I am on record, here and elsewhere, as hating winter. The forecast for this weekend — snow, snow, and then more snow — just adds insult to injury. I've mostly managed to avoid the winter rotation in our seasonal Top 10 lists, but I did get stuck with it back in 2011, and reviewing that list, yes, I could easily go through the winter with just those 10 (and I am convinced I could make it through any winter with just Fendi Theorema, if I had to).
To avoid repetition with my 2011 list and the winter lists we've done since, I decided to come up with a cold-weather wardrobe based solely on newer fragrances...and then once I'd decided on my 10, I realized, too late, that this post is essentially an abridged and annotated version of the Best of 2015. So much for good intentions. If you have some new ideas for winter, do comment! And do check out the lists at Bois de Jasmin, Grain de Musc and The Non-Blonde.
Winter warmth
Traditionally, winter fragrances are all about spices and woods and incense and amber: warm, relatively heavy notes that might help to ward off the chill. The bulk of my selections are from that category, because hey, it works.
Aftelier Vanilla Smoke ~ Angie pegged Vanilla Smoke as perfect for November, but I promise it will carry you straight through February. Brew up a nice cup of lapsang souchong and settle in, spring is bound to get here eventually.
Tauerville Incense Flash ~ a dry herbal leathery incense that could be the winter version of Tauer Incense extrême. Bonus: if you've been brushing up on your perfumista math, you probably already know that Incense Flash is basically free.
Kerosene Broken Theories ~ bold, dark, smoky and spicy, and the perfect thing to wear while reading by the fire. If, like me, you don't have a fireplace, pour yourself a nice glass of something, put on Broken Theories, sit right next to the radiator and dream. If you don't have a radiator either — modern life is so hard! — get out your iPad and pull up Nick Offerman's Yule Log.
Aedes de Venustas Palissandre d’Or ~ while it's one of the quieter Aedes fragrances, Palissandre d’Or still packs plenty of woody and spicy goodness, and the hint of smoky incense gives it a contemplative air that's perfect for pondering life's big questions, like why winter?
John Varvatos Dark Rebel ~ Kevin questioned the need for Dark Rebel given that Hermès Bel Ami is still in production, but did point out that if you wanted a milder version, Dark Rebel might suit. I'll just add that yes, some of us do indeed appreciate a milder version, and as a bonus, Dark Rebel layers beautifully: try it with a tiny dash of Tauerville Rose Flash. (The bottle is pretty spiffy, too, and it's already at the discounters. You can find a big bottle for even less than the already-basically-free Incense Flash.)
Snow Day
Remember the joy of a snow day when you were young? The freedom, the hot chocolate, playing in the snow for hours! For many of us, that joy has been replaced with the drudgery of shoveling snow and being cooped up the house, sometimes for days on end, with dwindling food supplies and cranky cabinmates. Worst case scenario: your internet is out as well, and somebody in the household is coming down with a cold.
L’Artisan Parfumeur Noir Exquis ~ you need a decent winter comfort scent, preferably one with at least a little foody sweetness, in your arsenal for days like these, and Noir Exquis might just fit the bill. If it doesn't, do look at the comments on that review — there are tons of great suggestions for alternatives.
Maria Candida Gentile Elephant & Roses ~ Kevin calls Elephant & Roses the daytime / summer version of Serge Lutens Muscs Koublaï Khan, and perhaps it is, for some of you. For those of us for whom Muscs Koublaï Khan is essentially out of the question, day or night, in any season, Elephant & Roses is a perfect animalic musk for sissies, and there's no better time to wear it than a snow day — you're not going anywhere anyway. Plus, somebody else will have to do the shoveling, because you can't very well have your coat smelling like elephant, can you?
California dreaming
I'm tired of winter before it begins, and eventually, I'm tired of winter-y orientals too. Then it's time for a little escape, perfume-wise. I already did a post on citrus fragrances for cold weather, or you can try one of the two escapist alternatives listed below.
Bvlgari Omnia Paraiba ~ for a quick tropical getaway, turn the heat way up, shed a few winter layers and find yourself the happiest fruity floral you can. Byredo Pulp is another good option, and so is Diptyque Oyedo.
L'Occitane Pamplemousse Rhubarbe ~ more good cheer to counter grey winter days, plus there's just enough spice to keep the rhubarb and grapefruit from floating away during the worst of January.
