BEHIND THE SCENTS:

Brush back the curtain and go behind the scents for an insider look at eight new fragrances for the Fall and Holiday season of 2021.

Well, we’re going into the second holiday season of our vastly changed world. The trends and consumer habits we’ve observed over the past year and a half reflect the societal shift we’ve all experienced together. In this exploration of the driving themes behind our new Fall/Holiday fragrance collection, you’ll get a look at the trends we’ve identified and how each fragrance fits into a larger story.

But maybe these eight fragrances tell an entirely different story for you. One of the things that makes working with fragrance so exciting and special is the way a single scent can be so many different things to different people. Let our ideas and suggestions for each fragrance inspire you to create your own unique experience. Ready?

Trendspotting: reimagined classics, cozy comforts

Ginger, spice, and everything nice—that’s what this new fragrance oil is made of! Comforting and warm, Ginger and Spice wraps you in a handknit blanket of cherished holiday memories. It’s no wonder that the last year and a half has led to a surge of demand for scents that give comfort and allow us to reminisce about happier days. 

Branding Inspiration

Our container choice and label design for Ginger and Spice reflect its homey, yet elegant, character. The new Farmhouse Ceramic Jar is a modern interpretation of the country crock look, positioning the fragrance perfectly as both a reimagined classic and a cozy comfort. We kept our label clean and straightforward with a sleek font and minimal use of color.

When incorporating Ginger and Spice into your line, keep the name as-is or think about scent names that offer coziness and familiarity. Names like Ginger Vanilla, Lemon Ginger Cookie, or Candied Ginger are a great place to start

Trendspotting: walking in nature, cozy comforts

You can never go wrong with a woodsy, pine scent when the weather starts cooling down. Something that reminds you of sitting at a fire on a chilly night, wrapped in a cozy blanket with someone you love at your side, the scent of the forest wafting in the air. Enter: Alpine Balsam.

Decidedly different from our other pine scents, Alpine Balsam is a fresh, sparkly pine that conjures images of a snow-dusted tree strung with gently twinkling lights. Anything that brings the outdoors in will be big this season and this fragrance will definitely bring the outdoors to your product line!

Branding and Design Inspiration
For our label design, we wanted to call out the outdoorsy theme. We chose a large graphic with a hand drawn look and used a clear, easy-to-read font. To bring a little color to the party, we poured a candle into one of our new Teal Straight Sided Tumblers. Alpine Balsam would also be a great fragrance to use for a Campfire Mug Candle! Mix with a little Fireside for a smokey effect, or use as-is for that perfect foresty scent

Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is! Pictured below: 2" square on gold foil.

Trendspotting: indulgent gourmands, international connections

Bakery scents are perennially popular, particularly during the fall and winter months. There’s nothing quite like coming in from the cold to something sweet warm out of the oven! When we were developing what eventually became Red Plum Baklava, we knew we wanted a mouthwatering bakery scent that brought something different than the more commonplace cake, cookie, or pie scents. We especially loved the baklava concept since it married two current fragrance trends into one: indulgent gourmands and international connections.

Branding and Design Inspiration 

This is a fun and unexpected bakery fragrance, so we wanted a label to match. With a color palette that calls back to the different colorations of plums, we think the finished result is a great option for more whimsical branding styles.

When considering alternative names for this scent, we suggest featuring the prominent plum and/or honey notes, like Honey Walnut and Plum or Red Plum and Walnut.

Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is! Pictured above: 2" round on matte white.

Trendspotting: international connections, cozy comforts, luxury vibes

Moroccan Cashmere weaves together several different trends into one gorgeous fragrance oil. Cashmere is one of the most sought after fabrics in the world and its luxurious nature is reflected in this elegant scent. Depending on your branding and how you want to position this scent in your line, you might choose to offer it as a warm, cozy fragrance (perfect for the fall/holiday season!); a luxury scent; or even as an internationally connected and inspired fragrance.

Insider note: the name might fool you, but Moroccan Cashmere is a good replacement for the discontinued Moon Lake Musk fragrance. The soft, pleasantly musky notes that made Moon Lake Musk popular are prevalent in Moroccan Cashmere.

Branding and Design Inspiration

For this design, we decided on finding a balance between cozy and upscale. Candles burning in our Amber Straight Sided Tumbler emit a gentle, amber-hued glow that we felt perfectly complemented the character of the fragrance. With a simple label featuring hand drawn, natural design elements and a bold font, this candle will stand out from the crowd.

