There might not be snow outside, but moving forward, the season is just going to get cosier. From wrapping ourselves in soft sweaters to indulging in warm soups, fresh cookies, and of course, hot chocolate, it seems as if life itself is set to slow down and take a deep breath. The region may not show it, but the spirit persists. As for what we cannot see, we can make it come true with scents. When it comes to fall/winter candles, vanilla and pumpkin spice blends are the first to come to mind—maybe even a warm oud. Well, we decided to go beyond, thinking of pine trees, fall foliage, and smoky bonfires. If that sounds like your scent for the season, then you need to check these brands that are putting out the cosiest candles for the season.
Acqua di Parma
Summer sun and breeze by the Italian seaside is what comes to mind when thinking of Acqua di Parma, but their winter collection will surprise you. Releasing three cosy candles: Tartufo Bianco, Mosto, and Nocciola, they’re inspired by the Langhe region of northern Italy. Known as a hilly area with incredible vineyards, each candle from the Acqua di Parma collection captures a piece of Langhe in its scents.
Tartufo Bianco is a woody aromatic scent made to take you to the Langhe woodlands, smelling like crisp forest air with notes of Pine, Truffle Accord, Moss, and Musk, among others. Whereas Mosto is a chypre fragrance resembling Langhe’s vineyards. With notes of Grape and Blackcurrant on a base of Moss, Opoponax, and Patchouli, you get bitter fruitiness mixed with warmth. And finally, Nocciola is a sweet, woody fragrance inspired by the hazelnut trails of Langhe. Notes of Hazelnut are blended with Vanilla and Bitter Cocoa, layered on a base of woody accords, creating a toasty, gourmand fragrance ideal for wrapping yourself in a blanket and indulging in hot chocolate.
Byredo
Warmth during these colder seasons doesn’t just come from hot food and warm blankets—it’s in the people. It’s the season for people to come together and celebrate the relationships closest to you. Two of Byredo’s scents, Bibliothèque and Altar, evoke those feelings, creating the ambience perfect for family dinners, gatherings, and get-togethers. Bibliothèque is a fruity, powdery scent we can see lighting up for when friends come over to catch up after a long week. With notes of Plum, Cinnamon, Leather, and Birch Wood, among others, it’s a rich, complex note that brings off warmth. On the other hand, Altar is a more standard, fruity-spicy scent that’s still deep and warm, filling the air with memories of family and Christmastime.
Diptyque
When it comes to Diptyque candles, some are pretty well known for fall. Yes, we’re talking about Citrouille, the sugary-pumpkin candle that’s rick in sweet spices, vanilla, and of course, pumpkin. And while it is Diptyque’s cosy candle of the season, we’d like to turn your attention to Sapin and Feu de Bois. Less sugary but just as rich in its warmth, each candle brings a unique flavour of cosiness. Sapin is ideal for daytime with its fresh pine tree scent, whereas Feu de Bois lends itself to nighttime with its rich and smoky scent that resembles log fires.
Jo Malone London
There’s a Jo Malone scent for every mood. But beyond the warm, gourmand scents that we grow to love during the colder months, Jo Malone’s scents are on the fresher side, with scents that feel like a cool evening breeze. Blackberry & Bay and Lavender & Moonflower are two such scents, with the former being a fruity, woody scent and the latter being a softer, creamy scent. But they haven’t completely abandoned warm gourmands! Myrrh & Tonka fit the bill of a scent that’s rich, decadent, creamy, and extremely woody.
Maison Margiela Replica Collection
The collection best known for capturing memories in a bottle, the Replica candle collection evokes those feelings just as easily. With evergreen scents that can transport you to any season, Jazz Club and By the Fireplace are the two that capture the warmth of winter. Jazz Club is warm and spicy, if not a tad heady, taking you to worn-in leather and spilt cocktails. Whereas By the Fireplace is a more classic winter-y scent, with notes of chestnut and vanilla, creating that sweet, cosy sensation.
Miller Harris
Miller Harris is a British couture fragrance house founded by fragrance expert Lyn Harris. Dedicated to creating bespoke scents with natural materials, their scents are usually built around a singular note. Some of our favourites are Figue, a fresh, earthy scent with notes of Fig, Galbanum, and Cedarwood, Santal, which is heady and rich with notes of Sandalwood, Pink Pepper, and Olibanum and L’Air De Rien, a bespoke fragrance created for Jane Birkin. Capturing Jane’s favourite scents, L’Air De Rie evokes the air of dusty libraries and old books. With notes of Oak Moss, Neroli, Amber and Vanilla, it’s a sweet, woody fragrance ideal for tucking in at night, complete with a good book.
Rituals
Cosy season is all about taking in a breather which Rituals knows all too well. It’s all in the name—Rituals is all about taking from globally well-known rituals and symbols to hopefully create your own. Their best winter scents range from those that feel like a warm hug to those that are tart yet sweet like a cherry pie. We’re talking about their Amber & Myrrh candle from their Alchemy collection, the Daydreamer candle from their Dream collection, and the classic Ritual of Yozakura scented candle.
Amber & Myrrh smells exactly as it sounds—indulgent, soothing yet spicy with notes of cinnamon, tobacco, and white orchid. Whereas the Daydreamer candle is a more cheerful scent, reminiscent of winter mornings with notes of jasmine, orris, sandalwood and musk. And the Ritual of Yozakura is inspired by yozakura, aka Japanese cherry blossoms seen at night. So think fruity like cherries but grounded in ambery accords with notes of vanilla and tonka bean.
