Behind the Scents:
2019 Fall and Holiday Fragrances
Go behind the scents and get an insider look at our six new fragrances for the fall and holiday season, as well as three familiar fragrances that got an update.
Each offers their own unique experience, they’re just waiting for the final element that takes them from fragrance to something so much more: you! So gather some inspiration from the trends we’ve identified and a few branding ideas we’ve collected and put those creative muscles to work. Ready?
TRENDSPOTTING
Oud is a fragrance note we’ve been wanting to put in the spotlight for quite some time. The feel is very current and contemporary, but oud has a history that goes back millennia. But as we discovered while evaluating various oud fragrances, it’s also one of those aromas that isn’t generally a great performer in soy wax.
Luckily for us—and for all you soon-to-be Tonka and Oud fans!—the perfumer tasked with concocting the perfect oud for us decided to think out of the box and get a little creative with the blend. Tonka is another note that’s having a bit of a resurgence, and while it can be risky to combine two hip aromas into a single fragrance, both tonka and oud will certainly stand the test of time.
BRANDING INSPIRATION
This modern, unisex fragrance is the perfect fit for our newest container, the Threaded Straight Sided Jar. The streamlined style of this jar is very “in” and appropriate for a wide range of branding aesthetics. Topped with a white lid and finished with a matte navy label, it’s a simple but elegant design.
Alternative scent name ideas: Teak and Oud, Lumberjack
Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is!
TRENDSPOTTING
Here’s the deal: chocolate scents generally aren’t great sellers, neither for us nor our customers. And it’s not because there aren’t amazing, deliciously true-to-life chocolate scents out there (hello Chocolate Fudge! 🤤). Our perspective is that these scents just need the right positioning to make an impact. Peppermint Mocha reinvents a standard chocolate fragrance as a familiar coffeehouse treat, adding a little pizazz with peppermint and rich dark chocolate.
BRANDING INSPIRATION
That’s a familiar-looking label, huh? Peppermint Mocha is such a fun, on-the-nose fragrance we couldn't resist taking the opportunity to make it look as good as it smells and call back to its coffeeshop origins. Take a look at our tutorial on creating your own DIY Peppermint Mocha Latte candles—it’s easier than you might think!
Alternative scent name ideas: Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane, Sip and Say "Ahh"
Love this label? Use it to inspire your own design in Avery WePrint! Pictured above: 2" circle label on white gloss paper.
HIGHLIGHTS
Candle Safe: Yes
Soap Safe: Yes
Lotion Safe: Yes
Diffuser Base Compatible: No
Soy Performance:
Note Profile:
Top: Coconut Milk
Middle: Peppermint
Base: Chocolate, Vanilla
TRENDSPOTTING
If you’ve been making or buying candles for any amount of time, chances are you’ve heard of (or snagged for yourself) a Volcano scent or one of many dupes of this juicy, fruity fragrance. It didn’t take long after evaluating what would become Peppercorn Pomander to declare this fragrance an “autumnal Volcano.” When it comes to seasonal scents, you can never go wrong with the classics—but sometimes you (and your customers!) just want something unexpected. Peppercorn Pomander does a little of both, and does it exceptionally well.
BRANDING INSPIRATION
As we were brainstorming design ideas for Peppercorn Pomander, we knew we wanted to play up the elegance and give it a really high end feel. And if you’re shooting for elegance, black-on-black is always correct. Our Black Straight Sided Tumbler topped off with our Black Metal Flat Lid is ultra chic and appeals to both masculine and feminine sensibilities. We kept our label simple to allow the container and fragrance to really shine (take a gander at that snazzy metallic paper, though!)
Alternative scent name ideas: Ginger Apple Spice, Orange Zest and Peppercorn
Love this label? Use it to inspire your own design in Avery WePrint! Pictured above: 2" square label on metallic paper.
HIGHLIGHTS
Candle Safe: Yes
Soap Safe: Yes
Lotion Safe: Yes
Diffuser Base Compatible: Yes
Soy Performance:
Note Profile:
Top: Orange Peel, Peppercorn
Middle: Apple, Mandarin
Base: Vanilla, Tonka Bean
TRENDSPOTTING
Real talk, writing about Dulce de Leche is pretty difficult due to the sugar cravings that ensue. This fragrance is buttery, gooey, caramel-y, and downright decadent. If you’ve seen those over-the-top milkshakes piled with different syrups, candies, and other sweet treats, then you know the vibe this scent captures.
And if you make dessert candles or melts, well, say hello to your new fave!
BRANDING INSPIRATION
Can we share a secret? A few of us really wanted to name this fragrance “Waffle Cone.” Well, the name may have gotten overruled, but no one said we couldn’t use it to our inspire our design ideas! Dulce de Leche is a crowd-pleasing scent, so we wanted to reflect that with a familiar 3-Wick Tumbler and sweet, pastel label design.
Alternative scent name ideas: Waffle Cone, Ice Cream Shoppe
Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is!
TRENDSPOTTING
Wait, don’t we already have a Red Currant fragrance? Do we really need a White Currant, too? 🤔 Yes, yes we do. Especially when it’s a currant fragrance as special as this one. White Currant is the fresher, more delicate sibling of the robust Red Currant, and as we’re seeing an increased demand for scents featuring these tart little berries, it just made sense.
While White Currant is part of our fall/holiday fragrance launch, this is a fragrance that feels “seasonal” in all four seasons—so all you scent minimalists out there, take note. Change the name to fit the season and you have a “new” scent in your line to promote!
BRANDING INSPIRATION
We’re big fans of Avery’s clear labels, and wondered how they’d look printed with an all-over color. Look at that result!