Hothouse flowers
Many of us put away our pretty florals until spring rolls round again, but of course that's crazy: you need pretty now more than ever.
Diptyque Essences Insensées 2015 ~ a (gorgeous!) jasmine that's full-bodied enough that it might work better in chilly weather anyway. Wit from Parfums DelRae is another alternative, and when all else fails, there's always Fracas.
Note: top image shows detail from Mikhail Vrubel's The Snow Maiden, a sketch for the opera.
Oh, Robin. You and your Theorema!
I don’t blame you, though. It is entirely wonderful.
I don’t have any new winter scents to propose. My winter mainstays are cozy sweatery things from my two favourite lines: the CSP vanillas (Vanille Cafe, Amour de Cacao, Vanille Abricot, Vanille Amande especially) and the warmer, sweeter Lutenses (Un Bois Vanille, Arabie, Douce Amere, Jeux de Peau) are in heavy rotation at this time of year.
I know, I’m a broken record!
We have different favorites among the sweeter/warmer Lutens but we share the Douce Amere. I was just wishing I had some Attarine, I think that was the last Lutens I fell for.
Agree on the Lutenses! Having neither fireplace nor radiator, I can only cozy up to my perfume collection…
You’ll see when you visit my list that I also love grapefruit and white florals in winter! In fact I have a notion to wear Lush Lust later today…
And I will visit your list shortly! Lush Lust is a good one.
Always torn: do I double-down on the winter vibes, or reach out to evoke warmer days with a lighter scent? Today it’s a double-down: Jungle, from Kenzo. Rich, plummy, and perfect for a snowy day!
Top 5 winter day scents for me:
Jungle
Bois des Iles
Shalimar
Winter Woods from Sonoma Scent Studio
Habanita
And to remind me of the warmer days to come:
Halston
Chanel 19 Poudre
Eclat d’Arpege
Neroli de Portofino
Noa
Sigh…all so wonderful!
Fantastic list! We have lots of favorites in common.
Glad to see the criminally underrated Halston on your list. One of my favorite everything but the kitchen sink chypres.
Interesting, this Halston you speak of. Is it discontinued?
While I would never encourage anyone to disappear down the rabbit hole of vintage perfumes, Halston can be found on eBay relatively cheaply. The new EDT, while not bad at all, lacks a certain richness and depth to my nose. I have the vintage tiny bottles in the perfume strength and a little dab will do! My favorite chypres are Paloma Picasso, Niki de St Phalle, EL Knowing and the bespoke Halston. I grew up in the 1980s and have great affection for many fragrances created in that era.
Agreeing with you on Halston.
Ahh, Noa! I had a bottle of that once that never got replaced, but it was good while it lasted.
I enjoy your list and your disdain for the cold. I joke with my husband that living in the Poconos (of perpetual winter) has turned me into an unabashed sun person. I dream of being a lizard sunning myself on a rock for ever and ever! I enjoy the warm spicy fragrances that used to me my mainstay for years now from about the time it takes to get from Halloween to Thansksiving, and then all I want is either a good aldehyde (No 5), or anything that smells like spring: Cristalle, Chamade, Amoureuse, et. al. And I totally agree about the Diptyque Jasmine being really great! Since I can’t afford a trip somewhere warm, at least I’ll smell like it!
I recently ended up with a small sample of JV Dark Rebel, and I was truly almost very impressed by a mainstream release. It is a bit edgier than the norm and is rather sexy. Maybe I’ll have to wear some tomorrow… while I’m shoveling.
Ann how much snow are they forecasting for your area? You must get more total snow than we do, but this storm seems centered farther south. We’re supposed to get about a foot, I think.
And ha, I love “truly almost very impressed”!
We have been blessed so far this winter by almost no snow at all. I am in tears of joy over this. But those days are over. We are right on one of the forecast boundaries, near I-80, so we are somewhere from about 4-12 inches. Who can say? It will be tough up here b/c of high winds moving it around. I think either way you guys are getting more than us. I truly feel for you guys down there – my sister near the turnpike will get hammered. At least the snow is supposed to be dry and puffy – much easier to shovel, etc., but the winds will have their way. Stay safe!
Well, good luck to both of us. I can live with the snow, but winds, for us, usually = no power.
Our forecast (Raleigh) has changed from 6″ of snow to 2″ of ice. No power is a definite possibility. Happy, happy, happy. At least I smell good. There’s always that.
Ugh. Good luck.
