Autumn fragrances normally call for woody, amber and leather notes, evoking images of nights in front of the fire or cosied up in a country pub. The beauty world has taken a different turn this year, though.
Gone are moody, sultry scents, with intimate, comforting and familiar fragrances taking the spotlight. The notes this year's cohort of autumn scents share? Milk and cream.
Just this week, three milky scents have passed over my desk. Phlur's Heavy Cream, £99, (immediately swiped by a 20-something family friend), Orebella's Cashmere Milk, £95, and Prada's Paradoxe Sweet Chemistry, £57.60, cementing the milky trend as 'a thing'.
© Daniel SachonPhlur's Heavy Cream is obvious with the namesake note – I think it smells like Drumstick lollies – whereas Prada's take includes airy and milky textures rather than overt milk notes. But what is it about milk and cream notes that makes them so appealing?
"Milky scents feel like a nostalgic kind of comfort. There’s something really familiar about them. They evoke a sense of warmth, closeness, the softness of skin, a bit of freshness," says Alison Romash of Orebella.
© Getty ImagesJules Miller, founder and CEO of functional fragrance brand The Nue Co, agrees with the familiarity being part of the appeal of milky notes. "There's something instinctive about the comfort of a milky scent. It feels warm, soft and familiar, almost like wrapping yourself in a blanket."
One brand that's been championing milk scents from the very start is Dedcool with fragrances including Milk, Xtra Milk and Mocha Magic. "Milk has never been a scent trend for us, it's something we've been building into our fragrances since day one," says the brand. "It brings a sense of familiarity and comfort that feels really personal and comforting."
Moving gourmand along
Creamy, milky scents are a most discreet way of leaning into the vanilla-infused world of gourmand fragrances. They wander into K-beauty territory, where fragrances don't announce themselves; instead, they're only experienced up close, making them personal rather than performative.
"They're less about being noticed and more about how they make you feel when you wear them," Alison says of milky notes. "In a world that’s so loud and often overwhelming, I think people are craving fragrances that feel like a deep exhale and a gentle hug."
As for how they move gourmand along? "Many gourmand scents lean heavy - sugary, very dessert-forward, which can sometimes read as juvenile," laments Alison. "Milky accords keep the cosiness and the crave-ability that people love about gourmands, but they soften the edges. Instead of candy stickiness, think of the warmth of steamed milk or the indulgence of fresh whipped cream. It's sweetness that’s been diffused, made more sensual, more wearable, and a bit more sophisticated."
These are the ones we're wearing this season
Prada Paradoxe Sweet Chemistry, £57.60
Zendaya is the face of this new take on Prada's Paradoxe. It has airy and milky vibes woven into the floral scent, redefining sweetness for an instantly recognisable scent that lasts and lasts.
The Nue Co First Milk, £125
Neuroscents brand The Nue Co wanted to replicate the soft embrace of early connection with this delicate and comforting fragrance. For a less intimate take on milky notes, try Rice Milk, inspired by the comforting ritual of a warm cup of milk before bed, creating a cocooning scent.
Dedcool Mocha Magic, £71
Dedcool is best known for the Milk and XtraMilk scents, but Mocha Magic is my favourite. It adds creamy coffee notes to the milky scent for an edgier take that still feels cosy.
Phlur Heavy Cream, £99
Whipped cream, marshmallow and vanilla mingle together to create this Drumstick-esque scent. Layer with the newly launched body cream to intensify the scent.
Orebella Cashmere Milk, £95
Bella Hadid's fragrance brand has captured the quiet, enveloping feeling of being wrapped in something soft with this cosy, warm fragrance. Be warned, it's a bi-phase fragrance with oil inside, so while it's more nourishing on the skin than alcohol-based scents, it's not ideal when sprayed onto clothes.
