Anyone who knows me is well aware of the fact that I live a very well-scented life. Smelling good is a way of life for me, and I truly believe that fragrance can have mood-boosting effects, so I try to incorporate it into my daily routines as much as possible, whether that’s via a traditional eau de parfum or body oils and lotions. That being said, a truly well-scented life doesn’t stop at the formulas that you put on your body; it also includes the ones that you use for your surroundings as well. Enter: my obsession with luxury candles.
I love my Pura just as much as the next person—in fact, it’s what I use in my home about 60 percent of the time. That other 40? Candles. Every and anywhere that I can fit them. There’s something so sensual about illuminating my apartment using just candle light. Not only does it set the most romantic ambiance, but the majority of the ones that I own are scented, so I am engulfed in the most delicious fragrance when I burn them.
As you’ve likely guessed, this means that my candle collection, while not as large as my perfume collection, is… let’s say extensive, so I know a thing or several about the best ones on the market. I’ll never apologize for being a girl with rather expensive taste, but I’ll forewarn that the majority, if not all, of my favorite candles fall on the more luxurious end of the spectrum. Now, ready to make sure that your home is a well-scented as you are? Keep reading to shop my favorite luxury candles.
Best Musky Candles
Musk is one of my favorite perfume notes of all time, so when I thought about what the signature scent of my home should be, of course, I had to find the best musk candles on the market.
I feel like it’s not a very well-known fact that Drake (yes, that one) has a candle line, and every single one of them that I’ve tried is immaculate. Still, I have a clear favorite, and it’s Carby Musk. Lily of the valley, skin musk, and amber woods are some of the notes in this candle, but I must point out that it also has ambergris, which is one of the most expensive fragrance ingredients in the world. The combination of all of them blends into this sweet, floral, and clean scent that I am petitioning him to release in a full-sized eau de parfum formula immediately.
Hot take: Le Labo’s Ambroxide 17 is one of the best fragrance offerings from the brand, period. Yes, this is taking into consideration its traditional eau de parfum line as well. It’s like Another 13 in candle form, and if you’ve never tried that scent, that is to say it’s clean, musky, and a little sweet—i.e., my perfect fragrance profile.
Best Gourmand Candles
Just like with my perfumes, I love a gourmand candle. These have incredible projection, but don’t smell too much like a dessert that’s been left out for too long. (True gourmand lovers know what I mean by this).
Vanilla lovers, your presence is requested. Voluspa’s Baltic Amber is equal parts vanillic and woody, thanks to notes like vanilla orchid, amber resin, and sandalwood. The combination is a mouthwateringly sweet scent that isn’t too cloying and a candle that can be lit year-round, regardless of the season.
Have you ever experienced the light airiness of the sugar that comes directly from sugar cane? That’s here, translated into candle form. Of course, sugar cane is combined with saffron, neroli, oak moss, and a few other notes to give my nose the pleasure of experiencing one of the most beautiful candle scents of all time. It smells like a certain well-known fragrance that may or may not have the number 540 in it, but I leave that up to your personal interpretation.
Best Fruity Candles
Fruity candles are a great way to add some bright and uplifting energy to your space, but I’ve searched a long time to find ones that don’t feel too overwhelmingly zesty or too citrus-forward. If you’re in the same boat, the ones below are the absolute best fruity candles.
Kyoto In Bloom has notes of fresh lime, bergamot, and citrus, and normally that wouldn’t make me look twice at this candle. However, those notes are flanked by others like amber, sandalwood, musk, and vanilla. The combination? An elegant citrus scent that I would douse my entire body in if I could.
Fig is the fruity note that stands out most to me in the candle, and it’s beautifully done. Glossier’s Sandstone also features sandalwood and clary sage, so it feels equal parts fruity, fresh, and woody. It’s one of the cleanest-smelling fruity candles I’ve ever gotten to sniff.
Best Woody Candles
Woods are one of my favorite fragrance categories to explore, but sometimes they can lean a little too smoky. These ones are the perfect balance of fresh, earthy, and clean notes.
I came across this small, independently-owned business on Instagram, and its Mahogany + Teakwood candle was an immediate favorite. The lavender and geranium top notes pair beautifully with the woody base note, and the resulting scent is fresh, clean, and super unisex. It would be a fantastic addition to a housewarming gift or your at-home candle collection (because one sniff of this one and you’ll want to keep it all to yourself).
One of the best woody perfumes of all time, Jo Malone’s Wood Sage and Sea Salt, comes in candle form, and it smells just as good as the perfume. The name is an exact listing of the notes, so it feels like a pretty safe blind buy, but still, if you can’t get to a store to smell the candle in person, just head to your local Sephora to smell the perfume. It’s the same delicious, grounding scent.
Best Floral Candles
The best floral candles, to me, don’t smell too much like a photo-realistic garden. Instead, they’re formulas that offer supporting notes to a central floral ingredient that allows it to truly shine without being overpowering.
I never thought I’d love a tuberose candle, but Versailles from Trudon proved me so wrong. Peonies and mint add a fresh and uplifting element to the candle’s scent profile, while honeysuckle, oak wood, and blue iris add a grounding, almost slightly gourmand element to the combination.
A true rose lover? Look no further for your new favorite candle than Diptyque’s Rose Candle. It has one fragrance note, Rose, and I love burning it in conjunction with my more woody perfumes for a more balanced fragrance overall. It’s almost like layering your perfumes, but the candle version. Invest in the 1500 gram multi-wick style and you'll be set for at least a year or two.
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