Whatever winter means to you – cosy season or party season – it’s the perfect time of year to have a fragrance switch up. Light, fresh florals and bright fruity and green scents are perfect for summer, but in winter, it’s natural to want to reach for something warmer, softer, darker, and (if you’re in the party spirit) more opulent. Woody notes and rich ouds or cosy musks really come into their own in the colder, darker months (whether you’re wearing them with cashmere or sequins).
If you’re in the market for a seasonal signature scent, we’ve rounded up the best winter perfumes below.
1. Floral Street Black Lotus
Perfect for evening wear and festive parties, this is a really dark and smoky fragrance which draws upon notes like saffron, rose, cherry, and jasmine.
2. Shay & Blue Salt Caramel
If you’re drawn to sweet and gourmand scents, then this is the one for you. With notes of caramel, sea salt, sandalwood, and tonka bean, it’s buttery and creamy, the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
3. Ghost Moonlight
Citrusy scents are typically associated with summer, but for some reason this one really works for winter. It opens with a fresh burst of ginger, bergamot, and melon, but settles into a sweeter and softer floral thanks to notes of orange blossom, peony, chocolate, and amber.
4. Aesop Hwyl
This woody, gender-neutral fragrance works all year round, but thanks to its spicy top notes, it feels particularly appropriate for winter. It’s warm, smoky, and aromatic—perfect for spritzing on when you’re wearing your cosiest knitwear.
5. Upcircle Beauty Santelle
Sandalwood is a trending note in the fragrance world right now—it’s woody but sweet and so addictive. Using upcycled ingredients, this fragrance combines sandalwood with notes of pepper, peony, and pear.
6. Laboratory Perfumes Tonka
Sweet, vanilla-based perfumes are not always for everyone, but this one gives the classic fragrance note a darker, woodier spin. Thanks to the addition of pepper and tobacco, it’s a great option to go for if you’re after a more sophisticated and grown-up take on vanilla.
7. Who is Elijah Wall Street
Inspired by the busy streets of New York, this warm and smoky fragrance draws upon rich fragrance notes of rose, oud, incense, and raspberry.
8. Ghost Deep Night
Described as a ‘floral fruity fragrance’, this statement-making scent is perfect for party season. It features crowdpleasing notes like rose, peach, vanilla, and musk.
