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Jul 15, 2023

31 Best Scented Candles With Delightful Smells 2023

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Plus a rechargeable lighter, because you're definitely going to need one of these babies after buying all new candles.

BuzzFeed Staff

I have this candle in the three-wick size and it is the epitome of fall. I'm one of those people that would happily live in autumn all year long, so I'd have zero issue keeping this scent out at all times. My colleague Mallory Mower *also* has and enjoys this candle, she said:

"I *love* this candle! I had to get it in both sizes so that my husband and I could smell it at the same time, despite working in different parts of the house. We were fighting over who got to use it during work. It's that delicious. The style of the mason jar version (pictured above) is so classically creepy and a great match with traditional Halloween decor!"

Scent notes: freshly carved pumpkin, spiced pumpkin seeds and smooth brown sugar.

Get it from Bath & Body Works for $15.95.

My sister has THREE large dogs and absolutely swears by these!

BuzzFeed editor Elizabeth Lilly has had nothing but good things to say about this brand: "It's been a few years since I first experienced the powerful-but-lovely waft of a Pet House candle and back then I had a dog roommate (who's quite slobbery). But even a few years later living solo, sans pets, I burn them quite often. They're amazing at quickly canceling out my downstairs neighbor's nightly weed smells (to each their own, buddy) and basically any cooking smell on earth, including onions, Brussels sprouts, garlic, and more. My kitchen is *right* by my closet so canceling out weird food smells is vital. These will forever be my GOAT candle and there are so many scents to keep some variety going."

Check out Elizabeth's full review of Pet House candles here.

Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (available in 55 scents).

Lulu Candles is a small business!

Promising review: "Smells divine and has impressive throw. Scent fills the whole room, and the slow burn is great." —BrynG

Scent notes: jasmine, oud, and sandalwood

Get it from Amazon for $16.95+ (available in 39 scents).

Scent notes: Orchid, white lily and moss

Get it from our Goodful shop for $36+ (available in two sizes).

Anecdote Candles are made with cotton wicks and a coconut-soy wax blend to create a clean burn.

Scent notes: orange blossom, coffee, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli, and cedarwood.

Get it from Anecdote Candles for $14+ (available in three sizes).

Check out a TikTok of the strawberry candles in action.

Promising review: "These are just the cutest little candles and ever so summery! Their size, appearance, and scent are just like real strawberries. Perfect as little take-home favors or decorations for a backyard picnic!" —M. Milton

Scent notes: strawberry

Get a set of four from Amazon for $8.99 (available in red and pink).

This small business is LGBTQ-owned and run in Chicago. I've personally tried out their Real Housewives of New York "Berkshires" candle and can attest that their candles are fantastic.

Promising review: "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is my favorite candle on the face of this earth." —Emily Pohlman

Scent notes:

Top: Citrus, Cinnamon, ChrysanthemumMiddle: Apple, Berry, Green LeavesBase: Pecan, Cedar

Get it from The Sisters Stoned on Etsy for $18+ (available in two sizes).

I've purchased not one, but two of the "Slow Burn" candles. It's just such a good scent and I loooove the look of the jar — so I have one to burn and one to hold onto...hehe. It has a smoky scent you won't be able to get enough of.

Promising review: "Such an amazing smell and creates a space of absolute relaxation! Huge Kacey fan and big fan of this candle!" —thatnashvilleguy

Scent notes: elemi, black pepper, ginger, amber, tonka bean, smoked papyrus, cedarwood, incense, labdanum, raspberry, rose absolute, guaiac

Get it from Amazon for $52 and check out other fabulous Boy Smells' scents here.

Promising review (for The Death Star scent): "This candle is so unique. After smelling it at a Barnes and Noble, my husband and I considered whether or not the price was worth is as it’s quite high but decided to go for it and WOW!! It is a crazy unique smell of being on the Death Star (or any Star Wars spaceship really) with its smells of forged steel, leather, and smoked amber!! 5/5 stars, genuinely awesome, otherworldly candle!!" —Alexa

Get it from Amazon for $44 (available in five scents).

This candle features notes of orange, cinnamon, clove, vetiver, and pine. It has a lovely minimalist design that'll look great with all of your home decor! It's made by Sweet Water Decor, a small business based in Pennsylvania.

