Autumn Scents: What They Are and Why We Love Them!

🍂 Authored by Perfuming Expert Alina Gilwinska & Andrea Zetino

Ever wonder why you crave pumpkin spice in the autumn and not so much in the summer? Why when leaves start to change colours you suddenly feel this urge to cancel plans and wrap yourself up in all things cosy?

Grab your fave seasonal drink and join us as we explain the science behind the scents we love (and why we love them). ☕

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What are the best autumn scents?

Pumpkin, vanilla and caramel all come to mind when we think of comfy autumn fragrances; evoking images of pumpkin harvests, seasonal drinks, freshly baked goods and gorgeous autumn foliage. It’s no wonder we’ve made this trio the foundational notes of this year’s autumn collection.

As Lush perfumer, Alina explains, “these notes represent more than just aroma — they embody ritual, warmth and emotional retreat.”

Why do we love autumn scents?

Smelling (olfaction) is your nose taking in and interpreting airborne chemicals. Every time you breathe in, smells travel up your nasal cavity to your olfactory epithelium (the place responsible for your sense of smell). There, tiny nerve cells grab on to specific odours. Fun fact, humans have around 400 receptors while a small mouse can have almost 1200.

These receptors can detect thousands of smells through mixing and matching the way you would a colour wheel, the true number of smells a human being can perceive is still unknown. Once it’s been detected by the receptors in your olfactory, the smell is recognised and processed in your olfactory cortex to identify and interpret.

Now if your sense of smell ended here then every scent you ever smelled would evoke no feelings or memories at all. Essentially turning your favourite aromas into flat sensory experiences.

Luckily this isn’t the case, from the cortex the smell travels to the amygdala (a part of your brain that plays a crucial role in processing emotions) and the hippocampus (the part that helps form new memories) linking everything in your limbic system.

All together, these bits and bobs are the reason we have emotional responses to smells.

Now that we know how scents are connected to memories and emotions, why do things like caramel inherently feel “autumn” to us… what’s that about?

Over time we’ve learned to associate certain smells with seasons through habit and exposure. We create memories and subsequently emotional responses to certain stimuli. It’s why when pumpkin spice season arrives we get giddy with excitement because (not only does it smell amazing) it also represents a new chapter and season in our lives and prompts us to slow down from all the fun and excitement of summer.

Weather also plays a big part in our need to sit back, relax and create cosy autumn rituals. It encourages us to take a moment to reflect and wrap ourselves up in warm and grounding fragrances.

How can you create a cosy autumn ritual at home?

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to create a cosy nook of lasting comforts:

Step 1:

Find a comfy spot. That could be your bed (we love a duvet session), your bathroom (our fave, of course) or your entire house.

Step 2 :

Think of the mood you want to create. Do you want your space to inspire you? Bring forth nostalgia? Calm and soothe or relax to revitalize?

Step 3:

Once your intentions are set, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and think about the fresh fragrances that would encourage your desired mindset.

Step 4:

Layer your scents for a lasting ambiance. Every scent you add or take away will create a brand new experience to ultimately transport you to your happy place — it’s both a destination and a journey.

Here’s a quick example of how to layer your routine:

For showers, start with a shower gel (preferably one with spicy notes) like Cinnamon Spiced Latte and lead with its visceral notes. They’ll gently linger on your skin and fragrance the air after you’re done.

What are the benefits of cinnamon in cosmetics?

• Its warm and spicy fragrance comforts and invigorates. For some, it’s emblematic of the winter festivities; for others, it’s an aphrodisiac!

• It has powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties, ideal for skin, body and oral care.

• Depending on the concentration, it can have a warming effect on the skin when applied topically, helping to stimulate blood circulation and energise tired muscles.

Next, add a bit of gourmand goodness to soften your scent profile.

What does gourmand mean?

You may have seen the word gourmand flying around a lot lately, but how do we define a gourmand scent? Gourmand is used in the fragrance world to describe deliciously edible scents like chocolate, vanilla, honey, or coffee.

There’s a growing appetite for foodie fragrances right now and here at Lush, we have plenty of products that smell just as scrumptious as your favourite dessert. And to make them even more tempting, our cosmetics don’t just smell great, they also do great things for your skin and hair.

Lastly, seal it all with a vegan candle made with ethically sourced essential oils and a natural wax base.

The importance of cosy rituals

Cosy routines are deeply personal experiences that can help you nourish not only your skin but your soul as well. Whether they’re big or small, we all need (and deserve) quality self-care moments to help reconnect with ourselves and slow down life’s fast pace.