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It feels like sacrilege to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of summer. As a Brit, sunshine season is fleeting but intense, and I know that we should make the most of it, but I have to come clean: I cannot stand the hot weather. Regardless, I do have a soft spot for solar scents. I might have very little desire to spend my days actually reclining in the blazing sun, but give me a holiday perfume that smells like warm skin, coconuts and sun cream and I’m sold. Come summer then, my fragrance wardrobe inevitably fills up with tropical body mists and beachy scents that make even the most dull Monday morning feel slightly Mediterranean. But as much as I love them, there comes a point in late August when I start to feel ready for something else.
For me, September has always had that back-to-school feeling of wanting a fresh start—new stationery, a slightly more considered wardrobe and, naturally, a new fragrance. And as a collector of the best perfumes, I’m confident that my heart lies with autumn scents. I’m ready to break up with my summer perfumes (for now, at least) and reach for scents that feel a little more layered and intriguing.
That doesn’t, however, mean going straight from coconut and citrus perfumes to heavy oud or syrupy gourmands. There’s a whole world of transitional fragrances that sit beautifully in between. Think delicate florals and flashes of ripe fruit, perhaps with the faintest reminder of the sea, softened by creamy vanilla, toasted nuts or warm amber. They still have that lightness that I crave in late summer, but with a little more depth and cosiness—perfect for when that first chill starts creeping in.
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Ahead, these are the summer-to-autumn perfumes that I’m reaching for as the new season calls.
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
The Best Summer to Autumn Perfumes
1. Byredo Future Memories
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Byredo
Future Memories Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Blackcurrant, fresh aldehydes, galbanum, labdanum, iris butter, orange blossom, white vanilla, musks, Madagascar vanilla, vanilla liquor accord, ambrofix
I’m a huge fan of Byredo fragrances and their newest launch feels like a good choice for anyone who is ready to move away from overtly summer scents without launching straight into cosy gourmand territory. In fact, I’ve torn through this tester vial and have a full-size bottle firmly on my autumn perfume wish list. It has a clean, slightly airy quality that feels much appreciated while the weather remains furnace-like, but there’s something grounding about it too. I adore the blend of tart fruits and the mineral sharpness from aldehydes, which then dries down into the richness of vanilla and deep musks. It’s modern, polished and delightfully unpredictable—perfect for this time of year when I’m never entirely sure what lies ahead.
2. BORNTOSTANDOUT Nuts
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Borntostandout
Nuts Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Pistachio, almond, caramel, rum, honey, vanilla, sesame, davana essence, tonka absolute, tobacco, gaic wood, ambergris, white musks
This deliciously edible perfume has me craving autumn’s arrival. It’s a rich, nutty, expensive-smelling perfume that, whilst a true gourmand by all accounts, veers more on the savoury side. Hints of pistachio, sesame, tobacco and rum combine for a sophisticated, slightly smoky concoction, but there are dashes of vanilla, caramel and honey for a dose of sweetness too. If you’re looking for something to help make the transition from tropical body mists into something a little more chic, then this is indulgent, warm and wonderfully moreish.
3. Phlur Vanilla Canyon
Phlur
Vanilla Canyon Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Velvet plum, tonka bean, jasmine petals, wild honey, Madagascan vanilla, patchouli, oak wood
Vanilla perfumes are some of my most-reached-for scents in autumn, but in this in-between period I don’t always want something that smells like a full-on pudding. Phlur’s Vanilla Canyon gets the balance exactly right—pairing creamy vanilla with warmer, woody notes for a scent that feels more sophisticated than sugary. There’s a softness to it as well that doesn’t feel too occlusive for this time of year, but still with plenty of deeper, warmer notes that make it feel like a proper seasonal shift. If you’re after a cosy scent that will take you from now all the way through autumn, then it’s an obvious choice.
4. AllSaints Naked Woods
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
AllSaints
Naked Woods Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Bergamot, apple leaves, rhubarb, geranium, orris accord, pink pepper, clearwood®, amber woods, skin musk
This is my first foray into AllSaints fragrances, and if all of them are as good as this transitional scent, then I’ll be coming back for more. Much like the brand’s iconic leather jackets, this is the kind of perfume that you could throw on day or night and feel a whole lot more put-together. It’s warm, woody and enveloping, and I love the hints of citrus bergamot, tart rhubarb and herbaceous apple leaves which add freshness to what could otherwise be a rather intense perfume. Even if the weather hasn’t quite got the memo yet, this summer-to-autumn perfume is as cool as they come.
