FRESH TAKES is an olfactive tell-all written by fragrance enthusiasts for fragrance enthusiasts. Fans of scent will share secrets, obsessions, and unfiltered insight into their take on perfume.

Over time, fall has become my favorite time of year. There’s something calming about crisp, cool air and walking over colorful, fallen leaves. For me, it also represents a big change in my fragrance selection—going from primarily citrus dominant scents to warmer, spicier scents.

When I think of fall fragrances, I think of scents with a warm, cozy smell that maintains a touch of freshness. Fall weather can be tricky depending on where you live, some days can plunge to 50º while other days can rise to the mid-70’s! That’s why it’s important for me to choose fragrances that have a touch of freshness to them. I typically gravitate towards notes such as cinnamon, lavender, nutmeg, tobacco, patchouli, vanilla, iris & leather. What I love so much about these notes is that there are multiple forms of them and they can all be used creatively by the perfumer—as an example, there are fresher patchouli notes and also darker, earthier patchouli notes. This provides great versatility in the season of fall.

Recently, I’ve been focusing on expanding my palate and trying things that I’ve never had a chance to try before. I find myself reaching out most for Mancera Red Tobacco—a great tobacco, cinnamon, vanilla patchouli scent that is great for evenings out; whether it be a fancy dinner date or drinks with friends. It’s upscale and classy, but with some mass appeal too.

Next would be Eight & Bob Egypt—a nutmeg, lavender, sandalwood scent. The fresh spicy composition makes this one great for daytime wear to the office, but is also versatile enough to be worn casually, or even slightly dressed up

Amouage Interlude Black Iris is another fall scent I’m loving. The addition of iris to its traditional balsamic notes smooth out this scent and give it a touch of airiness that was missing in the original version. This is another great one for nighttime outings, it’s very chic and a definite head turner.

Finally, I have MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait—a saffron, almond and ambergris scent. This is another attention grabber; it leaves a big scent trail behind you and will often compel those around you to ask what you’re wearing. I find Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait to be another ultra-luxurious scent best suited for cooler fall evenings. For me, this one is best to bring out for big events such as weddings and wedding receptions, family dinners etc. It’s a completely unisex scent too, so it can be enjoyed by anyone!

All of these are the epitome of fall for me as they remind me of the transitional season that we’re in when I smell and wear them. Each one has great performance, lasting all day on my skin with good projection, and each has fantastic quality.

All in all, fall is a great season to be creative and experiment! Don’t be afraid to try new things and develop your taste. This is a very versatile time of year due to the changing weather being somewhat in the middle, so make sure to take advantage of it and grab some samples of the scents that you’ve been wanting to try.