At WWW, we’re pros at two things: Shopping (obviously) and sniffing out the latest and greatest scents to hit the market. In case you thought our love for fragrances stopped at eau de parfums, think again. There’s another category of fragrance that we absolutely lose our minds over and that’s candles. No matter the season, we aim to not only smell incredible ourselves, but to also have a home that’s filled with the soft, alluring scent of someone who really has their shit together.
Winter, specifically, is the perfect season for this. The weather is chilly, the wind is high, and that candle collection you’ve been waiting to bust out will fill the room with freshness and wonder. When friends come over, they know they’re in for a cozy treat. That being said, there’s such an array of winter-themed candles out there that it can be tough to know which ones are actually worth adding to your arsenal. Luckily, that’s what our trusty team of editors is here for. We happen to be experts in the matter and can confidently provide recs. Keep scrolling—we’re sharing all our favorite winter candles that set the chicest winter vibe below.
To me, there are scents that work as both a candle and perfume and there are ones that really don’t. This scent definitely falls into the former category. I own both the candle and fragrance version of this one—it’s a stunner both ways. Notes of woody sandalwood, violet leaf, musk, and cardamom give it a warm, smooth, and uplifting aroma I never get tired of. It’s the spicier note of cardamom and earthy sandalwood that really give it the ultimate winter lodge feel.
Listen, I’m not normally a fan of Bath & Body Works in general. The smell of the place overwhelms me the minute I walk into the store, but I will vouch for the brand’s candles. This one has smooth notes of lavender, warm vanilla, and sandalwood which invoke that feeling of sitting by a crackling fire in, of course, a cozy cashmere sweater. As strong as some of the products can be from Bath & Body, the candles surprisingly are not overpowering. They burn really soft and leave a wonderful scent in your home to make it warm and inviting.
This candle is easily as iconic as the model who created it, Grace Jones. The fragrance of this candle is fresh-leaning, but there are a spicier notes like black pepper thrown in to give it a more grounded, winter feel. It was inspired by Jones’s home country of Jamaica and also boasts notes of earthy bergamot, ambergris, freesia, waterlily, Turkish rose, cedarwood, and salted musk. It strikes the perfect balance between airy and woody.
“This candle has been lit on repeat in my apartment all fall, and I don’t plan on stopping once winter officially arrives. It’s part of Otherland’s Manor House Weekend collection, and the composition of notes—burnt maple, smoky oud, and vetiver—really epitomize. It’s decadent without being too overpowering, and it smells like it should be way more expensive than it actually is.” —Erin Jahns, Beauty Director
“If I was spending the holidays in a moss and ivy-covered cottage in England, this is exactly what I imagine it would smell like. It’s not your typical winter or ‘holiday’ scent, but features interesting notes like mallow, sea lettuce, swamp rose, sweet pepper bush, creeping bent grass, and lichen moss. D.S. & Durga knows how to transport like no other fragrance brand, and this candle is no exception.” —Jahns
“A few weeks ago, I went off the deep end and ordered eight Zara candles at once (to be fair they were on sale). Since most people are focused on Zara’s amazing clothes, I feel like their candle selection is my little secret. Like the fragrances, they have good staying power and I feel like the quality is pretty comparable to candle heavyweights like Diptyque and Le Labo. Jasmine is one of my favorite scents in the world, so this candle is a star in my collection.” —Indya Brown, Market Editor
“This is the candle I light like my life depends on it every year once winter rolls around. The brand’s founder and creative director Ben Gorham says that it’s meant to evoke winter memories of family nights in Stockholm, which plays, because there is just something so quintessentially home-y and wintery about its scent; almost as if it’s been injected with glistening snow, seasonal spices, and incense. The key notes include clove buds (for that hit of spice!) plus carnation, ylang-ylang, papyrus, and Haition Vetiver. It’s become a sacred seasonal ritual I look forward to.” —Jahns
