According to Kathy LaVanier, a media spokesperson for the National Candle Association in Washington, DC, “Fall 2022 in home fragrance will see a move to larger candles and less packaging while fragrances continue to focus on naturals and wellbeing.” Marketers are increasingly recognizing the importance of storytelling in connecting with consumers, making compelling “talking points” essential for successful sales. LaVanier emphasizes that narratives centered around healing, relaxation, and energy will be key to capturing consumer interest this fall.

Seasonal scents also play a significant role in driving home fragrance purchases during the fall. These aromas, which are often nostalgic, encourage consumers to indulge in their favorite fragrances, enhancing their home environment.

Carrière Frères offers global travel at home with Cypress scent palets.

The traditions and beloved ingredients of the fall season are celebrated by Bath & Body Works’ customers, as stated by Chelsea Zoellner, senior manager of customer insights at Bath & Body Works, New York. “Every year, we see our customers embrace fragrances that resonate with memories of pumpkin patches and Halloween festivities,” she noted. “This year, we anticipate a strong demand for warm and cozy fragrances as people continue to invest in making their homes inviting spaces for relaxation and work during the cooler months.”

Moreover, the introduction of new interpretations of traditional scents that combine modern ingredients will entice customers to explore fresh options, Zoellner added.

Zoellner also highlighted that consumers are seeking fragrances with a strong throw—meaning scents that effectively fill a room. Bath & Body Works excels in this area, particularly with popular fall scents like Sweater Weather and Flannel. As consumers return to hosting small gatherings, the aesthetic appeal of candle packaging is more important than ever, making Bath & Body Works’ candles a favored decorative element in homes.

According to the latest data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI), home fragrance sales experienced growth over the past year across total US multi-outlet channels, which include supermarkets, drugstores, and mass market retailers, among others. Both air fresheners and candles have maintained their relevance in the market. For further insights, please refer to the chart below.

Understanding Consumer Preferences in Home Fragrance Formulation

Morgan Eberhard, senior scientist at Febreze, P&G in Cincinnati, OH, emphasized the critical importance of understanding consumer preferences when developing successful home fragrance products.

“As one of the world’s leading fragrance houses, P&G’s expert fragrance creators constantly analyze trends to craft alluring scents for both home and personal use,” she explained. “Research indicates that fragrances that evoke positive memories can enhance health and well-being, ultimately improving quality of life. Therefore, as we transition from summer to fall, scents reminiscent of pumpkin picking, cozy campfires, and apple orchards gain popularity. This fall and winter, we’re also seeing a trend towards cool, crisp alpine fragrances enriched with notes of wildflower and cedarwood, bringing the serene atmosphere of a mountainside cabin into homes.”

Febreze Air has launched a limited-edition fall scent named Fresh Harvest Pumpkin, which has garnered attention. Additionally, Febreze Fabric Antimicrobial is a versatile fabric spray designed to refresh upholstery and drapes while eliminating 99.9% of bacteria. The brand has also introduced Air Kitchen to effectively combat lingering cooking odors.

Glade’s latest plug-in is Fall Night Long for the season.

SC Johnson’s Glade is embracing the festive season early with its “Falliday 2022” campaign, featuring a limited-time collection of fall scents designed to set the mood for the upcoming celebrations. Fragrance options include Pumpkin Spice Things Up, Apple of My Pie, Pine Wonderland, and Fall Night Long, with product forms spanning aerosols, candles, and plug-in scented oils.

Bath & Body Works is also making strides this fall and holiday season with over 200 new products that have already hit the shelves. Among the new offerings are eight innovative candles developed using Phytogaia technology, which captures the essence of the outdoors by mimicking phytoncides—natural emissions from trees and plants.

“With our 3-wick candles designed with Phytogaia technology, you’ll feel transported to nature, whether it’s a tranquil forest or a rain-kissed trail,” shared Lisa de Perio, VP of merchandising for home fragrance at Bath & Body Works, New York.

