Late summer has a scent all of its own. We might still be slathered in coconutty sunscreen, our skin salty from dips in the ocean, but there’s a whisper of chill creeping in. And what’s that? A hint of pumpkin spice?
Happily, fragrance houses know we’re not quite ready to let go of summer, but there’s something exciting about a new season on the horizon — and their latest launches capture that in-between feeling perfectly.
From Ellis Brooklyn’s Plum Tonic, a moodier take on summer’s fruity fragrances, to Le Monde Gourmand’s Pumpkin Crème, which is practically fall in a bottle, these are the best new perfumes to have on your radar for late summer and beyond.
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Estee Lauder Glimmer Eau de Parfum Spray, $160
Estée Lauder’s Glimmer captures the best smells of summer — think heady orange blossom, salty skin, woods, and juicy mandarin — but it’s the way the scent evolves on the skin that sets it apart from your typical summer fragrance. If the first spritz is sunrise, the dry-down is sunset: warm amber, earthy patchouli, and vanilla-esque tonka bean, like pulling on a cashmere sweater by the ocean as the temperature dips.
Estée Lauder Glimmer Eau de Parfum Spray, $, available at Estée Lauder
AllSaints Sacred Sands, $72
AllSaints’ fragrance is criminally underrated — just ask Instagram’s perfume enthusiasts — and Sacred Sands is yet another winner from the fashion brand. At first spritz, it opens with a zing of citrusy bergamot and crisp cypress, but after a few moments, especially on the skin, salty caviar, cinnamon-like balsam peru, and incense-infused milk make it warm, enveloping, and seriously expensive-smelling.
AllSaints Sacred Sands Unisex Fragrance, $, available at AllSaints
Allsaints Naked Woods, $72
This is an enchanted woodland, bottled. It opens with crushed green apple leaves and freshly picked rhubarb, but those sweet, fruity notes eventually give way to spicy pink pepper, toasty amber woods, and cozy, skin-like musks. If you like fruit-forward scents but hate that most smell saccharine or juvenile, this boasts a sexy, grown-up edge.
AllSaints Naked Woods Unisex Fragrance, $, available at AllSaints
Le Monde Gourmand Pumpkin Créme Eau de Parfum, $28
Calling all PSL obsessives! The latest addition to Le Monde Gourmand’s burgeoning beverage-inspired collection (think Chai Épicé and Lait de Coco) is true pumpkin spice. That’s the top note, of course, but once it settles on your skin, hair, and clothes, comforting musk mingles with creamy sandalwood, earthy nutmeg, and frothy milk, taking it from dessert-like to surprisingly sophisticated.
Le Monde Gourmand Pumpkin Crème Eau de Parfum, $, available at Ulta
Eilish Intense Eau de Parfum, $88
We didn’t think Eilish — our most complimented celebrity fragrance — could get any better. Then Eilish Intense landed on our desks. It has the same sweet vanilla, warm spices, and all-encompassing warmth as the OG, but everything is deeper and longer-lasting. The praline-like cocoa and velvety musks are the real standouts, though, adding a richness that far exceeds its affordable price tag.
Billie Eilish Eilish Intense Eau de Parfum, $, available at Ulta
Phlur Vanilla Canyon Eau de Parfum, $99
Vanilla, but not as you know it. While some fragrances can veer syrupy and cloying, Vanilla Canyon feels elevated thanks to earthy oakwood, nutty tonka bean, and the almost balsamic undertones of patchouli. Then there’s jasmine, which adds a creamy, velvety layer, while ripe plum gives it a rich, liqueur-like quality.
Phlur Vanilla Canyon Eau de Parfum, $, available at Phlur
Ellis Brooklyn Plum Tonic Eau de Parfum, $115
At first, this is like taking a sip of an ice-cold Aperol spritz, thanks to a dash of mandarin and sugared musks, but the dry down is richer and broodier, like a shot of boozy, ripe plum aperitif. Powdery iris and citrus notes make it perfect for daytime, while the richer, darker dry-down makes it an equally excellent evening scent.
