Chill out and burn these fragrance expert and editor approved winter candles
Plus, our seasonal scent trend predictions
There are few remedies for a cold winter night, although a thick woollen jumper, a piping hot mug of hot chocolate, a decent heater, and a relaxing evening skin care ritual can certainly help.
But one could argue that the right atmosphere can only truly be achieved with the lighting of a luxurious candle.
Fragrance is an inevitable mood changer, so while a luxurious burner won’t necessarily distract from the icy chill of the cooler months — it will help you chill out.
This self-soothing sentiment isn't just something that'll make you feel good either, according to the founder of Maison Louis Marie, Marie du Petit Thouars — emotionally evocative home scents are very hot right now.
The top winter candle trends in 2026
"I think we are seeing a shift away from candles that simply smell 'seasonal' and toward candles that create a feeling or atmosphere," the fragrance expert tells BEAUTYcrew. "People are becoming much more intentional about how they scent their homes."
The first trend du Petit Thouars is happy to see rise in popularity are gourmand fragrances that offer a bit of nuance: "Rather than overly sweet bakery-inspired scents, people are gravitating toward more sophisticated gourmand notes that feel elegant and comforting," she explains.
The second? A growing appreciation for green and botanical scents during winter.
"Traditionally, colder months have been dominated by heavy woods and spices, but I see more people looking for balance," she tells us. "Notes inspired by tomato leaf, fresh herbs, moss, and earthy florals bring a sense of nature indoors during a time when we tend to spend more time inside."
Fragrance layering within the home is also on the up, says the Maison Louis Marie founder.
"I think people are becoming more confident in combining candles, diffusers, and personal fragrance to create a more immersive scent experience," she explains. "Home fragrance is increasingly being viewed as an extension of personal style rather than simply a finishing touch.
The best candle care maintenance tips
"The most important tip is allowing the candle to burn long enough during the first use for the wax to melt evenly across the surface," du Petit Thouars shares with us. "This helps prevent tunnelling and gives a more even burn throughout the life of your candle."
You should always trim the wick to approximately a quarter of an inch before each burn too.
"A properly trimmed wick helps maintain a cleaner flame, reduces smoke and soot, and allows the fragrance to perform as intended," the Maison Louis Marie founder explains.
"I also recommend avoiding burning a candle for more than four hours at a time. Blowing it out, allowing the wax to cool, and relighting it later helps preserve both the quality of the wax and the fragrance experience," she advises.
The best winter candles to try in 2026
Ahead, BEAUTYcrew shares the best luxury candles to try this winter, which prove to be the perfect accompaniment to crisp winter days and nights.
Looking to update your makeup too? These are the trending products that have simplified our winter makeup routines.
Main image credit: @sageybabey
Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).