Additionally, the brand has introduced Spooktacular, a collection of Halloween-themed fragrances featuring scents like Ghoul Friend, Pumpkin Carving, and Spooky Cider Lane.

Yankee Candle has launched its fourth annual scent of the year, Inspire, which is inspired by the Ikigai philosophy of leading a fulfilling life. This fragrance aims to enhance everyday moments of joy, according to the maker, which is part of Newell Brands.

The scent Inspire is characterized by its effervescent citrus notes that uplift the spirit, complemented by invigorating hints of salty sea breeze. The top notes consist of rainforest lime, ginger, and verbena, while mid notes include bamboo, freesia, and ocean breeze accord. The base notes feature cedar, seaside driftwood, and sun musks.

“In crafting this year’s fragrance, we focused on what consumers seek in 2022, leaning into a scent that celebrates the simple joys of daily life,” said Lisa McCarthy, president of the home fragrance division at Newell Brands in Atlanta, GA. “The principles of Ikigai, including reconnecting with nature, inspired this bright and uplifting fragrance, capturing what many of us are craving right now.”

Inspire also expands upon Yankee Candle’s Sakura Blossom Festival Collection, which draws influence from Japanese culture.

Yankee Candle’s fall fragrance collection, #FallInLoveWithYC, features seasonal scents such as Autumn Nature Walk, Apple & Sweet Fig, Soft Wool & Amber, and Golden Autumn. These fragrances are available at Yankee Candle stores and online at YC.com, as well as retailers like Kohl’s, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Meijer.

Newell Brands has introduced its Friday Collective brand, offering scented candles designed to evoke optimism and joy through vibrant colors and unexpected fragrance combinations. Featuring a premium soy wax blend, natural fiber wicks, and essential oils, the collection is categorized into four scent profiles: Let’s Party, Lowkey Hype, Kickstart The Hustle, and Joy Of Missing Out.

Expect more exciting scents to be added to this line later this month, as announced by Newell, which ranks No. 27 in Happi’s 2022 Top 50 Report.

Embracing Seasonal Scents and Global Travel Through Home Fragrance

Indie brand Trudon recently debuted artisan diffusers.

As we transition into cooler temperatures and spend more time indoors, enhancing our home scenting strategies becomes increasingly essential, says Lila Weinstein, marketing manager at Canopy, an independent home fragrance company.

“Nothing evokes the essence of fall quite like enjoying a warm cup of tea while using an aroma diffuser. Who doesn’t relish coming home to a space that smells like freshly baked pumpkin bread or a soothing chai latte?” she pondered. “Utilizing warm, spice-forward aroma blends or seasonal fragrances such as cinnamon, cedarwood, rosemary, and clove can instantly elevate your home, infusing it with the festive spirit we all cherish.”

Canopy has expanded its offerings with a popular essential oil-powered humidifier available at Sephora, which enhances both skin health and home scent. They also provide a waterless, mistless aroma diffuser that operates with essential oils placed on a stone, controlled by a fan with three speed settings. Their latest scent collection, Coastals by Canopy, features aromas inspired by the beach.

Fellow indie wellness brand Saje has launched a portable diffuser named Aroma Wander. This innovative diffuser is designed to be cordless and rechargeable, making it ideal for use in cars or hotel rooms, catering to the growing demand for wellness solutions on the go, especially during a busy travel season.

Travel is also a focus for other fragrance brands.

Carrière Frères, a French wax and candle maker, offers an opportunity for consumers to experience global travel from home with their Cypress scent, which is the latest addition to their botanical palets. Inspired by the Mediterranean evergreen tree, this woody and aromatic fragrance is made from 100% vegetable wax, all handcrafted in France. These botanical palets are perfect for naturally scenting small spaces, allowing consumers to hang them wherever they wish to enhance their home ambiance. Known for its antibacterial properties and tonifying effects, the Cypress fragrance is particularly suitable for bedrooms or bathrooms, according to the brand.

Prestige perfumer Trudon has recently introduced two new scents to its Le Diffuseur home fragrance collection.

