Underneath our autumn knits, w&h's beauty team will be wearing these 9 nourishing, cosy-smelling body care buys
From soothing bath oils to hand creams and lotions, these are the cosy scented formulas we'll be slathering on this season.
To us, autumn is one of the best seasons for scent. It's synonmous with warming woods, decadent gourmands and crisp, herbaceous notes so good, you just want to surround yourself with them. Be it with a candle or, in our beauty team's case, a plethora of rich-smelling body care buys.
Indeed, as a new season arrives, our bathroom cabinets, much like our wardrobes, are getting a little reshuffle. It's out with the lightweight formulas and summery, best-smelling body lotions and in with more indulgent and autumnal scented products. As far as we're concerned, the arrival of the 'ber' months is a full-body affair, so no, we're not just planning to spritz ourselves with an autumn perfume (though that is always a lovely way to toast the seasonal shift). Instead, we're swapping out an array of essentials to better fit the browning leaves, fuzzy fabrics and overall cosiness the cold tends to bring. Think almondy oils and bubble baths, heady rose hand creams and musky deodorants.
So, if you too want to embrace the season, from head to toe, we have nine luxe and cosy-smelling body care buys to share that we, as a beauty team, love and will be using for the foreseeable future.
The 9 autumn-scented body care buys we're swapping into our routines
Fiona's autumnal body care picks
For Digital Beauty Editor Fiona McKim, her new-season routine is a medley of rose, pistachio, and fig smells.
"I largely ignore my bathtub from May to August, but once the evenings start to darken, bobbing around with bath oil and candles and, yes, probably a cocktail starts to appeal again. This particular soaking pal looks like a work of art in your bathroom (important) and smells of sticky figs and smoky cedarwood. It also scents and softens your skin with olive and avocado oils, which seems to work a treat on post-summer ashy elbows, in particular."
"Autumn is pistachio season and my culinary sweet spot because I truly believe that little green guy is the king of the nuts. As well as gracing my every salad, salsa and breakfast bowl, you’ll find me dousing myself in roasted Provence pistachio, no less, with this sweet-yet-woody hair and body mist. Gourmand scents are rarely my thing, but this has a lightness of touch and smoky cedar kick that makes it pretty irresistible."
"There is something so pleasing about posh hand creams - and this one has the scent of my all-time favourite autumn/winter eau de parfum, Portrait of a Lady. It’s rammed with Turkish rose, but also patchouli, woods and spices; even in hand cream form it’s supremely long-lasting and, obviously, helps protect your mitts from incoming cooler, windier climes."
Sennen's autumn body care picks
From body wash to her everyday deodorant, Digital Beauty Writer Sennen Prickett is taking her immersion into the autumn season very seriously.
"When the temperature dips, my skin requires some TLC, and that begins in the shower. During the colder months, I trade in my typical body washes for L’Occitane’s Shower Oil. This golden oil transforms into a velvety milk texture as soon as it comes into contact with water. Not only is it luxuriously nourishing, leaving the skin soft and supple, but it also has the most comforting aroma – think deliciously warm almond and vanilla."
"I have a love-hate relationship with roll-on deodorants, but this one from Estrid has changed my mind. While this refillable deodorant looks utterly beautiful, don’t get it twisted, the formula inside can also do the heavy lifting. There are four different scented deodorants to choose from, but Soft Surf is a favourite of mine. It boasts a gorgeous fresh, aquatic fragrance with notes of sea salt, yuzu, sage, patchouli and musk. Not only does it smell incredible, but it also does a stellar job of keeping any unwanted sweaty aromas at bay all day long."
"Salt & Stone is a firm favourite of mine for nourishing body care, and the brand’s Body Lotion ranks top. It boasts a deeply hydrating formula, which is infused with seaweed extracts and niacinamide, yet absorbs quickly into the skin for a velvety soft finish. As for scent, I opt for Neroli & Basil as it is fresh, crisp and reminds me of a gorgeous tomato plant-filled garden – perfect for the transitioning seasons. I also have to give flowers to its handy pump dispenser, which makes applications a dream."
Naomi's autumn body care picks
Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson, is breaking up with every aspect of her summer routine, tapping in woody-scented body washes and warm, amber and vanilla bubble baths instead.
"For when the cold makes your morning shower a feat of bravery and resilience, a luxuriously scented body wash can really soften the blow and coax you under the water stream - in my experience, anyway. My Arctic bathroom is forgotten for a moment as the woody-herbaceous scent of this Salt & Stone gel surrounds me. It really reminds me of Le Labo's Santal 33 perfume, which is another favourite of mine in the autumn, and I love to layer them. As for the formula itself, it's infused with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and niacinamide to lock in moisture and support your skin's barrier. So it's a treat for your senses just as much as it is for your skin."
"I've been loving Diptyque's new Les Rituels de Soin collection, particularly this rose and barley-scented body balm. The formula itself is decadently rich and thick, but it still absorbs well and leaves my skin feeling so nourished, rather than slimy. The smell, though, is what really endeared me to it. I don't tend to love rosy fragrances, but the note is so elegant in this and balances perfectly with that cereal-y hint of barely. It's soft, luxe, and so cosy - I can smell it on my skin for hours, and I just love how it clings to my clothes. I tend to apply it after an evening bath or shower, not just because it's hydrating but so that it will transfer onto my PJs and bedsheets too - to ensure I'm full cacooned in its soothing scent."
"I'm a big bath lover and as soon as the calendar month ends with a 'ber,' I'm using any excuse I can to draw myself a hot and bubbly bath. Laura Mercier's Ambre Vanille Honey Bath is one of my go-tos for a really cosy soak. Its warm, sugary scent is such a treat after a long day, as is its conditioning red algae and borage seed oil formula. It creates such a lovely flurry of foamy bubbles, and I especially love its little honey dipper. I've been through two tubs of this bath melt, and still the novelty of scooping out the formula and holding it under the tap has not worn off."
