It finally feels like fall here in L.A.: it’s crisp, cool, and just cold enough for chunky knitwear. Hot tea is no longer a cute habit, but an essential for surviving dips below 60°F. House slippers, too, are important for well-being; cold feet are either a symptom of blocked qi, cause impaired flow, or something to that effect. (I’m Frankensteining things I’ve heard my mother and grandmother say over the years. The actual statement escapes me, but the general sentiment remains.)

And if you’ve seen me in something other than a sweatsuit during this thermic transition, know that it was out of obligation and not of my own volition. All I crave are cozy comforts: matching sets (better when softened with wear and wash; Small Press merch and Heavy Manners are on, well, heavy rotation), my dad’s cooking (or ramen, which is the next best thing since I’m lazy and 3,000 miles away), and coffee (it must be instant: I want hot and caffeinated, fast, which means the French press has officially been relegated to storage). Candles (smoky, earthy, rich—with a hint of sweetness) are non-negotiable as well and perhaps the pièce de résistance of this self-devised formulation. Ahead are the ones currently on rotation, if you’re so inclined:

Boy Smells Slow Burn

Smoky. Sweet. A little dank.

Like if the rare books section of a library somehow lead to a burlesque speakeasy. Less glam country (as a non-Kacey Musgraves listener would assume of the singer’s genre), more so Crazy Horse before the first bachelor party stumbles in. Or Moulin Rouge, the musical.

Heretic Parfum Dirty Suede

Musky. Velvety. Hypnotic.

Smoky, too—like an expensive cigar before it’s been lit—with a hint of gourmand stickiness. It’s warming and sexy and sensual. (I’m precious with this one because it’s now discontinued. Dirty Vanilla, though, may be similar.)

Other favorites, up next:

• Diptique Vanille: Smoked vanilla beans. Gourmand, all grown up. There’s not much depth, but it’s a comforting crowd-pleaser every time, without fail.
• Sunday Forever Rich: Cashmere and smoke. Hints of vanilla or tonka bean, and vaguely so. What can I say: I like what I like.
• Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom. Warm, spicy, creamy—honeyed, even. Perfect for days when I still want an earthy fragrance sans sweetness. Pairs well with a Netflix binge.

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xx