I love these seasonal lists, Robin! It’s fun to compare notes with other perfume devotees. Here’s my list of most-worn winter perfumes:
Byredo 1996
Histoire de Parfums Ambre 114
Prada Infusion d’Iris absolue
L’Artisan Parfumeur Vanille Absolument (aka Havana Vanille)
Dior Eau Noire
Prada Candy
Chanel Bois des Isles
I’ve got 5 ml of Amouage Opus IX that is getting some skin time this winter as a break from the resins and vanillas.
Agree, I love lists too. And I love *almost* all of your picks — we have a lot in common.
I know, Robin–we are nearly scent twins. At least 75% of the time if you love something, I will too. But then there are those exceptions, such as Slumberhouse Pear+Olive 😉
I know you don’t like pear!
True! I sort of liked MDCI Belle Helene, and I sort of like Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline, but I don’t think I have ever LOVED pear. But 75% is not bad.
My standard faves for winter are Sacrebleu, Black Cashmere, Santal Exotique and Kalimantan, joined this year by Fumee d’Or
Nice!
We finally moved into temperatures I would call “wintery” just a couple of weeks ago, and I admit to feeling relieved. It’s just not right to have no cold weather when it should be cold! And it’s snowing here now, 6″ on the ground and more to come.
I was going to say that winter is great perfume weather, but honestly every weather is great for some fragrance or other. I have just been glad to be able to wear my heavier scents, after that 70F Christmas (ugh!).
So anyway, there are about four categories of winter scents for me:
1. The Cozy Blankets – Teo Cabanel Alahine (about the only ambery thing I love, and it’s not even super ambery), Caron Parfum Sacre, or Soivohle Centennial, which is technically a chypre but has this delightfully fuzzy texture that feels like angora. Vintage Emeraude goes here too.
2. Things that Burn – woods and incense stuff like Bois des Iles, Champagne de Bois, DSH Twelfth Night, or DK Black Cashmere (which is cuddly enough it could go into the Cozy Blanket category).
3. Tropical Paradise/Greenhouse Effect – I always seem to enter a tuberose/BWF craving in January. Lots of white flowers, any white flowers, bring ’em on. Roses, too, big ones that can stand up to the cold.
4. Sparkly Lights – aldehydes. Yep, I went there. Iris Poudre, No. 5, Arpege (spectacularly woody in the vintage, once the aldehydes are gone), vintage L’Aimant, Mariella Burani. There’s something breathtaking about aldehydes when the air is crisp.
I know what you mean — it felt “not right” at Christmas when the weather was in the high 60s / low 70s. I’d sadly still prefer it that way!
I have come to love No. 5 in the winter!
Your list is excellent! You nailed it for sure. Esp. aldehydes in winter.
Getting a big smile out of your category names!
Ditto. Really fun!
Winter is my best season for perfume. Anything woody, sweet, spicy or incensey does it for me. This winter it’s the usual suspects of Tauer Incense Extreme, PHI Rose de Kandahar, Rundholz April 3 1968, Prada Cuir Ambre, and adding Noir Exquis to the rotation. But really I must have a hundred scents that I will wear this fall/winter.
Yum, Phi 🙂
Ditto Phi!
Nice list. You get the shameless enabler pin for the day with the John Varvatos. They are out at FragranceNet but will email me when they have it again!
Good, that will give you time to try it first! Shouldn’t be that hard to find a tester?
I live in a perfume desert and I hate the mall. Have I mentioned that I hate the mall? I will slip into Dillard’s and see if they have it. After the snow.
Ha, I hate the mall too, it’s so depressing. I go 4 or 5 times a year for the perfume, and plot my perfume counter route very carefully.
I keep returning to my sample of Noir Exquis, wanting it to “click” for me more than it has so far. It smells extremely good, but it’s almost like there’s a hole in it. I have the same problem with Traverse du Bosphore, except that one has many holes — all I can smell in it is apple jelly spilled on warm stones, along with a curious sensation of part of my sense of smell being somehow numbed.
Interesting — some musk anosmia, maybe? I do like NE, but I like TdB so much better. No matter, there are tons of other decent winter gourmands.
Yay winter scents! A few in my current rotation:
Tauer L’Air du Desert Marocain. I’m a perfume wimp, almost always preferring my fragrance err on the lightweight side. But I’m also besotted with Andy Tauer’s work. It’s a conundrum. Solution: cold weather.
Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur. I got a bottle as a gift this year. I am thrilled with it. End review.
Sonoma Scent Studios Champagne de Bois. This is great all the time, but like L’Air du Desert, is maybe even easier to wear in the cooler weather. Plus some sparkly aldehydes for winter cheerfulness. Tops.
L’Artisan Safran Troublant. IMO most of Giacobetti’s scents fare better in warmer weather, but given the thicker, almost-chewy gourmand quality of Safran, it wasn’t a love for me until I tried it in cold weather. Now I see the error of my ways. May the patron saint forgive me.
Le Labo Rose 31. Deep, spicy, even rather masculine rose has the backbone for winter wear, and it can do double-duty to fit the noir theme. What more can a person ask for really.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Absolue Pour Le Soir. Ok now I’m just stealing from other people’s noir ideas (thanks Holly!) What is better in the snow than some skank in your perfume? Nothing.
…ok I could keep going but basically in short, winter might be my favorite perfume season, I love how many things I get to wear that are otherwise overwhelming for me. At least that’s something good going for wretched weather!
What a great list! I do not think you can qualify as a perfume wimp if you’re wearing Musc Ravageur AND L’Air du Desert.
I wore Orange Sanguine today – felt like I needed a little bit of ‘sunshine’ in my day – getting the winter blaahhhs lately
Hope it is working for you!
Yes it did!
I’m one of those who LOVE winter! Everything is just so beautiful when it is covered with snow! 😀 I just can’t stop smiling when there is snow, sun and cold temperature to really bring a sparkle to the world! And starry skies, and nothern lights and OH it’s just so magical! That winter suits both my personal style and my taste in perfume doesn’t hurt either. 🙂
I’m enjoying both new and older favorites this season.
Among the newer I count the 2015 limited re-release of Slumberhouse Rume which is the one I’m wearing today. It is the most mystical dark and syrupy sweet incense smoke! I adore it!
I’m also really into sweet animalics right now, they just feel like the fragrant equivalent of pulling on a warm fur coat. Xerjoff Mamluk is my favorite of that genre of scents, it is such a gorgeous skanky honey! And I recently bought a bottle of Smell Bent Werewolf Lumberjack Reclining on a Bearskin Rug… I intend to layer that one with anything and everything just to bring that animalic edge I’m craving right now! I also fell in love with Smell Bent Gimel a Break, another gorgeous skanky honey.
Then of course there are the old favorite cozies, like Slumberhouse Ore! That one just wears like an old favorite sweater.
LaDomna, it snowed in Joburg South Africa several years back, for one day. Towards late afternoon it was mostly melted away, but until then, the ground was layered and all the tree tops white! One could stand outside and FEEL the flakes falling. I think I was completely manic for about 6 hours – it was seriously one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I saw a few other people on the street and couldn’t understand why they weren’t GRINNING! One day I’m going to make it up North to see the lights!
Just to clarify – this was my first real experience of snow. I’m sure it sounds rather odd to those further North 🙂
I’m here on the Gulf Coast, and I completely understand. We had a white Christmas back in 2004–it snowed about 8 inches on Christmas Eve, and the snow actually stayed on the ground for a couple of days. It was “real” snow too. Normally, we will get snow about once every 15 or 20 years, and it will typically be about an inch or less of slush. This was the fluffy, powdery kind, and it was beautiful, just a solid white blanket over everything. I spent my early childhood in Michigan, so I have plenty of memories of snow, but I never thought I would see it like that here. I built a snowman (right next to my lemon tree!), made snow angels, threw snowballs, and generally acted like a kid the whole day.
50 Roses. it snowed here when I was 5 and I had pneumonia at the time and couldn’t go out. Fortunately I didn’t realize at the time how unusual it was – nor that it would take about 30 years for it to happen again!
Living in Finland I am well used to snow and it is a given part of winter… but I can never get over the magic of it! Every time it’s snowing, or even every time I see snow, I just get completely giddy with happiness! So I spend my winters (at least any proper snowy winter, we’ve had bad winters too, rain in january is so depressing) walking on clouds and just generally blissed out! 😀 So I definitely still understand how you must have felt!
Laughing/shuddering at the notion of my coat smelling like an elephant! Just walked in from shoveling, only a couple of inches here, thank heavens. I’m with Mals on Alahine and aldehydes for this time of yr. This may be a first, don’t think I’ve sampled any on your list, Robin.
