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The best candles don’t merely smell delightful, they can encourage someone to slow down, set an intention, and maybe even relax and refocus—something we could all use a little (or a lot) of help with. Aside from looking great, the candles you purchase should be somewhat heavy so you know they won’t burn up in one sitting and good enough quality so that you aren’t concerned about the chemicals they send into the air. Soy wax, coconut wax, and beeswax candles are some of the cleanest burning options out there and candles scented with essential oils tend to be free of synthetic fragrances, so be sure to seek those nontoxic options out if that’s important to you or your recipient.
And when it comes to scent, there’s a world of options. Whether you pick one cute candle to gift your votive-loving best friend or buy a set to bring some love to multiple corners of your own house, you can’t go wrong. Some of our favorite candles even come in their own little gift boxes or patterned tins—and who isn’t a sucker for adorable packaging? The classic option is something scented, but you could even opt for a lovely taper candle that’ll add refinement to a space.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Candle to Capture Summer: NEST New York Amalfi Lemon & Mint Candle, $20 at Sephora
- Best Housewarming Gift: Homesick New York City Candle, $38 at Homesick
- Most Winter Warming: Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace Scented Candle, $65 at Nordstrom
- Biggest Splurge: Loewe Home Scents Cypress Balls, $495 at Loewe
- Most Classic Scent: Diptyque Baies Scented Candle, $45 at Nordstrom
- Most Musky: Boy Smells Cashmere Kush Candle, $48 at Nordstrom
Below are the 27 best candles from a variety of retailers to create a relaxing ambiance at home or to give as a housewarming present—because the best gifts also smell really, really good.
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We’d be remiss not to include this ever-popular pick from French-fragrance brand Diptyque. Baies is a blissful mix of black currant leaves and fresh roses. Don’t let its petite size fool you, this baby will burn for hours.
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The name of this candle doesn’t speak to packed bars and half-price drinks—no, we’re talking about a different kind of happy hour. A calming mix of citrus and cedar will fill the room, and a deep breath will reveal touches of rosemary and eucalyptus as a beautiful afterthought.
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This designer candle is crisp, delicate, and fruity, with notes of lily, jasmine, and pear to bring the sensation of springtime strolls alongside budding greenery right to your own home.
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All of Spoken Flames’s candles emit a soft crackling noise when burned for a relaxing and distinct experience every time. The Fearless candle fuses a bright mix of orange, clove, and cedarwood to bring a bold energy to your space.
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Light this candle and you’ll practically smell the sea salt spray hitting your face off of the ocean. If you’re on the market for a budget-friendly candle that packs a ton of punch, your money would be well spent here.
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From Instagram-famous candle brand Otherland come plenty of one-of-a-kind and kitschy options. Take Chandelier, a coconut and soy wax blend of champagne, saffron, and leather that you’ll hope never burns out. Fortunately, it promises 55 hours of burn time.
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Don’t let the paint-splattered jar fool you—this candle is all about hygge-inspired nights by the fireplace watching the snow fall outside. This unisex scent was inspired by fireplace mornings in Chamonix in the 1970s. Groovy.
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The cheeky LA candlemakers at Boy Smells teamed up with pop star (and AD cover girl) Kacey Musgraves to make this candle that conveys a harmonious mix of incense, black pepper, ginger zest, raspberry, and cedarwood.
We love P.F. Candle Co. for its rich, long-lasting scents. This particular smell from the brand is herby, as the name suggests, but in a way that is less kitchen and more dewy morning walk through the garden. While earthy, there are some refreshing kicks of lemon and orange rind, which will keep you guessing (in a good way).
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If you’ve ever walked into an Anthropologie store, you’re likely deeply familiar with the oversized Capri Blue Volcano candle and its cloyingly sweet scent. Made by the Mississippi-based Capri Blue label, this hand poured candle with a cotton wick is loved by thousands and features notes of tropical fruits, oranges, lemons, limes, and mountain greens. It’ll make a great gift for your favorite Anthro girl.
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AD editor in chief Amy Astley highly recommends this very luxe, very splurge-worthy candle from Loewe: “I love the chunkiness, the heft, [and] the jumbo size,” she says. Bonus: When the candle has burned down, “you can keep the vessel for anything you want—and it’s nice that this one isn’t delicate and teeny.”
