The Most Complimented Fall Fragrances of the Season

If performance is your main selling point, Harlem Perfume Co.’s Showgirl steals the show. While its powder pink bottle might lend to a lighter, flirty aroma, what actually unfurls is a sexy melange of toasty amber and sandalwood, deepening the bright floral arrangement of jasmine and lavender.

Key notes: Amber, sandalwood

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Sephora rating: 4.8/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I judged the fragrance by its packaging and expected something airy and delicate like the shade of pink it's dipped in. Behind it all was a completely different scent, something more sensual and sexy, perfect for upcoming date nights. The woody-floral mix warms up on the skin, especially in the crevices of your elbows and neck, to become an elevated skin-like scent any passerby would want a second whiff of.”—Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor

This isn’t the kind of scent you can test on a fragrance test strip to experience. Bois Talisman has to melt into the skin to reach full form, and ignites like fire—but in reverse. The scent begins with smoke, dark and woody, with vanilla peering through before it takes over. As it dries, the smokiness transitions to something sweeter without losing its fire.

Key notes: Vanilla, cedarwood

Size: 3.4 fl oz

Dior rating: 4.8/5 stars

A Dior reviewer says: “This scent is incredibly delicious. It lasts a long time. I’ve even still smell it 3 days later. And the projection is incredible. Well worth the purchase.”

Rare Beauty’s first eau de parfum immerses you in a sense of comfort and warmth, similar to the brand’s other body products. What sets this perfume apart is the gourmand swirl of pistachio, ginger, and caramel, grounded by a rich layer of vanilla. It's the kind of intimate fragrance you’ll want to spray close to your skin to feel a sweet embrace all day.

Key notes: Amber, sandalwood

Size: 1.69 fl oz

Sephora rating: 4.4/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “If only this fragrance could have a sweater form, I’d wear it all day. It takes a lot for me to want to wear just one fragrance, but Rare is so intimate and cozy that I anticipate touch-ups throughout the day. Maybe it’s the pistachio note that intrigues me, or the hint of ginger, but either way, Rare bottles up all of my favorite toasty notes in a flirty, soft, feminine fragrance.”—Nerisha Penrose

Midnight Orchard opens by warming up juicy fruits on the skin before it settles with a hint of spice via Szechuan pepper and sandalwood. The scent remains in balance between soft and dark, thanks to a musky base.

Key notes: Peach, apricot, szechuan pepper, vanilla, sandalwood, musk

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Ulta rating: 4.6/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I received an Octavia Morgan discovery kit as a gift and gravitated toward this one because of its name. What is an orchard like at midnight? According to its notes, it’s still tangy and bright at first, but dips into an aroma more befitting for nighttime adventures. The warmth caresses the skin and sticks to it for hours. I love catching whiffs mid-day.”—Nerisha Penrose

Vanilla isn’t the most immediate note you think of when you hear of sea salt, but Ellis Brooklyn’s latest olfactory offering brings a touch of sweetness to the beach. Combining sea salt and vanilla with musk, woods, and jasmine, Vanilla Salt is a lighter, creamier gourmand—ideal for the transition from summer to fall.

Key notes: Sea salt accord, jasmine, blonde woods, vanilla, musk

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Ulta rating: 4.6/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “My favorite Ellis Brooklyn scents are the ones that transport me to a specific place rather than just evoke a feeling. Miami Nectar and Guava Granita were my summer favorites, taking me to warm, breezy, sunny destinations even if I didn't board a plane. Vanilla Salt is now my new favorite, but instead of evoking summer sun, it smells more like a winter tropical beach escape—not too hot like the others, but warm enough to envelop the skin with the popular notes associated with different seasons.”—Nerisha Penrose

One of Diptyque’s newest luxury fragrances, Bois Corsé is inspired by tree bark. It blends black coffee, tonka bean, and sandalwood to conjure bark’s texture and imagined smell.

Key notes: Black coffee, tonka bean, sandalwood

Size: 100 mL

Fragrantica rating: 4.3/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “To me, this perfume smells like an Irish coffee, if Irish coffees were served at the most high-end cocktail bar in town. True to its name, though, it’s also woodsy, transporting you to a cozy cabin on a brisk fall morning.”—Katie Berohn, beauty editor

If a dazzling black tie evening in Paris could be bottled, this would be the result. It has ambery notes thanks to labdanum, and warmth from benzoin, vanilla, and tonka bean.

