Beauty

Make HayYou know you're on to a winner when people keep asking what scent you're wearing, and that's precisely what happened to me the first time I wore Cherguiby Serge Lutens.

A revered name in the business, Lutens creates one-of-a-kind fragrances. Cherguiis both sweet and spicy, and is based on the resinous scent of – wait for it – dried hay. Somehow, when Lutens mixed in white honey, clary sage, sandalwood and rose, something magical happened and a star was born. Love the ubercool bottle, too. From Arnotts and House of Fraser (€100).

Quality Street

Miuccia Pradais the mother of reinvention, taking traditional wardrobe classics – the cardigan and pencil skirt to name but two – and sending them down the runway in a new, fashion-forward manner. This shake-it-up attitude extends to the fragrance line, and the new L'eau Ambreeis an elegant, modern amber scent, very unusual, but in a good way.

It scents the air with sophistication, and is not too full-on for day wear. Widely available (€69.59).

Musk have

Ok, I am biased, but you really have to hand it to Tom Ford. I'm hardly over the launch of his wonderful Grey Vetiverscent when along he comes with a quartet of fragrances based on the element of musk. The perception of musk as a heavy aroma is replaced by a lighter and most intriguing mix. The four – Suede, Jasmine, Pure and Urban– each offer a different play of ingredients, with musk as their connecting force. The White Musk collection is at Brown Thomas (€140 each).

Noble Minded

Even before you get to the fragrance, the iconic yellow box of Aqua di Parmainstantly transports you to the shores of Lake Como. Magnolia Nobileis a modern floral – very grown-up and confident – not overly sweet, but still feminine and more than a little sexy. From Brown Thomas (€76).

Read all about it

Be warned: you will never look at (or smell) perfume in the same way again after reading this book. Perfumesis not a boring dissertation on base notes and obscure ingredients, but a highly entertaining critique which had me both fascinated and laughing out loud in equal measure. Aroma experts Luca Turinand Tania Sanchezare not afraid to tell it like it is, comments range from the sublime: "a towering masterpiece" (Jicky by Guerlain) to the damming: "tooth decay" (Princess by Vera Wang). With sections on the history and chemistry of manufacture, top 10 lists, and instructions on how to apply scent properly, it's addictive and informative. Perfumesis published by Profile Books.