13 Best Winter Scents for Ladies

In the winter time you'll want to wear your heavy, dark, warm, mysterious fragrances because those fragrances do well in cold air. Winter air makes perfumes softer so it's my favorite season to wear perfume because you can wear bold scents. So wear all your heavy hitters now! But go easy on the trigger spray. You'll see a lot of repeats here from my fall fragrance list and my 2022 winter list. The list here has just been refined into my core favorites. This season I'm really into tobacco fragrances, this really hits you in the feels if you had a loved one who smoked a pipe. Transports me back to childhood. I don't mean cigarettes, but the scent of a sweet cherry cigar. And no I have no interest in going to a cigar bar, but I love the scent in perfumes and candles. The cold temperatures outside can really suck, but perfumes are the best mood-lifters.

You can buy samples of all these perfumes at one of these places: lucky scent, scent split or decantx. Never blind buy a perfume, they're too expensive for that. You have to make sure you like it.

Tobacco Forward

Giorgio Armani - Magenta Tanzanite

2022 release, notes are cardamom, ginger, bergamot, cinnamon, coffee, myrrh, tobacco, vanilla, tonka bean. Some people compare this to Penhaligon's - Changing Constance as they have some similarities.

Overall it comes off as a dark, resinous, cherry liquor soaked cigar with spices (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla bourbon). My uncle used to smoke cigars so I have a scent memory of that and while I would never want to go to a cigar bar, I love tobacco candles. I'm not talking about ashy cigarettes, but sweet cigars. This smells like that sweet cigar and its intoxicating! Tobacco adds depth and complexity to cold weather scents.

This smells very similar to Herod, Changing Constance, Minuit et Demi and my favorite men's cologne Spicebomb Extreme. Spicebomb is a blend of spices that is warmed by a beautiful tobacco vanilla base, it's stunning and really addictive.

The difference is Magenta Tanzanite was put in a pink bottle so it's marketed towards women and has ginger and bergamot which gives it a lighter feel but it's still a heavy perfume. The Cinnamon and Myrrh in Magenta Tanzanite make it more spicy while Herod is a little sweeter and has a lot more woody notes and feels darker.

Parfums de Marly - Herod

2012 release, top notes are Cinnamon and Pepperwood; middle notes are Tobacco Leaf, Incense, Osmanthus and Labdanum; base notes are Vanilla, Iso E Super, Cedar, Musk, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha and Vetiver

This is marketed to men but I know women that wear it. It also reminds me of Spicebomb Extreme. It is so so sexy and gives you that sweet cherry pipe tobacco feeling.

Penhaligon's - Changing Constance

A spicy and warm fragrance and rounded with a slight touch of tobacco accord with a woody dry down. The brand describes the scent of Constance as conjures up the feeling of sitting in a cozy coffee house, reading a book, whilst indulging in a cigar and some salted caramel truffles. The main notes are caramel, cardamom and vanilla but it has light sillage.

This smells similar to Magenta Tanzanite but is sweeter because of the caramel note while Magenta is more spicy because of the cinnamon and Myrrh. But Changing Constance has less longevity.

Amber

Maison Francis Kurkdjian - Grand Soir

This is a unisex scent with a strong scent trail. If you're the type of girl who likes a dark ambery fragrance, this is for you. In French, Grand Soir means "Big Night", so imagine what scent you'd wear for a night out in Paris as you drive by the all the bridges and sparkling Eiffel Tower. This is a beautiful scent with notes of sweet amber, vanilla, tonka bean and benzoin. It's rich, sophisticated, and breathtaking. It's warm but not too spicy. It has superb performance lasting 8 hours and through a shower!

Spicy

BDK Gris Charnel Extrait

2022 release, a unisex scent, this is the 30% more concentrated version of the perfume Gris Charnel and thus its called Extrait. It's similar to the original but has a stronger intensity that is richer with the added notes of patchouli and cedar. This one is deeper, richer, longer lasting. It has fantastic sillage! The extrait is a little darker and has a little more edge and the fig note is toned down. If you spray this on one wrist, you will smell it for the entire day! Top notes are Cardamom, Black Tea and Fig; middle notes are Iris, Bourbon Vetiver and Cistus Incanus; base notes are Sandalwood, Madagascar Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Cedar and Indonesian Patchouli Leaf. It's a creamy and deep rich sandalwood scent! The smoky vetiver adds a lot of depth, complexity and darkness to the fragrance. It's a stunning fragrance! The Black Tuxedo of perfumes or its sophistication and I got a lot of compliments on this.

