Autumn has arrived.
Not officially, of course. The calendar still says September, and there will probably be a few more warm afternoons before we can finally put summer to bed. But by around eight o'clock in the evening now, it's already dark.
The air has changed too. After the intense heat we experienced earlier this summer, there is something distinctly different about it now. Cooler. Fresher. The evenings have a little more of a chill to them, and the light has started to lose that long, golden quality that made summer evenings feel almost endless.
It is subtle, but you feel it.
And with that change comes the first instinct to make home feel warm and cosy again.
This is the point in the year when I start thinking differently about fragrance.
Summer lends itself to light, fresh and invigorating scents such as creamy coconut, tropical fruits and fragrances that feel bright and effortless. But as the season turns, my choices change almost without me thinking about it.
I want more depth, more warmth and more richness.
That might mean fruit, but not necessarily the bright, juicy fruit fragrances of summer. Plum, pomegranate and damson can take on a darker, more sensual character when combined with woods, amber, musk or spice. Rhubarb can become completely different when paired with cinnamon and softer, sweeter notes.
And then there are the fragrances that remind me of being outside rather than staying in. Woodland walks. Damp earth. Changing leaves. The feeling of coming home with cold hands and stepping back into a warm room.
When I began creating our autumn collection, these were the thoughts I kept coming back to. I didn't want to make seven variations on pumpkin spice. I wanted to explore what autumn actually feels like, because autumn has never been just one scent to me. I wanted to capture that sense of autumn as a whole, rather than reduce it to a handful of familiar fragrance notes.
This is what I love most about developing and making candles for autumn.
What Makes a Candle Feel Like Autumn?
There is no single ingredient that makes a candle an autumn candle.
Cinnamon and clove are unmistakably seasonal. So are pumpkin, nutmeg and warm spices. But they are only one interpretation of autumn.
What makes autumn interesting to me is that it can evoke so many different feelings at once.
There is the comfort of familiar things returning: favourite jumpers, warm drinks, evenings at home. There is the anticipation of the season ahead, as the landscape changes and the first colder days arrive. There can be a sense of nostalgia too, particularly when a familiar fragrance brings back memories of autumns gone by.
But autumn isn't always soft and comforting. There is something invigorating about that first cold breath of air after a long summer. A walk through the woods can feel fresh and energising, even when the ground is damp and the sky is grey. The season has a richness and intensity of its own.
And then there is the quieter side of autumn. The days shorten, evenings become more inward looking and there is a natural pleasure in making time for the things we might have neglected during the brighter months.
Fragrance can speak to all of these feelings.
A candle can remind you of something familiar, bring a little warmth to a dark evening, evoke the feeling of being outdoors or simply make a room feel more inviting. It doesn't have to smell conventionally autumnal to create that connection.
For me, that is where the most interesting autumn fragrances begin: not with a traditional list of ingredients, but with a feeling that captures the essence of the season.
This is also where aromachology becomes particularly interesting. Scent is not simply about how a fragrance smells; it can influence how we experience a space and the feelings associated with it. If you would like to explore the connection between scent, emotion and wellbeing in more depth, read our guide to What Is Aromachology? The Science of Scent and Emotional Wellbeing.
The Best Autumn Candle Depends on the Feeling You Want
When I'm choosing a fragrance for autumn, I don't always start by asking what it smells like. Instead, I think about how I want my room to feel.
Sometimes that means warmth and spice. Other times, it is a richer fragrance that feels particularly suited to the evening. Or perhaps I prefer to be reminded of being outdoors, whether that be a more woody and grounded fragrance or floral fragrance that brings brightness without losing its depth for this time of year.
That is how I approached our autumn collection when I started to develop it.
When you want the familiar warmth of autumn
Some autumn fragrances are instantly recognisable. You smell cinnamon, nutmeg or clove and the season announces itself immediately.
Our Autumn Glow embraces this familiar seasonal association, with sweet pumpkin alongside cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. It is unmistakably autumnal.
When autumn fruit becomes richer
Fruit takes on a different character in autumn.
The brightness I associate with summer gives way to something deeper: plum, pomegranate and damson become richer, darker and more sensual when paired with woods, amber, musk or spice.
Pomegranate Noir brings together juicy pomegranate with soft rose, warm woods, amber and musk. It has the richness and sophistication I associate with autumn evenings without being a conventional spiced fragrance.
Damson Dusk takes a similarly sophisticated approach, combining damson plum with rose, patchouli, soft spice and sensual musk.
Bringing the outdoors inside
Then there are the fragrances that seem to open a window onto the season itself.
I love the feeling of an autumn walk: cooler air, changing trees, damp ground and the sense that the landscape has suddenly become richer.
Wild Harvest was inspired by that feeling, with wild rhubarb, cinnamon and soft sweet notes. The rhubarb gives the fragrance vibrancy, while the cinnamon and sweeter notes bring warmth and depth.
Midnight Lotus takes a different view of autumn. Saffron and jasmine bring an exotic sense of richness and intrigue, while amberwood, cedar and fir resin give the fragrance its deeper, warmer character. It has something of the outdoors in it, but not in an obvious woodland way. Instead, it feels darker and more refined, suited to those autumn evenings when you want a fragrance with real presence.
For quiet, enveloping evenings
Some fragrances don't need to announce the season at all. They simply have the right depth for it.
The Quiet Hours combines cashmeran, smooth woods and warm amber. It is rich and enveloping, with a comforting softness that makes it particularly appealing when the evening has settled in and you want the room to feel warm, calm and inviting.
