The Best Womens Scents to Wear This Autumn

Autumn is also a time to take a look at your fragrance collection. Not only are you probably running low on your summer scents, but many perfumes suitable for summer don’t work as well in autumn. You may even be experiencing a change in mood.

Why You Should Change Fragrances Throughout the Year

Many of us presume fragrances are not static and always stay the same. Scents are dynamic. The reason you may experience that your perfume smells differently can have to do with the surrounding natural environment.

Also, during the autumn and cooler part of the year the skin changes. You put on more layers instead of wearing light clothing or sleeveless tops. If so, you need a more intense-smelling fragrance to notice your perfume.

Classifications of Fragrances

Most perfumes and fragrances belong to four different categories or scent families as they are often called in the industry. The main fragrance families are oriental, wood, fresh and floral.

Each has its characteristics. Some perfumers also like to identify perfumes in subcategories such as green, fruity, and aquatic. Many fragrances belong to more than one family or have notes borrowed from other families.

Each fragrance family can affect your mood and how others perceive you. A good example is floral fragrances. They are associated with romance, femininity, and spring.

Oriental fragrances are experienced as warmer. Therefore, they are associated with sensuality and winter. What about autumn? During autumn, wood fragrances reign supreme. They are associated with comfort, warmth, and protection.

It is important to remember that we all experience fragrances in different ways. This often depends on personal memories and our association with them. If you have a positive experience walking in the woods during autumn, you probably get a positive vibe from a perfume with woody notes.

Do Fragrances Work Differently In Cooler Weather?

The answer to that question is yes. In summer our skin’s temperature is warmer and may “project” a fragrance. This means the scent of perfume may be more noticeable faster. Warm skin helps perfume evaporate which means the scent particles spread through the air. That is why we often wear lighter perfumes during the warmer part of the year.

But there is a downside. When it is warmer, any moisture including EDPs evaporates faster. You have probably noticed you need to reapply your perfume more often in summer and spring.

Humidity is another factor that affects your fragrance. In cooler weather, the water content in the air is often lower. This affects the way perfumes interact with the skin.

Dry skin is not an unusual skincare problem during cold weather. Lower natural skin moisture does not dilute scent molecules as much as a slightly perspiring summer skin.

As scent molecules are not retained by the skin, you may notice your fragrance fades faster. A good comparison is deodorants. Most of us notice the scent of our deodorants in the summer, but we are less likely to pick up on its scent in autumn or winter.

Also, different notes suit cooler weather more as they travel through the air better.

Different Notes For Each Season

In the autumn, it is important to focus on scents that have more of what perfumers like to call longevity. On darker and cooler days, I crave a scent that can help me to boost my mood.

Just like so many others, I like to feel cosy in the autumn. When I buy a new autumn perfume, I make sure that it has what I like to call a warming essence. Personally, I find that comes from fragrances related to wood and mauve even tobacco. Most of us like the smell of a natural wood fire.

More intense herbal smells are popular in autumn.

At the same time, I think it is important that your perfume has a few floral notes. It adds interest and acts as an extra mood booster.

In autumn outside damp smells reign supreme. If you have the right autumn perfume, you will find it can cut through any damp or musty smells that you may experience as unpleasant.

How Do I Store My Perfume in the Autumn?

Perfume is sensitive to light, heat, humidity and our environment. Don’t for one moment think that putting your perfume on a radiator or next to a heat source improves the scent or increases its intensity. In fact, the opposite happens.

If you place your favourite autumn perfume on a radiator or close to a heat source, you soon notice a deterioration in the scent. Unlike cheap clones, brand perfumes are made from high-quality essential oils. When perfumes are stored under the wrong conditions, they lose their intensity, change colour, and may even spoil.

Storing your perfume in the right way in autumn is as important as storing your perfume correctly in summer. You would not dream of putting your summer scent in a sunny window, right?

Tips For Storing Your Perfume in Autumn

●     The daylight hours are shorter, but even so, you should keep your perfume out of direct sunlight. It does not take long for sunlight to change the composition of your perfume. Strong artificial light can also damage your perfume. Just like in summer, store your perfume in a dark place such as a cabinet.

●     Don’t store your perfume in a refrigerator. This does not help it to last longer or intensify the fragrance. Cool temperatures can also change the makeup of perfumes. An ambient temperature is best for storing perfume.

