Studio Amber Crème

Picture a soft blanket on a cool autumn evening: warm, plush and a little indulgent. Studio Amber Crème is built around that feeling of comfort. It opens on brown sugar with a hint of rum, a heady sweetness that feels more like a dessert trolley than a sweet shop. The heart turns to tonka bean and crème anglaise, which add a custardy warmth and a faint touch of spice. The base is amber and vanilla, with patchouli running underneath to give a dry, slightly woody edge so the sweetness never turns cloying. The whole scent stays smooth and rounded, with no sharp edges. Reviewers describe strong projection and a long wear, and a few find it heavy, so one or two sprays is plenty. The dry-down is the best part: soft, skin-close and quietly opulent. It suits autumn and winter, dinners and evenings, more than hot days or a close office. Within the M&S Studio range it is the plush amber of the line. It is sold as unisex, though many wearers find it leans warm and feminine. If you like cosy vanilla-amber gourmands but not the price that usually comes with them, this is an easy bottle to try.