Woods, Pumpkin & Vanilla Top Autumn Home Fragrance Trends

Despite summer-like temperatures, home fragrance marketers hope to capture the attention of back-to-school shoppers.

“We continue to see a growing movement toward using scent as a design element, much like wallpaper or paint colors,” Farah Ahmed, president of the Fragrance Creators Association, told Happi. “There is also an increased interest in fragrance technology designed to address malodors.”

“Our customers are increasingly drawn to scent blends that transport them,” added Nicole Andrick, co-founder of Catskills Candle Studio. “Candles have a way of helping us remember things that we didn’t realize we’d missed.” 

Catskills Candle Studio’s most popular candles evoke memories like sitting around a campfire, slicing tomatoes or picking apples in the fall. Unusual blends are increasingly popular.

“In the past florals, fruit and incense inspired scents were the most in demand; but lately scents like herbs, pepper, smoke, vegetables, leaves and fern are more popular,” Andrick explained.

Circana finds consumers are seeking out air freshening products for the home
Sales data is for total US multi-outlet (supermarkets, drugstores, mass market retailers, military commissaries and select club and dollar retail chains) for the 52 weeks ended July 13, 2025

Summerween Hype

Trick or Treat in August? Bath & Body Works kicked off Halloween last month with its viral “Summerween” collection. Summerween includes more than 70 products. An early drop of the new fragrance “I Scream Float” sold out on TikTok Shop. It is billed as “a gourmand with a twist, this indulgent fragrance features notes of fizzing cola, a scoop of vanilla and a touch of spooky sweetness.”

“We’re fully embracing this exciting trend, which is now bigger than ever, with an incredible collection of fragrances and accessories which capture the true essence of the spooky season,” says BBW Chief Merchant Betsy Schumacher. “Halloween is one of our customers’ favorite times of year and we’re meeting them right where they are with the highest quality, trend-forward products to fit every mood and aesthetic.”

Bath & Body Works’ Summerween collection includes a variety of accessories and decor items like its “ghostly” three-wick candle pedestal holder and Wallflower plugs. Bath & Body Works is promoting “iconic” autumnal fragrances like Pumpkin Pecan Waffles, Sweater Weather and Flannel.

Another noteworthy launch at Bath & Body Works is Booksmart. Inspired by #BookTok’s popularity, and cozy Autumn days curled up by the fire with a good read, the Booksmart collection brings collegiate vibes to life, according to BBW. As part of the collection, the top customer favorite wallflower scent, Book Loft is available in several variants including 3-Wick Candle, Fine Fragrance Mist and Foaming Hand Soap. With notes of crisp bergamot, neroli and cozy woods—Booksmart smells just like opening your favorite novel, said the company. New fragrances include Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake and Leather Bound Pages. 

Yankee Candle is reigniting the candle experience as part of a brand relaunch. With more emphasis on fragrance’s emotional power with a new and improved wax blend in its signature large jar. The new candles reduce soot and tunneling for a consistent burn experience. In terms of design, fragrance-first visuals and cohesive design across all forms produce a more elevated, unified look that aligns with today’s lifestyle and aesthetic preferences.

“This relaunch marks a significant moment in Yankee Candle’s evolution—not just in how our products look and perform, but in how they connect emotionally with consumers,” said Aaron Swart, SVP general manager of home fragrance, Newell Brands. “Today’s fragrance lovers seek more elevated, personal experiences. We’ve thoughtfully reimagined our scented candle portfolio to deliver just that – helping consumers embrace moments lived to find joy in the here and now.”

A new lifestyle campaign, “The Scent You’ve Been Seeking” celebrates the brand’s ability to help consumers rediscover meaningful moments through fragrance featuring Brittany Snow.

“I’ve loved Yankee Candle for as long as I can remember,” said Snow. “Their fragrances have been the backdrop of some of my most memorable times, and I’m thrilled to be part of the next chapter of their brand story,” said Snow. “For me, fragrance is such a big part of my life—and it has the power to reground me and spark joy amidst the everyday chaos. Recently, I’ve been burning Sage & Citrus while watching a movie after a busy day. It helps me be in the moment and be a part of my continued self-care.”

For Febreze, 2025 is all about comfort and indulgence. Its 2025 Scent of the Year is vanilla suede. This year’s selection was designed by the Febreze Fragrance Group, a division within P&G’s Innovation Foresight of Fragrance and Ingredients. 

From Febreze’s new Blends Collection, Vanilla Suede features a “complex, yet complimentary blend of brushed mahogany, gold amber and smoked vanilla.”