●     Keep your perfume in a dry place and with the top on. Humidity can harm your perfumes. Unwanted chemical reactions between the essential oils in your perfume can lead to mold growth. Leaving the top off a perfume bottle also lets oxygen get to your perfume. This increases evaporation.

●     Store your perfume in its original box. One of the best ways to make sure your perfumes last throughout the autumn is to store them in their original boxes.

Follow these easy tips and you find your autumn perfumes will last until it is time to buy your Christmas perfume.

Should I Just Buy One Perfume?

I change cosmetics, skincare and perfumes every season. It is nice to have a new look and it is also nice to ensure you have a fresh product. If you have any summer perfumes left, there are many ways in which you can use them.

Most of the time, I buy at least two perfumes every season. New fragrances launch almost every year and I like to have a change. One perfume for daytime, another one for evening wear and maybe one for special occasions.

When a brand offers a body lotion in the same fragrance, I also buy that. Sometimes, wearing heavy clothes means your perfume has to work harder. I find that body lotions are great for when you want to increase the longevity and intensity of your fragrance.

10 of The Best Women’s Perfumes for Autumn

1.   Estee Lauder Modern Muse Eau De Parfum:

This is such a treat for the senses during the autumn. Although Modern Muse is packed with smells such as wood and leafy notes we associate with autumn, it offers so much more. Almost immediately you can pick up on comforting notes such as mandarine orange and musk. Amber and vanilla add sweetness and honeysuckle helps to boost your mood.

2.   Paco Rabanne Lady Million Lucky Eau De Parfum:

Once again you can enjoy the richness of wood. If you let the perfume develop, you also pick up on hazelnut. This is such a classic autumn scent and I wish could smell it more often in autumn perfumes. Instead of vanilla for sweetness, you can rely on honey to deliver just a touch of sweetness. Raspberry for freshness is a welcome addition.

3.   Chloe Nomade Eau De Parfum:

This perfume has everything you associate with autumn including wood, harvest fruits and a certain earthy fragrance. Bergamot has been added and helps to soften the appearance of lemon and orange. Rose, freesia and jasmine work well as floral nuances in this perfume.

4.   Yves Saint Laurent Opium:

There is indeed something intoxicating about oriental smells in autumn. I have to hold my hand up and say that this is my go-to autumn perfume. The Opium body lotion is wonderful as well. Deep rich spices and exotic woods are what make Opium a great perfume. And of course myrrh - it is just such a comforting and warming scent. It is just such a luscious fragrance that works for almost any skin type and age.

5.   Guerlain Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum Intense:

Guerlain is simply one of the premier perfumers. Autumn offers you am opportunity to try this celebration of white musk, sandalwood and patchouli. Initially, it sounds like this fragrance combination may overpower you, but it doesn’t. Vanilla, soft Carla Lavender and bergamot bring balance. Mandarin gives it a fresh lift.

6.   Lancome Idole Eau de Parfum:

This is a slightly different offering from the rest of the perfumes on this list. What makes it work? It is rose. This perfume celebrates rose and the comfort it brings. Vanilla and musk give it a slightly autumn feel, but if you want a perfume that is a tonic for the soul, this is a good choice.

7.   Tom Ford Velvet Orchid:

Although many say that this scent is a bit of a drama queen, I think it makes a great perfume for autumn. It is a bit like autumn - slightly mysterious with cozy sweet nights at home. A touch of rum has been added and helps to warm you up on long cool nights. Very feminine and sexy scent.

8.   Mugler Alien Eau de Parfum:

Cashmere wood is what makes Mugler Alien such a great autumn women’s perfume. White Amber and Jasmine Sambac bring this perfume to another level. A great combination of scents.

9.   Prada Amber:

This is a very distinctive perfume. If you like sumptuous scents, you will love Prada Amber’s combination of mandarin, bergamot and patchouli. Of course, patchouli is one of those essential oils which can be both erotic and comforting.

10. Versace Crystal Noir:

This is often called a summer perfume, but it has many of the qualities we associate with an autumn perfume. It is a bit lighter perhaps which makes it perfect for wearing when at home. But, it still offers that warming wood and amber combination which many find so comforting in autumn. A great fragrance for the modern woman and works well in an office environment.

Final Thoughts

Buying a new perfume or two in autumn is such a treat. There is nothing like a comforting and warming fragrance to remind you of happy memories and warm up your body and soul.