Promising review: "I love this candle...love it, love it, love it! I just wish it was bigger! I really prefer larger three wick candles, so this one being so small is a bit of a bummer but the scent definitely makes up for it. With the slightest hint of fireplace smoke combined with winter, pine, and a bit of citrus, you can't beat it. The snow is falling outside my window but I'm inside under a blanket, warm and cozy, with my Warm & Cozy candle making me smile. :)" —K.M. Helm

Scent notes: orange, cinnamon, clove, and pine

Get it from Sweet Water Decor on Amazon Handmade for $20 (available in 10 scents/designs).

I'm personally a big fan of these crackling candles — and so is BuzzFeed writer Mallory Mower. She said:

"WoodWick Candles are my husband's #1 favorite candle brand, and he's THE pickiest candle person I know. We both love how they crackle like a campfire and dig every single scent we've tried!"

Promising review: "Beautiful bubbled glass jars. This is the most PURE smelling vanilla candle I have ever sniffed upon! 😌 When I opened it, I was on a vanilla cloud. The lid is awesome, too. It does a very good job at keeping the candle smell contained. I’ll be buying this brand for a while!" —Sarah Buckle

Get it from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in two sizes and several scents).

These candles are simply beloved by all Anthropologie fans — don't sleep on 'em!

Promising review: "Over the years, I’ve bought dozens of these candles for myself as well as for gifts. The scent is wonderful and long lasting. I appreciate the lid to keep dust out when not in use." —Hodges Runner

Scent notes: tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons, and limes are redolent with lightly exotic mountain greens.

Get it from Anthropologie for $16+ (available in sizes XS–XL).

Votivo is a small business that sells incredibly good smelling candles. I've personally tried out their Red Currant candle from their holiday collection and, damn, is it fantastic. I gifted one to my mom and she also loved it so much she asked me for another once she burned through it (she's very particular about her scents, so this was a big win for me).

Promising review: "All of these candles smell great. I’ve been buying them for years! The Red Currant is my all time favorite. The smell is amazing and pretty strong. You don’t have to burn it for long and it will last! They are a tad expensive but the scents are exceptional!" —MMcCurdy

Get it from Amazon for $32 (available in 19 scents).

La Jolíe Muse Store is a small business that sells beautiful home products.

Promising review: "This is such a gorgeous candle, especially for the price. The glass is beautiful and the color is exactly what I wanted. I love how thick the wick is. It has a pretty strong scent when the top is off even when it's not lit. Really like the look of it, I have received so many compliments on it." —Erin

Get it on Amazon for $33.99+ (available in six scents).

The amber glass jar really is a nice touch! P.F. Candle Co. is a small business that crafts candles in California. I've had the pleasure of trying out many of them and, honestly, they all smell incredible. Regardless of which scent you choose you won't be disappointed.

Promising review (for the Golden Coast scent): "I've been buying this specific candle from P.F. Candle Co for years now. It's my favorite, and somehow the scent works year round. Love that it's not paraffin wax, and the blend of essential oils is gorgeous. Somehow light but lasting, sweet with just a touch of camphoric. I'm obsessed and would legitimately wear this as a perfume if it came as that." —K

Scent notes: Evergreen, mission fig, and spice.

Get it from Amazon for $26 (available in 15 scents).

I have this candle and it's almost too pretty to burn! It smells fantastic and will surely impress any fellow crystal-lovers that visit your home. They also have a full moon ritual candle complete with moonstone inside of it! The Astral Boutique is a woman-owned small business that sells candles, wax melts, and other self-care items.

Scent notes: saffron and red currant

Get it from The Astral Boutique for $22.

When I'm in the mood to treat myself, one of the first places I turn (aside from my local coffee shop) is Otherland. They release different collections for each season, so I enjoy the *rush* of having to pick 'em up before they're retired. As of this writing their most-recent collection is the "Autumnland" set which includes six fall-inspired candles. I have this specific candle and it remains one of my favorites to date — it is the *perfect* balsam scent. Seriously, I've yet to find a festive candle that smells as delightful as this one.

Promising review: "Beautiful winter candle that fills the house. It smells like a unique, elegant smoky pine. Would totally wear this fragrance if it came in a spray! Rather than burn it, I use it with a candle warmer. I’ve been using it daily for over two months and it still smells fantastic." —dweebof

Scent notes: Balsam Fir, Musk, Winter Spice

Get it from Sephora for $27 (originally $36).

I would sell my soul for a French Cade Lavender Voluspa candle — no joke. It's absolutely one of my all time favorite candles. I typically buy one for my sister once a year because they're easily her number one fave. There's something that feels so elegant about the design of the glass jars and scents of these candles that keeps me coming back to them time after time. They're known for being a bit pricey but, honestly, they're worth it. Additionally, Volupsa is considered a small business!