Key notes: Labdanum, benzoin, vanilla, tonka bean

Size: 2.4 fl oz

Saks Fifth Avenue rating: 3.8/5 stars

A Saks Fifth Avenue reviewer says: “This is pretty good for the cold season! A little goes a long way. Only one spray lasts all day long. On clothes it lasts for weeks. Insane performance! This to me smells like what rich people probably smell like in the winter. The fragrance is so good I can’t explain it.”

This fragrance is meant to represent falling in love. The blend of spices and unexpected vegetal notes helps create an airy fragrance perfect for cozy fall days.

Key notes:

An ELLE editor says: “There is something about this scent that gives me that butterflies-in-your-stomach first day of school feeling. It smells like a high school first kiss or an autumnal corn maze outing. Ginger, carrot, cardamom, and cinnamon notes make it feel like a fall dessert, but patchouli and papyrus notes elevate it just enough.”—Katie Berohn

True to its name, this fragrance is the perfect scent to wear on a cozy night. Woodsy patchouli is brought down to earth thanks to notes of grass, vanilla, and vetiver.

Key notes: Patchouli, vanilla bean, green grass, vetiver

Size: 7 fl oz

Nordstrom rating: 4.4/5 stars

A Nordstrom reviewer says: “Long-lasting and delicious scent. I’ve received many compliments.”

This perfume is like a soft caress in a bottle. Light citrus notes—like bergamot and mandarin—are blended with aquatic jasmine petals and water lily for an incredibly intimate scent.

Key notes: Vanilla orchid, amber, sandalwood, musk, bergamot, mandarin, jasmine petals, water lily

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Nordstrom rating: 3.8/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “Soft Spot is everything you’d want in an everyday fragrance—light but noticeable, irresistibly sexy, and long-lasting. I love that it sticks to my clothes for hours, so I typically wear this on date nights.”—Nerisha Penrose

Who knew that tobacco and honey could be the scent match made in heaven? This alluring fragrance blends the two together with other gourmand notes like vanilla, tonka bean, sesame, aniseed, and clove.

Key notes: Tobacco, honey, sandalwood, oud, vanilla, tonka bean, sesame, aniseed, clove

Size: 100 mL

Guerlain rating: 4.7/5 stars

A Guerlain reviewer says: “It is soft but strong, clean but also heady, feminine but also could be easily worn by a man. The first spray is a lovely wet tobacco, which is so comforting to my senses! It makes me feel calm. I can’t keep from smelling my wrist over and over. Then it dries to a soft, sweet ambery honey on the skin and clothes. It is sexy. I get compliments from both men and women every time I wear it out.”

Gucci’s first floral gourmand scent is like a bouquet laced with sugar floss. Made with vanilla orchid and ozonic accord, it’s sweet but not too sweet to wear.

Key notes:

Sephora rating: 4.7/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “This is Gucci’s first floral gourmand scent, and wow, they really did something. To me, this scent smells incredibly nostalgic—it smells like a perfume that may have been clinging to one of my mom’s sweaters when I was young.”—Katie Berohn

This Louis Vuitton scent, inspired by a conversation between Pharrell Williams and Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, is meant to smell like light. The blend of galbanum, ginger, and cedar resembles sun-dappled forests with light peeking through tree branches.

Key scent notes: Galbanum, ginger, and cedar

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Fragrantica rating: 3.9/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “This perfume doesn’t just smell good—the bottle is also gorgeous, as it’s made with iridescent glass that looks different in different light. It’s a really airy take on a woodsy scent.” —Katie Berohn

Kilian’s Angel Share perfume is rumored to be Beyoncé’s signature scent. This warm and spicy scent is inspired by an elevated bottle of cognac. It’s infused with the spirit’s essence, which also gives the fragrance its deep color.

