this post contains affiliate linksAs I was thinking about this post we were only just coming into Autumn and now here we are early November… so it would be remiss of me not to include my favourite cosy home fragrances for winter and the Holiday Season too. And in all honesty, the fragrances I favour tend to have notes that would work across autumn and winter and right through Janaury. They all echo pine forests, smoky fires, fruity earthy tones and fresh herbs - an olfactory blend that sees me through until February when I start to get impatient cravings for anything that smells remotely spring-like. These are a small collection of my classic favourites amassed over the years plus a new contender discovered on a trip away to North Norfolk in March.
First and foremost is one at the top of so many peoples post-summer lists - The White Company, Autumn. Every year I tell myself I’ll find an alternative and then I walk into our local store and before I know it, there’s one tucked into the infamous Black And White Bag of Joy, dangling contentedly in the crook of my arm. And that’s all I’ll say because if you know, you know. And you probably already know! Fir Tree comes later on… normally about mid-November - I buy a candle and pack of tealights so that the house smells festive from top to bottom when we have guests over at Christmas.
Next is the one we discovered in spring whilst staying in a cabin in Norfolk - Nkuku Cedarwood & Fig. There was a reed diffuser in the bathroom and we both latched onto the woody fig scent that smelt like someone had lit a beautifully fragranced fire nearby.
Ever the home fragrance obsessive I made a note to buy the diffuser and candle in the autumn as it definitely feels like that kind of vibe to me. The diffuser has been in the hallway for a few weeks now and it’s heavenly - if warm and cosy had a smell, it would be this for sure.
Another weekend away discovery in a small Dorset village that I forget the name of now… but its been an autumn and winter favourite ever since - St Eval Bay & Rosemary. When I first smelt it, it reminded me so much of the Ralph Lauren Holiday candle - perhaps with just a couple of notes missing. I love the way St Eval describe this: “Just-rustled pine & muddled mosses with bay & rosemary by the handful. Pinched when the gardener wasn’t looking”. Its so good that in the colder months, I have diffuser of this in the bathroom too.
And speaking of the Ralph Lauren Holiday candle, this one is more expensive but once every few years I do treat myself. Especially if there’s a festive trip to London on the cards and then I get the full in-store experience on Bond St. Nothing beats this in winter!
Scents of winters past include Jo Loves Christmas Trees - I caught a waft of it in her Belgravia store once and was hooked for a few years after. If you’ve not had a sniff, theres a beautifully worded description on the product page when you click the “Smell Me” button that encapsulates the fragrance perfectly! And for the past two winters, I’ve bought a couple of the SKOG candles by Skandinavisk - when lit they remind me of how it smelt when we were walking in the snow in the Norweigan mountains. This was a good eighteen years ago so that shows how powerful scent memories can be.
Do you have a favourite home fragrance or candle that evokes favourite cosy moments of autumn and winter?
a few more fragrant favourites
