The best scented candles, tried and tested
A scented candle is really a cut above all other types of home accessory. Choose one in a beautiful pot and you've got a keepsake for life. Plus, what other accessory looks quite as good whilst offering practical, multi-sensory function too?
As the holiday season begins and guests flood into our homes for convivial evenings and other frivolities, your hunt for the best scented candle is likely already underway (what's a dinner party without one after all?!). Invest in a new scented candle and you'll have ambience in flash–without turning on the Netflix fireplace. That said, we understand buying online can be a little daunting, especially as scents are so personal, so we've tried and tested both familiar faces and newcomers to help you make an educated decision. We've looked for the longest burn-time, candles that truly relax us or reduce anxiety and, of course, we've only included candles we think are worth the money–you don't want to feel guilty every time you burn that £700 candle. For an alternative option, head to our guide to essential oil diffusers.
How do I choose a scented candle?
There are a few things to consider when choosing a scented candle. Price, smell and burn time should all be taken into account. However, the most important thing to look at is the make up of the scent itself, because different scented candles offer different experiences. Whilst it may sound a little silly, certain oils and scents do have a mental effect on us. Ylang ylang oils are said to create emotional balance, whilst lavender oil is meant to reduce stress and ease tension. Jasmine oil creates calm and rose oil acts as a remedy for stress.
Our tried and tested top picks:
- Burn time: 70 hours
- Best for: The living room
- Time of year: Winter
- Wax type: Natural and mineral wax
- Scent notes: Bergamot, Neroli and Cedar
House & Garden's verdict: Investing in little items that can bolster your mood is never more important than in the coldest, darkest depth of winter. To counter that, The White Company's latest release, which features notes of bergamot, neroli and cedar, is designed to cheer and warm the soul.
- Burn time: 32 hours
- Best for: The kitchen or living room
- Time of year: Spring/summer
- Wax type: Natural, free from paraffin
- Scent notes: Vine tomato
House & Garden's verdict: If you like green scents, look no further, for this is the greenest of them all. It's less of a masking fragrance than it is a ‘I’ve just had the windows open on a summer day' fragrance. It burns nicely, though the glass does get a little marked which can make the candle look a little dirty–it's nothing that can't be fixed with a quick wipe though. The practical vessel also means you can close it when not in use to prevent it from getting dusty, and use it as a storage jar once it's burned out.
- Burn time: Unknown
- Best for: The living room or bedroom
- Time of year: Autumn/winter
- Wax type: Natural, free from paraffin
- Scent notes: Cedarwood, ginger, neroli, violet leaf
House & Garden's verdict: It seems bizarre to describe a candle as famous, but at this point, anyone with an Instagram account has probably seen this candle. It's a three wick, refillable beauty in a Murano glass pot designed by Lucy Williams, in collaboration with Eym Naturals.
- Burn time: 60 hours
- Best for: The living room
- Time of year: Autumn/winter
- Wax type: Natural, free from paraffin
House & Garden's verdict: A lovely, smoky candle with undertones of patchouli, this is the perfect thing to light on chilly nights. The ceramic vessel feels lovely in your hand and is ideal for use as a brush pot, pen pot, or toothbrush holder once the candle is finished. The only downside is the opaque nature of the holder means that once the candle burns past the top third, you can no longer see the lovely flickering of the flame.
- Burn time: 70 hours
- Best for: The living room
- Time of year: Autumn/winter
- Wax type: Natural, free from paraffin
- Scent notes: Rosemary, cedarwood, bay, black tea, frankincense
House & Garden's verdict: If you're looking for a candle that's already verging on being a cult buy, it's this one. The shape means it can be used as a vase afterwards and it looks beautiful on display–an ornament in its own right.
“A current favourite candle is by Moro Dabron. The scent reminds me of being in a country house hotel. The kind that retains the authentic smell of the grand old house that it once was, but more luxurious now–full of fresh cuttings from the garden and lovely spa products. It smells like somewhere I’d much rather be.” - Eleanor Cording Booth, Smells like home
- Burn time: 70 hours
- Best for: The living room
- Time of year: Autumn/winter
- Wax type: Natural, free from paraffin
- Scent notes: Frankincense, cade, smoke, precious woods, black pepper and amber
House & Garden's verdict: Created to sit amongst other beautiful objets on your mantle, this candle was made by Jamb in collaboration with Moro Dabron. Each of the candles has been cast using a process called the ‘ancient lost wax'–a lengthy multi-step process that involves hand patination.
House & Garden's verdict: Hand-poured in the Cotswolds into satisfyingly heavy marble containers, D'Ambrosi's array of scented candles are a true delight. Bergamot balances the citrussy notes with a hint of rose, while West Indian Bay is a warming, spicy number. Once it's burnt down, you can go back for a refill for just £25 – it's a circular economy candle with joy on every level.
House & Garden's verdict: We love these jars, designed by artist Katie Scott for Polkra on mythological themes. The scents are delightful too - this 'Calypso Rose' is a particular favourite, light and sweet without being cloying.
