21 Fall Perfumes for Endless Compliments

“Autumn Vibes” is an incredibly apt name for this fragrance, which is practically fall in a bottle. The airy scent blends woodsy fir balsam and cedar with cardamom.

Key notes: Red berries, cardamom, cedar, moss

Size: 100 mL

Sephora rating: 3.8/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer says: “This smells like Halloween in 1998. Like jumping into a pile of crunchy leaves in a sweater fresh out of the dryer. Like running through the woods on the first chilly Saturday morning of the season after waking up to the smell of your parent’s coffee. If the feeling of watching Hocus Pocus for the first time has a smell, this is it.”

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

All 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 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: Cinnamon, cardamom, carrot, orris butter, ginger, papyrus, patchouli

Size: 1.7 oz

Nordstrom rating: 4.3/5

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

This fragrance embodies the essence of your favorite drink. Ginger, vetiver, and amyris notes work together to create an alluring earthy and spicy scent.

Key notes: Ginger, vetiver, amyris

Size: 1 oz.

Bloomingdale’s rating: 4/5 stars

A Bloomingdale’s reviewer says: “This is quite literally my favorite thing to smell ever. I went to buy a second bottle to have on hand.”

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: 1.7 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 oz.

Nordstrom rating: 3.8/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I’m obsessed with skin scents, and Phlur makes some of the best ones. Recently launched Soft Spot is a gentle, warm fragrance that’s floral, slightly citrusy, and musky all at once. I usually stay away from vanilla scents, but the spice in this perfume adds a comforting quality rather than a headache-inducing sweetness. Once the temperature starts cooling down, I immediately reach for all of my coziest sweaters, hoodies, and scents—and this is one of them.”—Carol Lee, associate beauty ecommerce editor

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.”

Francis Kurkdjian, Dior’s perfume creative director, was tasked with revisiting some of Dior’s iconic La Collection Privée scents to create extraits de perfume. In this version of Ambre Nuit, cinnamon and cardamom mix with amber and musk like a well-made cocktail.

Key notes: Amber, musk, cinammon, cardamom

Size: 1.7 oz

Fragrantica rating: 4.1/5

An ELLE editor says: “This highly concentrated fragrance is the Friday night jazz club scent of my dreams. It’s musky and spicy, and perfect to wear on your next date night if you want to smell devastatingly good.”—Katie Berohn

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: Vanilla orchid, and ozonic accord

Size: 3.3 oz

Sephora rating: 4.7/5

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

For a sultry, intoxicating scent that's lifted with a bright burst of Italian bergamot, turn to Bond No. 9’s latest superstar fragrance Bond Number One. It's the kind of warm, yet inviting scent that you’ll want to spray on every single day.

Key scent notes: Italian bergamot, ylang ylang, white musk, Bulgarian rose, jasmine petals, Brazilian tonka bean, Madagascar vanilla, Indonesian patchouli, cashmere wood

Size: 100 mL

An ELLE editor says: “I’ve been looking for a new scent that’s elegant enough to wear to the office, but packs enough punch for dinners and soirées. This one checks all of the boxes for me, and will be my go-to this fall.”—Alexis Bennett Parker, commerce content lead

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 oz

Fragrantica rating: 3.9/5

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, cinammon

Size: 1.7 oz.

Sephora rating: 4.4/5

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 scent notes: Dark cherry flavor, osmanthus absolute, cyproil

Size: 1.7 oz.

Nordstrom rating: 4.5/5

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

Size: 4.2 oz.

Amazon rating: 4.9/5

An Amazon reviewer says: “This is my favorite fragrance from Parfums de Marly. Just note that it’s a very sweet, vanilla fragrance. Easily unisex. Ideal seasons would be in cooler months, especially fall.”

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: Amaretto, nutmeg, suede, orris, benzoin, golden patchouli, labdanum

Size: 1.7 oz

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 oz.

Fragrantica rating: 4.3/5

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

As the weather gets colder, we all start to feel a bit witchier. This deep musk scent is meant to help promote creativity and courage—that’s the kind of witchcraft everyone needs in their life.

Key scent notes: Moroccan orris and rose, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper, frankincense, opoponax, and musk

Size: 1.7 oz.

Fragrantica rating: 3.9/5

A Fragrantica reviewer says: “Wonderful unisex fragrance. Normally cinnamon and patchouli scents are too heavy and masculine on my skin, but this is light and woody with just a bit of spice.”

This limited-edition D.S. & Durga perfume is decadence to the max. Inspired by black forest cake, it has gourmand notes like cocoa, black cherry, and vanilla.

Key scent notes: Black cherry, snow pine, incense, cocoa, jasmine, orris, vanilla, musk, fireplace

Size: 1.7 oz.

Fragrantica rating: 4/5

An ELLE editor says: “Do you like black forest cake? If so, this fragrance will be right up your alley. This rich, cocoa-tinged scent is the perfect nod to the dessert without making you smell like you covered yourself in frosting. The smoky notes really help balance out the sweetness from notes like black cherry, cocoa, and vanilla.”—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

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.”