Promising review: "This candle smells INCREDIBLE and lasts FOREVER! I’ve purchased this exact candle several times over the years and plan on continuing to do so so in the future. The lavender scent isn’t too strong but does make my room smell heavenly almost immediately after lighting it. I would like to eventually try other scents but I can’t tear myself away from this one!" —Cassie

Scent notes: French Cade Wood, Verbena and Bulgarian Lavender

Get it from Amazon for $34 (available in four scents).

BuzzFeed writer Mallory Mower adores this candle, "The tobacco and patchouli version of this candle is the staple scent in my home! I bought it for the jar, and because I don't like very sweet, flowery scents. Dang! Did this thing deliver! It has a great burn time, the smell is exactly what I wanted, and I've even gotten compliments on the jar when it was in the background of Instagram posts. This is 100% worth gifting, but I'd end up just keeping it for myself."

Promising review: "Goldilocks would love this candle because everything is just right. Some candle scents are too strong or fake smelling and some are too weak – this candle is perfect. The subtle, yet alluring scent provides nice background fragrance for any room and burns very clean. I'm sensitive to candles with fake chemical smells or wax that burns dirty and these candles are my go-to because they never cause a problem. The glass jar gives a nice glow and the candle has a long life. A little more money than most on here but worth it for 'just right.'" —Sterling

Scent notes: tobacco and patchouli

Get it from Amazon for $26 (available in 10 scents).

What? Don't act like I'm not the only one who is forever overcome with emotions! IT'S THE 10-MINUTE VERSION! Anyways, this candle has notes of autumn leaves, fall air, cashmere, jasmine, musk, vanilla orchid, and cedar wood. It even includes a dusting of gold glitter to top it off. It comes from Gold Thread Candle Co., a small business based in California that sells pop culture–inspired candles.

Promising review: "Perfect gift for my Taylor Swift obsessed friend! Love the details in the scent description, and the scent truly is amazing. Definitely considering buying a second for myself!" —Brenna Wichhart

Scent notes: autumn leaves, fall air, cashmere, jasmine, musk, vanilla orchid, and cedar wood.

Get it from Gold Thread Candle Co. on Etsy for $28.

This woody beauty is scented of leather and leaves, which I imagine smells incredible. It has a 40 hour burn time (yay!) and you'd be silly not to repurpose this jar once you've through the wax entirely.

Scent notes: dark oud, fragrant fir needle, and cracked peppercorn amid notes of worn leather and woodland musk.

Get it from Anthropologie for $48.

Pet's Favorite is a small business creating odor-eliminating candles hand-poured in the US. The candles are made to last up to 70 hours and are paraben-, dye-, phthalate-, and cruelty-free.

BuzzFeed editor Abby Kass loves this candle, "I recently adopted a dog, and I love her so much, but there have been some unwanted smells that came with her. When I was grabbing a few other essentials, I decided to throw this in my cart as well, and I am so glad I did. I've been burning this candle a lot lately, and I really like the smell. But I also just generally enjoy the smell of clean laundry. I have definitely smelled a difference in the odor of my apartment. And even though I have been burning it for a few hours a day, there is still a lot left, and I know I will be using it for a while now. I highly recommend but especially if you have pets in your life."

Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in seven scents).

Companion Candles is a woman-owned small business based in Chicago. Their candles are handmade in small batches with clean, organic ingredients, high-quality fragrances, and eco-friendly wooden wicks. A dollar from every sale is donated to an animal welfare organization of the customer's choice!

BuzzFeed editor and cat mom Jenae Sitzes is a fan, "I've tried out several of Companion Candles' lovely products at this point and, as someone who's gone through a *lot* of candles, I really love them. These last you for quite a while despite their smaller size (the average burn time is around 40 hours). The scent is really noticeable without being too overwhelming, and my favorite thing is that they're wood wick candles, so they emit this really lovely crackling sound as if you were sitting next to a fireplace. My cats get a kick out of sniffing these and love watching them burn. It's also nice to know that they're not breathing in any toxic ingredients!"

Scent notes: amber and cocoa butter

Get it from Companion Candles for $25.

Torched Products is a small business based in Tampa, Florida.

My colleague Tasia Bass is a big fan of these, "I first stumbled upon this candle in a gift shop at a cider mill and bought the lavender one on a whim. I don't even drink IPAs, I just thought the candle looked cool. I am so glad I did! I ended up going back to the cider mill the next year and buying all the scents, but my favorites are definitely the lavender IPA and the blood orange IPA.

