Shopping For A New Winter Perfume? These 7 Trends Will Be Everywhere

Some things remain constant every winter: no matter how prepared you are, your skin will feel the brunt of the cold, you’ll almost always hate the sweaters you bought in last year’s sale with every intention of wearing them, and the perfumes that saw you through spring, summer, and fall just won’t feel right once the temperature drops.

Luckily, perfumers have been busy whipping up all manner of winter-appropriate fragrances to suit every winter mood, whether you want to feel cozy, confident at parties, or refreshed on gloomy mornings. 

Scroll ahead for the most inviting winter perfume trends and tips on how to wear them this chilly season — and beyond.

There’s no mistaking the scent of oud — a dark, resinous wood. Equal parts sweet, earthy, and rich, it dominates any perfume it’s in, making it an acquired taste. Perfume expert Aamna Lone, aka @perfumeconnoisseurz on Instagram, predicts a new type of oud will reign supreme — and it’s easier to wear. “There has been a rise in soapy, sterile ouds that are softer but still allow the same projection,” she says. Think oud blended with clean-laundry notes like musk, heliotrope, and jasmine. She highlights Mizensir’s Perfect Oud Eau de Parfum, which features a “metallic, crisp texture.” Then there’s the more affordable Oud Romancea, which, to Lone, smells like literal soap and oud. 

Also try Tom Ford Oud Voyager Eau de Parfum, which pairs oud with a fresh peony accord, and Kayali Oudgasm Milky Musk Oud Eau de Parfum Intense, featuring addictive strawberry cream, skin-like white musk, and silver oud.

Lee Howes, Lush’s fragrance category lead, says we usually associate fruity scents with summer, but this winter it’s time for darker, richer, berry-like fragrances, inspired by the winter harvest, to take the spotlight. “Cherry will stay popular, though in a cozier form,” says Howes. “This season, we have our Cherryish Body Spray, which keeps the freshness of cherry but warms it up with notes of chocolate marzipan — it’s a really festive scent.”

Also try Balmain Cuir Élysèes Eau de Parfum, which blends raspberry with moody leather and enveloping sandalwood. If berries aren’t your thing, consider Jo Malone Sandalwood & Spiced Apricot Cologne, which pairs an otherwise summery fruit with rich, dark cardamom.

Gourmand fragrances — perfumes with sweet, birthday cake-like notes — aren’t going anywhere, but they’re getting more complex, says Barb Stegemann, founder and president of The 7 Virtues. “The future is all about creating a layer-cake effect, stacking notes of vanilla, caramel, fruit, buttercream, and berries so you smell like no one else in the room,” she says. Gourmand scents can sometimes feel a little saccharine and juvenile, but they also evoke nostalgia, Stegemann notes. To make them more glamorous, she says we’ll pair these sweet notes with deeper ones for contrast. “Think santal wood, tonka bean, and musks,” she explains, calling this the next evolution of personalization. “You’re literally baking your own scent — a fragrance that feels custom, modern, delicious, and uniquely yours.”

Try layering The 7 Virtues Cherry Ambition (cherry, plum, vanilla marshmallow) with Kayali Freedom Musk Latte Eau de Parfum (latte, chocolate musk, and cinnamon). Returning this year, we also love Jo Malone Ginger Biscuit Cologne, featuring lemon, roasted hazelnut, and tonka bean with hints of vanilla and tobacco.

Lone highlights a burgeoning trend among the internet’s perfume enthusiasts: layering fragrances with traditional balms. “This could be Tiger Balm, Aboniki [a Nigerian muscle relief balm made from menthol and eucalyptus oil], or even Vicks VapoRub,” says Lone — yes, really.

“The Aboniki layering combination was popularized by certified fragrance specialist Eudora Nwasike, and it has gone viral ever since,” she adds. The main advantage of layering perfume over a balm like this is that it serves multiple purposes. “You can decongest stuffy noses, help ailing joints, and smell good for longer because it creates a new fragrance profile,” says Lone. Even better? “The balm helps ‘trap’ the fragrance odorants in its emollient base, so the scent bubble sticks around for longer.”

Howes makes another case for gourmand scents but says they’ll be getting a seasonal makeover this winter. “Vanilla and tonka notes have dominated fragrance for months, but now, expect to see them blended with deeper, more nuanced materials,” says Howes. He suggests watching for ginger, black pepper, and cardamom for what he calls spicier takes on the typical sweet scents. “Also, try more grounding and comforting notes of sandalwood and coffee,” recommends Howes. “From Lush, our big winter scents tend to be the deep coziness of Lord of Misrule Perfume and our soft, powdery gourmand, Turmeric Latte Perfume,” he adds. “Both do a brilliant job of wrapping you up in beautiful fragrance as the weather takes a chillier turn.”

Also try The 7 Virtues Buttercream Haze Eau de Parfum, featuring buttercream icing and tonka bean. So crave-worthy, Stegemann says this “foodie fragrance” sold out in 48 hours in more than 60 Sephora stores and immediately became the number two fragrance on Sephora.com.

We also love Nette NYC Lemon Puff Eau de Parfum, with toasted meringue, almond, and vanilla.

Lone pinpoints “strawberry chypre” as the next big thing in fragrance. For the uninitiated, chypre is a fragrance family that blends bright citrus notes with earthier tones like wood and spices. The addition of strawberry adds a sweet touch, making it more wearable for everyday. “This has sprung forward thanks to Miu Miu Miutine (strawberry, bourbon vanilla, moss, and amber), and it mirrors iconic past favorites such as Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum and Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum,” says Lone.

You might also like Burberry Her Elixir de Parfum, which features strawberry, warm amber, and earthy sandalwood. Lone predicts that this perfect pairing will continue trending well into next year.

“In many (decidedly warmer) parts of the world, it’s popular to wear scent in the form of a body powder to keep skin feeling fresher for longer — all while smelling great,” says Howes, adding that it’s a smart way to create a “scented base layer.” Think of it as the fragrance equivalent of a clean cotton T-shirt.

Dusting powders are a new Lush innovation, and they’re about to be huge. “These soften and scent your skin, blending beautifully with whatever fragrance you decide to spray on top,” says Howes. Happily, some of the brand’s most popular fragrances are now available in powder form: Sticky Dates, Let The Good Times Roll, and Super Milk. “You can even layer these with your favorite body spray,” recommends Howes.