“Amidst the chaos of everyday life, we’re seeing a rise in self-indulgence and a desire to take back control of our spaces,” said Febreze Master Perfumer Rafael Trujillo. “People look for reasons to spend more time at home, whether that means hosting friends or curating the perfect night in. Vanilla Suede helps them do just that, transforming any space into a personal oasis.”

Available in Febreze Air, Vanilla Suede provides as instant luxurious upgrade and an elegant scent in Febreze Plug. For a customized 24/7 scent experience, the Febreze Plug in Vanilla Suede can be used with the Febreze Plug Scent Booster.

Tech Scents

Luxury home fragrance brand Pura captured the invigorating scents of the Great Outdoors. Its new Scents of Wood collection includes the fresh evergreen trees with the first dusting of morning snow, the towering spruce in the midst of a gray afternoon, or the glow of the Joshua Tree. Industry veteran Fabrice Croisé founded the luxury fragrance brand inspired by forests and rooted in nature. Known for aging their scents in wooden barrels, Scents of Wood brings a rare and refined approach to perfumery, blending emotion, memory and the raw beauty of the natural world, per marketers.

Crafted to complement Pura’s smart fragrance technology, Trees of the West transforms traditional perfumery into an immersive home experience, offering consumers a modern way to reconnect with the earth through scent. 

The result is Spruce in Mist with misty waters top notes, spruce middle notes and a vetiver base. Evergreen in Snow contains top notes of crisp greens, middle notes of snow accord and a cedarwood base. Joshua in Glow contains Dewy Greens top notes, jasmine middle notes and Joshua Tree base notes.

Pura partnered with Pantone earlier in the year for a limited-edition diffuser matching the Mocha Mousse colorway named as the Color of 2025.

Diffusion Developments

For more than a decade, consumers called out “Hey, Alexa!” to play their favorite song, answer a question and even reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. Now, Alexa is consumers’ right-hand device to fill their home with the aroma of their preferred fragrance blend. It’s possible through a partnership with indie home fragrance brand Atmos. 

“When we created the brand, we really wanted to capture the idea that you can use scent to craft a scene or design your own atmosphere in a fresh way using an IoT-enabled device and premium fine fragrance,” said Kristen Knight, chief product officer. 

The device promises to create uplifting lifestyles, say company executives. 

The patent-pending device features three slots to emit three different fragrances. Emit scents independently or layered, to create a unique scent journey. Five settings control fragrance intensity.

Atmos’ fragrances contain three notes and are botanically based with other natural ingredients. Dream is a lavender and vanilla derivative best suited for nightly diffusing in a bedroom when a user seeks to unwind after a stressful day. Aspire contains citrus notes that lead into Moroccan rosemary, Indian jasmine, Egyptian neroli and a touch of salty aquatics, said the company.

Atmos is made of recyclable glass and can be color-coordinated with different rooms with protective enclosures in colors from pink to blonde wood—much like a smart phone cover. Cartridges have a shelf-life of up to two years. 

With more consumers embracing longevity and “staying in” this 2025, scent marketing leader ScentAir added a trio of 100% sustainably-produced fragrances to its sustainable fragrance line.

The line utilizes essential oils and sustainably sourced, naturally derived and upcycled ingredients. The expansion of the Sustainable Fragrances line furthers ScentAir’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its impact on the environment, brand officials say.

Eco Bliss contains bright citrus notes rounded out with touches of florals, naturally derived vanilla and sustainable sandalwood and musk. This fragrance aims to inject a sense of pleasure and happiness in any space. Eco Relaxation’s lavender essence, soothing bergamot and blue chamomile essential oils blend effortlessly on a soft base of naturally-derived vanilla and musk. It is the ideal fragrance to banish stress at the door. 

Eco Vitality’s crisp citrus essential oils and sustainable dewy, leafy green notes balance thyme and sustainable clover bud. Its blend of citrus and herb aims to create an energizing atmosphere. The new sustainable fragrances come in cartridges sized for both of ScentAir’s smart home diffusers. 

Do-Tell, DoTerra

DoTerra, a leader in essential oils and wellness products, recently shared with Happi that its Laluz Diffuser was selected as a winner in Good Housekeeping’s 2025 Bath Awards. Blending sleek design, customizable features and spa-like ambiance, the Laluz Diffuser stands out for its ability to elevate any space with up to eight hours of runtime, three ambient light settings, and independent mist and light controls. 

Using ultrasonic technology, it offers a simple and elegant way to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy and create a luxurious environment at home.

“We are honored to receive the Good Housekeeping Bath Award for our Laluz Essential Oil Diffuser,” said Bekah Nixon, VP-global product innovation, DoTerra. “We’re proud that the Laluz Diffuser was recognized for exemplifying the qualities we prioritize in every product we create: quality, innovation, functionality, value and aesthetic appeal. Each of these elements plays a role in helping people enhance their everyday wellness.”

