There's a certain pleasure to be had in following a favorite artisanal perfume brand over an extended period of time, just like following a musician or visual artist or film director whose work means a lot to you. You can see their work evolve, recognize certain recurring themes or motifs, watch them trace new paths. Lately, I’ve been regularly wearing recent releases from three artisanal perfumers whose work I’ve followed for years. All three have turned out to be mood-boosters for me, in different ways, and I'm appreciating these tiny vials of optimism at the end of a tricky and unpredictable year.

Snow Angels is Dawn Spencer Hurwitz's twenty-fifth holiday fragrance as DSH Perfumes. I'm partial to a few of her previous holiday releases (including Pomegranate Rouge, Ruby Candlelight and Winter White) so I looked forward to trying this one. Hurwitz describes Snow Angels as "the scent of happy smiles and the exuberant feeling of a sunny winter day making snow angels," with dominant notes of hawthorn, mimosa and cashmere musk. If I were just to describe the images and sensations that floated through my mind when I first sniffed Snow Angels, I'd also mention peppermint cream candy, an almond cookie dusted with confectioner's sugar and the cotton batting used in holiday window displays and old-fashioned Nativity sets, with a few tiny glitter stars added for sparkle. Hurwitz treated a similar winter theme in Zoologist Snowy Owl, and if you loved that fragrance, you should seek out Snow Angels — it feels semi-related, as a gourmand-tinged, cool-air floral.

Heading from the wintry outdoors into an intimate dinner party, we have Kelly + Jones Chardonnay Disco, a reissue of K + J's Notes of Wine: Chardonnay fragrance (originally launched in 2012) with an updated name and new packaging. I've been trying the oil-based format and feeling uplifted and pampered every time I roll it onto my wrists. Crisp top notes of pear and apple, a heart of buttery vanilla, hints of woody orris and musk in the dry down — Chardonnay Disco is deceptively simple, a carefully balanced sip of sweetness and light. It slips over the skin like a charmeuse halter dress, smooth and supple, ready for the dance floor. Don't worry, though: Chardonnay Disco keeps the "volume" turned fairly low and wears close to the skin, keeping the party private enough to still feel exclusive. I'm planning to wear this one for a New Year's Eve gathering with a group of close friends.

Lastly, I've been indulging in a freshly acquired sample vial of Fruitful, the newest release from Jazmin Saraï. Founder-perfumer Dana El Masri describes Fruitful as "an intention and meditation on growth" and pairs it with a quote from the poet and mystic Rumi: “Every leaf that grows will tell you: what you sow will bear fruit, so if you have any sense, my friend, don’t plant anything but Love.” I've worn several Jazmin Saraï fragrances before and I'm partial to How You Love (honeyed sandalwood), Otis & Me (dark coffee with woods) and Ma'ré (neroli and green citrus). Fruitful feels delightfully optimistic: its luscious tumble of ripe lychee and mango, followed by fizzy hibiscus tea and a drop of syrupy benzoin resin, isn't afraid to demand affection. And its heart note of tart rose, an unexpected pleasure, has ensured my devotion.

However you're planning to spend your holidays this month, whatever you are celebrating (or not), I wish you a joyous, festive, and abundant season. Do let us know what fragrances you'll be choosing to conclude 2025!

DSH Perfumes Snow Angels is available as 30 ml Eau de Parfum ($80) and a variety of other sizes and concentrations via Dawn Spencer Hurwitz. Kelly + Jones Chardonnay Disco is available as 50 ml Eau de Parfum ($140) and 6 ml Perfume Oil ($45) via Kelly + Jones; 1.5 ml samples are also available. Jazmin Saraï Fruitful is available as 15 ml ($76) and 50 ml ($146) Eau de Toilette via Jazmin Saraï; 2 ml samples are also available.

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