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If there’s one thing we love about autumn, it’s the excuse to get outside. Finally, we beat the heat for another year, and the great outdoors is no longer a one-way ticket to heat exhaustion. It’s no surprise then to see the sudden rise of forest fragrances. From scents of enchanted woods, the perfect hike on a clear day, an afternoon apple picking or a cozy evening with open windows, forest fragrances are the perfect way to capture the season.
What Are Forest Fragrances?
With a focus on wood scents from tree bark, resin and mosses, forest fragrances are all about delivering the earthy, open outdoors. You’re likely to find consistent favorites in the woodsy scent family. Sandalwood, cedarwood, birch and vetiver are standard inclusions in this fragrance family.
You may notice that this scent family is often associated with unisex or masculine scents. These are typically bolder and dip into spicy complements like musk and amber. But those don’t have to be the primary scents. These notes can be complemented by brightening florals for a light, fresh combination that’s akin to the air of fall. On the other hand, spicier notes of amber combine with woodsy scents to create a darker and more mysterious finish.
The Top Scents of the Season
If you take a look at the best-selling fragrances right now, you’ll start to see a pattern. Rich vanilla and intoxicating smoky scents are everywhere. These complementary scents envelop us in a sweet, savory mix that screams fall. And as we transition away from summer scents, the comforting notes of gourmands and woods are back in action.
Cozy coffeehouse scents like vanilla, caramel and sugars help create the warm, sweater-wearing environment of a lovely fall day. At the same time, the more outdoorsy scents of sandalwood, moss and amber bring that crisp, clear air. Whether you want to smell like an apple-picking day outside or a warm skin evening by the fire, fall is the perfect time to branch out into warm and fresh scents.
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Bright bergamot and leathery saffron accords wrap you in a warm embrace, before grounding themselves in creamy sandalwood and spicy amber. Cozy, warm and undeniably sexy.
KEY NOTES
Amber, sandalwood, musk and saffron
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Future Society used cutting-edge technology to revive the extinct Shorea cuspidata, a towering tree endemic to Borneo whose branches once reached up to 45 meters. Floral, woody, aquatic and bright, this is meditation in a perfume.
KEY NOTES
Cedarwood, bergamot, water lily, driftwood and wet stones
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Designed to be as energizing as the forest itself, this vitality-infused, emotion-boosting scent is a balance of earthy, woody and sweet notes that radiates energy and grounding.
KEY NOTES
Bergamot, cypress and palo santo
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Inspired by forest bathing in Japanese Hinoki forests, this clean and aromatic woody scent delves into the fresh woods. The cologne is created with hand-harvested fallen branches that are then processed by local artisans in the same Japanese village. The scent honors the traditional integrity of the Hinoki while transporting you to a peaceful place of rest.
KEY NOTES
Cinnamon, Hinoki wood cloves, cedarwood and tonka bean
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This classic woody scent is a perfect balance between strong and soft. Its strength lies in the rich sandalwood and raw, burly cedar. Softness comes through in supple fig leaves and soothing, ripe coconut.
KEY NOTES
Coconut water, sandalwood, jasmine petals, cedarwood, suede and lily of the valley
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This functional fragrance is designed to give you that much needed breath of fresh air. The fragrance consists of olfactory chemistry and patented ingredient technology to simulate phytoncides, which are produced naturally by trees. This scent provides positive health benefits associated with forest bathing including stress reduction, anxiety reduction, boosting the parasympathetic (rest) nervous system and supporting immune function.
KEY NOTES
Vetiver, bergamot and patchouli
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A fragrance gentle enough to wear on every inch of skin, this scent is reinforced with red algae and glycerin for maximum hydration. Australian sandalwood, cedar and vetiver make up the heart of this fragrance, bringing you right to the center of an old growth forest.
KEY NOTES
Santal, vetiver and amber
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Inspired by the image of a writer in a glass house overlooking a forest, this woody fragrance dives deep into the comforting scents of cedarwood, sandalwood and heartwood.
KEY NOTES
Moss, sandalwood and bergamot
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Smoky, woody scents revealing delicate rosewood, amber and rare oud envelope the wearer of this exotic and spicy fragrance.
KEY NOTES
Rare oud wood, Chinese pepper and sandalwood
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Don’t be afraid to cross the aisle for your ideal forest fragrance. This traditionally masculine scent features fresh top notes of grapefruit, coriander and basil, a warm heart of cardamom and ginger and a deep base of tobacco, amber and cedarwood.
KEY NOTES
Cardamom, cedarwood, ginger and tobacco
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Crisp, bright and woody, this scent is the perfect beginning to a fall day. The fragrance of fresh fir balsam and cedarwood are sharp in the flowing breeze.
KEY NOTES
Red berries, cardamom, cedarwood and moss
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Cool cucumber and delicate white musk introduce this seemingly soft scent. Cardamom and earthy Indian sandalwood glow at the heart of Twin Flame, pulling you into its cool, woody and spicy embrace.
KEY NOTES
Cucumber leaves, Indian sandalwood and white musk
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Explore an urban forest after the rain has lifted with this delicate scent. Hermes combines the power of a bouquet of fresh herbs, the texture of a pear granita and the liveliness of a high-tech molecule, Physcool®.
KEY NOTES
Fresh herbs, pear granita and Physcool®
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Every Storm a Serenade opens with a burst of refreshing sea air, reminiscent of a storm brewing on the horizon. The addition of spruce and eucalyptus brings you to a sea-side forest instantly.
KEY NOTES
Danish spruce, eucalyptus, vetiver, ambergris and Baltic sea mist
