Winter is the best time to level up your fragrance. Here are the ingredients to look for

I come from a long line of sniffers – my family sniffs everything before we buy it, read it, taste it, go out with it – and my sense of smell has always been exceptional. But my highly tuned ability slowly started to fade, then disappeared. The cause? Pesky nasal polyps. The treatment was straightforward and my sense of smell soon returned; with it came a new appreciation for this most evocative of the five senses.

Olfaction relies on cells in the nose, mouth and throat to interpret smells and taste flavours. Microscopic molecules released by food, flowers and anything with a scent stimulate these cells. They in turn send messages to the brain, which can recognise a trillion distinct odours.

Our noses are designed to help us decide what is good for us and what is bad, so there is a reason we are attracted to jasmine, tuberose, the scent of the sea and freshly cut grass, and repelled by the odour of smelly socks. As the late Helen Keller, who went blind and deaf as an infant, put it: “Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived.”

Now that my sense of smell is thankfully restored, it’s time to explore some of the newer fragrance releases. Winter is the ideal season to boost the intensity of your perfume as cold air slows down molecular evaporation. This favours richer fragrances – think of those based on amber, vanilla, oud, woods and spices – which have heavy molecules that linger longer. Here are my picks:

Miu Miu Miutine EDP ($305 for 100ml): A delicious blend of full-blown strawberry, gardenia, jasmine, brown sugar, vanilla and moss.

Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique EDP ($510 for 100ml): Sensual, with top notes of bergamot, lychee and peach; heart notes of jasmine, orange blossom and peony; base notes of moss, musk and woods.

Frédéric Malle Contre-Jour EDP ($484 for 50ml): A delightful unisex scent with a bohemian herbal/floral vibe thanks to rose, Mediterranean immortelle (a flower) and sandalwood.

Born to Stand Out Dirty Milk EDP ($380 for 50ml): A great fragrance if you are looking to experiment, with notes of condensed milk, caramel, pepper, vanilla and tonka bean.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist EDP ($132 for 100ml): Not new, but worthy of a fresh look. Created in 1994, it is heady, with flashes of bergamot, suede, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, cashmeran and amber. Think of it as the perfect fireside scent.

So you get as much benefit from your fragrance as those around you, spray it on the palms of your hands. And remember, to avoid overload when road-testing new fragrances, sniff no more than three in a sitting.

ASK STEPH

How do I clean my back properly?
For hard-to-reach areas, try a strap-style exfoliator with a handle at each end such as the Manicare Exfoliating Back Scrubber ($9) in combination with Supernova Body Soft Wash ($45).

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