I love fall, but the very first onslaught of rainy dark days makes me question my commitment to it. Did you guys see “The Campaign?” Though it was obviously (hilariously) in gest, Zach Galifianakis’ character Marty Huggins‘ promise to the residents of his district that he wants to “get rid of Daylight Savings Time, right? I hate when it gets dark early!” resonated with me. I hate it, too. I love the crisp weather and the fact that my hair’s finally cooperating for the first time in months, but the darkness sucks and to deal with it, I change my mood via vacation scents. Here’s what I’m loving.

Tocca Candle in Tahiti Coconut And Tiare Flower ($38) I’d posit that even Mr. Autumn Man would still rather be in Tahiti. The scent of this candle is DIVINE, like monoi had a shift of matter to form a solid. I light it, and instantly I’m here again, living on fruit and coconut-adorned ceviche.

Lifetherapy Vacation Hand And Body Wash ($24)
Are you familiar with Lifetherapy? It’s an amazing brand created by the delightful Lynette Lovelace, whom I met a couple months ago. In July, the bath/body line was featured in O Magazine. The premise is simple, but quite revolutionary, as most people don’t operate this way. Says Lynette, “The intention of the beauty line was a focus on mood, and how easily we can enhance or even evoke a mood through the simple smelling of a fragrance. It can literally draw you to a different place and time in a matter of seconds. It’s about understanding that mood is very often a choice in how we behave.” I keep this beachy-scented hand wash in my bathroom and am transported to the sands of the shore, though I remain very much on the isle of Manhattan in October. Also? The brand’s made in the U.S.A., which is nice. Try her other scents for different moods–Chill, Play, Escape and Flirt are also wonderful.

Good Home Company Reed Diffuser in Beach Days ($21) Good Home Company’s founder Christine Dimmick is a friend I met in Flywheel and if you’re not using her incredible line of home scented delights, I don’t understand what you’re DOING all the time. I’ve yet to find one I don’t adore–I’m burning through a Line Dried Laundry Detergent and Pure Grass Dryer Sheets box and will be devastated when I run out. You can even go to Christine’s Chelsea store on 24th Street and create a bespoke shower scrub from a mix of salts, sugars, oils and scents housed in a glass jar to take home. But the Reed Diffuser in Beach Days is the harbinger of halcyon hominess. Notes of jasmine, suntan oil and sea air transforms your home into a beach retreat–even if you’re landlocked.