For Leah Burgdorf, celebrating the seasons reminds her to slow down and appreciate the passage of time. One way she loves to celebrate is through the use of fragrance.
In this Fragrances with Friend interview, Leah discusses how she uses perfume to evoke the spirit of autumn, from the warm golden days of September to the crisp, chilly days of November. She also shares how fragrance makes Halloween (her favorite holiday) more meaningful.
Bring your trick-or-treat pail for this interview. Leah hands out perfume recommendations by the fistful.
How did you first become interested in fragrance?
Growing up in the 1970s, my family embraced the culture of fragrance. My grandparents, mother, and father all had their own passions, and their fragrances were incredibly rich and beautiful. My mother loved Chanel No. 5 and Faberge Tigress; my father adored fougeres and chypres of all kinds and was constantly on the hunt for a good deal. My grandmother shared her fragrances with me, and often gave me a bottle of Wind Song by Prince Matchabelli at Christmas, which felt very grown up when I was a little girl.
One of my most cherished childhood experiences was accompanying my mother on perfume shopping trips. She encouraged me and my siblings to explore high-quality fragrances like YSL Champagne, and often encouraged us to pick out something small for ourselves. I look back on that now and think how awesome it was of her to give us the chance to start our fragrance journeys at young ages.
You enjoy celebrating the seasons. How do you do this through fragrance and other traditions?
I live in Texas, and here, fall brings a welcome respite from the summer heat—it’s in the 80s and 90s F instead of over 100 F. The change in weather influences my fragrance choices, making it more enjoyable to wear warm, spicy scents with notes of amber and cinnamon. While some people are comfortable wearing any fragrance regardless of the time of year, I prefer to wear perfumes that complement specific seasons.
In Perfumes: The A-Z Guide, by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, they say that perfume “decorates the day. It makes you feel as if the colors of the air have changed.” I feel this too.
Fragrances transport me to different places, allowing me to experience autumn in a variety of ways. I love the idea of using scents to visit a carnival, an orchard, or a fall garden in my mind. Certain fragrance notes immediately evoke the spirit of autumn for me: apples, pumpkins, dark roses, berries, wine, cotton candy, patchouli, crunchy leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, limes, carnations, woody scents, and fruits are all associated with the harvest season. As the weather gets colder, I also enjoy incorporating smoke, incense, and patchouli into my fragrance choices.
Beyond fragrance, I love to decorate for seasons. With a demanding job, decorating is a ritual that helps me slow down and appreciate the passage of time and the beauty of seasonal transitions.
Can you describe fragrances that evoke the essence of early, middle, and late autumn?
An Indian Summer by La Fleur by Livvy reminds me of the warm days of early Autumn. It perfectly captures the essence of a this time of year with its citrusy and spicy notes. The scent reminds me of enjoying a refreshing lime drink on a porch, with a hint of delicate florals, warm wood, and citrus. It’s a truly delightful fragrance. In early autumn, I also enjoy fragrances that remind me of apple picking, such as Sirio by Mendittorosa, and Cellar and Corvin’s Apple Fest by Solstice Scents.
Mid-Autumn brings to mind several fragrances I enjoy for their blend of cool and warm notes, which remind me of October days in Texas with cool mornings and warm, sunny afternoons.
- Djelem by Suleko is a rich and earthy with notes of amber, patchouli, carnation and ripe fruits.
- October by Neil Morris Fragrances features notes of wood, dry leaves, and eath.
- Autumn Shadows by Teone Reinthal smells of ginger, jasmine, spices and resins.
- Sublime Balkiss by The Different Company combines berries and patchouli to create a lovely, purple-hued balance between cool and warm elements.
As the weather gets colder in late Autumn, I gravitate toward smoky fragrances such as Winter Green and Winter Nights by Dasein, and Foxcroft and Maplewood Inn by Solstice Scents. I also begin to wear incense fragrances, such as Winter Kitty by For Strange Women and Fougere Gothique by Barrister and Mann.
The harvest, which occurs all season long, makes me crave perfumes with fruity notes, such as Accord 119 by Caron. I specifically gravitate toward berry notes in perfumes like Cape Heartache by Imaginary Authors, Cellar Feels by Curionoir, and Saddane by Slumberhouse. To me, these scents capture the vibrant feeling of abundance that I associate with this time of year.
How do you celebrate Halloween? Do you have any spooky scent recommendations?
Halloween is my favorite holiday. I start preparing early by getting out my Pumpkin King mugs and skeletons. Each week, I add a little bit more, such as outdoor lights and even a blow-up hearse in my yard, building excitement for the holiday. The neighborhood families have expressed their enjoyment of watching this transformation each year, and it warms my heart to hear how much joy it brings them.
I have a special collection of fragrances for Halloween that evoke my favorite aspects of the celebration:
- Outdoor carnivals: There are so many fantastic carnival fragrances, such as Dzing! by L’Artisan Parfumeur, Magic Circus by MiN New York, and Foxcroft Fairgrounds and Riverside Hayride by Solstice Scents.
- Serious spookiness: When I want a more haunting and mysterious vibe, I reach for Halloween by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, Witch’s Spell by Neil Morris Perfumes, or Gibbons Mischief Night or Halloween Night by Solstice Scents.
- Going gothic: Remember those 1990s goth disco parties? Goth as Fuck by Sucreabeille will let you revisit them; it smells of candle wax and smoke machines. Salem Gothic by DS & Durga also fits this category. It evokes a chilling Victorian atmosphere with the smell of cold wind and crushed violets.
You enjoy scary stories from folklore and literature. Can you share your favorites and the fragrances you associate with them?
I love scary stories and the way certain fragrances can enhance their impact or help me understand them more deeply.
I grew up reading stories about Baba Yaga, a mysterious and powerful witch from Russian folklore. She lived in a cottage in the woods on chicken legs. When I imagine her cottage, it smells of damp earth, twisted roots, weathered wood, smoky incense, burnt spices, and a nearby lake or swamp. Suleko makes a fragrance called Baba Yaga that actually does a great job of evoking the essence of her story. It’s complex and multifaceted, mimicking the feeling of wandering through a dark, foreboding forest. Suleko offers both an EDP version that is darker in tone and an EDT that has a faint brightness to it. I prefer the EDT.
I recently read Bram Stoker’s Dracula for the first time and was struck by the descriptions of the misty, cold gloom of the Carpathian mountains, which the protagonist describes in lush detail. Reading this story helped me better understand a fragrance by Siovohle called Carpathian Oud. What Bram Stoker was describing is how this smells. It’s amazing.
Is there a particular fragrance you enjoy wearing on Thanksgiving?
While I don’t have a specific Thanksgiving fragrance, I do love to wear Shalimar by Guerlain on special occasions. Shalimar is my all-time favorite perfume, and I think it complements a delicious Thanksgiving dinner perfectly.
You’ve mentioned several indie perfumers throughout this interview. Do you believe indie perfumers excel at creating seasonal fragrances?
Indie perfumers often specialize in crafting unique and evocative fragrances and are more likely to experiment with scents that celebrate the changing seasons. Solstice Scents, Little & Grim, La Fleur by Livvy, and Barrister and Mann are just a few examples of brands that excel in this area.
These smaller brands offer a wide range of options and lots of scope for the imagination. They also offer their perfumes at more affordable prices compared to many designer and niche perfume brands. I appreciate this because it allows me to experiment and discover new ways to celebrate the seasons without breaking the bank.
The feature image is a royalty free image from Pixabay. All other photos provided courtesy of Leah Burgdorf.
Like what you’ve read here. Please subscribe to my blog, leave a comment, or share it with someone you know.
Fragrances With Friends 