If Moroccan Cashmere as a scent name doesn’t quite work for your branding, consider names like White Cashmere, Cashmere Vanilla, or Vanilla Patchouli. “Cashmere” is a pretty trendy element in fragrance right now, so retaining that in the fragrance name will draw in customers that keep up with current trends.

Trendspotting: reimagined classics, walking in nature

If any fragrance could say “Winter is here,” it would be Nordic Night. This chilly scent takes the classic holiday pine and elevates it to meet modern sensibilities. Fragrances that speak to experiencing the beauty of nature are in high demand right now, and Scandi-style is a trend that’s still going strong, so Nordic Night would be a great scent to consider if your brand leans in one of those directions.

Branding and Design Inspiration

Of course, we just had to pour a Nordic Night candle into our Nordic Ceramic Tumbler. This tumbler works well for both luxury and natural-leaning lines, and with a simple, yet moody label we just love the finished result.

One thing to note about the Nordic Ceramic Tumblers when you’re designing labels: the jar tapers slightly towards the bottom, so we don’t recommend using a label that’s over 2” tall. Due to the tapering, the label will be difficult to apply without it wrinkling a bit.

If the name Nordic Night doesn’t quite fit your line, but the wintery, outdoorsy fragrance itself does, consider alternate names like Winter, Iced Balsam, or even Sleigh Ride.

Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own, or use as-is! Pictured above: 2" on Silver Metallic. 

Trendspotting: luxury vibes, reimagined classics

You might be wondering about a floral fragrance being released as part of a fall/holiday collection. While it may seem a little odd, one sniff of Black Violet and Saffron and you’ll get it. This is an ultra luxe, complex fragrance, with the floral notes balanced by aromatic herbs, rich amber, and woods. Candles and other products made with this scent make amazing housewarming or holiday gifts, especially for anyone you’re looking to impress.

Insider’s tip: when smelling Black Violet and Saffron out of the bottle, note that you’ll get very strong leather notes that may overpower the other notes. Once in a candle, the fragrance really blooms.

Branding and Design Inspiration

With such a luxurious fragrance we needed a label to match. Black on black is always correct when aiming for a high end look, and with a font and design elements reminiscent of art deco, the result is quite elegant without being stuffy.

While we definitely recommend a scent name that matches Black Violet and Saffron’s luxe character, if you want to take this fragrance in a slightly different direction consider names like Saffron and Suede, Saffron Santal, or Violet and Oud.

Trendspotting: mindful introspection, luxury vibes, reimagined classics

Reminiscent of incense, but with a modern, woody character, Smoked Oud is both trendy and classic. Smokey, resinous fragrances are having a bit of a moment so this is a great option if you’re on the hunt for something similar for your line. It could absolutely be a year round offering, and is a great scent for blending.

Branding and Design Inspiration
How cool is this label?! Printed by Avery on their snazzy silver metallic film, our Smoked Oud label is sleek and modern. We can imagine a whole line featuring these labels--just swap out the smoke graphic for other images appropriate for the scent. Avery WePrint’s editor makes it super easy to print different labels on the same sheet, so you can try out different looks or images without going through lots of sheets! (PS: as a CandleScience customer, you get 10% off ALL Avery WePrint orders. Just head to avery.com/candlescience to get started.)

If the name Smoked Oud doesn't really resonate with you, think about names like Black Ember or Olibanum Incense—anything that speaks to the intriguingly elegant nature of this fragrance.

Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own or use as-is! Pictured below: 1" x 2" on silver foil.

Trendspotting: indulgent gourmands, reimagined classics

Chestnuts roasting on the open fire… Many of us may not have actually had chestnuts during the holidays, they are a traditional seasonal treat. While our discontinued fragrance Mulled Cider and Chestnuts definitely had its fans, it wasn’t hitting the mark for the most. When developing what eventually became Sugared Chestnut, we were after something a little less niche than Mulled Cider and Chestnuts and with a more balanced profile.

This gourmand scent will still please modern tastes--it’s not too sweet nor too nutty, with just the right amount of spice.

Branding and Design Inspiration

To reflect the modern sensibilities of Sugared Chestnut, we opted for a simple label with fun, sparkly embellishments and a popular script font. We think this would be a great scent to include as part of a holiday fragrance sampler, and so opted for our Mini Tumbler to speak to that. (Hint: Alpine Balsam would be another great one to include!)

If you’re mulling over some alternate name choices, Sweet Chestnut, Glazed Chestnut, or Caramelized Chestnut or even something like “...On the Open Fire” if you want to position it as a holiday-centric fragrance.

Love this label? Snag the design here. Make it your own or use as-is! Pictured below: 1 1/2" x 7" on clear film.