Not Cherry, Not Citrus—the Crisp, Juicy Perfume Everyone With A+ Taste Is Wearing This Fall

Scent Type: Fruity florals

Notes: Apple, apple blossom

While it's true that finding photorealistic fragrances can pose a challenge for even the most dedicated scent enthusiasts like myself, it's not impossible. Demeter Fragrance Library, for example, offers a selection of several fragrances that capture the most natural notes with a clean, modern twist. Their Golden Delicious Cologne Spray offers a crisp, bright, and juicy take on a fruity floral scent by opening with a burst of apple paired with apple blossom.

Customer Review: "When I make apple pie or an apple tart, I always use Golden Delicious. As you cut the apples, they release the most gorgeous fragrance—I usually spend a few minutes inhaling the scent by sniffing the bowl repeatedly. This is a pretty faithful fragrance,it truly does smell like a Golden Delicious apple. If you're a fan of that apple scent, I can 100% recommend this for you. The fragrance transfers rather accurately on my skin, too. I even want to try this in the room spray. I just love it."

Scent Type: Fresh fruits

Notes: Apple, pear, grapefruit, peony, freesia, watery jasmine, orcanox (natural musk), amberwood, musk water

Fruity fragrances have earned the reputation of being almost overly youthful and bright, but there are a number of apple perfumes that offer a stripped back, minimalist take on the note. Inspired by mouthwatering green apples, Clean's Classic Apple Blossom is fresh and lightly floral with notes of apple, pear, and grapefruit blended beautifully with a light touch of florals and smooth amber, woody base. There's something nearly skin-like about this fragrance that makes it ideal for layers with your fresh and musky scent selections (i.e. my daily go-to's).

Customer Review: "I really love the fresh apple blossom scent. It smells like a fresh and crisp green apple with a hint of floral for the perfect combination. It’s a soft and delicate blend that is perfect for any occasion. I like the rollerball, it makes it super easy to apply to the pulse points! Definitely recommend."

Scent Type: Warm spices

Notes: Saffron, rose absolute, leather, apple, bezoin, cashmeran

Imaginary Author's Slow Explosions is the apple scent for anyone that's convinced they don't actually like apples, but wouldn't mind giving it a try if done in an unexpectedly cool and chic way. The apple in this fragrance takes a back seat to the warm spices brewing just below the surface. It opens with a dryness and warmth that can only be created with a touch of saffron before shifting into a rose absolute, leather, and apple heart. Finishing notes of benzoin and chasmeran add an undeniable luminosity to it.

Customer Review: "An impressive work of art, I could confidently say I was blown away by this one. Deep, rich, magical, warm, and emotionally evocative, this is truly a stunner from start to finish. Upon smelling this, my mind immediately goes to watching fireworks at my neighbor's place as a kid. Never thought I would like that in a fragrance as much as I do with this."

Scent Type: Amber gourmand

Notes: Red apple, mandarin sfuma, peach skin, plum blossom, osmanthus, muguet, sugar cane, sandalwood, Madagascar vanilla, praline, ambrox, musks

Created as a love letter to New York City, Ellis Brooklyn's Apple Love Eau de Parfum opens with a juicy, photorealistic red apple underlined by amber and gourmand notes. Perhaps one of the more classic takes of an apple perfume I've come across, it captured my attention not because of the inclusion of apple itself, but because of how stunning it was when paired with smooth peach skin, plum blossom, sugar cane, and vanilla. Sweet and sophisticated, Apple Love is my top pick for anyone seeking a warm, fruity perfume that can be worn year-round.

Customer Review: "A lot of apple scents include a spicy note, or the green apple smell which I don't care for. This one does not. It's a very clean, red apple smell. It is fresh and juicy, with a hit of floral. It reminds me of the salon selective shampoo that used to be popular, because it smelled terrific. I'm a fan for sure."

Scent Type: Aquatic fruits

Notes: Granny smith apple, watery notes, melon-pineapple sorbet, apricot nectar, star jasmine, white tea, sheer white woods, sandalwood, layered musks, amber

When I think of fresh, fruity fragrances, I always land on scents featuring crisp green apples like Henry Rose's Smyth Eau de Parfum. The scent opens with tangy and addictive Granny Smith apple and watery notes (I like to imagine these are chilled apple slices). Next, we are met with melon-apple sorbet before the perfume reveals middle notes of apricot nectar, star jasmine, and white tea. Like many of my favorite apple scents, this uses sheer, woody notes for a bright finish.

Customer Review: "I've tried a lot of perfumes in search of my signature scent and this one stands out. It's amazingly feminine, soft, and has a fun scent that I absolutely adore. The best part is that it's the first one I've tried that doesn't cause any headaches since I'm quite scent sensitive. I had the best experience, and I can't recommend it enough!"

Scent Type: Aromatic fruits

Notes: Apple, pear, magnolia

If you like fruity floral perfumes with a more earthy, garden-like profile, the Hermès Un Jardin Sur le Toit Eau de Parfum should be at the top of your list. I've always been drawn to scents that can perfectly combine aromatic fruits and florals, so imaging how beyond excited I was to add this one to my collection. Lively-yet-elegant, the perfume boasts a blend of crisp apple with ripe pear and sweet magnolia to evoke a Parisian garden featuring all these fruit trees in addition to a few self-seeded imposters.