Ellis Brooklyn Plum Tonic Eau de Parfum, $, available at Sephora
Vyrao Ever 11 Eau de Parfum, $190
Ever 11 is like biting into a tangy Morello cherry that’s been steeped at the bottom of a strong cocktail — the one thing you savor until the very end. It’s fitting, then, that each note is designed to evoke a different feeling: cherry for calm, vanilla bean for a mood boost, and leather accord for self-assurance. There’s also soothing Peru balsam oil, grounding patchouli, and sprightly pink pepper, capturing a whole spectrum of moods in a single spritz.
Vyrao Ever 11 Eau de Parfum, $, available at Vyrao
Rare Beauty Rare Beginnings Eau de Parfum, $78
It’s rare (excuse us) that the Refinery29 beauty desk can all agree on a fragrance — we have such different tastes, after all — but Rare Beginnings is a surefire winner. There’s something about the sun-baked jasmine and gardenia petals, cozy vanilla bean, and juicy pear nectar that creates the perfect synergy: it’s compliment-worthy, effortlessly wearable, and one you’ll never get bored of.
Rare Beauty Rare Beginnings Eau de Parfum, $, available at Ulta
Commodity Editions Tonka, $115
If you like the initial sugar rush of gourmands — fragrances with dessert-like notes — but find they become cloying throughout the day, you haven’t tried Tonka. Almond oil is the standout note, lending it a frangipane-like feel without ever becoming tooth-achingly sweet. Benzoin adds a clean, skin-like quality that keeps it subtle and so wearable.
Commodity Tonka, $, available at Commodity
NEST New York Cardamom Latte Eau de Parfum, $98
If pumpkin spice isn’t your thing, consider Cardamom Latte. It’s just as creamy and sweet, thanks to whipped coconut milk and vanilla cream, but cardamom adds a slightly bitter twist that keeps it from feeling sticky on the skin. Instead, it’s light and carefree with a hint of spice that’ll have people leaning in and asking what you’re wearing.
NEST New York Cardamom Latte Eau de Parfum, $, available at Sephora
Kylie Cosmetics Mood Stones Cashmere Muse Eau de Parfum, $68
Described as a “breezy floral,” Cashmere Muse captures the very best of beach days: salty skin, coconutty tonka that smells just like sunscreen, and freshly squeezed mandarin, alongside warmer base notes of almondy frangipani accord and banana-like ylang-ylang. A solar scent not by name, but by nature.
Kylie Cosmetics Cashmere Muse Eau de Parfum, $, available at Ulta
Kylie Cosmetics Mood Stones Blush Wood Eau de Parfum, $68
The second scent in Kylie Jenner’s Mood Stones collection is an airy floral that somehow works for every occasion. Crisp apple, lush rose, heady honeysuckle, and creamy cedarwood come together to smell like diving headfirst into a pile of fresh laundry. It’s clean but still has depth thanks to a generous helping of vanilla absolute.
Kylie Cosmetics Collection Blush Wood Eau de Parfum, $, available at Ulta
Kylie Cosmetics Mood Stones Velvet Brew Eau de Parfum, $68
Last but certainly not least, Velvet Brew is the moodier, more nuanced fragrance in the line. It’s all thanks to coffee, hazelnut, and plum accord, which make it feel like taking a sip of a strong espresso martini. But grassy patchouli and delicate orange blossom add a touch of lightness, making it easy to wear anywhere and everywhere.
Kylie Cosmetics Velvet Brew Eau de Parfum, $, available at Ulta
Miss Dior Eau de Parfum, $154
The iconic Miss Dior has been reimagined for 2026, but it’s just as enchanting as the airy floral scent we fell in love with all those years ago — this time with a more gourmand twist. Think almondy tonka bean, creamy vanilla, and frothy sandalwood accord. The same honeyed rose centifolia is still there, but it’s less fruity than the most recent iteration, instead taking on a more chypre-like character that feels earthier and deeper.
Dior Miss Dior Eau de Parfum, $, available at Dior
Le Labo Shiu 25 Eau de Parfum, $180
Le Labo has added another city to its growing fragrance dynasty, this time with Shiu 25, inspired by Beijing. Olibanum offers a clean, skin-like quality, while subtly sweet, powdery iris and creamy woods make it an enveloping scent that’s best worn on skin to experience its full, warming effect. Full-size bottles are available starting September 1, exclusively throughout the month. Get it while it’s hot.
Le Labo Shiu 25 Eau de Parfum, $, available at Le Labo
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