16 June 2025

It’s the season for warm layers and comfort, and naturally, this means our wardrobes – and fragrances – are due for an update. Every June, I’m always weighing up my approach: do I lean into winter with a rich, spicy scent, or operate in denial, spritzing on Replica’s Beach Walk to remind myself of summer?

Inevitably, the notes of coconut milk and sunscreen just start to feel wrong come July. I may still be holding on to a tan after my recent trip to Italy, but I’m determined to romanticise Melbourne’s winter this year, and that’s going to involve (alongside mulled wine and frequent sauna trips) a new addition to my perfume wardrobe.

But what to choose? While the northern hemisphere brands are now advertising summer, the local perfumers here in Australia and New Zealand happen to be making some of the best wintery scents.

To get a gauge on what’s out there (without subjecting my nostrils to the ground floor of David Jones just yet), I reached out to some local fragrance founders to see what they’re reaching for in the colder months.

Picked by: Anna Weatherlake, Vahy co-founder

“There’s something about Ember Haze that feels like a warm hug on a cold day. It’s smoky, seductive, and beautifully complex, with notes of warm amber, vanilla and woods. Like all Vahy scents, it’s 100 per cent natural and crafted without synthetics, so I can wear it close to skin all day, every day.”

Picked by: Kate Macdonald, Vahy Fragrance Co-Founder

“Tarkine is my winter go-to. It’s a rich, woods and velvet scent with a hint of vanilla, that transports me straight to the depths of the Tasmanian rainforest. Tarkine is grounding, earthy and nostalgic.”

THE VALLEY BY ODESSE

Picked by: Mina Gorman, Odesse creative director

Scent profile: Spicy, musk, vanilla.

“My go-to winter scent is The Valley. With notes of cannabis, incense, amber and vanilla, it’s warm, rich, exotic and unexpected – perfect for a night out at a winter wine bar.”


GREEN CEDAR BY ABEL

Picked by: Frances Shoemack, Abel founder

Scent profile: Floral, spice, green, wood.

“I always reach for Green Cedar in winter, it’s my go-to to lift my mood. The cedarwood is rich and grounding, but we combined it with aromatic cardamom and magnolia for warmth. It’s reminiscent of a deep inhale in a misty forest.”


REVERIE BY LOESS

Picked by: Amy Louise, Loess Co-Founder.

Scent profile: Spicy, woody.

“Myself and our team are wearing our latest fragrance, Reverie. It’s got a heavy spice to it with black pepper and patchouli as the hero notes, accompanied by sandalwood, cedar and guaiacwood which helps ground the fragrance.”


VANILLA VANILLA BY ODESSE

Picked by: Luz Paras, Odesse Account Manager.

Scent profile: Floral, creamy, wood.

“My go-to winter scent is Vanilla Vanilla. It opens soft and creamy with Madagascan vanilla and white florals, then deepens into warm patchouli, tonka and amber. It’s comforting, polished, and perfect for cold, rainy mornings.”