House & Garden's verdict: Urban Apothecary are slightly more affordable than other luxury candle brands, and their clean, modern black jars look stylish anywhere. This scent is much more gentle than the idea of 'smoked leather' would have you believe - like an elegant, feminine take on a library-style fragrance.
House & Garden's verdict: As well as looking incredibly smart on a side table with its black and white container, this candle smells so rich and luxurious – it's definitely one to set a tone in the evening.
House & Garden's verdict: Infused with English lavender, sweet basil and jasmine, this candle is designed to help you sleep deeply and peacefully. This candle weighs 420g and has a burn time of over 50 hours, so it's good value for money.
House & Garden's verdict: A timeless classic that has many uses when it's empty, Fornasetti's lidded candles are a beautiful choice for a shelf or desk, where the Italian brand's iconic artwork can be fully appreciated.
House & Garden's verdict: We've long been fans of Noble Isle's beautifully fragranced shower and bath gels, and we're just as impressed with their generous scented candles. The new ‘Whisky & Water’ scent is just the thing for a winter's evening curled up by the fire, with notes of cedar, vanilla, and of course, malted barley.
House & Garden's verdict: One to buy for the ribbed ceramic vessel as much as the fragrance itself, Loewe's candle range comes in a variety of beautiful colours and scents – this is one to repurpose as a trinket or pen pot long after the wax is gone.
House & Garden's verdict: Santa Maria Novella is one of our favourite shops for bath products, perfumes, pot pourri - anything scented in fact. With its utterly beautiful packaging and heavenly fragrances, we couldn't omit their candles. The four ‘Hours’ candles, named for morning, afternoon, evening and night, have corresponding scents; ‘Mattino’ has to be a favourite, with its crisp, fresh notes of mint, eucalyptus, pine, sage and thyme.
House & Garden's verdict: The latest scent from British candle brand Evermore, this wonderful tuberose-heavy candle fills the room with fragrance, so a little goes a long way.
House & Garden's verdict: Named after the Italian city of the same name, the blue hand-blown glass vessel is reason enough to want this elegant candle on display, the mimosa and grapefruit fragrance is merely an added bonus.
House & Garden's verdict: One of Diptyque's most well-known candle fragrances, this limited edition style is especially lovely with the graphic detailing on the clear glass – it's a great long lasting size too.
House & Garden's verdict: Replica by Maison Margiela is a line of perfumes created to evoke a time and a place. This one is Chamonix, 1971 and it simply smells like autumn; there's really no other way to describe it. It is at once smokey and sharp, rich with deep spicy tones. The packaging isn't too wild, so it'll sit in any space without drawing too much attention.
- Burn time: 90 hours
- Best for: The living room
- Time of year: Summer/early autumn
- Wax type: Vegetable and paraffin
- Scent notes: Tubéreuse
House & Garden's verdict: Diptyque's 'Tubéreuse' is our Digital Editor, Virginia Clark's long-standing favourite candle. It offers a delicate, elusive floral scent that is pleasingly difficult to place. It's not cloying, as you might expect from floral fragrances. Instead it is subtle and elegant, with a clean, herbal element to it that knocks back the sweetness.
- Burn time: 90 hours
- Best for: The living room
- Time of year: Winter
- Wax type: 100% natural wax
- Scent notes: Smoke, frankincense, juniper berries & cedarwood.
- Burn time: 24 hours
- Best for: The living room
- Time of year: Early autumn
- Scent notes: Cedar, bamboo, sandalwood, guaiac wood and hay
What is the best brand of scented candles?
Lighting a scented candle is truly a multi-sensory experience: with scents to delight the nose, beautiful packaging that is just a joy to behold, and the ability to create a relaxing ambience in both the dingiest of bathrooms and the largest of living rooms. So the best brand of scented candle needs to offer all of these things. For great value, Urban Apothecary is our go to. The scent lasts right up to the end and the package is clean lined and cool.
How to prevent tunnelling
Before you first light your candle, you should ensure you have approximately two hours (depending on the candle size) to allow the candle to burn. Why? Well, if the wax doesn't melt all the way to the edge of the candle, it might begin to ‘tunnel'. This is where the wax creates a channel down the centre of the candle, reducing its life span.
Why you should always trim the wick
There are two main reasons why you need to trim your candle wick. The first is relatively simple: a longer wick and bigger flame will result in your candle burning faster. The second reason is that the longer the wick, the bigger the flame and the higher the chance your candle will perform ‘incomplete combustion.' This is where the flame produces carbon black, AKA soot, instead of carbon dioxide. A big sign that this is happening is your candle jar being marked with soot and the flame creating a large amount of smoke.
What are the strongest smelling candles?
At a not-too-eye-watering-price-point, The White Company's, and Jo Malone's candles can't be beaten. The former has an especially good offering in the colder months, offering scents that reincarnate the feeling of Christmas spirit (though we'd also recommend Maison Margiela's 'By The Fireplace' if you're after this).
What is the difference between soy, beeswax and paraffin candles?
The simple answer is that soy and beeswax candles are more expensive than paraffin ones. This is largely because paraffin wax is easier to mass produce. However, splashing out on beeswax or soy-based candles is worth the money, as they produce less smoke and pollution than their paraffin counterparts.