Key scent notes: Cognac, tonka bean, oak wood, cinnamon

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Sephora rating: 4.4/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I’m of the belief that scent is deeply personal. When they say that scent sparks memories and can transport you to specific moments in time, this fragrance always comes to mind. The notes of cognac, tonka bean, and oak wood mix to create a cozy cinnamon apple scent that takes me back to my childhood home, sitting around the dining table eating Sunday breakfast with my family. It’s one of the most comforting fragrances in my collection. Plus, it’s rumored that this is one of Beyoncé’s favorites and as her birthday twin, it makes sense that it’s high up on my list.” —Tasha Smith, beauty assistant

Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry is one of the more talked about scents in the fragrance world—you either love it or hate it. With Cherry Smoke, the brand adds in smoke and leather to give cherry a sexier edge.

Key notes: Dark cherry flavor, osmanthus absolute, cyproil

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Nordstrom rating: 4.5/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “If I wanted to bottle up the essence of a sexy night out with the girls it would be Cherry Smoke by Tom Ford. I know that cherry can be a polarizing scent, and if I’m honest I was skeptical at first. But this smoky sweet combination of cherry, leather, and apricot has become a go-to for the fall and winter. The scent literally makes me feel unstoppable. When I reach for this scent I know that I’m in for an eventful night.” —Tasha Smith

Althair is a perfume that manages to perfectly toe the line between light and decadent. It’s a vanilla-forward perfume, but it still somehow manages to be airy and bright thanks to notes like orange blossom and bergamot.

Key notes: Orange blossom, bergamot, cinnamon, bourbon vanilla, guaiac wood, ambrox, praline, musk

Size: 4.2 fl oz

Nordstrom rating: 4.8/5 stars

A Nordstrom reviewer says: “I've been wearing this for a month now and trust me! It’s a masterpiece. I've received 13+ compliments. (I stop counting after 10 realistically), and it's definitely a compliment beast. I catch people inhaling extra when I'm talking to them! If you need a late-night/date-night/ Fall/fall-winter/ evening fragrance. I highly suggest this one.”

If you like poetry, this scent is perfect for you. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116, this skin scent is soft and slightly spicy.

Key notes:

An ELLE editor says: “Here is what I like about this scent: It’s spicy while still being airy, it has a lot of layered depth, and it also somehow reminds me of a candy apple. It’s the perfect ode to the romantic sonnet it’s named for.”—Katie Berohn

Canadian tuxedos, or denim-on-denim outfits, can be incredibly chic if they’re done right. This fragrance is a Canadian tuxedo executed flawlessly—warm and spicy notes come together like perfectly tailored jeans.

Key scent notes: Coriander, orange flower, bay leaf, cumin, patchouli, cedarwood, tonka bean, Peru balsam, cistus absolute

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Fragrantica rating: 4.3/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “What I really like about this fragrance is you can immediately clock the spicy notes. Until wearing this, I did not know I needed a perfume that has bay leaf in it, but as is the case with food, it adds a certain something to the fragrance. I also love the combination of cumin and coriander—it works perfectly with the woodsy notes.”—Katie Berohn

If your idea of zen is a placid lake, this fragrance was made for you. Inspired by Myanmar’s Inle Lake, this fragrance fuses soft and deep notes by mixing florals with musk and amber. ELLE’s beauty director Kathleen Hou is adding this scent into her fall fragrance rotation.

Key scent notes: Jasmine, violet leaf, orange blossom, neroli, musk, amber

Size: 50 mL

Fragrantica rating: 4.3/5 stars

A Fragrantica reviewer says: “At first it smells like a solid bar of white soap but then on dry down the sweetness of the floral notes and maybe the amber and white musk shine through, though there is still a trail of the soapiness which makes you feel very clean and light. It’s a crowd pleaser for sure.”

Cult Gaia just released their first perfume collection, and the scent Zan is a great option to add to your fall fragrance rotation. With notes of cardamom and musk, it’s spicy and warm, like a cup of tea on a cool day.

Key scent notes: White incense, ambrox, musk, cardamom, ambrette, cedar

Size: 1.7 fl oz

Cult Gaia rating: 4.6/5 stars

A Cult Gaia reviewer says: “I love a bit of peppercorn in my perfumes, and this one does it so well. It’s feminine and strong without being too musky or overpowering. The pink pepper adds this amazing spice, but it’s balanced out with warm cedarwood and musk that keeps it grounded. It feels bold but still wearable for every day, and I just really enjoy how it smells on my skin. If you like scents that have a little edge but are still super feminine, Zan is definitely the one to try.”