This Perfume Smells Like Winter In a Bottle

With the change of seasons, we swap out our summer clothes for wool coats and chunky scarves — but should you be changing your fragrance, too?

We all know how scent can affect our moods and set the tone for the day, so having a go-to winter scent is an obvious choice for perfume lovers. And while I'm typically someone to have several options on rotation every season, there's one that works for every single winter occasion.

Enter: Ellis Brooklyn's APRÈS Eau de Parfum.

Created by Bee Shapiro, all of Ellis Brooklyn's fragrances are clean and use sustainable sourcing practices for its ingredients. As someone who tries to adapt more ethical practices into her life and generally tries to be a better person every day, this alone is appealing. However, that's not even the reason why I'm crazy about this perfume — it's the scent is to die for. (As a self-declared fragrance snob, this declaration holds a lot of weight.)

APRÉS smells warm, but also fresh, cozy but sexy, and bold yet gentle. It may sound far-fetched, but it smells equally like an alpine morning after the first snowfall of the season and like sitting by a stone fireplace with a cup of bourbon after a long day of skiing. Every time I take a whiff of it, the fragrance tells a story. The brand says that each of its perfumes is inspired by literature, songwriting, poetry, and verse — and that's exactly the scent journey APRÈS takes you on.

Immediately after spritzing it on, the top notes of saffron, juniper berries, and cardamom come to life. It's a little spicy and earthy, but there's a certain sweetness to it, too. After a few minutes, the middle notes start to come out. Then, the notes of soft suede accord, bourbon, violet, praline, guaiacwood, and labdanum begin to unearth — mixing themselves with your skin's natural scent. Once it finally settles into the skin, the base notes unravel: musk, vanilla, patchouli, cedarwood, and sandalwood. The result is divine.

To shop: $105; ulta.com

"It's my first scent memory — the smell of snow," says Shapiro in a press release for the fragrance. "For years after, I was obsessed with Jack London’s 'Call of the Wild.' Now that I'm older, the smell of snow is also associated with snowboarding, the pristine mountains, wood burning, the après ski culture, and the glamour of iconic ski towns."

My first bottle of APRÈS was emptied last winter — like, completely drained within months. Every time someone came close enough to get a whiff, they asked what I was wearing. Not only that, but all my friends became enamored too. Soon, we formed a little club: an if-you-know-you-know situation. We'd greet each other, get a whiff of one another's scent, and acknowledge that we were both wearing the it scent of the season.

It's truly a fragrance that stands the test of time and is perfect for every winter occasion. So you already know what I'm going to smell like this holiday season.

From non-toxic makeup and skincare to sustainability practices, Clean Slate is an exploration of all things in the green beauty space. Find out what's really in your products — and what's being left out.