27% Of People Think This Is The Best Fall Scent - Glam Survey
Fall is all about a sense of coziness, from donning thick sweaters to relaxing by a roaring fire. That's why we love to furnish our homes and wardrobes with pieces that exude comfort, warmth, and good cheer. But this isn't exclusive to the feel of extra-plush blankets or the welcoming look of your favorite fall wreath. Coziness is also wrapped up in another sense: smell.
Smell and memory are inextricably linked in our brains, giving fragrance a powerful pull on our emotions. "Smell and emotion are stored as one memory," scent specialist Dawn Goldworm explained at a panel talk on the scientific role of fragrance in society (via The Harvard Gazette). Per Harvard Business Review, our sense of smell is so powerful that major corporations even invest in scent branding to attract and influence consumers.
Long story short, fragrance plays a major role in our day-to-day perception, including our seasonal experience. So if you want to encourage feelings of home and comfort as you live your best life this autumn, the scents you use are key. Of course, leaf season has no shortage of popular fragrances to choose from, whether you're trying to select a delicious body spray or cozy scented candles for fall. But which one takes the lead as truly iconic? We asked 587 Glam readers across the U.S. which fall scent was the best, and here's what they said.
Nothing beats the OG fall scent, cinnamon
Every year, companies like Bath & Body Works churn out new seasonal scents to catch our attention. From fragrant candles to luxurious lotions, we love an autumnal edge to our products. But according to our reader poll, no new challenger can yet dethrone the all-time king of fall scents: cinnamon.
Out of 587 responses, 160 readers chose cinnamon as their ideal fall scent. This represents over 27% of the vote, sealing cinnamon's place as the winner. And it makes sense — this warming spice has dominated the fall and winter scene for years.
Back when spices were expensive and hard to come by, cinnamon was usually saved for special occasions and celebrations. And it just so happens that a lot of major holidays crop up during cooler weather, creating a cultural association between cinnamon and the cold months (via Food & Wine Ireland). Now, it seems like cinnamon has cemented itself as the go-to scent for fall. But in our Glam poll, a few other autumn fragrances weren't too far behind.
Apple and pumpkin are also fan-favorite fall scents
If there's one smell that goes perfectly with cinnamon and visions of fall orchards, it's apple. So it's no huge surprise that respondents chose apple as their second-favorite fall scent, giving it over 25% of their love with 149 votes altogether. After all, autumn is historically the time of apple harvesting, with different varieties reaching peak perfection between the months of August and November (via Home for the Harvest). This means that fall is associated with an abundance of treats like hot cider, pies, caramel apples, and other goodies – like this drool-worthy cinnamon apple filled doughnut from Krispy Kreme.
And while pumpkin may be the undisputed flavor choice of fall coffee drinks, it comes in third on the scent scene. 133 readers identified pumpkin as their preferred fall fragrance, or roughly 22%, putting it behind cinnamon and apple. Of course, as CNN points out, most pumpkin-scented items don't actually smell like gourds. Rather, this classic smell is centered around a blend of baking spices, including ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and the top scent itself – cinnamon.
Taken together, the top three scents dominated our reader poll. While cranberry was another notable contender, taking almost 14% of the vote, scents like chai and amber lagged behind with only 32 votes each. So if you're looking for a scent that will embody autumn to all and sundry, cinnamon, apple, and pumpkin are your best bets.