21 Fun New Fragrances That Launched in September

When I had to choose one (sample-sized) fragrance to bring with me on my recent weeklong trip, I chose Ex Nihilo’s Demon Dancer. Expressive but not too intense, it’s a fruity, woody blend of rhubarb, black currant, woods, musks, and tonka bean that comes off as sophisticated and intriguing.Fragrance FamilyFruity, woodyNotesRhubarb, bergamot, peppermint, blood orange, orange blossom, black currant, georgywood, akigalawood, ambrofix, musks, tonka beanSizes1.6 oz, 3.3 ozOne of our new favorite vanilla colognes, D’Orsay’s Vanilla Affair is the perfect balance of sweet and smoky. Here, we get a double helping of vanilla at the heart with leathery Madagascar vanilla Planifolia absolute and a more gourmand bourbon vanilla—but not before tobacco provides a sexy smokiness at the top.Fragrance FamilyWoody, amberNotesTobacco, tonka bean, cistus, vanilla duo, white musk, patchouli, amberSizes1.7 oz, 3 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowKenneth Cole’s new Inspire EDT is the closest thing on this list to a classic men’s cologne. You know it, you love it. Fresh bergamot and other citrus notes mingle with black pepper, woods, and amber. It’s fresh, it’s manly—and, oh yeah, it was created in partnership with Joe Jonas himself. Take a look at the campaign photos. You won’t regret it.Fragrance FamilyWoodyNotesBergamot, lemon, grapefruit, rosemary, cypress, black pepper, cedarwood, oakmoss, amberSizes0.34 oz, 1 oz, 3.4 ozI’m always a fan of whatever Fulton & Roark does, and this new extrait de parfum continues to show why. The first thing that comes to mind when I smell Lovers Lane is romance. It’s not romantic in the light and airy way, but in a deeper, richer, more complex way. It has a lovely floral heart of rose and peony, which is balanced out by tart black plum, creamy coconut milk, and fresh pink pepper at the top—and grounded by smooth woods, vanilla, and tonka bean at the base.Fragrance FamilyFloral, woody, fruityNotesBlack plum, coconut milk, Madagascan pink pepper, Turkish rose, peony, brown sugar, vanilla absolute, sandalwood, tonka bean, guaiacwoodSizes1.7 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowJust in time for fall, Perfumehead has come out with the perfect smoky scent. It’s not overpowering, even being a coltrait (cologne-extrait hybrid)—it’s a beautiful balance of smoky, woody, earthy, and even floral notes. What stands out here is the vetiver, which in itself is a blend of earthy, smoky, and woody scents.Fragrance FamilySmoky, woody, earthyNotesGrapefruit, osmanthus, timur, carrot seed, Moroccan rose, black pepper, lily-of-the-valley, leather, Haitian vetiver, gurjum, moss, amberSizes1.7 ozNot only is this bottle a work of art, but what’s inside it is just as gorgeous. A floral, woody scent unfolds with iris at the top and heart along with ambrette and rose, and the dry down is a slightly sweet vanilla bourbon with resinous cistus labdanum.Fragrance FamilyFloral, woodyNotesIris petal accord, ambrette accord, iris absolute, rose damascena absolute, vanilla bourbon SFE, cistus labdanum absoluteSizes3.4 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowEverything from L’Objet is elevated and luxurious, and these two new eaux de parfum are no exception. Inspired by California, Ojai and Alento are two sides of the same coin. While Ojai is a bright, fruity floral with citrusy bergamot, ripe mango, and rose, Alento is softer and sweeter with notes of orange blossom, creamy vanilla, and white musks.Ojai Fragrance FamilyFruity, floral, amberAlento Fragrance FamilyFloral, gourmandOjai NotesBergamot, green notes, cardamom, mango, Bulgarian rose, saffron, patchouli, frankincense, vanillaAlento NotesOrange, aldehydes, orange blossom, fresh floral notes, lactones, vanilla, ambergris, white musksSizes3.4 ozDries Van Noten is one of those luxury perfumeries whose bottles are so gorgeous you almost want to drop hundreds just to have them as decor. I’m obsessed with this new Velvet Violet EDP, both the beautiful bottle and the elegant fragrance inside. It’s a complex scent with woody, floral, and gourmand qualities. What stands out here is the woody freshness of violet leaf and the rich nuttiness of toasted sesame.Fragrance FamilyWoody, floral, gourmandNotesPink pepper, violet leaf, clary sage essence, toasted sesame absolute, roasted barley, grilled tonka beans, benzoin resinoid, vetiver essenceSizes3.4 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowWe all know Creed Aventus. But now there’s a new Creed fragrance that might be our new favorite: Iris Debonair. It draws on Creed’s British and French heritage with notes of English lavender and French iris, and the outcome is a fresh fougère we can all get behind.Fragrance FamilyFougère, floralNotesBergamot, absinthe, pink pepper, cardamom, English lavender, violet leaf, fig pulp accord, French iris pallida, ambrette, amberwoodSizes1.7 oz, 3.4 ozFans of strawberry rhubarb pie, listen up—you love the taste, and the smell is arguably just as delicious. Henry Rose launched my new favorite gourmand fragrance this month: Rhu