If Sticky, Sweet Scents Aren't Your Thing, Try These 16 Unique Fall Fragrances
We love fall here at Who What Wear. Fall fashion and beauty are our bread and butter, but we'll never stop looking out for more products to add to our product rotations. When it comes to beauty, we have recently started to stock up on our favorite fall fragrances that can transition flawlessly into the winter months—extra points if they're layerable. This year, we're stepping even further out of our comfort zones and leaning hard into the most unexpected scents of the season.
Below, we're sharing the 16 fragrances that have graced our vanities since fall kicked off a couple weeks ago with one commonality: None of them feature the classic fall composition of sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin, which are also most of the ingredients you need to bake a seasonal pie. As much as we love the autumnal scents we've become so accustomed to, it's never too late to get hooked on something new for the chilly months.
Wondering which ones have captured our attention? Keep scrolling to see our list of the best nontraditional fall fragrances to try before the season is over, featuring notes of figs, palo santo, grapes, frankincense, and hay. Yes, you read that correctly.
The Best Unique Fall Fragrances, Listed
- Glossier Glossier You Doux Eau de Parfum
- Elorea Jang Eau de Parfum
- Henry Rose Torn Eau de Parfum
- Diptyque Tempo Eau de Parfum
- Jo Malone Cypress & Grapevine Cologne Intense
- Heretic Parfum Dirty Suede Eau de Parfum
- Aesop Virēre Eau de Parfum
- Penhaligon's A Balm of Calm Eau de Parfum
- D.S. & Durga Deep Dark Vanilla Eau de Parfum
- Heretic Voodoo Lily Eau de Parfum
- Bō Bombón Eau de Parfum
- Byredo Super Cedar Eau de Parfum
- Penhaligon's Changing Constance Eau de Parfum
- Maison Louis Marie No. 14 Icila Eau de Parfum
- Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense
- Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum
Glossier Glossier You Doux Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: floral woods
Key Notes: sweet violet, palo santo, frankincense, myrrh, Ambrox
This new skin scent–enhancing fragrance opens with sweet violet before shifting into a cozy blend of palo santo, frankincense, and smoky myrrh set against the base of Ambrox. Musky and warm, You Doux pairs well with another new release by the brand—Glossier You Rêve, featuring sweet notes of buttercream, plum butter, and Ambrox.
Product Specs: 1.7-ounce glass spray bottle
Elorea Jang Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm gourmand
Key Notes: jinjang (aged soy sauce), charcoal, soybean, ylang-ylang, jasmine sambac, myrrh, cistus
Lately, there's been a rise in ultra-niche mineral-inspired scents, and we're hopping on the trend. One of our favorite launches has been the Jang Eau de Parfum by the Korean perfume brand Elorea. It pays homage to traditional fermented sauces that form the foundation of Korean cuisine. With jinjang at its heart, the scent can only be described as a smoky, luxurious gourmand.
Product Specs: 1.7- and 3.38-ounce glass spray bottles
Henry Rose Torn Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm and sweet gourmands
Key Notes: vanilla bean, musk, sandalwood
Fall can be the warmest, most inviting time of year while also reminding us of how quickly the world around us changes as the leaves turn to vibrant hues of red and gold. One fragrance that perfectly captures the bittersweet feeling of fall is Torn by Henry Rose, which boasts notes of smooth vanilla bean, musk, and sandalwood.
Product Specs: 0.27- and 1.7-ounce glass spray bottles
Diptyque Tempo Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: aromatic woods
Key Notes: patchouli, maté, clary sage, violet leaf
What we love the most about this standout Diptyque fragrance is its unique ability to get better over time. Paying tribute to the defining scent of the '60s, patchouli, this perfume offers three extracts of this essence underlined by the powdery sweetness of violet leaf. Elegant and earthy, it's fall encapsulated in an eye-catching bottle.
Product Specs: 2.5-ounce glass spray bottle
Jo Malone Cypress & Grapevine Cologne Intense
Scent Type: earthy green herbs
Key Notes: cypress, grapevine, cedar wood, vetiver, moss, amber
In the northern hemisphere, grapes ripen from late August to October—just in time for us to experience all the season has to offer. This fragrance, for example, pairs juicy grapes with pungent moss, bold cypress, and refined amber, producing a luxe scent worthy of its high price point. The perfume may be all about contradictions, but there's nothing confusing about how intoxicating it is.
Product Specs: 1.7- and 3.4-ounce glass spray bottles
Heretic Parfum Dirty Suede Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm musks
Key Notes: cedar, white amber, pink pepper, jasmine sambac, Ambroxan, balsam, labdanum, patchouli, musk, vetiver
Suede is definitely having a moment this season, and we're fully embracing it by wearing Heretic's Dirty Suede Eau de Parfum. It only takes a spritz of this scent to transport its wearer to the quiet isolation offered by their dream fall getaway. If you're not able to zip off to a very real log cabin whenever you're in the mood for some R&R, try wearing this suede-inspired scent.
Product Specs: 1.7-ounce glass spray bottle
Aesop Virere Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: fresh woods
Key Notes: bergamot, green mandarin, galbanum, petitgrain, cardamom, green tea, mastic, cypress, pink pepper cedar, green maté hay
Do you know that key late-summer moment when you can sense the arrival of fall? Virere is the fragrance that immediately comes to mind when we recall the moment when the weather feels slightly more crispy thanks to comforting notes of bergamot, green mandarin, cypress, mastic, pink pepper, and hay. It definitely has us dreaming of early fall spent upstate.
