Quick! Name a popular fall fragrance! Chances are you immediately thought of a cinnamon-, nutmeg-, or pumpkin spice infused concoction—something akin to a cozy autumn beverage slowly thawing your chilled palms. And look, maybe you genuinely crave sticky-sweet potions (I too adore a sophisticated, dessert-inspired blend every once in a while), but if you're open to an even chicer fall scent, I suggest finding inspiration not at the spice rack but on the quiet streets—where soft, golden light dances between tree branches, blushing leaves crunch underneath your feet, and the air is crisp with a fresh, energizing quality you can practically taste with every inhale. If you've ever wanted to bottle that daydream, you've come to the right place.
I didn't realize just how eagerly I was anticipating that first gust of fall air until I smelled Remi, By Rosie Jane's latest eau de parfum. On a rather humid, 80-degree day in early August, I received an unassuming sample on my desk (along with a delicately wrapped box of fresh mandarins) and took a whiff—and was immediately transported to that peaceful, tree-lined street on an idle Saturday afternoon. It's warm and cozy yet never predictably so.
"I didn’t want to make another pumpkin spice fragrance. Honestly, I don’t even like pumpkin spice," Rosie Johnston, founder of the clean fragrance brand, admits. (And to that I say, well, same.) "For me, citrus felt fresher and a more modern way to tell that cozy story." You might associate citrus notes with juicy, summery blends, but allow me to remind you that the fruit technically peaks in the fall and winter months; and in fragrance, it effortlessly balances heavier, syrupy notes with a vibrant zing. "The mandarin doesn’t stand alone—the cardamom and amber wrap around it, making it cozy and grounding. You still get that crisp, uplifting spark, but with this warmth that feels even more right for fall than something heavy or overly sweet," Johnston adds. "It’s modern, unexpected, and keeps you feeling fresh and alive through the season."
Inspired by Remi, I decided to dig up my collection of crisp, crunchy perfumes and consult fellow beauty editors on their go-to blends that remind them of a cool, autumn wind. Fall is just around the corner, and these potions are just as essential as a buttery cardigan.
The 10 Best Crisp Fragrances for Fall, According to Beauty Editors
Key notes: mandarin, cardamom, white amber, milk musk
The bottled equivalent of a cold-weather beach walk, Remi's blend of tart mandarin, spicy cardamom, and warm white amber is the ultimate summer-to-fall scent. (Though, you'll catch me wearing it all season long.) It has a skin-like dry-down, courtesy of milk musk, which means the fragrance beautifully mingles with your body chemistry for a unique-to-you aroma. "While mandarin is the top note, it doesn't scream 'summer.' Instead, it leans slightly autumnal thanks to its other notes of cardamom and amber, which give it a grounded and highly sophisticated quality," agrees WWW beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock, who also considers Remi one of her newfound faves. "The last time I wore it, my friend demanded that I tell her what fragrance I was wearing: 'You seriously smell so good.'"
Key notes: Bergamot, African marigold, bucchu, violet, cyclamen, vetiver, Moroccan cedarwood
"While I wouldn't necessarily call this scent 'crisp,' it's the one I know I'll be melting into this fall," notes WWW associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia. "Its warm disposition and woody, musky undertones make this one endlessly interesting—notes of bergamot, African marigold, and violet crescendoing above the earthy base of it all. These floral notes take the scent on an unexpected upturn, but it dries down beautifully warm and somewhat sweet on the skin. Fall is calling!"
Key notes: Lily of the valley, iris, white musk
Just-washed cotton sheets and sun-warmed skin are the hallmarks of this clean-smelling blend. While you can totally wear it year-round, it reminds me of a sunny fall morning—crisp and clear, yet not too chilly. If you're a fan of the lingering smell of laundry detergent, you'll surely fall head over heels. A few spritzes, and you'll swear you just buried your nose in fresh linens.
Key notes: Chamomile, vanilla, lavender absolute, orange flower, Turkish rose, musk
Crisp fall fragrances don't have to steer clear of gourmand notes entirely. Take this Dries Van Noten number, which perfectly blends vanilla, chamomile, lavender absolute, orange flower, Turkish rose, and musk for an aroma that's at once fresh, leathery, and sweet. The ornate bottle is the icing on the spice cake—a treasure you'll want to display year-round.
Key notes: red apple, sugar cane, vanilla madagascar, mandarin, ambrox, musk
Before you wave this off as a sticky-sweet gourmand, allow me to emphasize that Apple Love does not evoke caramel apples—at least in my opinion. To me, it smells like the first bite of a juicy honey-crisp: crunchy, tart, and, yes, subtly sweet. Perhaps it's because the blend also has mandarin (which, again, adds a modern freshness), ambrox, and musk, but I swear this perfume smells just like a whisper of autumn wind.
Key notes: Spanish mandarin, pink pepper, apple blossom, jasmine, gardenia, tiare blossom, skin musk, Indian papyrus, vanilla
"While I loved this scent in the summer, I feel as if I'll be gravitating toward this fragrance more than ever when we get into sweater weather," shares Brascia. Notes of apple, vanilla, and skin musk dance on a late-October wind, making me nostalgic for Midwestern pumpkin farms and cardigan-wrapped afternoon strolls. Grounding elements of pink pepper and papyrus keep a leash on the sweet florals, making it as perfectly crisp as the umber falling leaves."
Key notes: Granny Smith apple, watery notes, melon-pineapple sorbet, apricot nectar, star jasmine, white tea, sheer white woods, sandalwood, layered musks, amber
"I was gifted a bottle of this perfume back in June, and I've been saving it for fall ever since," says McLintock. "The notes are fresh, light, and alluring—evoking autumn without being too obvious, cloying, or on the nose. There's fresh green apple (self-explanatory), watery notes (reminiscent of early morning mist), and sheer white woods (like a walk through an orange-tinged forest). It literally smells like crisp fall air, bottled. Now that it's September, I'm finally taking it off standby."
Key notes: Lychee, bergamot, pink pepper, raspberry blossom, pink sugar, suede, labdanum, papyrus, vetiver, birch smoke, patchouli
Bella Hadid's newest launch just might be my favorite of her fragrance line. It has a noticeably juicy, fruity opening thanks to lychee and raspberry blossom, but those notes quickly make way for a spicy, smoky dry-down of suede, birch smoke, and patchouli. It's feminine and bright, but it's not without its twists and turns—a facet that makes it downright irresistible. It's no wonder WWW Beauty Director Erin Jahns immediately calls it out as one of her favorite crisp, fall scents.
Key notes: Bergamot, lemon, mimosa, lavandin, orris, sandalwood, musk
The brand compares this seductive blend to "getting lost under the open sky," and I honestly can't think of anything dreamier to embody this fall. Jahns considers it a surefire winner, favoring its fresh yet earthy blend of bergamot, orris, and sandalwood.
Key notes: Ambrette seeds, pear nectar, liquid musk
Succulent pear meets soft, woody musk in a beguiling blend that can't help but draw people in. Take it from one Sephora reviewer who writes, "When I put this on I smell so clean and fresh," or Jahns, who once shared, "I swear I’ve gotten so many friends hooked on it, and they say it’s the best thing they’ve ever smelled." If "You smell amazing!" compliments are your thing, you can't go wrong with this perfect-for-fall pick.
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