When autumn comes around, we ditch sandals and tank tops for boots and sweaters to stay warm and dry. But why also change our perfume when the leaves begin to fall? “It’s a bit of an emotional reset—fall is a symbolic change,” says Simon Tooley, owner of the Canadian beauty retailer Etiket, who says that on a recent trip to his Toronto store, he saw multiple people coming in for their fall scent wardrobe.
What are they looking for? It’s not to do with the chemistry of scents or the way heat affects them—it’s an emotional urge. “When the weather turns, and the temperature drops a little bit more, we feel the need or the desire to wear warmer scents—scents that provide a more enveloping feeling,” says Carlos Huber, the fragrance designer of Arquiste. “We are sort of trading in lemonade for hot cocoa,” Tooley agrees.
Your metaphorical sandals—bright citrussy scents like lime or lemon, coconut, fresh greens, and some florals—need to go into storage. What notes would be the equivalent to that comfy sweater? “What we tend to see is deeper roses or iris or the addition of a leather to something,” Tooley says, noting that amber, cedar, and sandalwood are also great for colder months. Huber points out that our activities change in the cooler months. We tend to be indoors more and might gravitate to scents with a cozier feel. “Right now, I would do a very comforting vanilla, a nice spicy nutmeg, tonka bean, light wood that feels enveloping but not heavy,” he says.
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When you’re adding to your scent wardrobe, it’s best to go in person, though many online retailers offer samples or sell miniatures so you don’t have to gamble on a full-size bottle. “We ask them what they’re wearing now, because you want to get a feeling of where they’re at in their journey and what they are looking for in a scent,” Tooley remarks. “Then if someone says, ‘I like rose,’ I’ll pull a sort of a classic and then maybe a little more complex or a little more edgy or not as ‘rose’ and then see what the reaction is.”
Huber says the key thing is just to play and have fun. “Wear different fragrances for different hours of the day, for different activities. If you’re going to get a coffee in the morning at your local coffee shop, try something. If you’re going afterwards to the office, try something else. If you’re going on a date, do a different one.” He also recommends trying different scents on each arm to see which better suits your mood that day . “It’s not a formula. The more you incorporate scents into your life, the more fun you have with it, the more, almost, lightly you take it and more personal you make it, the more you will know yourself what feels right for you day by day.”
Looking for something to cocoon you through fall and winter? Here are 10 scents to try:
The 7 Virtues Buttercream Haze
Sweet, gourmand fragrances are the flavour du jour toward the holiday season. This perfume from the Canadian brand is meant to smell like an afternoon baking, with vanilla, a touch of rum essence, and a twist of lemon zest.
Arquiste Almond Suede
Inspired by Córdoba, Spain, where Moorish, Christian, and Jewish influences mingle, this is all softness and sweetness: almond, honeycomb, saffron, candied sugar, vanilla, and suede, with touches of pine tar, pepper, and bergamot to keep things interesting.
Balenciaga Incense Parfumum
This black perfume has notes of cedarwood, resin, and amber as well as incense to make things churchy. It comes in a refillable vintage-style flacon and is part of a collection of 10 scents that were launched at the beginning of fall and are based on Cristóbal Balenciaga’s first perfume, Le Dix, which came out in 1947.
BDK Parfums Gris Charnel Extrait
The perfect way to transition to cooler months, this blends fresh notes of fig and cardamom, powdery iris, and black tea, with amber, sandalwood, and cedar essence to add depth.
Burberry Goddess Parfum
Vanilla lovers only, please. This has three versions of the note—infusion (bright and woody), absolute (dark), and FirGood, a new note developed for Burberry that is sweet and rich. It is vegan and comes in a refillable bottle.
Chanel Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif
Amber, leather, resin, and sustainably sourced sandalwood give this scent (which is aimed at men) an intensity and sharpness that make it great for cold weather. It’s the third in the Bleu de Chanel line, which also includes an EDP, EDT, and parfum spray.
Charlotte Tilbury Star Confidence
This confidence boost in a bottle has warm florals including jasmine and davana, plus blackcurrant, oakmoss, and patchouli.
Essential Parfums Néroli Botanica
Spice meets flowers: there’s orange blossom, neroli, and jasmine, plus curcuma leaf, ginger, and pink and black peppers, with green and woody sustainably sourced vetiver and sandalwood.
Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum Intense
This fall fragrance has notes of leather (appropriate for Hermès), plus florals, berries, oak, and patchouli.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood
Oud—the luxurious smoky scent—is the predominant note in this perfume, which also has violets, damascene rose, and vanilla. Warning: it projects across a room and lasts and lasts, so make sure you love it before you spray.
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