A winter perfume does not have to smell of vanilla and sweet spices. If you prefer freshness even in the colder months, pine, damp moss, salt or flowers may appeal more. These scents can recall a woodland walk and cold air.
We have chosen seven niche perfumes for lovers of freshness. They include conifers and aromatic herbs, as well as floral fragrances with green notes.
What makes a perfume smell cold?
When we describe a perfume as cold, we usually mean a freshness that recalls air, water or greenery. Pine and herbs can give a sharper, drier scent, while moss suggests damp woodland. Jasmine and lilac can also feel fresh alongside these notes.
If you often find winter perfumes too sweet, start with pine, moss and vetiver. If you enjoy flowers, look for them alongside green or woody notes.
Seven winter fragrances to compare
Nissaba Les Alpes
Les Alpes combines pine, rosemary, thyme and juniper. Hay, fir and woods add dryness and warmth. It is especially worth exploring if you enjoy aromatic herbs and the fresh smell of conifers.
Imaginary Authors The Language of Glaciers
In The Language of Glaciers, lilac and cashmere wood accompany pine and spruce. The brand also includes an imagined snow accord. Lilac softens the woodland scent, making this an appealing combination of flowers and conifers.
Imaginary Authors Fox in the Flowerbed
Fox in the Flowerbed pairs jasmine and tulips with incense, wildflower honey and an alpine air accord. It is a distinctly floral choice in this selection, with honey adding a little sweetness.
Neydo Mossland 12.09
Cypress, cedar, moss and vetiver give Mossland 12.09 a green, woody scent. Pink pepper and clove add spice. If woodland and damp earth appeal to you, try it alongside Tindrer.
Neydo Breathe Out 01.02
The salty marine notes of Breathe Out 01.02 meet elemi, cardamom and incense. Sandalwood and musk add softness. If you love the freshness of the sea in winter too, it may appeal more than a woodland scent.
Botanicae Highlands
Highlands combines Earl Grey tea, cedar and tuberose with oakmoss, leather and hay. Tea and flowers bring freshness, while leather and moss give it a fuller, warmer scent.
Baruti Tindrer
Tindrer recalls cut grass and wet soil. Twigs, violet and moss emphasise the greenery, while heliotrope and musk add softness. If you love the smell of a garden after rain, Tindrer is worth trying.
How to narrow down your choices
Try Les Alpes for aromatic herbs, or Breathe Out for salt. The Language of Glaciers and Fox in the Flowerbed combine freshness with flowers. Mossland and Tindrer are worth exploring for moss and earthy scents.
Try your chosen perfume on skin, then smell it again once the opening has settled. You can then decide whether you enjoy the woods, moss or musk that remain.
For softer, soapy scents, explore perfumes that smell clean. Tea lovers can read our guide to matcha perfumes.
