Ask the Experts: Discover Your Autumn Scent with L’Oreal Luxe

Please let us know a little about yourself, and what your role is at L’Oreal Luxe

My name is Ana Rita, I was born in Portugal and spent most of my life at the beach. I am now an Education Manager for L’Oréal Luxe Fragrances in the UK.

Scent can be an emotional sense. What does it mean to you?

Scent is definitely the most emotional sense we have. Smells are intrinsically connected to our memories: they take us on the most magical journeys, they can transport us to places we have been to, they can take us back in time, remind us of who we were and where we have been.

First of all, why might we want to switch up our scent from summer to autumn?

Different seasons come with different feelings, emotions and sensations. Our desires and needs change, and for that reason what we look for in a fragrance changes, too. A summer fragrance will give us the freshness and luminosity that we crave, whereas a winter fragrance should build on the desire for warm, soft and comforting sensations.

What are scent families?

We could say scent families are ‘Olfactory Groups’. Fragrances with similar olfactory profiles will be placed in the same group. Knowing in which scent family your favourite fragrance falls into will make your journey in the vast world of perfumery easier as you will most likely find a fragrance you like within the same family.

When we’re talking about Woody scents, which notes do we need to look out for?

The Woody family includes both resinous and aromatic woods as well as some dried roots or leaves, so you should look out for ingredients like Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Cedarwood, and Vetiver.

How can scent affect our mood?

There are fragrance notes, often Citrus notes, that evoke bright, fresh, sparkling, joyful sensations that will uplift your mood when you smell them, in the same way that wearing a green, earthy scent in the morning will make you feel grounded, confident, and ready for the day. Choosing a fragrance that encapsulates some of your favourite ingredients will also make you feel comforted and happy when you wear it.

The Replica collection is based around memories we want to relive over and over again. How do we attach scent to a memory?

Among all our senses, the olfaction is the only one that is directly linked to the limbic system in our brain, which is the part of the brain involved in emotional responses. That means that just like a scene of a movie or a beautiful sunset with a loved one stays in our memory forever, a smell that is linked to an important moment does, too.

If we were going to layer any scents in the Maison Margiela collection, which ones work particularly well together in autumn?

Lazy Sunday Morning is a Floral Musky scent with one of its key ingredients being White Musk - which is an incredible base note for any fragrance. For that reason it’s one of the best fragrances for layering. For autumn, I would recommend layering Lazy Sunday Morning and Autumn Vibes, always applying Lazy Sunday Morning first as your base. This will create a soft, warm and comforting woody scent.

We all know scents wear differently on different people. How do we figure out which notes work well with our skin?

It’s all about testing and learning. There are so many discovery sets available at the moment, which are a great investment when you are looking to find your perfect fragrance. Experiment with a different fragrance everyday. Simply spray it on your wrist and go back to it numerous times during the day, understand if you prefer it in the first 2-3 hours or in the following hours as it develops. Then you will know if you prefer the fresh top notes, the floral/aromatic middle notes or the warm woody base notes.

Autumn brings with it everything from crisp, sunny days to rainy evenings - and we’d love a scent to capture each of these. Which ones would you choose to cover our every eventuality?

One of them has to be Autumn Vibes, as it was created for autumn! Another one would be Lazy Sunday Morning and On a Date.

When it comes to our homes, what are your favourite notes for creating a cosy home environment? Think your ideal night in, with the rain falling outside and a cup of herbal tea in your hands

Sandalwood, Saffron and Musk. They have very similar scent profiles and when combined create a magical atmosphere. Imagine the smell of warm milk, spices and clean cashmere. Perfection.

And if we wanted to uplift ourselves, which kinds of scents would we go for?

Definitely citrus notes, like Bergamot, Mandarin or Orange Flower. They are all uplifting and energizing scents.

We all know candles are a great way to infuse scent into our homes, but how can we keep the scent stronger for longer?

The first time you light a scented candle, let it burn for at least one hour until all the wax on the surface has melted. It will help your candle melt uniformly during all the duration of use and allow all the oils to burn evenly, too. When burning your candle, don’t allow it to burn for over four hours at a time. After that the oils should have diffused around the house and you can save your candle. Always avoid blowing out your candle, try smothering the flame instead.

If we’re wanting to switch up our scents from room to room, how would you decide which scent suits which space?

Keep the clean, luminous and calming scents in the bedroom, scents can activate your brain and you need a calming space to sleep. In the living room, you can have lively scents during the day such as flowers and spices and comforting scents like Vanilla for a cosy night by the television.