14 of the best winter candles for the ultimate cosy season

The one that makes your house smell like a 5-star hotel:

Wildsmith Brumel Candle, £75

This gorgeous number from British skincare brand Wildsmith is one of a collection of three. All are hand-poured in London, are refillable (refills are £45), and come in minimal packaging to avoid waste. And all have a connection to nature at this time of year. This is my favourite as it’s inspired by the quiet hush that comes with the darker months (something I treasure). It blends quite heavy and heady notes of frankincense, rose and cedarwood, and I promise will be like nothing you’ve smelt before.

The mid-season one:

Bibbi Wolf Mother Scented Candle, £95

A spenny option, but a good one. Perfectly crafted, the throw of the scent is amazing. And what a scent it is. It’s a gorgeous mix of light herbal green notes, such as basil, mixed in with darker, woodier green notes like eucalyptus and petitgrain, and then a sweetness that comes from brown sugar. This is another great candle choice that’s ideal for lighting on dark wintery nights, but will also serve you well on lighter, sunnier days too.

The unusual one:

Diptyque L’Eau Papier, £58

It may sound a little odd to have a candle that smells of paper (there’s also a matching scent), but this really works. The scent is quite tricky to describe, but it’s almost a mix of old library books with fresh notebook smell. It’s a little bit musky and woody, but also has a second-skin feel about it, which makes it perfect for wintery, dark nights, yet will also take you perfectly into spring.

The one that's excellent value for money:

Beauty Pie Pomegranate & Baies Rose, £20 for members, £35 for non-members

It may sound a little odd to have a candle that smells of paper (there’s also a matching scent), but this really works. The scent is quite tricky to describe, but it’s almost a mix of old library books with fresh notebook smell. It’s a little bit musky and woody, but also has a second-skin feel about it, which makes it perfect for wintery, dark nights, yet will also take you perfectly into spring.

The one to burn on rainy days:

D.S. & Durga Big Sur After Rain Candle, £60

Inspired by the smells and scents of the moment you step outside after a big rainstorm, this scent combines coastal rain (yes, really), wet wood and eucalyptus to evoke ideas and thoughts of rainy woods and wind-swept beaches. Everything cool US perfumery brand D.S. & Durga create is truly original, and this is no exception.

The one that smells like a kitchen garden:

Bramley x The Pig Candle, £28

If you’ve been lucky enough to stay at one of the many The Pig hotels scattered around the south of the UK, then you may have been struck by how gorgeous they smell. If you haven’t been, think laidback country retreats that are chic but low-key, with a scent that matches that vibe. This is courtesy of this brilliant, and surprisingly affordable, candle created by British botanical brand, Bramley. Housed in a glass jar in The Pig’s signature dark sage green, the candle is inspired by the hotels’ kitchen gardens and is a zingy mix of coriander and spearmint. Utterly delicious. 

The stylish one:

Defrei Lobby Candle, £48

Defrei candles are the brainchild of mega content creator, Danny Defreitas. They are so stylish, you’ll want to use them to make your shelf look pretty and never take a match to them. But light them you must. There are ten different scents to choose from, and each hand-poured candle is housed in a gorgeous ceramic pot in various chic shades with matching lid to prevent dust getting in when you’re not using it. They’re made with coconut and rapeseed wax, which means they burn cleanly (no soot), but they also throw the scent brilliantly. Lobby is the brand’s best-seller and perfect for cosy season, a blend of sultry jasmine and frankincense alongside sultry dark cherry and black amber.

The light and bright one:

Glossier Lilyhaze Scented Candle, £48

If you prefer something a bit lighter, fresher and cleaner for winter, then this newbie from Glossier will definitely float your boat. Smelling like you’ve just stepped out of a bubble bath meets clean laundry vibes meets Martha Stewart’s house (or what I imagine her house would smell like), this is a gorgeous blend of vanilla and apricot. And the glass vessel can be used again and again.

The outdoorsy one:

Lords Yala Autumn Winter Candle, £42.50

Lords creates scents inspired by specific places and memories around the world. This is an ode to Yala, a beautiful national park in Sri Lanka. The notes in the candle nod to the location; there is Ceylon tea, cardamon, cinnamon, amber and frankincense; a mix that creates a cosy, quite Christmassy scent.  Perfect for cosying up in front of the fire on a dreary mid-week night.

The calming one:

Neom Cosy Nights, £40

Blended with sandalwood, frankincense and nutmeg, the prime aim of the scent is to add calm and de-stress; we can confirm it does just that. Plus how lovely is the jar? Once you’ve finished it, clean it out and it would make the perfect makeup brush storage container.

The bargain one:

Marks and Spencer Calm Refillable Candle, £8 refills are £6

You will be hard pushed to find a better quality candle at this price. Not only does the scent smell luxe, it comes with a cork lid (handy for preventing dust falling into the candle when it’s not lit), and it looks great in its amber-hued glass. It’s also refillable. Simply pour boiling water into the finished candle and let the old wax rise to the surface, remove the wick base, give the glass a clean and pop the refill in. 

The one to scent your party:

Discothèque La Grotte Candle, £54

Yes, winter is all about getting cosy, but let’s not forget the party animals among us. For those kind of nights, this is the candle you need. All of Discothèque’s candles are designed with dancing in mind, as you may guess from the name. This new addition in inspired by warm nights in Corfu. Blended with soft and powdery violet, fragrant jasmine and aromatic rosemary, it has a sweetness but also a softness to it. There is even a playlist you can download to accompany the vibe of the candle. Genius.

The winter sun one:

Assouline Miami Beach Candle, £75

If you feel like bringing some winter sun into your life then you can’t get better than this one. Created by luxury travel book publisher Assouline, this slightly peachy and blackberry-scented candle not only smells wonderful but looks fabulous on your coffee table too.

The herby one:

Mirror Water Sun Through Trees, £54

This is the first candle from content creator Estee Lalonde’s wellness brand, Mirror Water and it is a good one! Slightly herby as well as a good dose of amber and the throw and reach of the candle is impressive.