Overview
Even though the weather may suggest otherwise (it’s currently triple digits as I write this), fall is right around the corner. And just as you might swap your summer wardrobe and skincare routine for something a little more seasonally appropriate, you may also be ready to find a new signature scent — or two! — to carry you through the autumn months.
To help us navigate the season’s best new fragrances, we tapped Nordstrom Beauty Director Autumne West, an industry veteran who no doubt sees and smells more fragrances in a day than most of us do in a lifetime. Her picks prove that fall fragrance is about so much more than the usual campfire-inspired scents. For example, dessert-inspired gourmand fragrances are still having a major moment, but they’re getting a cozy update for fall. “Instead of leaning overly sweet, these scents feel more sophisticated, blending creamy textures with darker notes like warm spices, woods, and musks,” West tells Refinery29. “At the same time, fragrance remains incredibly personal,” she adds. “More than ever, people are choosing scents as an extension of their individual style — an accessory that reflects who they are and how they want to express themselves.”
Below, West breaks down the fragrances she’s recommending for fall, from unique gourmands to unexpected takes on the season’s coziest notes. Consider this your ultimate autumn fragrance shopping guide — curated just for us. (Well, really, you.)
How to shop for a fall fragrance online
Shopping from your couch is convenient, but the visual medium does leave us missing one essential feature: smell-o-vision. West recommends starting with the fragrance profiles you already know you love.
“If you’ve noticed you tend to wear floral fragrances or you’re always drawn to woody scents, that’s a great place to begin,” she says. We also love searching a database like Fragrantica to research a fragrance’s specific notes (and how intense those accords are) to get a better idea of how it actually smells. West also recommends paying attention to the overall language used to describe a scent, whether it’s fresh, cozy, vibrant, or sensual. For example, spicy and woody notes tend to feel warmer and cozier on the skin, making them natural choices for a fragrance that screams “fall.”
And if you’re still unsure? “Travel sizes or discovery sets are such an easy way to explore something new,” she says. Consider it a low-commitment way to find your next signature scent before investing in the full-size bottle.
How to build your fall fragrance wardrobe
According to West, Nordstrom shoppers are experimenting with scent more than ever before: “One thing we’ve really noticed is that people are building fragrance wardrobes instead of looking for just one signature scent,” she says. “They’re choosing different fragrances depending on the season, their mood, or even what they’re doing that day.”
That shift is also making discovery sets and travel sprays increasingly appealing. “People enjoy trying something new before committing to a full-size bottle,” West says — a particularly useful strategy if you’re still figuring out which fragrance family feels most like you. Building your own scent wardrobe can include choosing a scented deodorant, or crafting a sensorial body care routine with your shower gel, body lotion or oil.
The day-to-night fall scent lineup
If you’re looking to build a fragrance wardrobe but don’t know where to start, West has a three-scent lineup for every part of your fall calendar.
For daytime: Byredo Mojave Ghost. “It has this beautiful balance of soft woods and airy florals that feels effortless and polished without ever overpowering the room,” says West. Its versatility is precisely the appeal: “It’s the kind of fragrance you can wear from morning meetings through dinner and still feel like yourself.”
For evenings: Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush Eau de Parfum. West points to its combination of peony and rosewater, which brings a fresh floral quality, alongside a double dose of vanilla for warmth. “It’s feminine, modern, and just a little unexpected,” she says.
For special occasions: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540. “It has incredible presence without feeling heavy,” West says of the recognizable blend of jasmine, saffron, and warm ambery woods. “It’s one of those fragrances that becomes part of your outfit and leaves a lasting impression long after you’ve left the room.”
The fragrance brand to watch this season
When it comes to the fragrances poised to make a splash this fall, West has her eye on Tom Ford. “The brand has this incredible familiarity and sultriness that people already trust,” she says, noting that the brand is putting unexpected twists on its classics this season. (Case in point: Tom Ford’s new Santal Blush, with its notes of comforting sandalwood punctuated by spicy cinnamon.) “We’re looking for scents that feel memorable without being overpowering, and I’m personally obsessed with how these more layered, wearable fragrances are becoming the ones people keep reaching for on repeat.”
For West, that balance between familiarity and surprise is exactly what makes a fragrance feel right for fall. “Fall fragrance is all about depth this year, and Tom Ford is proving you don’t have to choose between familiar and unexpected,” she says.
Details
Gourmand scents, but make it fall
If you’ve felt like you can’t scroll through your TikTok feed without encountering a new vanilla or gourmand fragrance, you’re not imagining it. But according to West, the gourmand trend isn’t going anywhere — it’s simply evolving beyond scents that smell like straight-up dessert.
“I don’t think gourmands are going away anytime soon; they’ve just become a little more refined,” she says. Rather than leaning sugary, this season’s gourmand fragrances are incorporating richer notes like tonka bean, roasted nuts, amber, and warm spices. (Some examples of these include Commodity’s Tonka Eau de Parfum and Parfums de Marly Oajan.) “They still have that cozy feeling people love, but they feel more sophisticated and easier to wear every day.”
The fragrance notes to look out for
When it comes to the fragrance notes catching West’s attention, she’s gravitating toward unexpected combinations that feel modern but effortless. “One of my favorite parts of my job is discovering new brands and seeing how they’re approaching fragrance differently,” she says. Lately, that means soft woods and musks paired with prim florals or airy tea notes — combinations she describes as easy to wear — and scents that “somehow become even better throughout the day.”
One fragrance at the top of her list is Phlur Vanilla Skin, a Nordstrom-exclusive duo (which is sadly sold out) that includes an Eau de Parfum and Hair & Body Fragrance Mist. “It takes vanilla in a much more elevated direction,” says West, pointing to its blend of creamy vanilla, pink pepper, sugar, cashmere, and sandalwood. The result is a warm, layered gourmand that has an addictive, skin-like quality. “It’s the kind of gourmand that isn’t overly sweet, making it incredibly wearable from day to night,” she says.
The unexpected pick to try this season
For a less obvious autumn pick, West recommends Le Labo An0ther 13, a fragrance that proves fall scents don’t necessarily need to be heavy, smoky, or spicy.
“This fall, I’ve been reaching for Le Labo An0ther 13,” she says. The fragrance combines creamy musk, soft woods, and a touch of spice, while woody ambrox gives it the clean, skin-like quality West finds particularly addictive. Jasmine and moss add dimension without weighing it down.
“It’s one of those fragrances that feels effortless and becomes part of you rather than announcing itself,” she says. “Whether I’m heading into meetings during the day or out to dinner in the evening, it always feels appropriate, and that’s exactly what I want from a signature fall scent.”
Fall scent layering made easy
Fall is also an ideal time to experiment with fragrance layering, and West’s first piece of advice is refreshingly simple: Start with moisturized skin. “It really helps your fragrance last longer,” she says.
From there, she encourages playing around with contrasting fragrance families. “I love pairing a clean musk with a richer vanilla or adding a woody fragrance underneath something brighter to give it a little more depth,” she says. And when it comes to layering, have fun with it: “There really aren’t any rules, and I think that’s why people enjoy it so much.”
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Source
Originally published at www.refinery29.com.