Customer Review: "A green and fresh creation, like a crisp, warm, and gentle spring morning wrapped in a veil of dew and sunbeams. It feels like a wonderful garden, bringing a sense of calm and serene pleasure. Longevity and projection are rather fleeting, but the fragrance radiates the essence of spring or early summer."

Scent Type: Fruity florals

Notes: Red apple, blackcurrant, pink grapefruit, lychee, wild berries, raspberry blossom, jasmine, rose centifolia, vanilla flower, amber crystals, sugared moss, musk

So far, I've introduced you to a few sweet apple fragrances that deserve to be added to your scent rotation, so it's about time I add in a succulent option. This one, by Kayali Eden, offers a lively take on your classic fruity floral scent with red apple paired with a selection of sweet berries, bright fruits, and fresh florals against a smooth, amber base. The addition of lychee keeps things light and youthful with a tropical twist I can't get enough of (which might be why I wore this one non-stop throughout the summer months).

Customer Review: "This fragrance is truly enchanting. It opens with a burst of juicy, ripe red apples and succulent forest fruits, creating a fresh and vibrant fruity allure. However, what sets it apart is the delicate blend of florals, soft musk, and earthy moss, which adds a rich complexity and depth to the composition. These elements perfectly balance the sweetness, ensuring the scent never becomes overwhelming or overly sugary. It’s far from a simple, basic fruity fragrance—this is a captivating, layered scent that feels effortlessly sophisticated. A must-have for summer, it’s the perfect fragrance for anyone seeking something both refreshing and beautifully balanced."

Scent Type: Fruity florals

Notes: Apple, galbanum, bamboo, bluebell, fig, jasmine, rose, neroli, cedarwood, amber, musk

If we're going to talk about crisp and succulent apple fragrances, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't give some love to Fugazzi's Thirsty Eau de Parfum. Apart from being multifaceted and complex, this one opens with vibrant apples, it almost immediately shifts to the earthy, warm notes galbanum and bamboo before offering a blooming bouquet of bluebell, jasmine, and rose with a touch of fig. The finishing blend of sensual cedarwood, amber, and musk adds the ideal layer of warmth to an otherwise fresh scent.

Customer Review: "Really nice! I've never tried bamboo in a fragrance before. Reading the notes I thought it would be something up my alley, I love fig, neroli and apple. If you like green fragrances you should give it a try. [The] first time I tried it I was scared because it smelled slightly masculine, since then I've grown more into green fragrances and would place it in the unisex section."

Scent Type: Warm spices

Notes: Red apple, strawberry blossom, pomegranate pulp, vanilla bourbon, fir balsam, Haitian vetiver

Since there's so many bright, clean, and lively apple fragrances on the market, it's easy to miss ones that offer a darker take on the classic fruit note like the Forbidden Apple Croque Moi Eau de parfum. While the perfume opens with juicy red apple, it shifts into a base of fresh strawberry and tantalizing pomegranate pulp. Then, the perfume transforms again, revealing a sensual, woody base defined by inviting fir balsam and Haitian vetiver. It's all I'll be wearing for more elevated dinner dates, attending the ballet, and formal occasions.

Customer Review: "Forbidden Apple Croque Moi smells like biting into a juicy red apple dipped in caramel. The opening is super sweet and crisp with apple and pomegranate, then it melts into warm vanilla bourbon that makes it feel cozy and a little sultry. It’s playful, delicious, and definitely a head-turner—perfect for nights out or whenever you want to smell a little irresistible."

Scent Type: Warm spices

Notes: Bergamot, pineapple, apple brandy, cardamom

It's no secret that boozy perfumes have been on the rise lately, so I'm taking this opportunity to throw Kilian's Apple Brandy on the Rocks Eau de Parfum into the mix. Inspired by the city of New York, this fragrance uses apple brandy (the addition of which was first conceived by perfumer Sidone Lancesseur for the opening of Kilian Paris' New York flagship). It features its original apple core, but with what the brand describes as an, "ice-cold liqueured delight with pineapple, bergamot, and cardamom.

Customer Review: "I love it!! The opening still features that rich cognac note, but there's a noticeable mineral or icy accord that cuts through the sweetness. The dry down remains warm and woody, but with a lingering coolness. It's a great option for those who love the original but want something a bit more versatile for warmer weather."

Scent Type: Fresh florals

Notes: Moroccan neroli, apple, Egyptian jasmine, ylang-ylang, Laotian benzoin, Australian sandalwood

Delightfully light and fresh, Trudon's Elae Eau de Parfum features sweet apples with a blend of blossoms (Egyptian Jasmine and ylang-ylang) with warm essential oils and a woody base. Unlike the other fragrances in this edit, I don't immediately pick up on the apple, as it lingers more quietly behind the burst of Moroccan neroli. The apple, however, does offset the innate softness of the floral bouquet at its heart, and the Australian sandalwood base.Timeless and elegant, this Trudon scent is the perfect option for those who want an apple fragrance that's more floral leaning.

Customer Review: "Umm... this is absolutely gorgeous. I picture this as the scent of a hazy afternoon nap on a utopian summer's day. Very sophisticated white floral. As others have mentioned below, the dry down is worth waiting for."