Xerjoff - Ivory Route

Xerjoff is an Italian brand that keeps its scent notes secret but what you will smell here is spicy notes, sandalwood, allspice, patchouli, and basil.

Vanilla

Note I don't like vanilla candles or most vanilla perfumes, the fact that I like these vanilla perfumes means they are classier and more upscale. They don't smell like a cupcake.

Nishane - Ani

Nishane is a Turkish brand and Ani is considered a unisex fragrance. It's a warm woody vanilla with an effervescent bergamot opening, then it changes over time to a spicy ginger with cardamom. I wore this every day last December because it smells like Christmas. I got lots of compliments on it as it's a stunning fragrance! It's dreamy, delicious, inviting, warm and comforting so also perfect for rainy fall days. This also comes in a hair perfume. A hair perfume has less alcohol so it's safe for your hair and your hair can hold a scent longer than your skin.

Yves Saint Laurent - Babycat

2022 release and top notes are elemi, Black and Pink Pepper, Black Pepper and Pink Pepper; middle notes are Olibanum and Saffron; base notes are Bourbon Vanilla, Suede and Cedar.

A unisex scent that smells of incense, suede and leather. Think dark, slightly boozy, smoky, expensive leather. This is the black widow of vanilla fragrances. Best for evenings when you want to feel like a Bond girl. A more low key elegant version of Absolute Aphrodisiac.

Initio Parfums - Absolute Aphrodisiac

Notes are Amber, vanilla, leather, musk, white flowers. They use castoreum which comes from the anal glands of the beaver but I'm sure now is synthetic.

This is a dark and very dirty vanilla. The vanilla is dry and slightly boozy. I get some spices. Very sexy. Its warm and captivating. An absolute masterpiece.

When I was in Las Vegas I visited the Celine store and smelled all of their perfumes. You can't find samples of them anywhere except the store so I brought some home so I can continue to test. If you scroll to the bottom of their page, all the perfumes are sold in 15ml format for a lower price.

Black Tie

Notes are Orris, Vanilla, cedar, musk, moss. I'm not a vanilla girlie but this smells expensive and refined. However it has a very light sillage thus I would classify this a quiet luxury bottled as a fragrance. You get a subtle but refined scent.

Dans Paris

Notes are bergamot, coriander seed, laurel blossom accord, musk, iris, vanilla. This is so sophisticated and exquisite. It has a fresh element to it so its very modern and has layers of complexity to it. It smells like cherry almond with a hint of vanilla. It's very pretty but wears close to the skin.

Oud

Oud comes from the Agarwood tree (that is molded) which is popular in Arabian perfumes and has an intense aroma. Some say oud smells like gasoline, but the benefit of it is that the perfume lasts all day long because it's so strong!

It looks like Lancome Oud Bouquet is discontinued but it was a very popular fragrance. You can get a dupe of it here.

BDK - Tabac Rose

This is lighter version of Lancome’s Oud Bouquet plus rose. It’s a sultry, well-balanced masterpiece. It smells like a mild spicy rose with some plum and tobacco so it’s not too boring. Picture a sweet and jammy, spicy gourmand rose. The tobacco is that sweet cherry pipe tobacco that your grandfather smoked. Its nostalgic and warm. The rose is dark and velvety. It also has notes of chocolate and labdanum in it which is a resin, and that gives this perfume a deep, powerful, leathery note that is almost like an oud. This is a powerful, strong perfume, not for the weak of heart.

Swiss Arabian - Shaghaf Oud

This is a stronger version of Lancome’s Oud Bouquet and this isn't for the faint of heart. All I wore last winter was this fragrance! It has a massive trail and lasts for 32 hours on your skin! The notes are oud, praline, rose, vanilla, guaiac wood, copahu balm. This used to be the crown jewel of my collection, its just so stunning. It has a beautiful dynamic between dark and sweet as a very thick syrupy rose praline decadence in a bottle. Even if oud is not your thing, you should definitely still give this a try. This is billowy cloud of creamy vanilla praline goodness.

House of Amouage

I'm super excited to be visiting Amouage's perfume factory next month in Muscat! My favorite perfumes from their house are Material Woman which is a dupe for Grand Soir. Honour 43 Woman is a floral scent that lasts 24 hours on your skin because its 43% oils. Not to be confused with their perfumes Honour Woman and Honour Man. Then Guidance in the pink bottle is like nothing I've ever smelt before! It's a mix of pear, hazelnut, rose, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla, olibanum and frankincense. Oman is the land of frankincense.