Best Scented Candles?

The question is a misnomer.

Acceptable scented candles do not exis.

Winter Candy Apple and Iced Gingerbread.

I hate cologne. I hate scented detergent. I hate scented fabric softening.

But I really nice candle burning with a wonderful natural aroma while I read a book on my balcony is heaven.

Yankee candles by far ! Especially their holiday candles. 🎅🍁🍁☃️🕎🔔🎄🌚 🦃

I got, as a gift, this Voluspa goji tarocco orange candle. Mostly smells like orange. Really fresh-smelling and nice. I got the "mini tin" candle with just the one wick. The tin is really pretty.

It's a funny thing. When I was a kiddie in London years ago a lot of people used to have these fancy green candles in a glass cup. In recent years I remembered them and tried to find them again but no one remembered what they were called. A few weeks ago I was reading an autobiography and she said her parents always had Rigaud candles and I thought I BET that's them! Sure enough! But they cost a fortune. Anyway I got one thru Amazon for old times sake. & it's very nice, but not really worth all that money I don't think.

$10 each limit 15.

Pink Apple Punch and the Strawberry Watermelon at bath and body works.

Target's soy candles are worthless, but their other scented candles are not bad.

It’s not that difficult to make your own scented candles. A lot of the chi-chi little boutique candles just get the scents (already blended), the wax, and the wicks at one or two supply houses.

[quote]Yankee candles by far !

I'm sorry, but they are the KFC of candles.

R11, what brand are better ? That’s not a fortune

[quote]Pink Apple Punch

That sounds like such trashy garbage!

I'd rather spritz perfume from CVS around my house.

R5, I do like Voluspa's candles. Its scents have many layers to them and they smell rich....exotic even.

Last week I bought a candle called The Perfect Christmas from Bath & Body Works. It smelled like a fireplace that hadn't been cleaned out in years and it burned my eyes and throat. It didn't smell like Christmas at all. I returned it.

[quote]It’s not that difficult to make your own scented candles.

Honey, I'm not a lesbian with a booth at an art fair.

I just want a candle that smells good.

I expected more anger from this thread, maybe it's just getting started. Anger, outrage, fury.

[quote]I do like Voluspa's candles.

Thank you. I just ordered one to try it.

Mrs Meyers sells some fabulous candles, especially the fall scents. I hoard the acorn spice ones as much as I can—I went full psycho last year and bought like 20 of them so I could burn them throughout the year. It’s a wonderful scent, vanilla-adjacent with a nutty/spicy overtone. It’s my absolute favorite. Their candles are 100% soy too, which is a plus.

Bath and Body Works sells some noxious shit candles by and large, but I do find their single-wick “White Barn” line (in the small, classier-looking jars) are actually quite good. The lemon zest one is great, as is the cinnamon and vanilla scent. They have one called “cactus blossom” that I’m also quite fond of, but you have to like floral scents to appreciate it.

No love for Goop’s pussy candle?

I'm so frau-y I ordered candles from Laurel Mercantile.

The one that's supposed to smell like Ben's sweaty balls.

DW Home has nice candles that aren't too pricy

And I agree with the Voluspa recommendation above

I wish I could remember the name of the candle company that made the candles I love - it was in a lot of home decor shops and the like about a decade ago.

The containers looked like wallpaper and they were so nice I kept one as a pencil holder at my office for a while.

Archipelago has many lovely scents. This one is my favorite.

Jo Malone are worth it. Their single wick 7 oz candles burn longer and cleaner than other 3 wick candles with 2-3x the volume. I really was blown away that such a small candle had the projection and longevity it did. Even other luxury candles start tunneling which is irritating. It’s kind of hit or miss, but soy is always a good starting point.

Serinity by Jan.

And you can invest in the company, too.

Wait, you found something at Whole Foods that was only $20???

Another Voluspa fan here especially Baltic Amber and Bourbon Vanilla. Capri Blue is another brand. They do good holiday season scents.

DL & Co. Angel's Trumpet. It smells like old money on vacation.

