Our Favorite Warm and Woodsy Candles
Boy Smells Hinoki Fantôme Candle offers an earthy and elegant scent combination of cypress smoke, warm amber, sweet vanilla, florals, and fresh moss. Its glossy black glass vessel is visually appealing but shows fingerprints easily. The scent is fragrant without being overbearing. Flaws include imperfectly applied labels and the lack of a lid. The Polyamberous Candle from the same brand has a beautiful and eclectic scent. Scent: Japanese cypress (hinoki), moss, smoked amber, cardamom, jasmine. Sizes: 8½ ounces, 27 ounces. Wax: coconut and beeswax blend. Average: $4.50. Burn time: about 55 hours. Listed: 50 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 30 days.
Kishmish Kashmiri Chai Candle provides a sweet and spicy blend of anise and cardamom. It evokes the comforting feeling of a warm cup of chai. The matte-black glass vessel with a matching lid is attractive and can be reused. However, it's only sold on the company's website with no returns except for defective products. Scent: anise seed, cardamom, sweet milk. Size: 8 ounces. Wax: coconut and soy. Average: $5. Burn time: about 60 hours. Listed: 50 hours. Shipping: $5 to $15. Return: no returns, unless product arrives defective.
P.F. Candle Co. Amber & Moss Soy Candle features a rich, complex aroma of pine resin, moss, eucalyptus, and vanilla. It's an understated candle with a crowd-pleasing smell that's not overwhelming. The signature vessel blends in well with various decor and is widely available. Flaws include a flimsy label and a less-potent scent. The Golden Coast Soy Candle offers a pine-forward scent. Scent: sage, moss, lavender. Sizes: 3.5 ounces, 7.2 ounces, 12.5 ounces. Wax: soy. Average: $3.30. Burn time: about 45 hours. Listed: 40 to 50 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 30 days.
Paddywax Tobacco Flower Form Candle has a subtle, smoky-sweet scent that pairs well with its eye-catching ceramic vessel. The fragrance is warm, spicy, and earthy. The vessel, with a matching ceramic lid, is reusable and has a small hole for drainage. Flaws include uneven wax pours and a less-potent scent. The Spanish Moss Form Candle has a more-potent scent. Scent: orange, cinnamon, tobacco flower, sandalwood, cedar. Size: 12 ounces. Wax: soy blend. Average: $3.50. Burn time: about 60 hours. Listed: 72 to 84 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 30 days.
Apotheke Charcoal Candle presents an elegant, monochromatic look with a sophisticated scent that fills a room without being overpowering. The matte-black vessel hides soot streaks and fingerprints well. However, it lacks a lid and the label can't be removed. The Earl Grey Bitters Candle has a similar construction but a different, more luxurious scent. Scent: smoky amber, cedar, sandalwood, oud (agarwood). Size: 11 ounces. Wax: soy blend. Average: $4. Burn time: about 70 hours. Listed: 60 to 70 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 15 days.
Brooklyn Candle Studio Palo Santo Minimalist Candle offers a sweet, smoky, and ethereal palo santo–scented candle in an elegant vessel. The scent is potent and transports you. The label is a bit sticky and hard to remove. The Brooklyn Escapist Candle has a fun scent. Scent: cypress leaf, eucalyptus, palo santo, oakmoss, vetiver. Size: 7.5 ounces. Wax: soy. Average: $3.70. Burn time: about 50 hours. Listed: up to 50 hours. Shipping: free shipping on orders over $50; otherwise it varies. Return: 14 days; damages must be reported within seven days of delivery.
Voluspa Baltic Amber Candle is incredibly fragrant and gives off a resiny, warm, inviting scent. It's available in various sizes and has a long burn time. The 18-ounce size has an intricately patterned vessel and a metal lid. Flaws include a single wick in the large size and a potentially stuffy scent in small spaces. The French Cade Lavender Candle has an elegant scent. Scent: amber resin, sandalwood, cedar, vanilla orchid. Sizes: 3.2 ounces, 4 ounces, 5.5 ounces, 9 ounces, 12 ounces, 18 ounces, 44 ounces, 123 ounces. Wax: coconut blend. Average: $3.10 (or $1.80 for sizes 18 ounces and above). Burn time: about 90 hours (for the 9-ounce size). Listed: 60 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 30 days.
Our Favorite Fresh and Floral Candles
Bath & Body Works Rose Water & Ivy Candle has a surprisingly realistic rose scent that's not overly sweet. It's budget-friendly and comes with a lid. The company has a generous return policy, but its offerings change frequently and the website can be confusing. The Dark Amber + Oud has a cologne-like scent. Scent: rose petals, English ivy, lemon blossom. Sizes: 8 ounces, 14.5 ounces. Wax: soy and palm oil blend. Average: $2.25. Burn time: about 50 hours. Listed: 30 to 50 hours. Shipping: $7 flat rate. Return: 90-day.
Diptyque Roses Classic Candle has a potent and delicate rose scent that evokes an English rose garden. It's expensive but offers discovery sizes and complimentary gift wrapping. It scored similarly to a much cheaper option in our tests and lacks a lid. Figuier (Fig Tree) and Feu de Bois (Wood Fire) candles are alternative scents. Scent: rose. Sizes: 2.4 ounces, 6.7 ounces, 21.1 ounces. Wax: paraffin wax blend. Average: about $11. Burn time: about 50 hours. Listed: 60 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 30-day.
