As (this very short) summer draws to a close, we may say goodbye to drinking our beloved Aperol Spritzes [1] whilst wearing floaty dresses, but there's one thing we'll welcome with open arms: an excuse to pick a new autumnal fragrance. Of course, you don't have to change your signature scent to correspond with the season, but the cooler months certainly give you a nice excuse to do so. Plus, we're fully embracing each and every mood boost we can get, especially if it involves a brand new fragrance.
There's something special about the transition period from summer to winter, from the fiery colours of the leaves to the hint of chill in the air. And those same factors that have us breaking out warmer, cosier clothes and sipping on spicier pumpkin lattes and heavier red wines also have us wanting to switch up our beauty routine. This time of year, many of us visit the salon to tweak our hair colour to something warmer or darker, dig out all of our dark lipsticks [2]s in shades like burgundy, blackcherry, and claret, and try out manicures in deeper, moodier tones. And we can't think of a better way to celebrate the new season than topping it all off with a scent that's not too light and not to heavy to complement the transitional weather.
It's not a total farewell to our favourite light, citrus scents, though. Many of these picks strike a balance between fresh and complex, with citrus and white floral notes mingling with warm decadent ones like pomegranate, spicy pepper, and sandalwood. When it comes to new scents for 2021, we're also seeing a lot of fresh, earthy fragrances that are meant to evoke walks in the countryside, like Chanel's Paris Édimbourg Eau de Toilette, or decadent gourmand perfumes full of vanilla, amber, and musk.
So if you're on the hunt to find a new fragrance to spritz this season, grab your hot cider, throw on your cosy jumper, and read on to see our favourite autumn fragrances for 2021.
The Nue Co Forest Lungs
The Nue Co Forest Lungs [4] (£85) is a fragrance meant to replicate the smell of being surrounded nature — like you're walking in the woods, surrounded by trees, and plants, and fresh air — as a way to help you de-stress (it's said that spending time in nature can have positive effects on our nervous system). And whilst the fragrance certainly makes you feel relaxed when you wear it, the smoky, woody quality also brings to mind visions of crisp autumn hikes in the countryside as the air starts to cool and the leaves start to turn fiery colours of orange and red.
Chanel Paris-Édimbourg Eau de Toilette Spray
Chanel crosses the Channel with its Chanel Paris-Édimbourg Eau de Toilette Spray [5] (£112), which is meant to evoke the Scottish countryside. A fragrance that's both earthy and fresh, at first spritz it has an icy quality that's as invigorating as taking a deep breath on chilly day. What we love the most, however, is that in addition to all of the woody and aromatic notes, like juniper berry, cypress, cedar and vetiver, there's also a hint of warmth courtesy of vanilla and musk that give the fragrance a smooth, comforting quality.
Kayali Invite Only Amber 23
Dark and sensual but with a comforting warmth to it, Kayali Invite Only Amber 23 [6](£98) is a decadent gourmand, which means it's a perfume made up of primarily synthetic edible notes (like honey, chocolate, vanilla, or candy). In the case of Invite Only Amber, those yummy notes include black cherry, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, and a hazelnut accord that's meant to smell like a certain chocolate-y hazelnut spread we all know and love and eat right out of the jar. But the fragrance isn't just a dessert tray in fragrance form, however. It gets its depth and complexity thanks tobacco leaf, which adds a smoky quality to the scent, and natural oud, marking the first time the brand has used the classic ingredient [7] in one of its perfumes.
Sana Jardin Vanilla Nomad Eau de Parfum
Like any vanilla-spiked perfume, there is a warm, comforting feeling you get when you spray Sana Jardin Vanilla Nomad Eau de Parfum [8] (£95). But with the addition of
bergamot, jasmine absolute, vetiver, and cardamom and patchouli oils, there's an earthy, smoky quality that not only makes this particular vanilla fragrance incredibly unique and complex, but also a perfect addition to your autumn wardrobe.