Nest's Grapefruit is the cleanest and loveliest scent I have found... and I don't even like grapefruits!

Room & Board has very richly scented candles that last forever!

A few years ago I started getting into candles. Yankee candles are the worst. All fake chemicals!

On a whim I bought a candle from Brooklyn Night Owl at the weekend flea market at Our Lady Of Pompeii Church on Bleeker and Carmine. It was soy, with a wooden wick and poured by hand. It smelled amazing, (just enough fragrance, that it was not over powering) and the wooden wick makes a cracking sound! I have literally bought every candle she makes. Her prices are fantastic, too: $15 for the large (and it lasts forever) and less. Even when you burn the candle down, you still get more hours and fragrance from them. You could buy produced candles, which is fine, for $40 but try these. They are reasonable and literally the best candles I’ve come across. You can thank me later!

Scented candles and Precious Moments, how gay can we go?

The best candle is the one in the black glass jar that smells like Catholic Church “special mass” incense and costs like $100. It has a French name. I own one but it’s all the way up on my 3rd floor, and I cannot possibly go and look.

Trapp Candles are fabulous , Bob Trapps floral co. In kcmo started the brand, which i believe they have sold . Great scents, long lasting , a bit pricey but woeth it.

[quote] No love for Goop’s pussy candle?

Those are great for plausible deniability if you want to burn someone's house down with them in it but aren't committed enough to show up yourself with a can of gasoline and a lighter.

A co-worker once gifted me with a box of these candles from Tyler Candle Company and I loved the scent:

Sounds like Diptyque's Feu de Bois, r32. That one is great.

R32 here. The Catholic Church incense candle is “Spiritus Sancti” by Cire Trudon. $125 at the link.

I was gifted Nest Fragrance candles recently. very nice.

[quote]r16 I expected more anger from this thread, maybe it's just getting started. Anger, outrage, fury.

I have never owned a scented candle.

I wonder what odors those who burn them are trying to cover up.

i think it just sets a mood, esp during the holidays with the pine smell i suppose...

R32/R36, I share your love of the Catholic Church scent. It's the frankincense (oliban). Diptyque once made an Oliban limited-edition Xmas candle that was wonderful, but it was for only one year. Last year, I found a seller on Etsy who makes one called Midnight Mass. Close enough, though it doesn't have the same throw as the Diptyque (which are overrated in general, IMO).

Crotch by Alexander McQueen.

[quote]R40 I share your love of the Catholic Church scent

The smell of child abuse?

Rigaud is worth every penny, the blue is fabulous. . I also like Jo Malone for summer- a lighter smell.

Lulu’s candles on amazon have been pretty good! Trader joes candles are small but throw pretty far. And yes i love the boy smells ones too

Go wander into tjmaxx and smell the dw home candles until you find one you like. Always on sale.

Lafco's Feu de Bois "Ski House" has always been my go to candle. It's a little pricey, but I think it's worth it. It usually lasts me all winter.

For those who just want the warmth/light

Diptyque makes the best candles with natural scents, but the prices are very expensive. It's a splurge item for my mother at Christmas, she likes the one that smells like a burning fireplace.

PSA: please don't use scented candles or essential oils if you have pets. It can be really bad for them.

Ralph Lauren Holiday my favorite 🎄

For higher end candles, Apotheke candles are wonderful. I bought the smoke candle (which admittedly doesn't necessarily sound appealing) and it has this rich, warm scent that isn't cloying or overpowering.

I'm very into candles this winter. Actually I find the smelly ones and very expensive ones lame. $100 for a candle? They can fuck off. It's really about the light, for me at least.

Which brings me to IKEA. The scents are minimal but they have all sorts with weird names that don't really mean a thing. But they're very good and no chemicals.

I've also bought tea lights from there. They have large ones which you can put in a glass mug also from IKEA. They look great and give off a very nice light.

I bought a Rigaud candle recently. They were very big with fancy folks when I was a kiddie. The smaller one is $81 and the churchy smell lasts about 5 minutes after you've put it out. No more Rigaud for me. Diptyque are also a rip off.