There is nothing overtly seasonal about it, and perhaps that is precisely why it works.
Autumnal florals
Autumn doesn't mean abandoning floral fragrances.
Velvet Petals is a good reminder of that. Pink pepper and rose are balanced with warm, delicate notes, giving the fragrance brightness without sacrificing depth.
It feels entirely at home in autumn, but doesn't try too hard to prove it.
For me, that is what makes a collection interesting. The fragrances don't have to fit neatly into one category.
Do Autumn Candles Have to Smell Like Pumpkin Spice?
They certainly can, but they don't have to.
Pumpkin spice has become the shorthand for autumn fragrance, particularly in the world of candles. Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and vanilla have an immediate seasonal familiarity, and for many people, that is exactly what they are looking for.
I simply didn't want that to be the whole story.
When I was creating this collection, I wanted to explore the different moods within autumn rather than choosing one fragrance profile and repeating it.
There is warmth and spice, but there is also richness, woods, amber, resin, flowers and the freshness of the outdoors.
If you don't like heavily spiced candles, that doesn't mean you have to miss out on autumn fragrance. If sweet scents aren't for you, there are plenty of ways to create warmth without making a room smell like dessert.
The best autumn candle may be the one that captures the season in a way that feels natural to you.
Early Autumn or Deep Autumn?
Autumn isn't a single moment and it doesn't arrive all at once. It unfolds gradually, and so can the fragrances we are drawn to.
There is the first coolness in the air, when summer is still close enough to remember. Then the evenings deepen, the light changes and we begin to spend more time indoors. Later still comes the darker, quieter stretch of the season.
That doesn't mean there is a prescribed fragrance for each stage. There may be days when you still want something bright and floral, followed by an evening when a deeper, woodier fragrance suddenly feels exactly right. A rich floral can feel completely at home in autumn, just as a darker fragrance can work beautifully while there is still warmth in the air.
I don't think there should be rules about which fragrance belongs to which part of the season. It is much more interesting to follow what you are naturally drawn to.
Why We Light More Candles in Autumn
There is a moment when autumn arrives when you just know the season has changed. It isn't necessarily a particular date or even a dramatic drop in temperature. It is something you notice almost instinctively: the light fades earlier, the evenings feel different and suddenly you find yourself closing the curtains while there is still plenty of evening ahead.
For some, it brings a sense of nostalgia. Perhaps it is a familiar fragrance, the first evening spent back at home after summer or simply the return of rituals that belong to this time of year. For me, there is something comforting about that recognition. You know what is coming.
The shorter days naturally change how we use our homes. We spend more time indoors, settle into the evening earlier and begin looking for ways to make those darker hours feel inviting. This is when candles become part of the rhythm of home again.
For me, it is not simply about fragrance, but about the whole experience of a room. There is the glow of the flame, the fragrance moving through the space and the small act of lighting it at the end of the day. It might happen while cooking, reading, having friends over or simply sitting down after everything else is finished.
For some people, the darker months can also be more difficult. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression linked to seasonal changes, and the shorter days can be particularly challenging for those who experience it.
I would never suggest that a candle can treat SAD, and I am not making a medical claim about candlelight or fragrance.
What I do believe is that the small rituals we create around home can make a difference to how we experience an evening. Lighting a favourite candle cannot give us more daylight or change the weather, but it can mark the transition of routine and create a moment that feels comforting and familiar.
How to Choose the Best Autumn Candle for Your Home
Start with the fragrances you already know you love. If you gravitate towards woody perfumes, look for cedar, amber, fir or cashmeran. If you prefer florals, don't rule them out simply because you're shopping for an autumn candle. If fruit is what draws you in, explore darker fruits such as plum, pomegranate and damson.
Then think about where the candle will live. A fragrance that feels wonderful in a bedroom may not be right for a kitchen, while a larger living space may allow a more expansive fragrance to come into its own.
Consider the character of the fragrance as well as its individual notes. A candle described as autumnal might be heavily spiced, deeply woody, richly fruity or softly floral. Read the fragrance description carefully and look for the notes that you are naturally drawn towards.
Most importantly, don't choose a candle simply because it fits an idea of what autumn is supposed to smell like.
The best autumn candle is the one that works with your home and your own sense of what you want the season to feel like.
What About Fragrance Strength?
Autumn fragrances often have a reputation for being strong, rich and powerful.
But richness and strength are not the same thing.
A fragrance can have complexity and depth without being overwhelming. Much depends on the formulation, the relationship between the fragrance and wax, the wick and the size of the room.
If you're interested in understanding why some candles have better fragrance throw than others, and why adding more fragrance isn't always the answer, our guide to Why Doesn't My Candle Smell Strong? Understanding Fragrance Throw, Wax, Wicks and Why More Fragrance Isn't Always Better goes into much more detail.
Finding Your Autumn Scent
There isn't a formula you have to follow.
You can choose the fragrance that reminds you of the season. Or the one that makes your home feel warmer. Or the one that simply smells wonderful to you.
For some people, autumn will always mean cinnamon, clove and pumpkin. For others, it might be plum and rose, amber and woods, fir resin or something completely unexpected.
That is how I think about autumn when I'm creating fragrance. I don't want to recreate the season literally. I want to capture something about how it feels: the cooler air, the changing light, the darker evenings and the pleasure of coming home.
Perhaps that is why autumn is such an interesting season for candles. There isn't one fragrance that defines it. There are many ways to experience it, and just as many ways to bring that feeling into your home.
The best autumn candle is simply the one that makes you want to light it.