Seasonal Fragrances: The Best Scents for Every Season

TL;DR: 

• Spring = florals/greens, airy musks.
• Summer = citrus/ozonic/“skin scents,” lighter concentrations.
• Fall = gourmands/spice/woods, cozier, sweeter scents.
• Winter = woods/vanilla/amber/musk; richer concentrations.

For the same reason you crave a freshly squeezed glass of lemonade in the summer and a pumpkin spice latte in the winter, you might notice that the scents you’re drawn to vary with the season. 

Seasonal fragrances are perfumes designed to match a specific season's mood, weather, and atmosphere. No matter the time of year, these scents will transport you to a cozy winter night or a beachside lounger. 

If you find the fragrance selection process overwhelming, choosing fragrances by season can help you narrow down your options to find your next go-to scent. 

That said, it’s important to keep in mind that when we talk about seasonal fragrances, we’re talking about general associations and suggestions. In other words, there are no strict rules or guidelines that you have to follow. If you love the smell of bright citrus on the coldest winter day, go for it. 

This guide will simply walk you through the scent notes that match the vibe of each season and specific Snif fragrances that fall into each category so that you can find the perfect perfume for you.

When you hear people talk about a “signature scent,” you’ll likely think of the fragrance that you’d wear any time, any place. While it’s incredibly satisfying to search for and find your signature scent, there’s also times when you want to shake things up and try a new perfume. 

That’s where the concept of seasonal scents comes into play. To help you make your search a bit easier, we’ve put together a list of the best scents for each season so you can make your fragrance match the vibe of the season all year long. 

Although choosing your scent based on the season might seem like a concept that only applies to people who live in places that experience all four seasons, you can rotate your fragrances to help you shift gears regardless of how many (if any!) seasons you get in a year. 

Season Summary

How To Build a Seasonal Fragrance Wardrobe

In the same way you might pull out your jackets and scarves as the days get colder and leave your tank tops and flip flops for summer, you can also build a seasonal fragrance wardrobe. 

To do so, you’ll want to start by assembling a capsule of three to five bottles of your favorite scents for each season. When assembling your capsule, you should try to find a scent for the daytime, nighttime, special occasions, and a wildcard fragrance. 

Keep in mind that eau de toilettes tend to be less concentrated, making them perfect for warmer weather, while eau de parfums go great once the days start cooling down. 

If you’re too in love with your signature scent to swap it out seasonally, you can pair it with different body care products to match the season. 

Spring

There are no better words to describe spring fragrances than fresh and flirty. If you’re the kind of person who loves the thrill of a first date and making heads turn, then these are the fragrances for you. Spring fragrances are usually sensual and bright. 

For this reason, they’re a great go-to for when you’re trying to come out of your more restful winter state and take part in the rejuvenation of a new season. You’ll notice that spring scents feature notes like florals, green notes, and different tea fragrances. These scents will help you wake up and feel optimistic about your day, regardless of the season. 

When the mornings are still cool and the days start to warm up, reach for spring scents. They pair well with a sundress and a cardigan, or whatever your favorite combination of summer clothes with a warm layer looks like. When layering spring scents, floral notes and musk are a match made in fragrance heaven. 

Tart Deco

First up on the list is Tart Deco, a cherry scent that’s an ode to simpler times and the playful energy that comes when you let your hair down. 

Bringing together black cherry, rose, jasmine, birchwood, vetiver, and vanilla, this scent offers a sensual and sophisticated take on a cherry perfume.

Rose Era

Equal parts fruity and floral, Rose Era is a juicy, clean rose fragrance. 

With ambrette seeds, strawberry, and saffron as the top notes, rose and clean laundry accord as the middle, and white moss as the base note, this fragrance will have you feeling like the most romantic version of yourself. 

Summer

Summer scents are best for people who are looking to have a little bit of fun with their fragrance. These fragrances tend to be more subtle and fruity which makes them ideal for moments when you want to feel fresh, light, and energized by your scent. 

Keep in mind that hot summer days call for fewer perfume spritzes. Heat amplifies scents, which means you can wear less of your favorite fragrances and still get the scent you love. 

The following perfumes are the scents you can wear to lounge poolside, at the beach, or in the office. This versatility makes summer fragrances a great option for people drawn to more lowkey scents. Given that summer, for many, is synonymous with travel, check out the Snif minis that you can toss in your carry-on without fear of confiscation from TSA. If you want your fragrance to help you kick back and relax, check out one of our summer scents. 

Me

Snif Me is a skin scent that’s the perfect way to ease into summertime vibes. 

Skin scents are fragrances that are designed to mimic the smell of your skin when you’re fresh out of the shower. They’re subtle fragrances that enhance your natural smell without being overpowering. 

Snif Me features a blend of orris, plum, peach skin, white moss, musks, and sandalwood to help you smell like you, but even better. 

Coco Shimmy

It’s hard to find a scent that screams “summer” louder than Coco Shimmy. This luxurious, poolside scent brings together coconut, pineapple, sunscreen, surf wax, sandalwood, and tonka bean. 

The result? A fragrance that captures all the sunshine and good times of summer in a bottle.

Fall

Autumnal fragrances are best for people who want their scent to feel as cozy and nostalgic as possible. These scents will likely speak to you if you’re someone who craves calm and daydreams about curling up with your favorite book as a fire burns in the fireplace beside you. 

Generally speaking, autumnal scents are ideal for people who have earth signs and exude authenticity. Some of the notes you’ll find in autumnal fragrances are gourmand, spice, and woods. These fragrances are fantastic for romantic date nights and cozy weekends spent inside watching the leaves change. 

