The leaves are coming down, we’re all tempted to put the heating on and the curtains are closing earlier every night. It's my favourite time of year to change the scents around the house.
Every room does a different job, so it makes sense that each one suits a different scent. Here's what I'd pop in each, from our Autumn Embers Wax Pops – three new ones and two old favourites – and a few more from the range.
The Hallway: Coming In From the Cold
The hallway is the first thing you smell when you walk through the door, so I like something fresh and clean here – especially when the dog's just come back from a muddy walk. Minted Cedar Snap is my pick. Fresh mint and pink pepper up top, a little cinnamon warmth in the middle, then cedar and amber underneath.
It's fresh without feeling summery, which is exactly what you want once the boots start piling up by the door.
The Kitchen: Smells Like You've Been Baking
Spiced Pumpkin is back, and it was made for the kitchen. Juicy pumpkin, red apple and nutmeg, then plum, cinnamon and creamy vanilla. It makes the house smell like something lovely is in the oven, without you actually having to bake anything.
If you prefer sweet to spiced, try Toffee Nut Latte instead: sugar, cream and toasted hazelnut, with toffee and maple syrup underneath. It's more the sweet, creamy side of a latte than the coffee itself, and it's lovely first thing on a grey morning.
Or melt both. Spiced Pumpkin in the kitchen and Toffee Nut Latte drifting through from the next room work really well together.
The Living Room: Dark Evenings on the Sofa
This is where the deeper scents come into their own. Oud & Embers, the signature scent of Autumn Embers, is deep, smoky oud softened with velvety rose, and it's the one I reach for when I've finally sat down at the end of the day. It's rich and full – the kind of scent you find yourself breathing in a little deeper.
For Halloween, I'd go for Dragon's Blood. It opens with bright citrus, then settles into warm patchouli and soft musk. Lights down low, a spooky film on, and the room feels like it's got a story to tell.
And if you'd rather stick with something you already know and love, Egyptian Amber is still one of our bestsellers. Bitter orange, cinnamon and warm amber over vanilla and sandalwood – it's been a cosy-evening favourite since day one.
The Home Office: Cosy but Focused
When you work from home, you want the room to feel cosy without making you want a nap at two o'clock. Restore is one of our essential oil blends: orange and bergamot up top, with aniseed, cypress and cedarwood underneath. It's fresh and clear, with enough warmth to suit the season.
The aniseed is what makes it, and the people who love it come back for it every time. If it's not for you, Minted Cedar Snap works brilliantly at a desk too.
The Bedroom: Winding Down
By the end of the day, I want something soft and familiar. Nag Champa starts with bergamot, then rose, neroli, lavender and jasmine, over precious woods, vanilla and tonka. I melt it while I'm reading in the evening, and the whole room feels slower and calmer.
The Honest Bit
There are no rules here. If Oud & Embers feels right in your kitchen, or you want Minted Cedar Snap in the bedroom, go for it. These are just the ones I'd reach for.
A quick practical note too: always blow out the tealight before you leave the room or go to sleep, and stick to 4-hour tealights in your burner.
Try a Few
If you can't decide, that's exactly what Wax Pops are for. Pick a handful with our Build a Box, try one in each room, and see which become your favourites this autumn. Our autumn Pops are seasonal and subject to availability, so they're here while they last.
And if you need a burner to go with them, the Natural Tapered Wax Burner suits pretty much any room.