To really contrast with the red label, we chose one of our favorite new waxes: IGI 6046 coconut-paraffin blend. With its bright white color and smooth appearance, this wax is a great match for our 3-Wick Tumbler. Red is always eye-catching, and with a bold font and minimal text on the label, this is a candle that invites you to pick it up, take a closer look, and smell.
Alternative scent name ideas: Winter Cassis, Wild Gooseberry
Love this label? Create your own with Avery WePrint! Size: 3" square Material: clear film
HIGHLIGHTS
Candle Safe: Yes
Soap Safe: Yes
Lotion Safe: Yes
Diffuser Base Compatible: Yes
Soy Performance:
Note Profile:
Top: Lemon Peel, Red Currant, Ozone
Middle: Geranium, Juniper
Base: Black Currant, Peppermint
TRENDSPOTTING
Herbaceous, botanical scents have seen a surge in popularity the last several years, and there’s no sign of slowing down. Bolstered by an infusion of different essential oils, Rosemary Sage is exceedingly complex and botanical, but decidedly not medicinal. We can easily see this fragrance as a centerpiece for an apothecary-themed candle or body care line, for a rustic farmhouse collection, or as part of an aromatherapy collection.
BRANDING INSPIRATION
There are times to push your creativity to the limits, and then there are times when going back to basics is the better choice. Since Rosemary Sage is such a robust, straightforward fragrance, we wanted to reflect that in our design. We selected our ultra-moisturizing Donkey’s Milk Soap Base and Kelly Green Vibrant Liquid Soap Dye to highlight the scent and capture those rustic farmhouse vibes. A Kraft paper label does the same, and contrasts nicely with the color of the soap to boot!
Alternative scent name ideas: White Pine and Sage, Christmas Sage, Rustic Rosemary
Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is!
HIGHLIGHTS
Candle Safe: Yes
Soap Safe: Yes
Lotion Safe: Yes
Diffuser Base Compatible: Yes
Soy Performance:
Note Profile:
Top: Pine, Eucalyptus
Middle: Green Floral, Rosemary
Base: Sage, Cedar
But wait...there's more!
These three fragrance oils may not be entirely new, but they did get a bit of a makeover.
TRENDSPOTTING
Hansel and Gretel’s House has been a pillar of our holiday fragrance collection for a long time. When we began the work of revising our entire line to remove phthalates, this fragrance was first on the list—and the last to be completed. Getting the balance of sweet and spice just right was more difficult than any of us expected, but the work paid off.
Not every fragrance should aim for “trendy” or “cutting edge.” In fact, many fragrances are at their best when they’re allowed to be themselves. Hansel and Gretel is definitely in this category. While we took the opportunity to bring more of a modern gourmand character and make it safe for body care products, the original characteristics that made Hansel and Gretel’s House a holiday staple have been preserved.
BRANDING INSPIRATION
We love making melts with Hansel and Gretel’s House (talk about a room filling scent!), so we opted for our clamshell packaging with a simple label. It’s such a classic fragrance we didn’t want to get too fancy, but we also couldn’t resist pouring a few adorable gingerbread people with our extra wax!
Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is!
HIGHLIGHTS
Candle Safe: Yes
Soap Safe: Yes
Lotion Safe: Yes
Diffuser Base Compatible: No
Soy Performance:
Note Profile:
Top: Orange Peel, Ginger
Middle: Butter, Graham Cracker, Sugar
Base: Vanilla, Molasses, Cinnamon
TRENDSPOTTING
We’ve been in love with Mistletoe for as long as we’ve had it in our lineup, and we learned quickly that we weren’t alone. Revising this scent was our biggest revision challenge to date; no one wanted it to change, and we all had a lot of strong feelings. We went through a total of 30 revision attempts before we finally landed on a winner.
Like Hansel and Gretel’s House, Mistletoe is a fragrance oil that’s at its best when allowed to be what it wants to be. And we think that’s a pretty trendsetting attitude.
BRANDING INSPIRATION
We couldn’t resist reflecting the seasonal elegance of Mistletoe in our label and product design. Our Triple Butter Soap Base is ultra luxurious and moisturizing for dry winter skin, and Avery’s metallic paper is the perfect, eye-catching option for holiday home fragrance and body care lines, and sure to elicit plenty of oohs and ahhs from lucky gift recipients!
Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is!
HIGHLIGHTS
Candle Safe: Yes
Soap Safe: Yes
Lotion Safe: Yes
Diffuser Base Compatible: Yes
Soy Performance:
Note Profile:
Top: Eucalyptus, Camphor, Red Currant
Middle: Clove, Pine, Fir
Base: Patchouli, Cedarwood
TRENDSPOTTING
We smell a lot of fragrance around here. So when we say that the updated Red Ginger Saffron stopped us in our tracks, we mean it. This fragrance oil is just that good.
One thing we’ve really taken note of that those on the cutting edge of the fragrance industry are doing is capturing the familiar and giving it a twist. You’ve heard of ginger, but red ginger? Small tweaks create an air of mystery. And Red Ginger Saffron is definitely an intriguing fragrance with its interesting herbal notes and authentic zing of fresh ginger. If you’re looking for an unusual, high end scent for your line, you’ve found it!
BRANDING INSPIRATION
We don’t always add dye to our candles, but with a name like Red Ginger Saffron, it felt wrong for our design to be anything but boldly and proudly R E D. Getting such strong color can be tricky in soy wax, but our dye blocks always rise to the challenge. Poured into the elegant curves of our Apothecary Jar and topped off with a Silver Metal Flat Lid, no one will be able to resist picking this up to smell!
Love this label? Create your own with Avery WePrint! Size: 1" x 2-5/8" Material: glossy white paper