Try Thymes "Frasier Fir" ..... nice pine scent without being overpowering. The votive is $16 and lasts quite long.

Tyler candles out of Texas are the best I have ever used..try “Diva"...so slutty

Tell us more about that, r49.

I love P.F. Candles. All of the scents are great and they are not super cloying.

Call me what you will but the Flannel candles at Bath and Body Works are my very favorite. That scent and the Fresh Balsam are the only ones I get from there.

R57 reminded me.

I's surprised no one's linked this yet.

This is good thread as I've been looking for scented candle recommends. Question for those recommending Voluspa and the other pricier brands: How's the scent throw? Yankee candle, Diptyque, and usually some of the fancier brands have a similar scent problem for me: too synthetic of a smell. The throw smells like perfume that has spilled out onto a hot surface and is now heat-evaporating its strong, chemical scent into the air. I prefer a lighter, cleaner, essential oil scent, and try to avoid food smells too. All suggestions up thread and subsequent are appreciated.

So far of the previous recommends, Archipelago candles are calling to me the loudest. Plenty of options featuring woods, fresh herbs, citrus, and spices which are my preferences so thanks to whomever suggested that brand.

Antica Farmacista has good candles

Yankee Candles are probably the best and you can get them cheaper when on sale. The OG candles are real wax and cotton wicks with no lead in them.

What on earth might you mean by "real wax"? Yankee candles in the jars are paraffin wax. Made from petroleum. Yes that is "real wax" but there are at least 10 other waxes that one could make a candle from, which are healthier to burn in your home.

A very popular mass market vegetable wax candle is Kringle. They are pretty good smelling, though it depends on individual taste and candle, and they are a fair value for vegetable wax candles.

I look for beeswax candles on close outs after the holidays. Beeswax is about the best wax to burn in your home and it smell light and lovely. And very long burning (if you don't buy the rolled kind that look like honey comb).

If you want QUALITY scents but are on a budget, buy QUALITY essential oils and use an electronic steam diffuser. And for a candle, burn a unscented "green" or "eco" type brand. Or look for Stearin wax - unscented. Stearin is sustainable and can be made from vegetable and animal sources. (yeah animal fat). It burns clean and long and biodegrades.

Paraffin wax does NOT biodegrade.

Another fair value candle, vegetable wax, is Milkhouse. They make some giant ones, and look for them to go on sale. They are soy, or soy with some beeswax. They smell good, not chemical. But they aren't all that strong, at least to my nose.

Once you have a good burn going in a jar candle, you can build up to 3/4 inch of liquid wax at the top. this is an opportunity to add a drop of essential oil to the wax to help refresh the fragrance of the candle. Just a drop or two and twirl it around a bit to mix into the layer of liquid wax. A good pine or rose or lavender or vetiver or citrus is usually just the ticket, depending on the base scent of your candle. I will sometimes add this drop when i blow out the candle. Then swish it into the melted layer. It will harden into the wax as it cools and be ready for the next burn.

I've used New Orleans Home Fragrance products for almost 10 years, now, and visitors/workers to my home ALWAYS ask, "What is that AMAZING smell?"

Usually I buy their concentrated oils and room sprays, but I have bought a good number of their candles, and they are just as good as their fragrance oil counterparts. VERY reasonably priced, and long lasting.

New Orleans No. 9, Chateau, NOLA, Bourbon Street, Quartet, Creme Brulee, and Fig Cassis are my favorites in the line. They also have lovely Christmas fragrances during that season.

Reading this thread inspired me to buy a satchel of actual frankincense and myrrh on Etsy. Fuck it!

[quote] Mrs Meyers sells some fabulous candles, especially the fall scents.

I am obsessed with their peppermint candle right now. Last year Glade made candy cane air fresheners and they smelled SO GOOD.

r63 did you know Kringle was started by the son of the guy who started Yankee? He sold off Yankee and then started another candle company.

