February is my least favourite month in France.  It’s cold and quite frankly a tad dull.  But to be fair the South of France is really nowhere near as cold as other parts of the world in winter and in fact it has the odd unseasonably warm day so I should just cheer up a little.  However, February is when I really want to pull out the perfume  heavy hitters or those comforting blanket scents.

Here are My Top 10 Favourite Winter Warmer Perfumes 

An Iris To Wake Up To : Iris Silver Mist : Serge Lutens : This is one of those must try before you die perfumes and it suits winter better than the warmer months.  It’s not going to warm you up, this is a chilly morning wake up that is reviving and glacially beautiful.

A Big White Floral : No 22 : Chanel : Sometimes you need that big floral to make you smile in winter.  This is of the old school variety with aldehydes and smells fabulous and in my opinion is more wearable than No 5 as it has a small helping of incense that adds modernity.

A Classic Tobacco : Back to Black : By Kilian : I don’t smoke but for some reason I really love tobacco perfumes.  Back to Black is always good at any time of the year but it’s particularly rewarding in winter.  That sweet tobacco and honey really warms the bones.

A Maple Syrup Pancake : Sables : Annick Goutal : This one is immortelle all the way with some spice, and smells like a heavily laden maple syrup pancake.  It’s potent and gorgeously rich.  My advice is to spray delicately with this perfume as the longevity as they say is nuclear. Prepare to be smelling this the day after.

A Bakery Gourmand : Jeux de Peau : Serge Lutens : This perfume was created to evoke the smell of a bakery when Serge Lutens was a child.  It is a seriously gorgeous gourmand with liquorice, a milky texture and would make a delicious pastry with a little apricot jam on the top.

A Succulent Fruit : Plum Japonais : Tom Ford : Plum happens to be one of my favourite notes in perfume and here it’s combined with woods and a hint of spice.  This perfume is dry but warming and great for days outdoors. If you like  Fille en Aiguilles from Serge Lutens but find it a bit too sweet you may like this one.

A Rockstar Leather : Lonestar Memories : Andy Tauer : A leather for the more seasoned perfume lover.  It’s a tad forceful up front with its smoky birch tar blast.  But wait for the dry down and it’s a beautiful comforting  blanket of woods, tonka and myrrh.  Perhaps more on the masculine side but that’s a matter of taste and I love to wear it.

A Winter Tea Perfume : Tea For Two : L’ Artisan Parfumeur : A smoky tea with spice and even a bit of  leather and chai. This smells a lot better than how I’ve described it.  It was discontinued but it’s been brought back.  Hallelujah.

A Raunchy Perfume : L’Ombre Fauve : Parfumerie Generale : A perfume that packs a raunchy punch from the capable hands of Pierre Guillaume.  This is a triple threat of  musk, amber and patchouli.  It’s arresting and a great evening seduction perfume.

A Boozy Amber : Ambre Russe : Parfum d’Empire : I like to call this one a drunken Rasputin of a perfume.  It’s a vodka drenched amber and it opens with a cool blast but warms up beautifully to take the edge off. A favourite.  One of the best ambers on the market.

Notes : All photos mine : Chanel No 22 photo taken from Citizen K magazine