This Portable Ice Maker and Water Dispenser Are the Key to Holiday-Season Hydration (And They’re Both 60 Percent Off at Walmart)

Few smells are comparable and more easy to conjure than the distinctly winter-like scent of a wood stove. Whenever it wafts my way, I immediately know that cold weather and the holidays are swiftly approaching. Between Thanksgiving, holiday shopping, and the transition to winter chill, the season carries an innate nostalgia, and that sentimental attachment naturally inspires many brands to debut new scents. This year’s winter fragrance launches are as warm and nostalgic as a cuddle session by a fireplace (or in your favorite blanket).

Of course, there’s more to winter aromas than simple scent notes; there’s a storytelling element that injects excitement into the mix. And there’s no singular way to wear your favorite scents: Many brands now bring body washes, lotions, and even candles to market alongside their most popular perfume skus. “As far as trends go, formula and usage seem to be the most experimental,” says Sable Yong, co-host of scent podcast Smell Ya Later and author of Die Hot With A Vengeance. “Hair perfumes, layering fragrances (or fragrances meant to be layered), and all water or bi-phase oil and water formulas (like the Dior and Orabella ones, respectively) are emerging.”

Possibly thanks to the anxieties surrounding the economy and inflation, consumers are more interested than ever in getting the biggest bang for their buck, particularly on higher-ticket items like fragrances. “I think anything that promises longevity is being pushed right now,” says Yong. “That’s why so many ‘intense’ flankers have been a thing the past three to four years.”

The winter notes that tend to gain popularity offers a sense of comfort akin to a soft fleece blanket: vanilla, tonka bean, buttercream, leather, and nutmeg. “Fragrance brands are going hard on vanilla—it’s reframed as a kind of ‘modern’ vanilla, by which most brands seem to mean ‘not too sweet,’” says Yong. “They are more balanced with other accords but retain vanilla’s familiar lactonic quality.” Spice, too, often shows up in wintery scents, arriving in the form of elements like peppercorn, amber, cinnamon, and sandalwood. One of the season’s top launches, Matiere Premiere Encens Suave Extrait de Parfum, perfectly balances these elements, featuring amber, vanilla, and coffee notes.

The changing weather, too, can act as a source of inspiration when choosing a scent, steering our noses toward certain notes and types. When the temperatures drop, I’m drawn toward the fragrances that give me a feeling of coziness, often turning to my beloved Purple Fig, a sweet (but not overly so) scent from Vilhelm Perfumerie with sichuan pepper, green fig, and cashmere woods or the juicy, bustling Apple Love by Ellis Brooklyn. “I wear my gourmands and ambery fragrances much more in the winter for the warmth and the depth they wrap me in; think fig, vetiver, saffron, leathers, tobacco smoke, cognac,” says Arabelle Sicardi, a Los Angeles-based beauty writer and creator of Perfumed Pages, a scent-centered event series. “I’m also way more inclined to layer these with spookier fragrances, which tend to be lighter—what is left, in the end, is the warmth.”

Take a look at the latest and greatest winter fragrances of 2024—you’re bound to find your new favorite scent to spritz for all your hot chocolate strolls, complete with the crispy-crunch sound of gold, amber, and crimson leaves beneath your feet.

The 18 best winter fragrances to shop:

Matiere Premiere Encens Suave Extrait de Parfum — $390.00

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