GH’s 2025 Bath Awards highlight the best in bathroom essentials, backed by testing at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Scientists and engineers across GHI’s Textiles Lab, Cleaning Lab, Home Improvement Lab and Beauty Lab evaluated a wide range of products including towels, bathmats, shower filters and bidets. 

Besides hands-on lab testing, the experts incorporated real-world performance insights from 150 at-home consumer testers. Each item was assessed for key attributes, including ease of use, absorbency, softness, design and durability.

Shower filter brand Canopy teamed with social tonic Cann for a “clean” home fragrance collaboration. 

The partnership features a Canopy x Cann Handheld Filtered Showerhead, styled in Cann’s signature teal and pink, and an aroma kit inspired by Cann’s signature flavors: Grapefruit Rosemary; Lemon Lavender and Blood Orange Cardamom.

The Future of Home Fragrance 

Scentbird predicts that gourmands, citrus fruits and musks will lead launches for 2026. Per Spate’s Popularity index, gourmand and milk fragrances dominate the overall fragrance category.

Analysts say gourmand fragrances gew 172.4% compared to last year across platforms. On Search, interest is up 85.9%, while TikTok increased 179.1%. TikTok clearly drives the trend, owning 95.1% of the popularity share. There are 4.9K average monthly searches on Google and 17.6 million average weekly views on TikTok, said Spate. 

In 2026, there will be a rising focus on sustainability in the candle market. 

Andrick of Catskills Candle Studio said customers increasingly seek wax blends and scent oils made from natural ingredients poured into vessels they can either reuse or refill. 

“They want scents that offer a sense of place or an experience,” she added. 

“Pouring your own candles and customizing scents are really popular and our candle pouring workshops sell out quickly.”

RIFM’s INFOX 2025 Set for Paris on Sept. 29

The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) is in Paris, September 29, 2025, for INFOX 2025. The event details breakthroughs in fragrance safety science. With expert presenters representing all areas of human health and environmental safety, INFOX 2025 is a must-attend event for those shaping the future of safe and sustainable fragrance use, according to RIFM.

During INFOX, the Institute will make presentations on its Environmental Framework 2.0, the award-winning Low-Exposure Paper, recent chemical clustering and structural activity group research, skin sensitization advancements, the Creme RIFM Aggregate Exposure Model, and cutting-edge safety assessments.

Attendees get a hands-on introduction to the RIFM Database, with a chance to run their own queries. They’ll have an opportunity to peruse more of RIFM’s science via a special science poster exhibition. www.rifm.org 

Fragrance Creators Association Applauds Recertification
Of Congressional Fragrance Caucus for the 119th Congress

The Congressional Fragrance Caucus was recertified for the 119th Congress, according to Fragrance Creators Association. The bipartisan Caucus serves as a strong voice on issues impacting the fragrance value chain. It works to advance innovation and safety for the industry and the consumers it serves. The Caucus will once again be co-chaired by Congressman Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).

“I’m honored to be a returning member of the Congressional Fragrance Caucus and to serve as a co-chair again in the 119th Congress,” said Congressman Loudermilk. “This billion-dollar industry supports thousands of American jobs and is a global economic force, yet its foundation is built upon small business ideals that foster innovation. Serving on this bi-partisan caucus allows me to help strengthen the working relationship between the industry, its regulators and Congress, in a way that will benefit all Americans.”

“The fragrance industry is an important economic presence in New Jersey, employing thousands of people and producing innovative materials used in products that people enjoy around the world. I am delighted to continue to lead this bipartisan group on Capitol Hill,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman.

During the 119th Congress, the Congressional Fragrance Caucus will focus on supporting EPA’s advancement toward approving newer, better chemistries—an effort FCA is leading for the fragrance sector and pioneering for the chemical industry at-large—implementing the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, and fostering a policy landscape that rewards responsible business practices.

The fragrance industry contributes tens of billions of dollars annually to GDP and supports hundreds of thousands of US-based jobs. Caucus members are committed to ensuring the industry’s continued creativity and growth.

“We are deeply appreciative of Congressman Loudermilk and Congresswoman Watson Coleman for their steadfast leadership of the Congressional Fragrance Caucus and for serving as strong advocates for the fragrance value chain on Capitol Hill,” said Farah K. Ahmed, president & CEO, Fragrance Creators Association. “The Caucus provides our members with access to bipartisan leaders in Congress and a powerful platform to help our industry advance good for people, perfume and the planet.”