Why cooler weather calls for warmer fragrances — and a different way to wear them.
As temperatures drop and the air gets drier, fragrance habits change, too. Richer, warmer scents start to appeal more, while oils and balms offer different ways to apply fragrance when skin and hair need a little extra care. For Makoto Arii, founder of Japanese fragrance brand Diffar, the changing seasons are an important source of inspiration. "Even when visiting the same location, the scents and impressions can be very different during the fresh growth of spring compared to the transition into autumn," he explains.
Notes of spice, amber, vanilla, musk, and wood tend to feel particularly at home in cooler weather, and several new launches are embracing that warmth.
Recent releases explore the seasonal shift. Henry Rose's Rhu Berry Eau de Parfum ($120 for 50 mL), launched in September, combines tart rhubarb, strawberry jam, and juicy peach with soft musk and creamy sandalwood for a playful take on fall's gourmand fragrances. The fragrance is EWG Verified, meaning its formulation has been independently reviewed against the Environmental Working Group’s health and safety standards. For something earthier, Abel Tibi Eau de Parfum ($220 for 50 mL), launched in October, pairs sparkling Timut pepper and herbaceous yerba maté with vetiver and cedarwood for a woody and warm finish. Made in part with naturally derived ingredients, the brand discloses its ingredient list and details many of its fragrance materials — it also contains no phthalates, parabens, petrochemical-derived ingredients, or synthetic dyes.
For a richer interpretation of vanilla, Layermor's Vesper The Parfum, ($80 for 30 mL), introduced earlier this year, blends roasted coffee bean and ambrette seed with soft white musk, creamy vanilla, and cedarwood, and is also EWG Verified. And Commodity's Spice collection ($160 for 100 mL), was launched in October by master perfumer Christelle Laprade, whose inspiration came from the ritual of preparing chai. The brand created three interpretations of a spice-replete, gourmand fragrance and carries Sephora's Clean at Sephora designation, indicating that they meet the retailer's formulation standards, which exclude additives like parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde-releasing agents.
Yet it’s not just scents that change as the seasons do; it’s also application. How you use fragrances in the fall and winter months can make a difference, particularly as dry air and indoor heating wage a toll on skin and hair. Originally launched in Paris in 2024, Diffar was founded on the concept of combining cosmetics and fragrance. Developed in collaboration with Tokyo hair salon SCENT, the brand offers an alternative to traditional perfume sprays with its Aerial Parlance Perfume Oil ($270 for 30 mL), an alcohol-free, oil-based fragrance featuring Japanese yuzu, olibanum, sandalwood, oud, and oakmoss. Other offerings, like Diffar’s Woody Earthy Fragrance Hair Oil ($89) and Fresh Moss Fragrance Multi Balm ($79) draw that link between scent and care further. Made entirely with naturally derived ingredients, the alcohol-free perfume oil combines botanical fragrance materials with nourishing plant oils.
"Rather than simply changing the fragrance you wear with each season, we believe in choosing how you wear fragrance based on the condition of your skin and hair," says Arii.
Prefer to transition your summer or spring scents into the darker months? There's no need to abandon lighter fragrances when the weather cools. Patti Kapla, vice president of business development at Fragrance.com, suggests layering warmer notes of vanilla, amber, or sandalwood beneath traditional summer smells, gradually introducing deeper notes of oud, spice, leather, and wood. Cooler weather brings a new dimension to fragrance, where the richness of the season’s notes is matched by the pleasure of wearing them.