Berry, a delectable blend of rhubarb, strawberry jam, and musks. It really does smell like a fresh piece of pie, and I’m fully obsessed.Fragrance FamilyFruity, gourmandNotesRhubarb stalks, orange oil, pink pepper extract, strawberry jam, osmanthus flower absolute, fleshy peach, choux pastry, sensual musk, sandalwoodSizes0.27 oz, 1.7 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowFlorals aren’t just for summer, and Belnu’s new Still Bloom is proof of that. It definitely has that classic floral scent with a heart of rose and geranium, but it’s also warm, woody, and spicy. Cardamom, sesame, and black tea add spice and a bit of smooth nuttiness at the top, and the base is a blend of woods and musks. It’s the perfect floral for fall and winter.Fragrance FamilyWoody, spicy, floralNotesOrange, cardamom, sesame, black tea, rose de mai, geranium, cedarwood, guaiacwood, muskSizes1.6 ozBelnu also just launched this lovely new vanilla fragrance, which is slightly nutty, rich, and very soothing. It’s undoubtedly vanilla-centered, but it’s not too sweet. With an opening of white almond, creamy coconut milk, and calming chamomile, it sets you up for cozy comfort right from the start. Then comes violet leaf and vanilla at the heart and smooth sandalwood and amber at the base.Fragrance FamilyWoody, amberNotesWhite almond, coconut milk, chamomile, violet leaf, olibanum, cypress, vanilla, sandalwood, amberSizes1.6 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowBold, rugged, and rich, Leland Francis’s new Rowdy Boy extrait is anything but ordinary. There’s a fun mix of fresh and warm here with citrus at the top and spicy, earthy, woody notes at the heart and base. Bergamot, clary sage, hay, and sandalwood combine to evoke sun-dappled farm fields.Fragrance FamilyFougèreNotesBergamot, bitter orange, petitgrain, clary sage, lavender, rosemary, hay, neroli, black pepper, tarragon, oakmoss, marigold, vetiver, sandalwood, tonka bean, fir balsam, benzoin, labdanumSizes1 ozAnother brand that keeps blowing me away with each new fragrance is Brazilian perfumery Granado. And with two new eaux de parfum this month, I’ve been blown away doubly. First is this delicious fig fragrance that highlights the rich, jammy side of fig, which teams up with sweet dates, florals, and woods for a nice creamy gourmand.Fragrance FamilyWoody, fruity, gourmandNotesFig, davana, plum, rose, lily-of-the-valley, cashmeran, dates, labdanum, cedarwoodSizes2.54 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowNext is this dark chypre fragrance that contrasts the bright juiciness of raspberries with warm leather and earthy labdanum. It evokes the smoothness of rich velvet and is perfect for an evening date or fancy dinner.Fragrance FamilyChypreNotesRaspberry, green apple, jasmine, cedarwood, lavender, geranium, rum, labdanum, leatherSizes2.54 ozSpeaking of warm and rich scents, Noyz just launched a new amber scent that’s both sweet and boozy. Black sugar and smoked vanilla provide a sexy kind of sweetness, and cognac adds something a little dark and dangerous. But the base of amber, cocoa, cashmere woods, and tonka bean make it an ultimately warm and cozy scent perfect for winter.Fragrance FamilyAmberNotesBlack sugar, smoked vanilla, cognac accord, cassia, sheer orchid, amber, cocoa, cashmere woods, tonka beanSizes0.5 oz, 1.7 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowAbel and Tibi teamed up to create a new peppery, green, woody fragrance that just launched today. It features herbaceous yerba maté from South America, citric timut pepper from Nepal, and earthy vetiver from Madagascar. If you’re not quite ready to get into the rich gourmands or warm, smoky winter scents, this is a good one to keep your fall fresh.Fragrance FamilyGreen, woodyNotesTimut pepper, orange molecule, yerba maté, vetiver, cedarwoodSizes0.2 oz, 1.7 ozIf you are ready for the gourmands, on the other hand, DedCool has a fun new fragrance you’ll love: Mocha Magic. It’s chocolaty with bittersweet notes of espresso, mocha, and bourbon—and straight-up sweet notes of cream, biscotti, toffee, and vanilla. Yum.Fragrance FamilyGourmandNotesEspresso, mocha, cream, biscotti, toffee, bourbon, vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwoodSizes0.5 oz, 1.7 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowThis one is for all the aspiring cowboys out there. (In the words of Kacey Musgraves, everybody wants to be a cowboy these days.) The fifth Leather Vintage Label cologne from Tru Western is inspired by the west Texas desert with notes of dry desert acacia, crisp cactus water, and warm amberwood.Fragrance FamilyWoody, freshNotesDesert acacia, black pepper, eucalyptus, violet leaf, green cactus water, lavender, sandalwood, amberwood, patchouliSizes3.4 ozSweet and smoky seems to be the overarching theme this month, and Olfactory NYC got in on the trend with its new Atlas fragrance. It’s rich, warm, and confident with juicy blackberry, aromatic thyme, and smooth bourbon vanilla.Fragrance FamilyAmber, smokyNotesBlackberry, smoked amber, thyme, pink pepper, bourbon vanilla, bergamotSizes0.5 oz, 1.7 oz