The divine feminine cannot be surfaced through ChatGPT. In a world driven by algorithms, AI, and countless screens, who could blame you if you wanted to retreat into the woods and get in touch with your ancestral power? Unfortunately, going off-grid and making potions full-time is not feasible for most of us, but the next best thing might be to transport ourselves via scent. Herbal, earthy, mossy, smoky, and witchy fragrances are exactly what the doctor ordered this fall and may be the perfect way to indulge in the practice.
It is fall, so witches are having their expected annual moment. Practical Magic 2 has renewed our interest in apothecaries and herbalism (Flamingo Estate’s monthly subscription box is dedicated to the “Everyday Alchemy” of the movie, packed with oracle cards, oversized matches for your altars, and various herbal elixirs). American Horror Story will be resurrecting its beloved Coven this month. Plus, a slew of new witches will follow: Carrie-Ann Fisher in Yaga, a trio of school-aged witches in Coven Academy, and the animated movie Hexed.
In fashion, Gabriela Hearst’s spring-summer collection was themed around the tarot’s Major Arcana, Elie Saab focused on gothic romanticism, and “goth bride” became the It girl’s preferred aesthetic for their wedding day (see: Gabriette, Tish Weinstock, and Emma Roberts).
But our recent call to the mystical goes beyond the season. Pinterest’s Hobbies and Trend report for 2026 reveals that our interests have turned from digital to more natural, intuitive practices. Searches on Pinterest for “herbal apothecary” are up 595% over last year, and “learn astrology” is up 733%. Searches on the platform for “moon water ritual,” “witchcraft crystals,” and “foraging basket” have also seen notable growth on the platform. According to Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, DC, that conducts polls on social issues and public opinion, 30% of Americans consult tarot cards and 43% of women believe in astrology. We have, undoubtedly, become more culturally interested in the metaphysical.
“There is an almost instinctual desire to slow down, touch the earth, grow something, burn something, make something with our hands, listen to our intuition, and create rituals that belong to us,” says Los Angeles-based perfumer Douglas Little, who founded Heretic Parfum around the concept of magical herbalism and ritual. “I don’t think people are suddenly deciding that witches are cool. I think people are recognizing something within that archetype that modern life has starved them of.”
Fragrance has always been a little witchy to begin with, so it’s a natural outlet for this desire. To start, the bottles have always looked like pretty little holders of potions. And for thousands of years, as far back as ancient Greece and Rome, scent has been tied to ancient rituals, potions, salves, and herbal remedies. The word “perfume” is derived from “per fumum”—“from smoke”—a wafting symbol of carrying prayers to the gods. In America, Florida Water, a citrusy eau de cologne created in 1808 (that you can still purchase cheaply from Amazon or Walgreens), has been used in Southern spiritual practices for as long as it’s been around.