Product Specs: 1.6-ounce glass spray bottle
Penhaligon's A Balm of Calm Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: woody fougère
Key Notes: lavender, cardamom, clary sage, geranium, iris ultimate, rhum absolute, sandalwood, oakwood, vetiver
Okay, we'll admit it. Rhum doesn't immediately come to mind when we think about fall notes, but we mean it when we say the addition of rhum in Penhaligon's A Balm of Calm Eau de Parfum just works. It's paired with sweet lavender, geranium, and iris ultimate against a base of rum and soft woods. Imagine wearing this chic scent while sitting for a holiday meal with your loved ones!
Product Specs: 3.4-ounce glass spray bottle
D.S. & Durga Deep Dark Vanilla Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: sweet gourmand
Key Notes: cabreuva, orchid, pink pepper, vines, green vanilla leaves, cypress root, vanilla absolute, dark patchouli, hay
The arrival of fall also signals the start of spooky season, so what better way to dive in than by wearing the mysterious Deep Dark Vanilla by D.S. & Durga? Warm and sultry, this mouthwatering gourmand perfume leads with soft orchid, cypress, pink pepper, and green vanilla leaves before shifting into vanilla absolute, dark patchouli, and hay.
Product Specs: 3.4-ounce glass spray bottle
Heretic Parfum Voodoo Lily Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm florals
Key Notes: geranium, coriander, frankincense, cedar, juniper, black pepper, Moroccan rose, black currant, lily accord, patchouli, sandalwood, oud, styrax
Every year, it seems we're introduced to new aesthetics and reminded of the ones we see less often on our FYPs, like whimsigoth. Similar to how the nostalgia-soaked aesthetic juxtaposes dark details (perhaps even macabre) with those more ethereal in nature, this sultry Heretic perfume strikes the delicate balance between heady florals and smoldering frankincense and oud.
Product Specs: 0.50- and 1.7-ounce spray bottles
Bō Bombón Parfum Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: white floral gourmand
Key Notes: lychee, lily of the valley, white saffron, pink pepper, marshmallow, bergamot caramel, white birch, aged cognac, ambergris
This one is for anyone who loves a sweet fragrance as they head into the cold months to help warm things up. According to the brand, Bombón Eau de Parfum celebrates "unapologetic pleasure" by combining the sugary green facets of lily of the valley with seductive cognac for a delicious scent you won't want to skip out on. Plus, how gorgeous is that bottle?
Product Specs: 1.35- and 2.5-ounce spray bottles
Byredo Super Cedar Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: aromatic woods
Key Notes: rose petals, Virginian cedarwood, silk musk, Haitian vetiver
Finding the ideal woody, aromatic fragrance for fall is a must, and Byredo's Super Cedar Eau de Parfum is one of our favorites. While the perfume's blend of Virginian cedarwood, silk musk, and Haitian vetiver stands out, we're also obsessed with the powdery fresh touch the rose petals add to the scent. It's also the perfect perfume for layering.
Product Specs: 1.7- and 3.4-ounce glass spray bottle
Penhaligon's Changing Constance Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: cool spices
Key Notes: cardamom, pimento, salted butter caramel, vanilla, tobacco, cashmeran
Of all our favorite unique fragrances, this is, by far, the most unexpected fall scent. Through this fragrance, we're introduced to Constance—a very modern woman who prefers to do as she likes and isn't afraid to break some rules. Penhaligon's Changing Constance does the same with a bold combination of cool cardamom, hot pimento, and salted caramel to finish things off.
Product Specs: 2.5-ounce glass spray bottle
Maison Louis Marie No. 14 Icila Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm florals
Key Notes: jasmine, mandarin leaf, ruby grapefruit, plum, Bulgarian rose, sakura blossoms, vanilla flower
Who said you have to give up your classic floral fragrances when fall arrives? When thinking about which perfumes invoke the charming memories of Septembers past, Maison Louis Marie's No. 14 Icila came to mind. It's warm and inviting with a bright blend of jasmine, mandarin leaf, plum, and rose complemented by powdery sakura blossoms and smooth vanilla flower. Pair it with you favorite oversize cardigan, and you're good to go.
Product Specs: 0.34- and 1.4-ounce glass spray bottles
Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense
Scent Type: warm woods
Key Notes: lavender, omumbiri myrrh, tonka bean
Myrrh and tonka are two notes that are commonly lingering in your favorite fall fragrances, but they are rarely recognized for the amount of warmth they provide. For this captivating and rich cologne, Jo Malone pairs the two woodsy notes with soothing lavender to bring out the traces of vanilla from the tonka bean. The end result is a scent that's noticeably different from all the rest on this list but still bears some familiarity.
Product Specs: 3.4-ounce glass spray bottle
Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: woody florals
Key Notes: miracle berry, sego lily, oakwood patchouli
Lastly, Hermès Barénia is the solution for anyone aiming to elevate their fragrance game while altering their product lineup to match the season. Composed of juicy miracle berry, sego lily, and oakwood patchouli, this perfume wears beautifully alone but also layers well. Try combining it with a powdery scent to ramp up any scent's potential.
Product Specs: 0.5-, 1-, 2-, and 3.3-ounce glass spray bottles
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