5. Maison Margiela Afternoon Delight
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Maison Margiela
Replica Afternoon Delight Eau de Toilette
Key notes: Bitter almond, angelica root, madeleine, carrot heart, ambrette, sandalwood, Madagascar vanilla pod, musks
This is a homage to Parisian bakeries, and it has all of the creamy, comforting qualities that you’d associate with stepping inside a boulangerie as hazy sunlight streams through the glass at early dusk. Of course, it’s sweet—think freshly-baked madeleines and vanilla-spiked crème pâtissière—but there are dashes of bitter almond and amber so it feels more nuanced than a classically sweet perfume. After a summer of juicy fruits, florals and solar scents, it feels like a very welcome change of pace.
6. Neal’s Yard Rubor Rose
Neal’s Yard
Rubor Rose Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Rose, geranium, vetiver
I know that for many people floral perfumes are a spring and summer staple, but I feel like there’s a time and a place for them during the colder months too—and a rose fragrance feels like a particularly easy way to make the transition. Neal’s Yard Rubor Rose has the freshness and prettiness that I love in a summer floral, but it feels a little more grown-up and grounded. Specially crafted to help clear and balance the mind, it has an aromatherapeutic quality that I’m particularly grateful for during this time of year when I’m frazzled from the end of a long school holiday. It’s soft, romantic, and lingers for hours, and offers much-needed clarity during periods of change.
7. Le Monde Gourmand Chai Épicé
Le Monde Gourmand
Chai Épicé Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Violet fit, muguet musks, blonde woods
Call me basic, but I’m not here for any of the autumn hate that has become so popular in recent years—pumpkin lattes and spicy chais, I’m here for all of it. So there is something inevitable about this sweet, creamy and delicately spiced perfume making its way into my rotation of summer-to-autumn scents. It has that cinnamon-dusted sweetness that you’d expect from a perfume that translates as spiced tea, and a velvety warmth from the creamy blonde woods. A delicious and cosy perfume that’s one of the more unapologetically autumnal scents on the list.
8. Miu Miu Miutine
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Miu Miu
Miutine Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Wild strawberry, gardenia, brown sugar, vanilla, patchouli
To me, Miutine is a bit of a modern power perfume—and it definitely feels like the sort of fragrance I’d choose when I’m ready for something totally new. It has a pretty floral heart that keeps it feeling fresh, while the sweeter hints of wild strawberry and brown sugar lend a playfulness. What makes it a great choice as we approach autumn, however, is that unexpected sprinkle of brown sugar and heady patchouli, which adds an almost childlike nostalgia to the whole thing. It’s slightly whimsical, and makes for an easy everyday scent, while still making a statement. I adore it.
9. Prada Infusion de Figue
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Prada
Infusion De Figue Eau de Parfum
Best for: Green mandarin, lemongrass, spearmint, citron, accord figue, fennel, lentisque, orange blossom, galbanum, incense, white musk
Figs are the ultimate summer-to-autumn fruit, so it makes sense that this Prada perfume—the ultimate homage to figs—made my list. Capturing every part of this delicious fruit, from the verdant crispness of its green leaves to the sweet creaminess of the flesh inside, it’s a mouthwatering yet elevated fragrance. I adore the way the scent opens with aromatic fennel, lemongrass and fresh spearmint to clear the senses, before the juicy fig comes through. Then, once worn into the skin, you’re left with hints of musk and smoky incense for a lingering warmth that’s so delightful.
10. Ghost Lunar Goddess
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Ghost
Lunar Goddess Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Pink pear, salted petals, cashmere
Lunar Goddess is one of those fragrances that makes the summer-to-autumn transition feel much less binary. It has the soft floral freshness I naturally gravitate towards during warmer months, but there’s a creamy cashmere warmth lingering beneath it which adds that cosiness. At first, I thought this would be your classic tropical cocktail of a summer scent, but it has a beautiful softness that works so well as the evenings start to cool. There’s a little saltiness to it too, which pays tribute to summer days spent by the sand and sea as we shift into a new season.
11. Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid Intense
Gucci
Flora Gorgeous Orchid Eau de Parfum Intense
Key notes: Salty ozonic accord, vanilla orchid, dark cocoa accord
By the time autumn rolls around, I’m usually ready for a fragrance that feels a little more noticeable—and Gucci’s new Flora scent delivers that shift. Described as a luminous scent with an ambery warmth, it’s a rich, lush perfume with plenty of presence. Vanilla orchids have an almost intoxicating quality that adds an almost exotic allure to this perfume, whilst the slightly fresh, ocean-spray opening and rich, creamy cocoa finish mean this is a scent that feels like it’s constantly transitioning in its own right. If you’re after a perfume with contrast and complexity, then it would make for a beautiful choice.
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