New seasons are all about change, and just as you’re revamping your wardrobe and filling it with all the latest trends now that autumn is underway, it’s also the perfect time to change up your perfume. Your fragrance wardrobe is just as important as your fashion one, and this season, scents are at their most exciting.
Autumn is a time of cosy jumpers, colourful leaves, and the scent of bonfires in the crisp air, which means plenty of inspiration for perfumiers, and as a season that invites warmth, depth, and a sense of nostalgia, there are a plethora of great options that have been designed to encapsulate and reflect all that we love about it.
From spicy notes to smoky accords, here we take a look at the best fragrances to take your pick from this autumn. And with something to suit all tastes and preferences, you’re sure to find your perfect perfume.
Warm and spicy
When the temperature plummets, a warm, spicy fragrance is a comforting choice, and spices like cinnamon, clove and black pepper help to create captivating perfumes you’ll love spritzing on each day.
Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille Tobacco Vanille is a rich, spicy unisex fragrance that evokes thoughts of cosy autumns in by the fire, and perfectly blends sweet yet exotic notes with deeper, darker elements to create a heady scent that can’t help but make a statement.
Jo Malone’s Myrrh and Tonka is a luxurious choice that will make you feel like a million dollars every time you spritz some on. Combining sweet tonka bean with almond and lavender, the profile is spicy yet creamy, and lingers in the cool autumn air to keep you smelling wonderful all day.
Woody and earthy
If spice isn’t your thing, then embrace fragrances that take inspiration from the natural elements for a refreshing scent that will breathe new life into each day. As the trees shed their leaves, woody and earthy fragrances are the perfect pick, with notes of cedar, sandalwood, patchouli and vetiver capturing this seasonal change with effortless ease.
We love Le Labo Santal 33 Santal 33 by Le Labo – an iconic fragrance that exudes a grounded, earthy feeling of autumn, combining leather, cedar, and sandalwood to create a rugged, yet elegant, scent that’s ideal for those crisp autumn walks or evenings gathered around a bonfire.
Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace is another pick that truly captures the essence of autumn, both in name and in the experience it offers the wearer. Smoky, woody and with notes of chestnut, vanilla, and cloves, it brings to mind the scent of a gently crackling fire. A touch of sweetness cuts through the heaviness to create an alluring scent it’s hard to resist.
Gourmand delights
From gingerbread to pumpkin pie, the autumn months are all about big flavours and comforting scents, and over recent years we’ve seen a growing trend for fragrances that seek to encapsulate these. Known as gourmand scents, they take inspiration from the abundance of fruit collected at harvest and the decadent baked goods that autumn is known for, featuring sweet, edible notes like caramel, vanilla, and honey to make for the olfactory equivalent of indulging in your favourite autumn dessert.
For a super sweet hit, try Viktor and Rolf’s Bonbon, which blends notes of caramel, peach, and orange blossom to create a sweet, candy-like experience that, although potent, isn’t overpowering. Perfect for those early autumn days when the air is crisp but not yet chilly, it’s an excellent transitional choice.
Or for a true gourmand classic, try Thierry Mugler Angel Angel, which combines chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and patchouli notes for a truly edible-smelling scent you won’t be able to get enough of. Sweet, bold and unapologetically indulgent, it’s the perfect treat to carry with you in your handbag for whenever you need a pick-me-up, and its rich, dessert-like scent promises to make a statement that complements the season’s mood of warmth and comfort.
Smoky and sophisticated
The shorter days, cool nights and crisp leaves of autumn are perfectly complemented by smoky and sophisticated scents that evoking imagery of bonfires, forest trails, and distant woodsmoke.
Diptyque Volutes is a firm favourite, filling the air with the gentle scents of tobacco and iris. But don’t worry; you won’t smell as though you’ve just stepped out for a cigarette. With notes of dried fruit, honey, and spices, it’s as warm and sweet as it is smoky, exuding a sense of mystery and sophistication that is lifted with the light touch of honey.
