NOW Essential Oils Cinnamon Cassia -- 1 fl oz

Autumn is one of the most stimulating seasons for the senses, especially for our sense of smell. We all love the earthiness of crunching leaves and crackling fires, the richness of savory soups that warm the bones and, of course, the heady spice of pumpkin anything.

But how do you capture those crisp and cozy fall scents in your home? And how do you do it naturally?

3 key ingredients for all-natural home fragrance

Candles and potpourri can be a great way to evoke the warm smells of fall, but because they can be made from artificial fragrances, they may trigger headaches, allergies and even asthma attacks for those with sensitive olfactory systems. To make sure you’re getting all-natural home scents, use these three ingredients:

• • 100% pure essential oils
  • Fresh, real fruits
  • Whole spices

Pull on a cozy sweater, get out your fuzzy slippers and transform your home into an autumn haven.

Cinnamon-spice wax melts

Wax melts are similar to candles but without the burning wick. Whip up a batch of rich cinnamon wax melts for your warmer to create a subtly spicy ambience in the living room or bathroom. When you make them yourself, you know exactly what ingredients are going in.

• • 1. In a double boiler, melt ½ cup coconut oil and ½ cup beeswax granules. Chop up 1 orange peel and toss it into the heating mixture.
    2. Remove mixture from heat, stir in 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons whole cloves and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
    3. Once cool, pour the mixture into an ice cube tray and let sit until firm. Pop the wax melts out and store them inside a glass jar with a lid. Use one to two melts on your warmer at a time and be transported into a cinnamon-sweet paradise!

Apple-ginger simmer pot

A simmer pot, or stovetop potpourri, is a quick way to humidify the air with an irresistible autumnal fragrance. Experiment with spices that make you feel snug like nutmeg, clove and ginger and make your home the coziest of gathering places.

• • 1. Bring 5 cups of water to a simmer on the stovetop and toss in 2 fresh orange peels and 1 apple, sliced in half.
    2. Throw in 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anise, 1 teaspoon-sized knob of fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon cardamom pods, 1 teaspoon whole cloves and ¼ teaspoon dried orange peel.
    3. Let simmer for a few hours and keep topping off the water as it boils away. You can also use a crockpot for this recipe, setting it low or high and leaving the lid off.

For a deliciously drinkable simmer pot option, try this great recipe: Spiced Apple Cider.

Fall-scented linen spray

Artificial fragrances are a big culprit in laundry products, but with this quick and easy linen spray, you can say goodbye to chemical scents, and hello to cozy smells you’ll want to snuggle into!

• • 1. In an empty spray bottle, mix together ½ cup water, ½ cup cheap vodka (yes, vodka!), then 30 to 40 drops of the essential oil of your choice.
    2. Experiment with essential oil combinations like clove, ginger, orange, cinnamon bark or cedarwood.
    3. Spray onto sheets, pillowcases, towels and anywhere else that needs an infusion of fall.

Dried herb & flower bouquets

Add some subtle scents to specific areas in your home by bundling together dried herbs like rosemary, star anise and decorative flowers. These bouquets will also add a charming fall look to your home wherever you decide to place them.

• • 1. Gather together a bundle of dried herbs. Try rosemary sprigs, star anise and eucalyptus branches.
    2. Add in some red, yellow or orange-colored dried flowers and tie together with ribbon.
    3. Place these bouquets in hallways, the living room, bathrooms, in vases on the kitchen island and on coffee tables – anywhere in your home that needs a little burst of fall fragrance and color.

Cinnamon pine cones

An unexpected and delightful autumn fragrance idea can be found right outside your doorstep. By infusing pine cones with cinnamon essential oils, you can add a spicy scent to your home and some seasonal decor as well.

• • 1. Gather 10 to 15 pine cones from outside, then bake them in the oven for about 45 minutes at 200°F in order to dry out sap and kill any bugs.
    2. Allow pine cones to cool, then place them inside a plastic bag or lidded container. Add 5 to 10 drops of cinnamon essential oil and seal the bag. Allow pine cones to sit for a day.
    3. Pull out pine cones and place them in a bright bowl, or string them up for a scented garland.

Fall-scented diffusers

One of the simplest ways to bring some autumnal smells into your home naturally is through an essential oil diffuser. You can pick and play with any number of seasonal fragrances to create a sweet and spicy ambiance to help cozy up any room in your home.

Here are some fall essential oil recipe ideas:

• • • Apple Cider: Wild orange + cinnamon + ginger
    • Chai Tea Latte: Clove + ginger
    • Pumpkin Spice: Cinnamon + clove + nutmeg
    • Crisp Fall Forest: Cypress + fir + sandalwood

Fall for the power of the great pumpkin

While you’re in this warm autumn mood, check out this “Perfectly Pumpkin” e-book loaded with over 20 different pumpkin recipes including desserts, entrees, DIY beauty treatments and even treats for your pup! Celebrate all that is fall with the sweet smells and spice-filled tastes of the season. We like to think there’s a bit of fall magic in every ingredient.