Yes I know this. Kringle isn't fabulous but in my experience it is fair value for soy. Their "country candle" division takes the same fragrances and makes the candles with paraffin. If you need to save the 10 or 15 bucks, which many people do. Everyone has their budget.

Nobody denies that luxury candles at 50-200 bucks can smell good but that is a commodity for people with a lot of spending money.

There has been research into the chemicals released into a home from the different waxes and apparently paraffin does release pollutants of course but at "safe" levels. The only wax that is truly "safe" is beeswax which can even help purify air, ever so slightly of course. But if you can manage on your budget to avoid paraffin, it's a smart consumer choice.

Seda France is a favourite, especially their French Tulip.

R55 many oils are dangerous when applied topically, not only if ingested. To know which are specifically bad for your pet also when inhaled you should ask a vet.

thanks for all the info in this thread. I did not know there were so many types of candles.

Seda candles are very beautiful and fairly good value. I think they are the oldest candle company in the world. A 26 oz candle is 40-60 bucks and that's not bad for a "luxury" candle as a 22 oz Yankee candle (mass market) is usually about 20-30 bucks (on sale).

I used to love Illuminations but Yankee bought them and stopped selling their line.

DS & Durga’s Big Sur After Rain is my current favorite. Gorgeous scent.

I buy Yankee Candles. They are the best quality, they last longer and the scents are very nice. Great prices also.

There is that gay couple on IG in England that makes candles too, I have not bought from them yet. One is a giant gay and his partner, his backpack.

[quote]here is that gay couple on IG in England that makes candles too, I have not bought from them yet. One is a giant gay and his partner, his backpack.

Link, PLZ.

R77 you are entitled to your opinion. In my opinion Yankee Candle is an acceptable quality, paraffin, mass market candle. I like some of their fragrances and enjoy burning them, especially if someone gives me one as a gift. But in my opinion they are very very far from "the best quality".

Even Air Wick and Glade have some candle lines with real fragrance notes and better wax than Yankee, and at a fair price. I heard that Target has good inexpensive candles. Zara Home has very good soy candles and if you wait for the 2x a year sales, they are a great value.

Anthropologie has great quality soy candles with amazing fragrances, but they are a bit pricey.

Aromance candles......red lava citrus or firewood & flannel. At OLLIE'S for $4.99 - 18 oz.

Bay leaf & citrus or clementine & ginger. $1.25 at Dollar Tree.....5 oz candle with a metal screw on lid.

Now, that's value!

R49 Really good point. They aren't great for humans either, but the oils actually can't be metabolized by pets. There is a brand of pet-safe candles (Pet Home) that generally smell very good. They are expensive for what they are, but the throw is pretty good and they last awhile (comparatively).

Thanks for these articles on essential oils and pets, but they don't really talk about candles. The one above implies to me that candles aren't much of a concern, but that the oils diffused directly into the air and used topically are. Is that not correct?

No one wants to smell that awful fake shit.

[quote] This is good thread as I've been looking for scented candle recommends. Question for those recommending Voluspa and the other pricier brands: How's the scent throw? Yankee candle, Diptyque, and usually some of the fancier brands have a similar scent problem for me: too synthetic of a smell. The throw smells like perfume that has spilled out onto a hot surface and is now heat-evaporating its strong, chemical scent into the air. I prefer a lighter, cleaner, essential oil scent, and try to avoid food smells too. All suggestions up thread and subsequent are appreciated.

I've found that the scent of Voluspa candles is multi-layered and long-lasting without smelling artificial. Even the fragrance of its unlit candles diffuses into a room. I've been a fan of Voluspa's candles for a few years, in particular its Santiago Huckleberry scent. I've also purchased its reed diffusers in this scent. I often get headaches from artificial smells, especially cheap vanilla fragrance, so I have to be careful.

^ I'm your huckleberry

DW Home has good candles, they also have a HUGE variety of scents

I found some huge soy candles with 8 wicks at Aldi recently and bought all they had. At $30/USD they are great and last forever. I'm sure I will never find them again.

Anybody know of a candle that smells like a ripe crotch?