Otherland Daybed Candle has a strongly scented rose presence with added peony and pear water for nuance. It's housed in a sturdy and colorful vessel with a suctioning lid. The scent may be too intense for some and the lid is not very durable. The Canopy Candle has a similar vessel and a lush scent. Scent: rosebud, peony, pear. Size: 8 ounces. Wax: coconut and soy blend. Average: $4.50. Burn time: about 45 hours. Listed: 55 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 30 days.
Target Project 62 Lavender + Eucalyptus Candle offers a soft, natural-smelling scent with clear lavender and eucalyptus notes. It's very reasonably priced but has no lid, may have quality control issues, and burns faster than most. The Aloe + Bergamot Candle is a similar option. Scent: lavender, eucalyptus. Size: 14 ounces. Wax: palm and paraffin blend. Average: $1.10. Burn time: about 55 hours. Listed: 30 hours. Shipping: free on orders over $35 (otherwise a $6 flat fee). Return: 90 days.
Our Favorite Sweet and Citrusy Candles
Mala the Brand Cereal Scented Soy Candle is a sophisticated take on Froot Loops. It's available with wooden or cotton wicks and has a playful vessel. However, it has strict return policies and can tunnel. The company plants a tree per purchase and uses sustainable packaging. Scent: lemon, lime, lavender, vanilla, sandalwood. Size: 4 ounces, 8 ounces, 16 ounces. Wax: coconut and soy blend. Average: $3.90. Burn time: 62 hours. Listed: 40 to 45 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: no returns; 48 hours for damaged products to be reimbursed.
Peacesake Neroli and Musk Candle emits a dreamy blend of florals, citrus, and sandalwood. It comes in a thick, matte-black, recycled-glass vessel with a cork lid. The fragrance is potent and the vessel is stylish and reusable. Flaws include a lid that can crumble and limited availability. The Currant and Amber Candle has a dark, opulent fragrance. Scent: orange blossom, bergamot, amber, jasmine, sandalwood, musk. Size: 8½ ounces. Wax: soy. Average: $4.50. Burn time: about 60 hours. Listed: 40 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: seven days.
Our Favorite Unique and Savory Scents
D.S. & Durga Pasta Water Candle has a strange but satisfying, savory-and-salty smell. It's expensive and polarizing, with off-center wicks and no lid. The Big Sur After Rain has a more conventional scent. Scent: saline water, semolina wheat. Size: 7 ounces. Wax: soy-vegetable wax blend. Average: $10. Burn time: about 65 hours. Listed: 60 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 14 days for most, but no returns on limited-run scents.
Flamingo Estate Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle has a fresh and green tomato scent in a stylish green vessel. It's pricier than many options but has a long burn time. The logo is printed on and it lacks a lid. The Climbing Tuscan Rosemary Candle is popular with some testers. Scent: tomato vine, holy basil, black pepper. Size: 8 ounces. Wax: vegetable. Average: $7.25. Burn time: about 75 hours. Listed: 60 hours. Shipping: varies. Return: 30 days.
Smell House Juice Hoax Candle has a fruity, vegetative smell and is hand-poured in Vietnam. The label is printed on the glass and the candles lack lids. The Szechuan Sugar Candle has a spicy, sweet, complex scent. Scent: tomato, celery seed, apple, spearmint. Sizes: 2.8 ounces, 14.5 ounces. Wax: coconut, palm, paraffin blend. Average: $2.40. Burn time: about 65 hours. Listed: around 55 hours. Shipping: free on shipments over $75; $8 flat rate otherwise. Return: 30 days.
How We Picked and Tested
We conducted extensive testing with a panel of experts and considered various factors such as scent, vessel design, and sustainability. We evaluated candles both lit and unlit, covered branding and logos, and gave preference to environmentally conscious candlemakers. To ensure even burning and longer lifespan, it's recommended to trim the wick before lighting and burn the candle to the edges on the first use. Tunneling can occur but can be corrected with a foil hat. Don't burn candles for more than three to four hours at a time and cover them when not in use to maintain their scent.
Other Scented Candles Worth Considering
Capri Blue Cactus Pineapple Flower Petite Jar has a strong, slightly artificial fragrance and a cobalt-blue glass vessel. It costs $2.75 an ounce and has a burn time of 25 hours. The Capri Blue Volcano Petite Jar candle has a grapefruit-like scent. Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day (Honeysuckle and Lemon Verbena) candles smell synthetic but work well in certain areas. They cost $1.40 per ounce and have a burn time of 34 hours with a 60-day return policy. Threshold Leather + Embers and Coconut + Honey Wooden Wick Candles have sophisticated fragrances, a burn time of 57 hours each, and a Target return policy. They cost $1.30 an ounce but have less attractive vessels. Apothia Bronzed Candle has a strong orange flower scent and some decorative features. It costs $6.60 per ounce, burns faster than pricier options, but could make a great gift.
The Competition
Keap Lavender + Petals Candle smells good but is difficult to purchase. Yankee Candle (Pink Sands and MidSummer's Night) has pungent scents and problems with the website and customer support.
In this comprehensive guide, we've explored the world of best candle scents, presenting a wide range of options from warm and woodsy to fresh and floral, sweet and citrusy, and unique and savory. We've detailed each candle's features, scents, burn times, and any potential flaws, as well as shared tips on how to make your candles burn evenly and last longer. Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly option or a luxurious treat, there's a perfect candle scent waiting for you to discover and enjoy.
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