If you’re looking for the perfect fragrance to welcome the winter season indoors, our Top 10 list of popular fragrances for winter should be your first stop. From the smell of leather, spices, winter fruits and a crackling wood fire to the taste of comfort food, heavenly frothy coffee and those mouth-watering chocolates you’ve been saving for months, this is the season for toasty indulgence.

As the coldest season of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the word “winter” comes from an old Germanic word meaning “time of water”, referring to the rain and snow that is to be expected during periods of high latitude. Whilst the darker mornings may not be favourable to some, waking up to snow during the late winter months can be an exhilarating prospect, creating a certain magic, especially around the festive season.

Walks in the woods bring pine needle scents as well as a fresh biting wind, nipping at noses and ears. Wood smoke emits from chimneys as people warm their houses, hoping to take the chill out of the air and help dry the day’s wet clothes.

With these things in mind, the dominate scents of the season are often oranges and cloves. This fruity, spicy festive scent combination is an age old tradition with clove-studded oranges letting off the most intoxicating aroma, instantly brightening up those long, cold, dreary winter nights.

The perfect winter fragrance will really set the tone for your evenings spent in front of a roaring fire cuddling a cup of warm hot chocolate (or a wonderfully hot, festive, mulled alcoholic beverage) and provide your home with the most cosy, warming aroma.

Whether you’re looking for an impactful smoky, wood scent, a juicy, tart fruit medley or an uplifting pine or eucalyptus combination, we can help you decide with our Top 10 Most Popular Fragrances for Winter.

Our Top 10 Most Popular Fragrances for Winter

Cinnamon Orange

Cinnamon Orange may just be one of the most popular fragrances in Winter. This spicy fragrance has citrus notes of orange and tangerine leading to spicy nuances of cinnamon. Ginger and clove with hints of creamy vanilla.

Snowkissed Lodge

A fresh and uplifting accord, Snowkissed Lodge opens with top notes of pine, lemon and eucalyptus nestled on a heart of forest fruits, winter jasmine, lavender and cooling menthol. Amber, musk and moss complete the fragrance.

Apple Cinnamon

This memorable blend of spicy cinnamon and clove with apple and vanilla will really set your tastebuds tingling. Apple Cinnamon is a truly festive scent, warming yet delectably fruity.

Frosted Plum

A sweet, sugary plum accord supported by notes of creamy vanilla. Frosted Plum truly is a sweet delight!

Cashmere & Musk

Perfect for a moment of Winter indulgence, Cashmere & Musk unfolds with festive spices of cinnamon and clove while the heart comes into full bloom through a Winter floral harmony of jasmine, violet and rose. All of this gently descends onto a warmth of saffron, woods, cashmere and a whisper of creamy vanilla.

Frankincense & Myrrh

Capture the passion for Christmas with the warming aromatic aura of Frankincense & Myrrh. Frankincense is immersed in warm amber, rock rose and myrrh. These are complimented by three regal woods from the orient; cedar, vetiver and patchouli.

Vintage Bookstore

An intensely rich woody chypre accord, Vintage Bookstore opens with soft top notes of leather, bergamot pith, green leaves and warmer citrus notes. Next is a full and complex heart with nutmeg, carnation, black pepper and aromatic patchouli descending towards a full and soft base of amber, tobacco and sandalwood.

Cinnamon Stick

An unmistakable scent of freshly ground cinnamon bark, Cinnamon stick is one of the scents you need this Winter season.

Cranberry Peppermint

Cranberry Peppermint encapsulates the perfect balance of fresh tart cranberries with cooling peppermint.

Warm Leather & Tobacco

Warm Leather & Tobacco has a rich, woody sensual accord with spicy notes, including rose, incense and tobacco nuances on a base of amber, vetiver, patchouli, musk, leather and vanilla.

What fragrances are associated with Winter?

When we think of winter fragrances, we immediately get spices such as cinnamon and clove, winter fruits like mulberries and cranberries, so juicy and tart. Classic oranges, the perfect citrus during Winter time, giving that added Vitamin C boost to those who struggle with good immune support.

Pine, peppermint and eucalyptus are used to freshen up living spaces as well as provide some respiratory relief when the Winter colds really set in.

Snowdrops, Winter jasmine and Camellia flowers in your garden will survive the harsh cold and provide that pop of colour when the days are dark and gloomy. White in Winter can appear so refreshing as opposed to the grey and black as the days are shorter, night overruling day.

Which Winter fragrance should I choose to freshen my home?

So, what type of home fragrance should you choose for winter? There are literally hundreds of amazing fragrances (more than 500 in our fragrance oil category!) so choosing the right scent may prove slightly daunting for some.

This is where we come to the rescue! You might be thinking of making a candle or a room spray, some wax melts or a reed diffuser. You could even go as far as matching your chosen home fragrance with a bubbly, whipped soap or even a lightly scented carpet freshener using our beginner's tutorials.

Fragrance doesn’t have to stop with just your home's atmosphere. You can wow your guests this winter by layering your home fragrance with your skincare and household products.

Whatever the product, here at Craftovator, the perfect winter fragrance for you is just a click away.

How Can I Use Fragrance Oils in my Home?

Our fragrance oils are suitable for use in many products from home fragrance to skincare. The most popular home fragrance products on the market today are candles, wax melts, room sprays and reed diffusers so you really have a great selection to pick from.

Each product has its own individual level of fragrance throw and we believe that scents are so subjective. What you might find strong, another might find subtle and vice versa.

If you prefer a stronger burst of fragrance, opt for either a wax melt or room spray. For a lighter fragrance, we’d recommend a candle. If candles or wax melts aren’t for you, then a reed diffuser is the way forward. They’re a great way to fragrance your home with minimal fuss and are in fact very low maintenance!

How Much Fragrance Oil Can I Use in My Products?

We would advise checking the ‘IFRA 49^th Amendment’ document download on each fragrance oils page for safe usage levels, particularly if opting to make reed diffusers, room sprays or soap. We’ve listed the categories for the most popular products below to help you locate the maximum percentages easily.

• Reed Diffusers: category 10a (recommended usage: 15% - 25%)
• Room Sprays: category 10b (recommended usage: 3% - 5%)
• Candles/Wax Melts: category 12 (recommended usage: up to 10%)
• Soap: category 9 (recommended usage: 1% - 3%)
• Leave on body products: category 5a, 5b, 5c (recommended usage: 1%)

The percentages as per the above information are totally dependent on the maximum usage levels stated on the IFRA 49^th Amendment document. If the percentage is higher than the recommended amount above, then you would only go up to the highest percentage we’ve stated and only providing your chosen base is suitable and can hold this amount of oil.

So there you have our Top 10 Most Popular Fragrances for Winter! The magical, festive blend of fruity, citrus, smoky and herbal fragrances will be sure to make you feel all warm and cosy inside whilst the weather may not be so inviting outside.

Thinking of making a reed diffuser? Check out our post on How to Make a Reed Diffuser here, perfect for beginners. Our How to Make a Room Spray blog post will guide you to making if it's your first time or if you'd like to try candles, see our post on How to Make Your First Candle.

You’ll also find many other step by step tutorials for an array of home fragrance and skincare products over on our blog. Check out Craftovator Academy to find your next creative project.