Fall fragrance gets more intentional

Consumers want layered, culturally inspired scents with real stories behind them, not just familiar cozy notes. Perfumers are responding with rice, sesame, pandan, honey, single-origin teas, chestnut, and saffron.

“Today's consumers are looking for fragrances that feel more layered, more intentional, more culturally inspired and ultimately more impactful.”

Dark berries dominate the season

Black currant, dark cherry, and crushed fruits are the biggest berry trend. Perfumers are exploring crisp, sparkling textures that feel fresher and more contemporary than traditional muddled fruit scents.

“Perfumers are exploring crisp, green, juicy, sparkling, and textural facets of the fruit that feel fresher and more contemporary.”

Textured gourmands get sophisticated

Roasted sesame, toasted rice, smoked vanilla, burnt sugar, and chestnut deliver fall coziness with a modern edge. These ingredients create warmth and richness through contemporary textures instead of simple sweetness.

Amber replaces vanilla as warm note

Amber is experiencing a renaissance this fall, moving beyond vanilla as the go-to warm fragrance note. The note transforms between masculine and feminine depending on what it's paired with, creating cozy and all-embracing scents.

“A warm and deep amber is really in its renaissance.”

Cardamom brings spice and contrast

Cardamom is the top spice trend, bringing warmth, richness, freshness, and brightness. It's being paired with milk accords, coffee, rice, sesame, vanilla, chestnut, and creamy woods for refined, comforting fragrances.

“Cardamom brings warmth and richness, but also freshness, brightness, and dimension.”

Cedarwood gets creamy and soft

This year's cedarwood is creamy and soft, not the typical forest-y scent. It's mixed with vanillas and warm musks to create a fresh, clean smell that feels more intimate than traditional woody fragrances.

Nutty notes elevate sweet scents

Praline, almond, and pistachio are elevating sweet perfumes without adding stickiness. These nutty notes create cozier fragrances that feel more refined than the whipped cream and cake frosting scents of previous years.

Consumers reject overly sweet perfumes

People are fatigued with overly sweet fragrances and seeking contrast, texture, and sophistication instead. This shift is driving perfumers to balance indulgence with unexpected ingredients and refined compositions.

“Consumers still love indulgent fragrances, but they're increasingly looking for contrast, texture, and sophistication rather than overtly dessert-like fragrances.”