Best cologne for winter: warm scents and where to apply

The best cologne for winter is a warm, woody one, applied with a light hand to the places a coat does not cover. From our six, I would wear Oud Timber or Rogue 540 for evenings and Bleu Hour for ordinary weekdays.

What makes a scent a winter scent?

Heavy clothes and dark early evenings. In the cold months people reach for woods, amber and spice, and the sharp, bright scents of summer start to seem thin. The fall guide has the full notes for each warm scent. This page is about what changes once a coat is in the way.

Which three would I wear in winter?

Oud Timber is the winter evening scent: our take on the profile of Tom Ford Oud Wood, worn under a dark coat, on a long night, in a room that stays cold. Ours is a different formula in a butter base, so it is similar in profile, not identical.

Rogue 540 is our take on the profile of Baccarat Rouge 540 from Maison Francis Kurkdjian, warm and sweet. It belongs to restaurants and nights out, where there is room for a bigger scent.

Bleu Hour is our take on the profile of Bleu de Chanel. It is fresh, so it carries winter weekdays without announcing itself across an office.

Bale is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tom Ford, Maison Francis Kurkdjian or Chanel.

The other three are lighter. Savanna is fresh and Reverie sits between fresh and warm, so both can wait until spring. Avant, with its fruit and birch, earns a place on a clear, dry day in January.

Where should you apply it under a coat?

A sweater and a coat cover most of the places you would normally scent, and scent on skin under them mostly stays under them. Put it where the collar opens: the sides of your neck and your upper chest. Forearms are fine, but sleeves cover them in winter, so the neck matters more.

When you take your coat off in a warm restaurant, whatever you put on is suddenly out in the open. That is a good reason to keep a light hand with Oud Timber and Rogue 540. A butter works up close, so people near you will find it without help.

• Use less of the warm scents than you would of a light one.
• Put the scent on before you wrap a scarf, and give it a moment to settle. A scarf sits right against your neck, so a heavy hand there is easy to overdo.
• If you own a spray in the same scent family, try one spray over the butter and see how it wears.

When should you apply it?

Straight out of the shower, with your skin still a little damp. That is when our jars wear longest, and in winter it is also the moment skin wants moisture most.

If your skin is very dry, itchy or sore in winter, choose a fragrance-free product for the skin. A scented butter is the scent-first choice. If your skin is fine and you like the smell, it puts scent and moisture on at once.

What if you want to carry it with you?

For a long day, a small top-up beats a second full dose. A travel tin is easier to carry than a jar, and one comes free with 2 jars. Put a little on the back of your neck at lunch, and let it settle before the scarf goes back on.

Quick answers

What is the best cologne for winter? A warm, woody one. From our six I would choose Oud Timber or Rogue 540 for evenings and Bleu Hour for weekdays.

Should winter scents be stronger? Warm scents tend to be louder, so use less of them, not more.

Can I wear a fresh scent in winter? Yes, if you like it. Savanna and Reverie are lighter, so I keep them for spring, but there is no rule.

Where do I put scent under a coat? On the sides of your neck and your upper chest, where the collar opens. Forearms matter less in winter because sleeves cover them.

Not sure which of the six fits your winter? The scent quiz will pick one.