“Honeysuckle is more of a summer scent, but when SAD is a thing, you need all the reminders of sunny days you can get. It’s a smell that really stays with you, so I love to burn it for an hour to two and let it waft around my apartment.” —Brown
“This is perhaps an obvious choice for a winter candle, but it’s for good reason. With clove oil, chestnut accord, and vanilla accord, it gives off the same smokey, woody, and comforting scent as a fireplace. It’s been one of my go-to candles for a while now, and I never get sick of the scent.” —Kaitlyn McLintock, Associate Beauty Editor. “Living in a small New York City apartment means I don’t have a real-life fireplace, but it sure does feel like it when I light up this candle. Here’s how I set the mood for a cozy night: a YouTube video version of a fireplace commences, my candle is lit, and Billie Holliday plays in the background. From there on, I journal or read a book. I’ll be doing that this winter on repeat with this woody-scented candle as the star of the show.” —Sierra Mayhew, Associate Fashion Editor. “I’m super late to the party, but this smoky vanilla candle is incredible and I can see why it’s a cult favorite now that I finally have tried it for myself.” —Allyson Payer, Senior Fashion Editor
“Even though this candle is called ‘Christmas Tree,’ it has a fragrance that far outlasts the holiday season. In fact, it’s one I plan on burning all through the winter season. The notes of spruce and pine, cypress and balsam fir, and moss, musk, and cedar give this candle a fresh and grounding quality. It’s not overwhelming and it doesn’t smell like an air freshener (the way some pine-scented candles do). It gives off the perfect, most luxurious winter fragrance.” —McLintock
“This is my favorite candle for winter, by far. It was created to mimic the scent of a library, so it has notes of plum, cinnamon, leather accord, violet, birch woods, patchouli, and vanilla. Together, they create a scent that’s both comforting and sophisticated. If I had to describe the feeling it gives me through a specific scenario, it’s like snuggling up with a classic piece of literature during a snowstorm. It’s so good I almost don’t want to burn it.” —McLintock
“Have you ever loved a candle scent so much you took the time to write the company to beg them to turn it into a fragrance? No? Well, maybe you haven’t smelled Spirit Lamp yet! With a top note like hot metal, it can be a little hard for a layman like me to discuss the scent, but I would describe it as warm, sweet, and inviting with a little smoke and spice. The brand paints the picture of a ‘tea service at the parlor of Mme. Revere, topless psychic. Hot silver heated by open flame. Bohea vapours, radiant heat, milk.” —Kat Collings Wolf, Editor in Chief
“If you long for a fresh pine scent this time of year, may I point you to this sophisticated take? Eucalyptus, cedarwood, and patchouli add notable depth, so much so that I huffed it for an embarrassing amount of time straight out of the box. I’m also a sucker for chic packaging, and this new candle brand fits the bill.” —Collings Wolf
“I have a fake Christmas tree so I’m always on a mission to find the best tree-scented candle during the holidays. Diptyque’s new one fits the bill. It smells fresh and authentic as opposed to cloying, and the jar couldn’t be prettier.” —Payer
“I’m struggling a bit with how to describe this because it’s super unique! But, it’s smokey and rich while also a bit fruity. Just trust me and try it for yourself.” —Payer
“I’m afraid that I’ve been burning this candle so much recently it’s going to only last me a couple weeks, but that’s how much I love it. This candle reminds me of driving into the mountains as a kid with my family to cut down our own Christmas tree. It’s smoky, woodsy, and has a musky edge to it.” —Katie Berohn, Beauty Editor
“If Christmas were a candle, it would be this one. If you live in a small apartment like I do and wish you could have a proper tree, buy this candle. It smells exactly like having a freshly cut pine tree in your home, down to the resiny notes.” —Berohn
“I live by the idea of always using your nice things, since there’s no point in saving them for some special time in the future—now is just as good as ever! That being said, I’m still waiting on burning this limited edition candle because it just smells so incredibly good and I know I won’t be able to get another one. It has 62 ingredients, but this is one case where I truly believe in maximalism—they blend together so well, with notes like laurel, rosemary, eucalyptus, and thyme standing out.” —Berohn