If you’re a lover of sweater weather and can’t wait to pull out all your favorite knits at the end of summer, apply some perfume to your sweaters as well. Generally speaking, natural fabrics like wool are exceptionally good at holding scent. 

However, if your sweaters or favorite fall pieces are made of delicate or synthetic fabrics, do a patch test with your fragrance before doing a full spritz. 

Honey Suite

The first fragrance that falls into the autumn category is Honey Suite. Featuring crystallized honey, broom absolute, lavender flower, incense, havanawood, and vanilla, this fragrance offers a sophisticated take on the sweet smell of honey. 

Hot Cakes

Another scent that absolutely captures the coziness of the season is Hot Cakes. This gourmand fragrance captures all the best smells in a fresh stack of flapjacks, and will make any moment as sweet as a Saturday morning. 

Winter

When it comes to winter fragrances, clean, grounding scents are the name of the game. If you’re someone who loves the serenity that comes from an early morning walk in the snow and a comforting cup of tea after, then you’ll likely love a winter scent. 

Notes like woods, vanilla, amber, and incense define winter fragrances. You’ll also find that the fragrances in this category tend to have richer concentrations. This happens because scents tend to project less in cold weather, so it’s the ideal time of year to experiment with more highly concentrated fragrances. 

If you love to wear fragrances in the winter, there are a few application tips to keep in mind. Since skin tends to be drier in winter, moisturize well before spraying on your scent. 

Anyone living in a cold place knows winter is the time for bundling up and layering. That said, make sure to spritz a few sprays of perfume onto your outer layers so your fragrance doesn’t get lost.

The fragrances in this category make fantastic additions to any self-care routine because they can help you slow down and take a breath. These scents might also be great for you if you need an extra boost unwinding after a long day or calming busy thoughts.

Sweet Ash

Sweet Ash is the first scent on our winter list, and for good reason. The blend of juniper, bergamot, fir balsam, tonka, vanilla bean, and white moss in this fragrance makes it subtly sweet and addictive. 

Perfectly fresh and sweet at the same time, Sweet Ash is the type of scent you’ll reach for at the first sign of snowfall. 

Heal the Way

Winter is a time to slow down and focus on giving your body and mind all the care they need. 

Self-care has never smelled so good thanks to Heal The Way, this pistachio perfume that came from the collaboration between the Snif team and mindfulness teacher Alex Elle. 

A Scent for Every Season

You’re officially a pro when it comes to picking a scent for each season. To find the best seasonal scents for you, try to consider which seasons you love the most and why. Using your seasonal preferences as a guide, look for scents that can help you dive into your favorite season or bring a spritz of it with you all year long. 

Remember, even if you have your signature scent that you’ll happily be wearing forever, it’s always a great idea to mix and match new scents for a special occasion or any moment when you’re craving something new. 

Sources:

Lavender Information | Mount Sinai 

Six relaxation techniques to reduce stress | Harvard Health

Harvard researchers study how mindfulness may change the brain in depressed patients | The Harvard Gazette

Characterization of Ambrette Seed Oil and Its Mode of Action in Bacteria | NIH 

FAQs

What are seasonal fragrances? 

Seasonal fragrances are scents designed to match the mood and weather of each season. Thinking in terms of the vibe of the season you’re in can be a fun way to choose a fragrance. 

For example, while summer may call for lighter, more citrusy fragrances to match the high heat and humidity, winter might be the perfect time to try a rich scent that will warm you up on the coldest days. Although this is one way to help you choose your fragrances, keep in mind that there are no hard and fast rules and lots of flexibility when picking seasonal fragrances. 

Which notes work best for spring/summer/fall/winter? 

When spring comes around, you want to look for fresh, floral notes like rose, peony, green notes, and soft musk. 

In summer, bright and light is the name of the game, which makes notes like lemon, bergamot, sea salt, and clean musk ideal. Fall calls for cozy notes like vanilla, tonka, cardamom, and cedar. For winter, look for fragrances that feature notes like sandalwood, amber, incense, and vanilla. 

Can one perfume work year-round? 

Yes, one perfume can work year-round. In fact, most people have a go-to signature scent that they wear throughout the year. If you’re looking for a versatile scent that works in all seasons, look for a fragrance with a balanced composition. 

To make sure your signature scent matches the vibe of the season, you can always rely on layering fragrances to ensure that your go-to scent matches the moment. 

How should I rotate scents as the weather changes? 

Always pay attention to the concentration of the fragrance. You can either look for the percentage of fragrance oil in a scent or see how it’s described. Eau de parfum, for example, tends to be more highly concentrated than eau de toilette. Generally, you want to go for more concentrated fragrances in colder weather. 

Keep in mind where you’re wearing your fragrances. If you notice that in summer and spring, you tend to need fragrances that transition with you from day to night, those might be the seasons where a more subtle, adaptable fragrance is better. 

If fall and winter are the seasons when you tend to pull out fragrances for date nights and special events, that might be the time of year when you try more bold, experimental scents. 

Do seasonal perfumes last longer or project more? 

Seasonal perfumes don’t necessarily last longer or project more than other types of fragrances. If you want to get an idea of the longevity and projection power of a fragrance, there are a few elements you should pay attention to. 

First, the more highly concentrated a fragrance is, the more it projects and lasts longer. Also, if it’s warmer outside, your scent will likely not last as long because you’ll sweat it off faster, but it will likely project more and have a more intense fragrance. 

You also have to remember that everyone’s skin chemistry is unique, meaning that fragrances will smell different and have distinct lasting times on each person. 

However, if you do want to get the most powerful, long-lasting smell possible out of your fragrances, make sure to thoroughly dry, then moisturize your skin before spritzing them on.