With Halloween coming up, it’s time to get into the spooky spirit with a Halloween-themed fragrance – because who doesn’t want to smell like a ghost, right?!
It’s hard to characterise what a ‘Halloween fragrance’ is, as how do you really describe the smell of a holiday?! But as Halloween occurs during autumn, there are a surprising amount of notes to choose from, like black cherry, musk, amber, pumpkin, smoke and fog.
Some picks in this round-up are actually Halloween-themed or have taken inspiration from the holiday, so if you wanted, you could smell like a witch, werewolf or even Nosferatu – yes, there is a fragrance in this list inspired by the legendary vampire.
As a men’s colognes and women’s perfumes expert, I’ve searched far and wide for the best Halloween fragrances that will get you into the spooky season.
Best Halloween fragrances 2025
Tom Ford fragrances are incredibly diverse, but many of them have strong, dark notes that could be associated with Halloween. Tom Ford Black Orchid is my pick here, as it’s a dark, spicy floral scent, with notes of roasted tonka, black truffle, ylang, ylang, patchouli and amber. It’s rich, earthy and would smell delicious during a Halloween date night.
YSL’s Black Opium Extreme is one of my favourite evening perfumes, and it’s a delicious-smelling scent for Halloween. Extreme is a more intense version of the original, so it’s got enhanced layers of coffee, patchouli, cherry and orange blossom for a darker, more sensual smell.
Like Tom Ford, Penhaligon’s has a huge line-up of fragrances that could work for Halloween, but Halfeti is the best choice – and a brand bestseller. Spicy, powerful and intoxicating, Penhaligon’s Halfeti has notes of oud, spice, rose and grapefruit. It comes in a classic Penhaligon’s bottle that would look great amongst your fragrance collection.
Cherry is a bold scent that works perfectly with Halloween, and Born To Stand Out Indecent Cherry is a popular choice for those who want a Tom Ford Lost Cherry dupe. But as mentioned in our Born To Stand Out Indecent Cherry hands-on, it might actually be better than the original, with its layers of cherry, almond and saffron.
I couldn’t make a Halloween fragrance round-up without including D.S. & Durga Well Dressed Werewolf. But don’t worry, it won’t leave you smelling like wet dog. Instead, you get notes of cedar, violet, jasmine, hay and fur – yes, you read that right. It’s a fun, limited edition scent so you’ll have to be quick if you want it.
Part of Goldfield & Banks’ Botanical series, Tales of Amber Extrait is an oriental fragrance that highlights rich notes of ambergris, moss, orange blossom, orris and cinnamon. The moss makes it smell earthy – like you’ve been running from a werewolf through the woods – and cinnamon links nicely to the autumn season.
If you want a long-lasting fragrance while you go trick or treating, Byredo Night Veils Rouge Chaotique is a great choice. This oud gourmand fragrance uses your body heat to disperse the scent, and it has strong notes of oud, plum and saffron.
Heretic Parfum Nosferatu is a limited edition scent made in partnership with Nosferatu and Focus Features. It doesn’t smell like the undead – instead, it has layers of lilac, ambergris, violet, orris and labdanum. It’s much more floral than I expected from a Nosferatu fragrance but it’s a fun collectors item if you loved the movie.
Earthy and enchanting, Vyrao Witchy Woo is packed full of powerful layers, including rose, nutmeg, black pepper, patchouli, musk, frankincense and orris. It also contains natural plant remedies which are designed to improve your courage and creativity – it’s the season of the witch after all!