Jo Malone London's English Pear & Freesia Cologne
Jo Malone London's English Pear & Freesia Cologne [9] (£102) is on the lighter, fresher end of the fragrance spectrum, but we still love it for the autumn months. It contains the sparkly white florals we love for the summer, but blended with pear, which smells both sweet and crisp, rhubarb, a note that balances out the honey-like quality of the pear, and a warm base of patchouli, amber, and white musk. A spritz of this cologne and you can imagine walking through the countryside on a chilly autumn morning.
Mugler Alien Goddess Eau de Parfum
Mugler Alien Goddess Eau de Parfum [10] (£79) is an intoxicating gourmand-floral blend of bergamot essence, jasmine grandiflorum, and bourbon vanilla (a type of vanilla from Madagascar that has a very strong and creamy flavour ... and scent). Blended all together the notes creates a warm, sunny feeling that are as enticing and as they are uplifting.
Diptyque Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum
This particular Diptyque scent falls in the chypre category, which means it's typically composed of mossy, dry notes such as bergamot, oak moss, and patchouli. With the Diptyque Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum [11] (£120), however, the brand puts a spin on the traditional chypre by adding touches of rose, drawing inspiration from "Parisian architecture and iconic Art Nouveau buildings." We can best describe it in one word: dreamy.
Aerin Cedar Violet Eau de Parfum
Not all autumn fragrances have to be warm and spicy. The Aerin Cedar Violet Eau de Parfum [12] (£99) — which is inspired by a sunny autumn day in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York — smells green and lush and just a little bit sparkly thanks to notes of violet leaf and golden gardenia.
Maison Margiela Replica Whispers In The Library
There's no feeling quite like snuggling at home with a blanket and a good book in the cold weather; that's exactly the feeling you get with Maison Margiela Replica Whispers In The Library [13] (£90). Margiela is known for creating scents that evoke familiar memories and feelings, and this one is certainly no different. The combination of spicy pepper with woody cedar and warm, comforting vanilla, make this scent a bottle of cosy, autumnal heaven.
Hermès Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate Eau de Cologne
Fresh, fruity, and light is how we'd describe Hermès Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate Eau de Cologne [14] (£77). It's a feminine scent with a top note of rhubarb (hence the name!), middle note of red berries, and base note of white musk.
Experimental Perfume Club Iris Carmin Eau de Parfum
Experimental Perfume Club is an innovative fragrance company that allows you to create bespoke scents, either online or by visiting the brand's flagship store in London. The process is pretty simple: the brand created six minimal perfumes based on popular fragrance notes, what it calls "the essential collection". You can buy one of those six, or, you can buy of the 25 "signature blends, which are varying combinations of those six minimal perfumes. (At the store, you can actually book a private creation session to truly create your own signature eau.) Starting 28 Sept., EPC is offering a limited edition scent just for the autumn, the Experimental Perfume Club Iris Carmin Eau de Parfum [15] (£125). Inspired by the vibrant colours of tree leaves during the the season, Iris Carmin smells both bright, warm, and earthy — like you're standing in the middle of the forest on a sunny autumn day. We love the combination of the fig, iris, and amber, which is made smooth and sensual thanks to the addition of patchouli in the base.
Experimental Perfume Club Bergamot Noir Eau de Parfum
Experimental Perfume Club Iris Carmin Eau de Parfum [16] (£125) is one of the brand's 25 "signature blends" and another scent we're loving for autumn. The juice is a combination of the brand's Bergamot Incense essential eau de parfum, which is citrusy and a bit earthy and woody, with its Amber Iris essential eau de parfum, which is dark and vanilla-y. The result is a complex scent that is somehow both fresh and herbal, and moody and gourmand at the same time.
