AN ODE TO & OTHER STORIES' BONBON TREE

Far from a traditional 'winter scent' Bonbon Tree is fragranced with violet, sandalwood, and carrot, which combine to create an incredibly relaxing and vaguely masculine aroma, a welcome deviation from typically super sweet festive scents.

As far as affordable but luxurious and efficacious body care ranges go, I don't think you can beat & Other Stories. Their fragrances boast a depth and complexity that similarly priced offerings from other high street brands lack. The latest launch, Bonbon Tree constitutes the brand's winter body care line; designed to be a fragrance 'reminiscent of home', it perfectly captures the warm, comforting aroma that hits you as you step in to a toasty house away from the cold. Wit the onslaught of November's icy and overcast days well and truly upon us, now is the perfect time to set aside summer's zesty and refreshing body care offerings [which, thanks to an Indian Summer we've managed to prolong in play]. Instead, cocoon yourself in soft, homely aromas; a harmonious combination of some of my favourite fragrance notes - blackcurrant, violet, vetiver, and sandalwood alongside lemon, carrot, leather, and vanilla. Festive connotations aside [the result of a blend of deep fruit and warm spice notes], there's also a dark, mellow crispness that gives the scent an androgynous appeal. Such fragrances have become more mainstream in recent years, combining traditionally masculine leather, vetiver and sandalwood with sweet florals and vanilla bases. Despite being the only ingredient listed on the front of the packaging, the sandalwood is very much a supporting act, and for me the heady violet takes centrestage against a backdrop of warm leather and sweet vanilla. The combination is far superior to the usual festive suspects [clove, orange, cinnamon etc.] in evoking that warm, winter cosiness.

For a full-force aromatherapy project I love to use a range in its entirety, layering body lotion over body wash and finishing off the effect with a dose of eau de toilette to both skin and hair - taking the concept of a 'signature scent' to its extreme. There's also nothing quite so satisfying as having a perfectly matching array of products lined up on your in-shower shelf.

Despite its gel formula, the Body Wash* feels so gentle and softening on the skin. Just a little product is needed to rise to a thick, creamy lather that easily coats the entire body, swathing limbs in the elegant, spiced infusion, and making the whole shower smell like a Swedish bakery. Shower puffs are great, but I love the process of massaging a good gritty scrub all over, before removing it to reveal skin that is not only silky soft but also potently scented. The beauty of the Body Scrub* is the dense, gelatinous substance in which the exfoliating sugar particles are suspended in; the thick texture binds moisture to the skin via meadowfoam seed oil, which offers a rich and comforting boost of hydration. Softer, gentler, and less fragranced that your typical body lotion, the Body Soufflé* absorbs almost immediately upon impact and leaves skin with a soft, powdery matte texture. I've truly never used a product that has absorbed so fast as these do; ideal if you despise the greasy slip that comes commonplace in body lotion use, or are simply too rushed for time to stand around waiting for a cream to absorb. True to its name, the texture is a weightless, whipped cream, which aside from infusing limbs with its comfortingly, delicate aroma, has multiple skincare benefits. The blend of vitamin E, shea butter, and babassu oil provides optimal hydration, and leaves my skin feeling comforted and nourished. Finally, the finishing touch; formulated in collaboration with esteemed perfumer Jerome Epinette of Robertet [the nose behind Oribe and many of & Other Stories and Byredo's most beloved fragrances], the Eau de Toilette* [coming soon] presents Bonbon Tree in its most potent and rich form. Capturing the deep, spicy essence from the heart of the scent in a way that instantly calms and soothes the senses. During the day I like to layer it over a lighter rose scent, which counterbalances the deep, warm fragrance with something a little more light and floral, but by night this is perfect for fragrancing limbs with something sweet, spicy, and seductive.