Some of the best things about winter are the smells that come with it — smoky fires, strong espresso, evergreen trees. According to fragrance experts, the latest trends in perfumes for women are perfectly suited to winter, like masculine-influenced scents with notes like black pepper, wood and leather.
Women are becoming less afraid to go androgynous with their fragrance and…
Your Definitive Guide to the Best Winter Perfumes
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Yves Saint Laurent Beauté
This warm floral perfume inspired by Paris has a mix of peony, musk and patchouli, making it perfect for the woman who isn’t yet ready to give up her feminine fragrance, but still wants to smell season-appropriate.
Mon Paris Eau de Parfum, $70 at Ulta
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Tom Ford
Tom Ford’s latest fragrance launch, Velvet Orchid Lumière, is part of his Orchid Collection and has his sensual signatures, including bergamot and mandarin and a hyper purified rum extraction for a wintry touch. There are also notes of jasmine and vanilla.
Velvet Orchid Lumière, $120 at Barneys
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Marc Jacobs
Inspired by liquid gold, this limited-edition bottle not only looks luxe, it perfectly complements the sensual woody scent. Notes include iris, saffron, jasmine, rose, amber and vetiver.
Decadence One Eight K Edition, $127 at Sephora
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Christian Louboutin
If you can afford it, this scent is worth it for the bottle alone. Formulated with iris, patchouli and tonka absolut, it also has amber for an opulent finish.
Trouble in Heaven, $275 at Nordstrom
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Goop
Goop’s debut fragrance, edition 01—Winter 2016, is a scent composed "entirely of rare, all-natural elements imbued with the power to entrance, heal, and transform." Would you expect anything less from Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle site?
Whether or not you believe that perfume has the power to transform you, you can rest assured that this one does, in fact, smell fantastic. It’s also nontoxic and uses only natural ingredients.
Eau de Parfum: edition 01—Winter 2016, $165 at Goop
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The Art of Shaving
Unisex scents aren't the only big trend; many women are also opting to wear men’s fragrances. The purity of The Art of Shaving 20th anniversary scents make them a great option for women looking for something masculine as the weather cools down. Among the options are Green Lavender and Sandalwood & Cypress.
Cologne Collection, $100 to $125 each at The Art of Shaving
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PHLUR
Hepcat is billed as a "warm wool jacket enveloping you, and your favorite whiskey invigorating you." What’s better than that when it’s icy out? The scent’s strongest notes include black vetiver, tobacco, oud, saffron and leathery wood.
Hepcat, $85 at PHLUR
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Calvin Klein
Inspired by contemporary art and metallic metal sculptures, the euphoria Calvin Klein collector’s edition gives us the brand’s iconic euphoria Calvin Klein scent — an oriental with notes of pomegranate, persimmon, black orchid and amber — in an unforgettable bottle.
euphoria Collector’s Edition, $92 at Macy’s
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Gucci
Amber and lilac make for a sexy winter floral/oriental scent. As for the packaging, it screams classic Gucci with its platinum-hued metal and glass windows with an interlocking G design.
Guilty Platinum Edition Eau de Toilette, $99 at Macy’s
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Clé de Peau Beauté
It took over three decades, but Clé de Peau Beauté finally launched a fragrance. It came out three years ago and it’s still a top seller for the brand (whose other products include four-figure face creams). It’s a rosy-citrus scent that, true to the brand, is relatively subtle. Notes include lemongrass, lemon verbena, rose and musk.
Rose Synactif Eau de Parfum, $300 at Clé de Peau Beauté
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Giorgio Armani Beauty
If you’re looking for a light woody scent, this is it. Notes include cassis, vanilla, musk, wood and florals.
Sì Eau de Parfum, $92 at Sephora
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NEST Fragrances
This is a botanical scent, but with notes of amber and vanilla, it has a warmness to it that makes it perfect for cooler weather.
Midnight Fleur Eau de Parfum, $68 at Sephora
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Sisley Paris
Inspired by the exotic mystery of Andalusia, this enigmatic oriental sparkles with spicy, woody notes of black pepper, sandalwood and leather. The scent has a sensual, androgynous 'tude that's perfectly on-trend with this season's big hitters. Plus, the bottle is gorgeous.
Soir d'Orient, $195 at Sisley Paris
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CLEAN
This sophisticated scent was inspired by the luxury of a cashmere sweater, which is clear upon first spritz. Refreshing bergamot and cedar leaf, followed by soothing musks, sandalwood and tonka bean, create an effortless fragrance that you could wear almost anywhere.
Cashmere, $72 at Sephora
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Maison Margiela
This gorgeous, golden fragrance starts off super smoky, but burns off within an hour or two into a sweet, woodsy scent. It's cozy and addictive — the liquid version of toasted marshmallows around a campfire.
Replica By the Fireplace, $125 at Barneys
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Arquiste
Inspired by a Japanese treasure ship, this intensely woody scent features masculine notes of black pepper, black tea and leather. Think: the scent of an old treasure chest yet luxe and wearable. It's the perfect fragrance to don inside a ski lodge or cabin with a cup of bourbon in hand.
Nanban, $190 at Arquiste
