of the staple Ombré Leather (which I do also love) is no exception.

So here I am, raising my head tentatively about the parapet to tell you about a fragrance I like. Feels a bit like old times, doesn’t it? I’ve missed writing a lot (and snapping shots of fragrances to accompany that writing too) and a huge amount has happened since my last post in October 2021. I feel like I’m an entirely different person to who I was then and maybe I’ll be a completely different writer, who knows. I’m not sure if I want to write more than this or more often. This may not be me jumping back into the pool, it may just be more a case of me dipping my toe in, but I do know that I felt compelled to write something today. So, here we are. Let’s see if I can remember how to do this…

Let’s Sniff!

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Perfume Review: Synthetic Jungle by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle


A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a virtual masterclass with Frederic Malle and perfumer Anne Flipo all about the brand’s latest launch Synthetic Jungle. I was intrigued by the fragrance, of course (we will get on to that soon – patience please) but I was also curious about the name. Given all of the scaremongering around materials in perfumery – you know what I mean, the false narratives around chemicals being bad (literally everything is a chemical, oy), that natural is better (simply not true) and that clean beauty is a thing (I don’t even know where to start with this one) it seems somewhat brave to release a fragrance with “synthetic” in the name. I asked M. Malle whether the name was a statement and he, without hesitation said yes, it is.

In response, he told me that there is a misconception that synthetic materials are bad and naturals are good, adding that people don’t understand that interesting perfume started because of synthetics (it’s true, we wouldn’t have modern perfumery as it is today without aroma chemicals). As he explains, Synthetic Jungle’s name seeks to remind people that perfume is a paradox, and that synthetic materials are required to recreate the smells of nature. This is exactly what Synthetic Jungle achieves – a beautifully natural smelling perfume, evocative of a lush jungle, and made with a mixture of both natural and synthetic materials.

Now, moving past the name, what about Synthetic Jungle the perfume? This is the result of a long creative flirtation between Frederic Malle and Anne Flipo, where the former spent quite some in the corridors of IFF convincing the latter to work with him. The starting point for their fragrant collaboration was the green fragrances of the 1970s, specifically Estée Lauder’s Private Collection, which served as inspiration. Synthetic Jungle is Frederic Malle and Anne Flipo’s rendition of the green chypre accord – a simplified, modernised version that isolates the green accord and amplifies it with intense floralcy. The result? An accessible take on green that feels operatic in its execution.

Let’s sniff!

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Candy Crush: CHANEL Nº5 Limited Holiday Edition

Candy Crush is where I write about scent-related things that I’m currently obsessed with.

If you’ve not been living under a rock, you will know that Nº5, the world’s most famous perfume, and bedtime ritual for Miss Marilyn Monroe, celebrated its centenary this year. CHANEL marked the occasion in an unexpected way, with CHANEL FACTORY 5 – a series of pop ups and a limited editions that celebrated the innovative packaging of the fragrance. Now they’re rounding of the centenary year with a limited edition bottle with a twist. We’ve seen Nº5 in red (who could forget that iconic red bottle?!) but for 2021, the icon is clad in white paper.

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Live @ Five w/ @Ostens_Official


I had the pleasure of hosting industry legends Chris Yu and Laurent Delafon on my latest episode of Live @ Five (my instagram live series). Chris and Laurent are the founders of Ostens, a British niche brand created for curious noses that celebrates the beautiful raw materials perfumers use every day. Working with IFF (and IFF-LMR), Ostens work with legendary perfumers (Dominique Ropion, Sophie Labbe, and Bruno Jovanovic, just to name a few), giving them carte blanche to create a fragrance inspired by a specific raw material (either a natural or an aroma chemical) which is sold alongside the isolated material. It’s a fascinating and unique brand.

In this episode of Live @ Five, we chat about Chris and Laurent’s love of perfume, how they got into the fragrance biz, what inspired them to create their own brand, and what the future holds for Ostens. We also talk about the creative process and Cedarwood Heart Impression, which is Ostens’ scent of the season. It’s a really fascinating chat and you can check it out by clicking here or by heading below the jump for the embedded video.

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Perfume Review: Velvet Tonka by BDK Parfums

I’ve been waiting for a fragrance from French brand BDK Parfums to click with me for a long time. Don’t get me wrong, everything they do is very well crafted and pleasant, and the packaging is exquisitely luxurious and well considered. It’s just that nothing has moved me yet. Perfume is so personal, right? So, sometimes a brand just doesn’t gel with your tastes or style, no matter how good they are, and that’s how I feel about BDK, well, I should say “that’s how I’ve felt”, because since their latest launch ‘Velvet Tonka‘ came along, everything has changed.

Velvet Tonka is described as being a tribute to the Morrocan origins of BDK founder, David Benedek, capturing the flavours and landscapes of the country “like a sweet, indulgent breeze coming straight from the Atlas Mountains”. As part of BDK’s Collection Matières the fragrance focuses on the rich and complex note of tonka bean with its supple facets of coumarin, marzipan and vanilla, blending it with key materials of orange blossom and almond. The result? A decadent gourmand that surprises with its lightness of touch.

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The Candy Perfume Boy Wins Sixth Jasmine Award


Well, here’s some good news! Last night The Fragrance Foundation UK held the annual Fragrance Foundation Awards and they announced the winners of the Jasmine Awards (the Oscars of fragrance writing). I was nominated in three categories and was thrilled to be awarded the Jasmine for Best Practical Guide for my article Material Focus: Cashmeran. This is my sixth (!!!) Jasmine Award and it’s still a complete surprise that anything I write is worthy. Thanks to all that continue to read this blog and for those who have supported me along the way.

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IGTV: Six Scents for Autumn 2021


Summer is gone (see ya later, sunshine) and autumn is here. I for one, am thrilled, because I adore autumn; the crispness in the air and the wonderful array of colours. It’s the best season and as we head into cooler times, we tend to switch out our summer fragrance wardrobe, ditching the fresh colognes in favour of comforting ambers and kaleidoscopic chypres. In my latest IGTV video I talk through six perfect fragrances for autumn – each one the perfect addition to your wardrobe.

Click here to watch the video on instagram or head below the jump for the embedded video.

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Perfume Review: Oriana by Parfums de Marly

I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, Parfums de Marly blend a heritage, renaissance aesthetic with a modern olfactory output really rather well. Their best seller, the milky, sugar-crystal-covered rose Delina is a genuinely innovative and unique composition (by the masterful Quentin Bisch, no less) that certainly deserves its cult status. That said, it’s a big collection and not everything resonates with me (I tend to lean towards the feminines than the masculines) but I’m always curious to see what the brand is up to.

Well, what they’re up to is Oriana – their latest launch. Presented in beautiful Candy Perfume Pink (I should patent that…), Oriana feels very much like an extension of Delina’s baby pink rose. This time though, things have got a whole lot gourmand, with key notes of marshmallow, orange blossom and Chantilly cream folded into something brighter, bolder and more delicious. Parfums de Marly describe Oriana as a “mille-feuille of flaky sweetness, softness, and sensuality” and if that’s not enough to make you hungry to try it, then I don’t know what is! Let’s sniff!

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