How Guys Can Build a Fall Scent Routine by Investing in More Than Just Cologne

IF YOU CARE about smelling good, fall is probably your favorite time of year. The weather gets cooler, you can finally wear those warmer fragrances without feeling like you're suffocating everyone around you, and notes like cedar, amber, leather, spice, and vanilla don't seem quite so heavy.

And while cologne is obviously a big part of that, it's not the only thing that determines how you smell. Your deodorant, body wash, laundry detergent, and even the candle burning in your apartment all play a part. A few small swaps can make your whole routine feel a little more put together without making it seem like you're trying too hard.

The trick is not to make every single thing smell exactly the same. You don't want to walk into a room smelling like you bathed in a pumpkin candle. Instead, pick a few scents that complement each other and let them build on each other throughout the day. These are the fall-scented products worth knowing about this year.

Start With a Fall Cologne (Obviously)

Obviously, we're starting here. If you're going to make one change to your scent routine for fall, make it your cologne. This is the time of year when you can put away those super-light citrus and aquatic fragrances you've been wearing all summer and reach for something with a little more depth. This means woods, amber, vanilla, leather, tobacco, vetiver, or spice—basically anything that makes you feel cozier, and dare I say, spicier?

Personally, my go-to recently has been anything from NOYZ, but specifically the Only Human scent now that we’re moving into fall. (It hugs the skin perfectly with hints of vanilla.) Cremo and Snif have autumn-forward options, the former landing on the edgier side of the season while the latter brings on the sweet notes you’d expect.

An Affordable Start

A Fresh Take on Autumn

Best Spicy Scent

A Reliable Bottle

Affordable Luxury

Your Deodorant Can Get in on It, Too

Brands have gotten much more creative with deodorant scents, and seasonal collections are giving you an easy way to experiment with fragrance without committing to wearing a new cologne all day. This is where I’d say Pumpkin scents really don’t work, because the second you start sweating through that aroma... things go wrong. There are plenty of woodier, smokier options out there, from brands like Every Man Jack and Salt & Stone, that still feel seasonal without overdoing the sweetness.

A Smooth Lather

So Your Pits Feel Expensive

Salt & Stone Saffron & Cedar Deodorant

Credit: Salt & Stone

A Nice Undertone

Editor Favorite

Pick a Body Wash That Smells Like Fall

Your shower is basically the first step in your scent routine, so you might as well make it count. A good fall body wash can leave a little fragrance behind after you rinse off, but more importantly, it gives you another opportunity to build a scent profile before you even reach for your cologne. Sandalwood, cedar, amber, vanilla, and spice are all good bets.

If you're already wearing a stronger cologne, I'd keep your body wash on the subtler side. There's no reason for every product in your bathroom to fight for attention, and a little restraint will make the fragrance you're actually wearing stand out more. Dionis has something on the milkier and vanilla side if that’s what you’re into, but if you want something more manly, you can opt for Method or Every Man Jack, which have options on the muskier, leather end of things.

A Solid Base

Sweeter-Scented

Comes in Two

A High-End Option

Make Your Clothes Smell Good, Too

This might be the most underrated part of the whole thing. You can have the best cologne in the world, but if your T-shirt smells musty, we've got a problem. Fall-scented laundry detergents and scent boosters are an easy way to give your clothes, towels, and sheets a little seasonal upgrade without adding another fragrance directly to your skin. You don't have to go crazy with it, either.

A subtle woody or warm scent on your clothes can make your cologne feel more cohesive without competing with it. Brands like Snif, DedCool, and Mozi, for example, include laundry soap and scent boosters that can have your clothes smelling subtly warm and cozy, complementing your cologne.

Smell Expensive

A Comfy Aroma

Irresistibly Cozy

DedCool Detergent and Dryer Sheets Bundle in Xtra Milk

Now 10% Off

Now Make Your Place Smell Good

You've handled yourself and your clothes, so you might as well finish the job. A good fall candle or diffuser can completely change the feel of a room, and this is probably the one area where you can go a little more literal with the seasonal stuff. Pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, maple, bonfire, cedar, smoky woods, whatever makes your apartment smell like you actually care about your living space (and the guests that sometimes inhabit it).

Burning one while you're hanging out at night or before friends come over can make a surprisingly big difference, especially once your windows are closed and you're spending more time indoors. Salt & Stone probably has the most neutral candle for fall, but Quince has diffusers that will make your apartment feel like a crisp October evening.

The Woods of Fall

Dark and Mysterious

Fall in a Bottle

Quince Spiced Noël Reed Diffuser

Now 52% Off

Sweet for Guests

More of Our Favorite Scents

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Josiah is the Digital Content Producer for the commerce team at Popular Mechanics, Best Products, Runner’s World, and Bicycling Magazine. He also writes for “BIO Buys”—a column on Biography.com—giving readers the lowdown on what products their favorite celebs are using. In another life, Josiah was an editor at ThePioneerWoman.com, where he sharpened his expertise on all things lifestyle, food-news, and entertainment. Outside work related matters, he’s a fan of Studio Ghibli films, unimportant reality TV drama, and melancholy Lorde songs.

Sean Zucker is the Grooming and Reviews Editor at Men's Health. He brings over half a decade of experience covering health, wellness, and lifestyle. When Sean's not writing about hair products, you can find him running for exercise, or toward the nearest food truck.

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