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Take the idea of a tea light to a whole new level with this Earl Grey scented three-wick candle that combines the smell of black tea leaves with bergamot, lemon zest, and peony. It’s soothing for a cold, rainy day, but it will also revitalize—just like your favorite mug of tea always does.
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If you want a Sunday morning candle to go with your Sunday morning coffee, Sunday morning breakfast, and Sunday morning book, then look no further. Brooklyn Candle Studio has created the perfect candle to perfume your early bird routine with smells of pear, bergamot, jasmine, gardenia, and amber woods.
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A staple scent from Boy Smells, Cashmere Kush brings a musky aroma to any room, with notes of pot flower, geranium leaf, tulip, cashmere wood, rhubarb, vetiver, white amber, and powdery musk. They also have a magnum 27-ounce size if you just can’t get enough of the smell.
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Bring the sunny Italian coast into your living room with this candle from Catbird. The notes of orange blossom and honey are designed to transport you to days of long naps in the sun, walks through olive groves, and the occasional dip in the ocean. Plus, each candle comes with a suggested reading list on the lid for those on the hunt for a new book to become engrossed in.
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If you love classic scents and wish you were into edgier fragrances, look into Malin+Goetz’s take on a traditional floral. Touches of clove, black pepper, and cardamom open up into rose, peony, and geranium. With up to 60 hours of burn time, this natural wax candle packs major spring vibes you can bust out to pull you right out of the dreariest of days.
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Inspired by Tom Ford’s private garden, this candle is a little bit woodsy and a little bit spicy. Rose is at the heart of the scent, but it’s also hugged by patchouli and Sichuan pepper. It’s sharp and warm at the same time, and it makes the perfect gift for your BFF who loves to host.
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Homesick makes candles inspired by each state, and even a few cities, like New York City or Los Angeles—making these wicks an especially meaningful gift idea. Their take on New York plays on spring days spent in Central Park and the overall buzz found in every borough, translated through notes of bergamot, jasmine, lemon, grapefruit, water lilies, oak moss, sandalwood, musk, and—we kid you not—concrete.
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With notes of clover, island moss, and sea pinks (which is possibly the cutest plant name we’ve ever heard), this refreshing D.S. & Durga candle will conjure up good vibes wherever it fits in with the rest of your home decor.
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For a decidedly grown-up vibe, the Speakeasy candle is meant to evoke illicit nights out and the pleasure of breaking the rules with its tobacco, bourbon, and palo santo notes.
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Know someone who loves the smell of old or new books? This best-selling candle from Byredo is for them. It fuses notes of peach, plum, peony, violet, leather, patchouli, and vanilla to create an overall woody and aromatic scent that’ll transport you to the medieval library of your dreams.
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Lime, eucalyptus, and violet leaves come together to create a peaceful scent that’s reminiscent of a herbal tea. Surely you have a loved one who loves Le Labo. Give them something to sniff other than Santal 33.
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Ever experience nostalgia with movies that you wish you could bottle and keep forever? Like that one horror movie you watch every Halloween, or the rom-com that’s a familiar friend to you on a rainy day. That wish comes true with the A24 and Brooklyn-based Joya collaboration of movie genre candles. Now you can pick a candle inspired by your favorite movie genre.
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From Diptyque’s new line of luxury cleaning products, this odor removing candle smells like a morning stroll through the farmer’s market thanks to its vibrant (and clean!) basil scent. It’s the perfect home fragrance, with an aroma that gently wafts through the air even when you’re not burning it—making this one of the best scented candles on this list.
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Nongender Specifc strives to make inclusive products with the mantra that “beauty knows no gender”—something the skin-care brand emulates with the Brooklyn Baby candle made in collaboration with Jess from Ohuprettythings. It’s musky, sultry, and will absolutely help set the mood.
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The gardener in your life will love the candle scents from Loam, a company named after a type of soil that creates smells inspired by the great outdoors. You can find unique candles called “community garden,” “herb bed,” “citrus season,” and more that will surely make anyone with a green thumb kick their feet with excitement.
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Visit Lafco if you’re in search of especially sizable soy candles to burn for long amounts of time. We especially like this scent that’s got notes of violet leaf, honeysuckle, and mint—and will transport you to fields of flowers in the English countryside the minute you light the wick.
