9 Fragrances That Will Get You in the Mood for Autumn
We sniff out the best new men’s, women’s and unisex launches
22 September 2019
All Credits: PA
The change of seasons makes us crave all sorts of things; we pull on woolly jumpers instead of floaty dresses, warming soups win out over salads, and staying in becomes a lot more appealing than going out.
Plus, with the arrival of crisp, cool mornings and crunchy leaves underfoot, suddenly our summer scents don’t feel quite right.
An autumnal aroma is needed to go with our cold-weather clothing, but that’s not hard to find, with so many fitting fragrance launches at this time of year.
To that end, we’ve rounded up nine new scents that suit the season, including women’s, men’s and unisex picks – because the lines are increasingly blurred between what constitutes a perfume for ‘her’ or a cologne for ‘him’.
SEE ALSO: Make Your Perfume Last Longer
There’s only one rule when it comes to choosing a signature scent; just follow your nose…
Women’s fragrances
1. Kenzo World Power Eau de Parfum, £65.50/AED300.02 for 50ml, Escentual
“It’s a fragrance without flowers. A reinvented femininity without florality – quite a new concept in perfumery,” says Jerome Di Marino, creator of the follow-up to the hugely popular Kenzo World.
Even without a single petal present, this golden juice is still rich and warm, combining rich tonka bean absolute with a splash of sea salt, to create a striking, modern scent.
2. Sarah Jessica Parker Born Lovely Eau de Parfum, £21.25/AED97.33 for 30ml, Boots
The latest addition to the actor’s growing fragrance family, Born Lovely is like a beautiful bouquet of white florals – notably orange blossom and jasmin sambac – bolstered with cedarwood stems and rounded out with patchouli (a common note in the SJP scent cannon). Lovely, it certainly is.
3. Carolina Herrera Confidential Emerald Musk Eau de Parfum, £23/AED1076.395 for 100ml, Harrods
“Emeralds have always been worn in my family. From my great-grandmother to my grandmother to my mother — we’ve all worn them. I love their fragility,” says Carolina Herrera de Baez.
There’s nothing fragile about this luxurious scent, however. With a top note of pink pepper, heart of leather and base of musk, it’s a potent concoction with a lasting trail.
Men’s fragrances
4. Montblanc Explorer Eau De Parfum Spray 60ml/2oz, AED175.00
A scent-sational supergroup was assembled to create Montblanc Explorer.
Globetrotting perfumers Jordi Fernandez, Antoine Maisondieu and Olivier Pescheux each chose one note inspired by their travels, bringing together Italian bergamot, Haitian vetiver and Indonesian patchouli in this powerfully masculine ode to adventure.
5. Moschino Toy Boy Eau de Parfum, £85/AED389.33 for 100ml, Selfridges (available on October 3)
Don’t be fooled by the playful packaging, this shiny black teddy bear conceals a spicy, grown-up scent for the modern man – or woman.
With its clove, nutmeg, rose and amber notes, this is another gender non-conforming fragrance, which makes it all the more appealing.
6. Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau Eau de Toilette, £52.50/AED240.47 for 75ml, The Perfume Shop
With just a golden fig leaf to spare his blushes, this hyper-masculine man is nearly naked, but who needs clothes when you’ve been been doused in eau de Beau?
The latest torso to join the Gaultier line-up, Le Beau melds the sweet warmth of tonka bean and coconut wood with the freshness of bergamot, creating a seductive, well-rounded composition.
Unisex fragrances
7. Malin + Goetz Leather Eau de Parfum, £75 for 50ml
“There is something about the power of leather that consumes our olfactory attention, demanding we surrender to its seductive powers,” says Andrew Goetz, which is why the co-founder of Malin and Goetz decided to base the brand’s latest unisex scent around the distinctive fabric.
If you love a nose full of black biker jacket or the aroma of squishy antique sofas, you’ll adore this juice, which adds woody notes, cloves and a dash of white florals into the mix.
8. Jo Malone Poppy And Barley Cologne 3.4oz/100ml New, AED589.00
Inspired by the English countryside, this pastoral pairing sees the soft, cereal warmth of barley joined by red poppy – which is as fresh as florals get – and juicy blackcurrant top notes.
Compared to other Jo Malone colognes, this has a light, airy feel, but it’s got surprisingly strong staying power, too.
9. Nars Audacious Eau de Parfum, £125/AED572.55 for 50ml
Francois Nars, founder of the eponymous make-up brand, has created his first ever signature scent, in collaboration with perfumer Olivia Giacobetti.
As striking as a slash of red lipstick, Audacious is a unisex parfum that tempers the heady floral notes of frangipani and ylang ylang with smoky incense, sandalwood and white musk.