The Belle Matières scents, Reggio and Maduraï, are now available in elegant blue glass fluted containers, mirroring the design of Trudon’s classic candle line. The new diffusers feature existing Trudon fragrances like Reggio, which captures the essence of the mandarin tree with a burst of citrus from Calabria, Italy, and grapefruit top notes.

The Maduraï fragrance, in contrast, evokes the exotic scent of Indian Jasmine, enhanced with ylang-ylang and benzoin resin notes.

Handcrafted in Vinci, Italy, these diffusers are presented in dark blue glass with a luxurious aluminum collar and gold emblem, packaged in specially designed boxes adorned with gold-etched illustrations representing the new scents. Trudon will also offer refills for the Belle Matières collection in both Reggio and Maduraï.

For consumers who enjoy a candle subscription service, Scentbird has introduced a platform that allows fragrance enthusiasts, along with aspiring users, to select from a wide array of over 600 fragrances for just $16.95 per month. The company notes that in addition to personal fragrances, candles serve as an exciting medium for discovering new scents. With the launch of Scentbird’s Candle Club, the brand has partnered with Homesick Candles for its inaugural month, featuring the full-sized Let’s Toast candle, which has notes of mandarin and grapefruit, celebrating the new service.

Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, home fragrance marketers have the opportunity to continue delivering beloved scents through candles, diffusers, and plug-ins, while also innovating with novel delivery methods and diverse product varieties.

Anticipating Trends in Home Fragrance: Seasonal Themes and Consumer Preferences

“We anticipate that consumers will continue to seek seasonal elements in their home fragrance choices,” Zoellner of Bath & Body Works remarked. “It’s all about infusing homes with the joy and excitement of the season through fragrance and packaging.”

Noelle Marois, associate VP of product and fragrance development at Bath & Body Works, noted that trends in home fragrance are shifting towards sweet brown flavors like brown sugar. These scents add a comforting warmth that resonates with consumers, evoking feelings of coziness.

“The sweet and salty flavor combination remains a favorite among consumers and is likely to endure as a trend,” she added. “Additionally, there’s been a surge of modern interpretations of nostalgic comfort scents, opening up fresh opportunities for brands.”

LaVanier from the National Candle Association pointed out that while holiday packaging tends to be more elaborate, the “less is more” trend will persist this fall and into Spring 2023. She also predicts that seasonal designs featuring motifs like butterflies and mushrooms will emerge in 2023 for home fragrance packaging.

“Consumers from younger generations, particularly those under the Boomer age, are looking for products that harmonize with their home decor,” LaVanier added.

This month, the National Candle Association is launching a new campaign titled “Let’s Lighten the Mood,” timed for World Candle Month. This initiative, established in 2013, aims to highlight the various ways candles enrich consumers’ lives. This year’s theme emphasizes the need for a lighter atmosphere, according to LaVanier.

Classic scents continue to hold their ground as well. Eberhard from P&G noted that the revival of timeless fragrances will shape the market in 2023.

“Modern takes on traditional scents, such as vanilla, are rapidly gaining popularity—especially among younger consumers,” she mentioned. “Moreover, different demographics are influencing trends, with floral notes appealing to African American consumers and warm, spicy fragrances resonating more with men.”

Eberhard also highlighted the importance of customization in the expanding home fragrance landscape.

“Consumers increasingly prefer to select different scents for various rooms and occasions, creating a holistic ambiance that reflects their individual identities,” she stated.

Concerns about indoor air quality have risen in the home fragrance market; many Americans are more conscious of maintaining a healthy living environment since the pandemic began. In response, Carrier and P&G are collaborating on a multi-faceted campaign aimed at providing consumers with valuable insights, actionable recommendations, and reliable products.

According to Kristine Decker, SVP of global home care at P&G, “Our brands are dedicated to simplifying the process of keeping your home clean and healthy, which is why we’re excited to join forces with Carrier to empower individuals to create indoor spaces that promote their well-being.”