You know I was kidding — it doesn’t really smell like elephant! But it is darned musky.
Looks like we have an inch or two here, so far.
I love winter, but that’s because I live in Florida! The few months of “cold” weather are when I break out the heavy-hitters:
Kenzo Jungle Elephant
PdE Ambre Russe
SSS Tabac Aurea
Rochas Femme
Tauer Incense Rose/Rose Flash/Incense Flash
Chanel Coromandel
Nice to see a mention of Rochas Femme, and that’s +2 for Jungle Elephant!
Cosy warm spicy scents are great for winter but when it gets COLD somehow they don’t fit anymore.
The weather has been amazingly beautiful these last weeks with sparkling perfect winter snow everywhere and on the trees and the sky gorgeous pale pink and blues- but -35C (-31F) is somewhat painful!
I go more for the sparkling crystalline scents, something the White Witch of Narnia would wear 🙂
Oh, what would the White Witch wear?
No 22!
Yes that’s a good one!
Sounds right.
Ooh, my favorite winter scent is probably Ambre Narguilé (Hermessence). Far too warm to wear at any temperature above 55 °F! Serge Lutens’s Ambre Sultan is cozy, too, and better balanced for me. I favor (as it seems many of you do) heavier oriental perfumes in winter.
Nice picks!
Fun list! I’ve been getting into the white florals for winter thing. Love the Diptyque IE. Songes body oil is also wonderful after a night time shower. I’ve also been enjoying Cristalle edp in the cold. It’s bright and springy with enough warmth for the cold. I’d be happy with a temperature range between 65-80 degrees.
Winter was a quaint novelty when I moved from LA to NY but I got over that pretty quickly.
Whereas I am still missing what passes for winter in SoCal.
I despise winter. I start dreading it in August, because I never know if it will come early here. I don’t relegate my fragrances to seasons. Mostly to mood. For real cold temperatures, I like Coco, Dior Addict, and Fendi. Come February though, I start to pretend it is spring with brighter scents. again though, depends on my mood. I am truly hoping all of you dealing with this storm stays safe and keeps power.
So far, so good: we have about a foot of snow but have not lost power, knock on wood.
Haha! “Incense Flash is basically free.” How true.
I wore Wit earlier this week and, you’re so right, it was a great break from the typically heavier winter scents.
Great list, Robin! Thanks!
I do wish I had a bottle of Wit. Have not given up hope that they’ll release smaller sizes.
When I think of the scents I’ve worn this winter, it’s not really a Winter List – Masque Milano Russian Tea and Arquiste Nanban are probably the only ones that I wouldn’t wear in the middle of the summer, otherwise these are just scents I like a lot.
I’ve always liked white florals for winter, but I’ve added gently powdery ones this year: L’eau d’Hiver, Mimosa&Cardamom, Apres l’Ondee.
Two favourite winter-irises are currently Iris Nazarena and Iris Cendre.
For parties, I’ve worn Fleur de Chine and for cold, sparkly winter mornings, Cristalle is always excellent.
I still need to get my hands on Iris Cendre!
Of newer perfumes, I like Pd’E Tabac Tabou. Haven’t had a chance to try Nanban or the MPG Elephant yet. For less cold days, I’m very fond of an indie discovery, FL Parfums Don d’Amour.
Another brand I have not heard of!
I am on record elsewhere, and now here, as hating winter as well. Like lillyjo, I start dreading it in August. By mid-August the light and falling leaves portend fall, and fall is nothing but a precursor to winter (winter lite, really.)
This winter was made doubly miserable by our heat not working properly. Despite that approximately 15 conversations I had with both maintenance and management beginning in October through the new year, it was not fixed until early January. So my list is neither a Top 10 nor my list of favorites, nor does it really add anything new. But with a nod to BlizzardZilla2016, these are what managed to warm me up despite the temperature both inside and out.
Guerlain Cuir Beluga, Shalimar [blah blah blah] Mexique and Tonka Impériale
Kenzo Flower
Any vanilla I could get my hands on, but primarily:
Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise
Dame Perfumery Black Flower Mexican Vanilla
I slept most nights in:
Chanel N°5 extrait or cologne
Rosine Rose Kashmirie, Rose Praliné and Ballerina N°3
Stay warm and safe!
Wow, glad it was finally fixed! I am consoling myself with the fact that the darkest night of the year is already over, and hopefully there is only about 6 weeks of misery to go 🙂