After weeks of heatwaves and torrential downpours, you may be just as ready for autumn as I am. As spaghetti straps eventually make way to lightweight sweaters, the best fall fragrances, too, become part of the seasonal wardrobe shift. There’s something undeniably evocative about this time of year: crisp, temperate days, fiery foliage, steaming mugs of something spiced, and the perfect excuse to revisit a few occult-inspired films and TV shows (Practical Magic 2, anyone?).
“What’s exciting is the range of ingredients, from rhubarb to cardamom to cumin. There’s spice and sweetness to the season with dark fruits such as black currants and leathers added in,” Fragrance Foundation president Linda Levy tells Vogue. That interplay of warmth, spice, and richer notes is what gives fall fragrances their unmistakable character, setting them apart from the lighter, brighter scents of spring and summer.
Vogue’s Favorite Fall Fragrances
It’s no secret that fall is my favorite season—and not in a wide-brimmed hat, infinity scarf, pumpkin spice latte way. If scent is an olfactory extension of self, I’m certain that this season’s scents capture my aesthetics and fragrance preferences best. Ambery, woody, musky, spiced, and leather, fall scents mirror summer’s lightweight and sun-drenched with moody, cozy notes. To save you from a perfume headache after an excess of spritzing, we’ve put our pulse points to the test to distill the most divine scents for fall 2026. If you can’t pick just one, rest assured: Just as fall fashion calls for layering, most of these scents smell twice as nice with a perfumed pairing—and there are no rules for wearing them.
In This Story:
Best Earthy: Jo Malone Hinoki & Cedarwood Cologne Intense
Jo Malone London
Hinoki & Cedarwood Cologne Intense
- Why We Love It: The name of the game with this best selling Jo Malone scent is to evoke the grounding feel of forest bathing in Japan. At once woody, fresh, and mysterious, the cologne has prominent notes of cedarwood and hinoki. Like all Jo Malone scents, this is unisex and made for layering—but it’s a scent that stands alone. Spritz it in the morning and prepare for subtle, spa-like wafts of forest floor throughout the day.
- Editor’s Experience: “I was a latecomer to this best-selling scent—just discovering it last year in Jo Malone’s most recent advent calendar. It’s aromatic, earthy, and surprisingly versatile. In fact, I’ve been layering it with my favorite musky perfume oil (which sadly doesn’t have an EDP version) to expand its projection.” —Conçetta Ciarlo, beauty shopping writer
- Notes: Cinnamon, hinoki wood clove, cedarwood, tonka bean
- This Smells Like: Waking up early to take a solo walk through the forest.