Miller Harris Oud Éclat Eau de Parfum
Oud can be a polarising fragrance note — you either love it or you hate it. But the new Miller Harris Oud Éclat Eau de Parfum [17] (£160) takes oud — which is derived from the resin-embedded heartwood of the tropical agar tree — and blends it with marigold, nutmeg, a sugar accord, as well as green, woody notes. You still sense the smoky sweetness of the oud, but because it's surrounding by notes that are fresh, floral, and sweet, it gives the fragrance an effervescence, softening the star note to onlt a whisper.
Miss Dior Eau de Parfum
Miss Dior Eau de Parfum [18] (£118) has always been a beautiful fragrance to wear all year round, but in 2021 the classic scent received an update for 2021 that makes it especially lovely to wear in the autumn. The original notes of centifolia rose and lily-of-the-valley are now blended with a peony accord, soft woody notes, and touches of vanilla and tonka bean to add a hint of mouth-watering sweetness and comforting warmth.
Floral Street Iris Goddess Eau de Parfum
Floral Street Iris Goddess [19] (£58) sure does make you feel like a goddess that's about to take on the autumn season. It's not your typical, everyday scent, and that's exactly why we like it. It's powdery (that would be the iris), but with notes of red chilli pepper and lemon zest, it still has the hint of summer citrus that we're not quite ready to say goodbye to yet.
Ellis Brooklyn Myth Eau de Parfum
Ellis Brooklyn's Myth Eau de Parfum [20] (£96) is a "nude scent", as it evokes the smell of naked skin. It's creamy yet delicate (thanks to orchid and musk), floral yet clean (that would be the jasmine and pink lotus), and sexy in the most understated way. It's a fragrance that wears beautifully all year long, but especially in the autumn months as it's both fresh and comforting — like the perfume equivalent of a cashmere jumper.
Byredo Deep Viola Eau de Parfum
The Byredo Deep Viola Eau de Parfum [21] (£170), which launched exclusively at Harrods in August, centres around violets, hence the name, with the effervescent floral note sitting at the heart of the fragrance, surrounded by top notes of saffron and bergamot, and oud, vanilla, and frankincense at the bottom.
Min New York Stardust Eau Parfum
Min New York Stardust [22] (£220) is expensive — like really expensive. But if you want to give yourself a little mood boost before heading into the colder, darker evenings, this might just do the trick. The heart notes of rose and orange flower combined with the base notes of musk and oak moss make it the perfect cosy perfume.
NCP Olfactives Jasmine and Sandalwood Eau de Parfum
NCP Olfactives Jasmine and Sandalwood [23] (£56) has a top note of jasmine, a heart of white flowers, and a base of sandalwood — and we can't think of a more autumnal combination. We're ready to spritz this on our favourite cream-coloured jumper all season long.
Vilhelm Parfumerie Chicago High Eau de Parfum
Aside from the beautiful bottles, Vilhelm Parfumerie scents are inspired by unique and distinct memories or places. For autumn, our favourite is Vilhelm Parfumerie Chicago High Eau de Parfum [24] (£120), which is inspired by the Roaring Twenties. The champagne and bergamot top notes combined with its leather, patchouli, and amber base transport you back in time. Before you know it, you'll have visions of drinking bubbly with Jay Gatsby dancing around in your head.
Jo Malone London Lost In Wonder Cologne
The Jo Malone London Lost In Wonder Fig & Lotus Flower Cologne [25] (£100) is a dreamy, ethereal scent inspired by the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The fragrance is meant to evoke the sequestered waterways of the garden. The dreamy-smelling cologne is somehow both fresh and floral at the same time, featuring notes of fig and lotus flower (which they recreated using orange blossom), grapefruit, neroli, vetiver, and white musk.
Bond No. 9 New Bond Street Eau de Parfum
Bond No. 9 New Bond Street [26] (£250) is the perfume equivalent to being wrapped in a cashmere blanket and sipping hot cocoa (literally, as one of the notes is cacao). It's probably the cosiest fragrance we've ever smelled, and truly has a mouthwatering effect when you wear it — thanks to notes like coffee, chestnut, vanilla, and patchouli.