Like a breath of fresh air on a chilly, misty morning, taken whilst traipsing through moss and dew-covered trees, these forest walk perfumes are as immersive as they are elegant.
While any of the best long-lasting perfumes will set a very chic tone for the year ahead, if you're keen to embrace a new signature that is not only timeless and sophisticated but also enchanting, we have one particular scent genre to suggest.
Picture beams of hazy light breaking through leafy canopies, the snap of twigs beneath your feet, and the earthy, rich smell of damp bark and moss, mingled with the feeling of chilly air in your nose and stinging your cheeks. There are many perfumes out there that bottle up just that, transporting you to your most favourite forest walk with just one spritz.
So, if you're keen to embrace a fresh perfume that smells like a wintry, rainy stroll, even when you're indoors, these are the 'forest walk'-inspired fragrances we love. All of which boast a sense of lushness, mystery, and a touch of serenity - the sort only found under the tranquil cover of towering trees.
9 chic and fresh forest walk perfumes that'll whisk you away to leafier scenes
While warming cashmere perfumes and powdery fragrances are always a lovely choice, if your tastes lean more towards bracing green and citrus scents, these forest-y blends need to be on your radar.
With herbaceous notes, hits of fir balsam and pine, these woodland fragrances feel both familiar and modern, whilst offering a chic departure from all the florals and gourmands among the 2026 fragrance trends...
RRP: £145 for 50ml | Notes: bergamot, fig and green tea
For a very approachable and wearable take on a 'forest walk' perfume, I recommend Aesop's Virere. It's very fresh and green, with its leading notes of bergamot, fig, and green tea that instantly whisk you away into the great outdoors. It's herbaceous, in a very rich and chic way, balancing the brightness of its citrus notes with an earthy warmth. It reminds me of sun-warmed bark and moss, with a touch of grassiness, which is an ideal combination if you tend to gravitate towards more woody and musky blends, as opposed to sweet gourmands or florals.
Who should buy it: those who love picnicking under the shade of leafy trees and sunny strolls through dense, storybook-like ancient forests.
RRP: £160 for 75ml | Notes: juniper berry, cedar, tonka bean and jasmine
Now, this might be more of a me-thing, but Diptyque's Orphéon always brings images of moonlit trees to my mind. If you're familiar with this particular Diptyque perfume, you'll know that it was inspired by a Parisian jazz bar, and while its elegant and smoky blend can definitely be interpreted as such, there's an ethereal quality to Orpheon's juniper berry and cedar notes that also reminds me of spying stars and the cool glow of the moon above shadowy trees.
Who should buy it: someone seeking a mysterious and elegant woody perfume that offers a certain moonlight-y, evening feel.
RRP: £100 for 30ml | Notes: bergamot, saffron, sage, ambergris, rockrose, fir balsam, rose, musk, patchouli and tonka bean
Described as drawing upon the 'allure of an enchanted woodland,' Ligno is a bold take on a woody perfume. It's heady and smoky, ideal if you prefer a more intense signature. It blends hints of saffron, sage and rock rose with resinous amber, fir balsam and patchouli to create a scent that is rich, musky and earthy. It definitely brings to mind towering, ancient trees and an abundance of greenery, but its spicy notes also make it feel quite versatile, for more of an evening or general winter scent.
Who should buy it: those who love very rich, smoky and concentrated perfumes that linger
RRP: £62 for 30ml | Notes: bergamot oil, vegetal accord, pink pepper essence, aquatic accord, Isparta rose petal essence, jasmine grandiflorum superinfusion, pine needle oil, patchouli bali essence and moss accord.
If you're someone who loves that just-rained, petrichor smell, Maison Margiela's When The Rain Stops might just be poised to become your 2026 signature scent. As the name suggests, this fragrance is instantly dewy and fresh, boasting a blend of vegetal and aquatic accords mingled with pine needle oil, rose petals, and a patchouli-mossy base. It really does smell like walking through a rain-soaked wilderness, though without the very woody facets of some of the other perfumes featured. If the other scents are the trees, this one is the leaves and the smell of the air after a rainstorm. It's lightweight, versatile, and beautifully fresh.
Who should buy it: those who favour rainy, outdoor walks and love any excuse to wear a pair of wellies.
