We all know the usual drill when it comes to switching into our fall fragrance wardrobes. Rich gourmands, spicy musks, and dark berry notes rush to front and center. Solar scents, with their citrus and floral notes, have typically been reserved for summer. But this autumn, marketers are deploying phrases like “the feeling of sun-drenched skin” and “inspired by the warmth of the Italian countryside” to describe the newest perfume drops. It seems the solar category is coming for the colder seasons too.
Zerlina Dubois, a master perfumer, says I’m not imagining this shift to solar, and that it’s part of the larger, ongoing trend of people seeking out comforting scents in these otherwise unpredictable times. “In a world that can feel frightening and unpredictable—with uncertainty surrounding AI, politics and the economy—we seek safety, comfort and familiarity,” Dubois says. “Even as the days grow shorter and colder, these scents offer the reassuring feeling of warmth and human connection.”
What do solar scents for fall smell like?
Solar has always been a bit of a nebulous fragrance category. Unlike “woody” or “floral,” which have pretty clear definitions based on the most common notes in those categories, solar is kinda just vibes. “’Solar’ describes an impression rather than a single ingredient,” Dubois says. “To me, it is the sensation of light becoming warmth: sparkling citrus opening into luminous florals, soft woods and musks that settle comfortably against the body. A solar fragrance can suggest a Mediterranean afternoon or the lingering warmth of someone’s shoulder.”
In other words, anything that reminds you of somewhere sunny could technically be considered a solar scent. However, there are a few notes that these tend to have in common.
- Citrus: Almost all of the new solar scents I’ve seen have some type of citrus in the top notes. “Citrus offers a beautiful starting point,” Dubois says. “Bergamot, lemon and mandarin each bring a different quality of light (the floral elegance of bergamot, the clear sparkle of lemon, the rounded juiciness of mandarin).” These notes evoke the feeling of sitting out on a terrace somewhere in the Mediterranean, basking in the sun.
- Salt: A lot of these new solars border on aquatic or marine scents, since they include notes that conjure up the feeling of sitting on the beach right before sunset. “Think of the saltiness of perspiration, or the trace of seawater left on your body after a swim,” Dubois says. “These sensations bring a physical intimacy to fragrance. They suggest skin that has been outside, moving, swimming and enjoying the warmth of the day.”
- Musk: A creamy, musky base is what helps these fragrances stay firmly in the fall category. Musk has most recently been synonymous with skin scents, because it creates a familiar, comforting base. It makes sense, then, that musk would make an appearance in all these perfumes that are supposed to remind you of sun-soaked skin.
Why are solar scents trending for fall?
You know that feeling when you’re reading on the couch on an autumnal Saturday morning and then the sun comes through the window and offers an unseasonably warm blanket of light? That’s what wearing these fragrances are like. As surprised as I initially was to see so many solar launches for October and November, it ultimately makes sense: The more the trees outside drop their leaves, the more I crave warm sensations that remind me of summer.
“I also wonder whether our increasingly digital lives are making physical sensations more desirable,” Dubois says, noting that these types of scents can make us feel more secure, like an olfactory hug of sorts. “My interpretation is that fragrances suggesting warm skin speak to that longing for presence: the feeling of being with someone, of being held, or of being connected.” If that sounds pretty great to you, here are some autumnal solar scents to consider picking up this season.
Solar scents for fall that Cosmo editors love
| Key Notes | pink pepper, angelica, orange blossom, ylang ylang, oakwood |
Merit, the brand most known for its easy-to-use minimalist makeup products, launched this “modern solar fragrance” for fall. It‘s a bit more spicy than some of the others on this list, but has a brightness that reminds me of a chilly-but-cloud-free morning in early November. New Wave also brings some comforting nostalgia, since it shares a creamy ylang-ylang heart note with Chanel No. 5.
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| Key Notes | Italian lemon, mandarin, milky rose, sugared jasmine, amber |
Continuing the trend of makeup brands doing perfume, Laura Geller launched its first-ever fragrance this year. Tuscan Sun is, as the name implies, inspired by “the warmth and effortless elegance of the Italian countryside.” To me, it has a slightly sweet, citrusy effervescence that smells like sipping a pre-brunch mimosa out on the patio.
| Key Notes | sea salt, mineral water, jasmine, vanilla |
If the salty aspect of these fall solars was most intriguing to you, this one might be your best bet. “Oui the People Sunday Lime brings the salty dimension into focus,” Dubois says, calling out the notes of salty air and mineral water that mix with jasmine and vanilla. “The brand’s inspiration—time spent with loved ones by the seawall in Guyana—makes it especially relevant to this connection between ocean air, warm skin and human closeness.”
| Key Notes | mandarin, heliotrope, vanilla |
In what I can only assume was an attempt to target me specifically, Sand + Fog launched a fall collection of fragrance oils called Back to the Library that, according to the press release, was “inspired by worn pages, quiet library corners, and the moody romance of autumn.” The Mandarin & Vanilla Oil is meant to evoke the glow of the sun casting light on the library shelves right before sunset, slotting it perfectly into this fall solar category.
| Key Notes | bergamot, must, cedarwood, hazelnut, amber |
Acqua di Parma has a whole collection dedicated to sunshine (Signatures of the Sun) and Cedro Virtuoso is the fall 2026 addition to the lineup. “It explores the relationship between light and enveloping warmth through Calabrian bergamot, a cedarwood and hazelnut co-infusion, sandalwood, tonka, and Ambrox,” Dubois says. “This woody gourmand offers another perspective on the theme: citrus radiance carried into a creamy, cocooning woody structure.”
To create this new fragrance for L’Objet, “I imagined the feeling of sun-warmed skin,” perfumer Cécile Zarokian said in a press release. “Lactones, vanilla, ambergris and white musks recreate that soft, glowing warmth—like a body that feels alive, breathing, and radiant from within.” I always love a milky scent, and this one gets a hint of spice thanks to cardamom, another note that’s trending for fall.
| Key Notes | bergamot, pink pepper, mandarin, ylang ylang, coconut, vanilla |
This affordable solar gourmand from Glampton launched in the summer, but I’d argue it’s a year-round scent. “Its composition connects citrus brightness with soft, comforting warmth,” Dubois says. “It’s an approachable expression of the radiant-skin idea.”
Meet the expert:
- Zerlina Dubois is one of the few women master perfumers in the world, best known for crafting familiar fragrances for Pantene, Herbal Essences, Old Spice, and Native. She is now a master perfumer at Osmo, an olfactory technology company.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Kara McGrath is a contributing beauty editor at Cosmopolitan. She’s been a beauty journalist for over 15 years, with fragrance as one of her primary beats. She tests as many new perfume launches as possible and speaks with perfumers to understand the science behind how the scents come together.
Kara McGrath is a writer and editor with over 17 years of experience covering the beauty industry, women’s health, and a wide range of other lifestyle and wellness topics. After most recently serving as content director at Allure (2019-2025) and executive editor at Bustle (2014-2019), she is now fully freelance. In addition to Cosmo, her writing has appeared in Allure, The New York Times, Marie Claire, Business of Fashion, Playboy, NH Magazine, and more. Kara lives in New Hampshire with her dog, four cats, and a rotating cast of foster animals. You can find more of her work at karamcgrath.com.