RRP: £120 for 50ml | Notes: blackcurrant bud, galbanum, wild fig, green tea, orris, jasmine, cedarwood, patchouli, tonka, amber and musk
For a fragrance that mirrors the scent of a verdant, luscious jungle drenched in rainwater, with beams of sun beginning to break through the canopy cover, Gabar's Swim is the way to go. It was, after all, inspired by the jungle region of Hpa-An, Myanmar, and definitely does well to reimagine the sprawling landscape in its green and ever-so-dewy notes. It reminds me of the herbaceous smell that comes as you traipse through wet ferns or freshly watered tropical plants, with its fresh hints of wild fig, green tea, cedarwood and musk.
Who should buy it: those who love exploring and hiking through jungles
RRP: £172 for 50ml | Notes: dry juniper berry, patchouli, ambrox, cade and musk
For another scent that captures rain-soaked terrain as opposed to just a forest blend, Le Labo's Baie 19 is a very chic and modern buy. It's crisp and earthy, seeking to capture that petrichor smell left behind after heavy rainfall, with its notes of dry juniper berry, patchouli, and musk. Much like Le Labo's other lineup of perfumes, from Santal 33 to Thé Matcha 26, this scent is unisex and beautifully versatile, ideal for year-round wear, though especially when you want to douse yourself in a radiantly green and luscious scent.
Who should buy it: someone who loves that just-rained smell and exploring tangled trees and sprawling green landscapes.
RRP: £135 for 75ml | Notes: Oliban, orange, raspberry, cocoa, ylang ylang, mate, patchouli, sandalwood and tonka
If you're a fan of aftershave-y style scents, but want a rainforest-like twist, Granado's Amazônico is a great choice. It's both fresh and spicy all at once, with bright, juicy notes of orange and raspberry, paired with ylang-ylang, patchouli, and sandalwood. It's woody, but less earthy than some of the perfumes already mentioned. In fact, there's a touch of sweetness to this blend, thanks to its tonka base note, that feels quite summery. As the name suggests, it's inspired by the world's largest rainforest and seeks to mirror its dewy, tropical air.
Who should buy it: those seeking a juicy, woody blend to wear all year round.
RRP: £140 for 100ml | Notes: bergamot, petitgrain, oakmoss, orange blossom and cedarwood.
The key is in the name with this one. If the sight and smell of moss instantly remind you of a forest walk, this Commodity blend definitely warrants a spritz. It's like the smell of a woodland waking up, warmed by hazy dawn light, with fresh and earthy notes of bergamot, petitgrain, oakmoss, and cedarwood. The 'Expressive' concentration of this blend is beautifully soft and subtle, unlike some of the bolder and very woodsy scents in this list, making it a lovely choice for an everyday forest-inspired signature.
Who should buy it: those seeking a very wearable and elegant green perfume
RRP: £116 for 50ml | Notes: aromatic clean accord, hinoki wood and cedarwood
Inspired by nature and the Japanese ritual of forest bathing, this Jo Malone scent layers aromatic notes with elegant, woody hints of cedar and hinoki. It's distinctive and rich, offering an ode to Japan's majestic forests and luscious landscapes. It's minimalistic but impactful, ideal if you're already a fan of the intentionality and simplicity of the best Jo Malone perfumes and are looking for an everyday fragrance that will immerse you in the beauty and calming effect of nature.
Who should buy it: lovers of woody fragrances who are on the hunt for something a tad more niche and aromatic.
What are 'forest walk' perfume notes?
To us, a forest walk perfume is all crisp, green notes like bergamot, fir and cypress, mingled with earthy tinges of moss, vetiver and a woody base of cedar and/or sandalwood. All bring a distinctly forest-like feel to a fragrance.
Then, of course, there are citrus notes, like lemon, that can also bring a sharpness to an outdoorsy scent. Herbaceous notes like rosemary, basil and sage are also ones to look out for, especially if you like more earthy fragrances. To some, more water or rain-like notes might evoke thoughts of forests, in which case, we recommend seeking out aquatic accords and mentions of petrichor in a fragrance's description.
Below, we've rounded up a list of forest perfume notes to look out for:
- Fir Balsam
- Pine needles
- Cypress
- Clary sage
- Juniper berry
- Oakmoss
- Rosemary
- Myrrh
- Amber
- Hinoki wood
- Agarwood
- Cedarwood
- Sandalwood