I do prefer to use them in the fall, but you can use them all year. Also I just bought the Pinewood Pilsner and it smells like Christmas! The smell is not overpowering at all and lingers well after you blow out the candle. Plus they come in 3 sizes, and the largest size can burn up to 200 hours. I think they can make a great gift for the IPA or candle lover in your life."

Get it from Torched Products or Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes and 12 scents).

Promising review: "This candle reminds me of a man's cologne. I really like it. I am not one for floral smells. I tend to like scents like pine, linen, musk, and such. I found this to be a very pleasant scent and really enjoy it. I will definitely buy again once this one is finished." —SandyVD

Scent notes:

Top: Citrus, Herbaceous, Woody, Bergamot, Lime

Mid: Lavender, Pine Floral Sage

Base: Cedarwood, Vetiver, Juniper Berry, Clary Sage, Moss

Get it from Amazon for $15.99 and check out all the other scents/sizes as well.

Promising review: "This grapefruit candle is amazing. I have bought several of these as gifts. The one in my home smells incredible even without burning, you can get a whiff of the scent just walking by. The scent is very crisp and not perfumey at all. Perfect." —Kristi

Scent notes: pink grapefruit, white grapefruit rind, green vine accords, pink freesia, passion fruit.

Get it from Amazon for $48+ (available in three scents).

Poured Candle Bar is a small business based in Hudson, NY that sells all kinds of fragrance experiences. I gifted this candle to my husband, as Negronis are his go-to drinks these days, and he was blown away by how good it smells. He's constantly scolding me for having too many candles (he's not wrong) but he happily accepted this one with open arms — it's that good.

Scent notes: blood orange, bitters, dry gin, rosemary, and sage

Get it from Poured Candle Bar for $40 (also available as a massive seven wick centerpiece bowl).

Evil Queen is my all time favorite small business, let alone my go-to shop for candles. They're woman-owned and sell all kinds of candles with fun labels that'll make you want to try 'em even if the scent isn't your typical go-to. This "Smut Lover" candle is honestly one of the best things my nose has ever had the pleasure of sniffing. The label is hilarious and makes it *very* gift-y, but the scent, WOW!

Scent notes:

Top: Lemon, Lime, EucalyptusMiddle: Lavender, Marine, Ozone, Cyclamen, AniseBase: Cedar, Orris, Frankincense, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Musk

Do yourself a favor and stock up on this baby.

Promising review: "This candle is so good, from the label to the smell. Light this candle while reading to give you a nice, cozy vibe while you read your favorite smut. For any A Court of Thorns and Roses fans, this candle gives me Rhysand vibes. It's manly and strong, and I could just sit here and smell it all day." —Caitlin Duncan

Get it from Evil Queen for $22.

Promising review: "This is an amazing candle. It smells so good. I have burned this one for 12 hours and it is only about half burned. I would highly recommend." —PuzzleGirl

Scent notes: basil and tomato

Get it from Amazon for $45 and check out the other fun scents they offer while you're at it!

54Celsius is a small business!

Promising review: "At first I thought they were overpriced, when they arrived we were all very pleased, they are nicely made and the skeletons are so cool, especially the Unicorn. We are burning ours but they would make a very cool gift too." —Blue

Scent notes: mandarin, vanilla and cinnamon

Get it from 54Celsius for $39 (available in three colors) or Amazon for $39 (available in two colors).

I have a few diptyque candles and cherish them. They burn beautifully and cleanly (a big deal for those who are knowledgeable about candles) and they simply smell incredible. This specific one has a floral scent and features notes of blooming roses with aromatic accents of blackcurrant foliage. Diviiiiine.

Promising review: "This is Diptyque's trademark scent and oh boy it's soo luxurious! I light it on occasions but even if it's unlit it does impart a great scent to the living space. It is quite aesthetic as well and looks great in my living area. It's a perfect gift as well for a house warming so overall it's a great buy!" —Ambibi

Scent notes: fresh-picked blackcurrant berries and blooming roses.

Get the Baies scent from Nordstrom for $42+ (available in two sizes).

I'm obsessed with candles, so it was a no-brainer for my husband to gift me this surprisingly super fun gadget. It's really simple to use and charge, and it really works! I'll never have to buy another lighter again.

Promising review: "This is seriously the coolest device. It makes lighting candles a breeze. Yes, there is a weird crackling noise, but that's a super minor annoyance. It's a super intuitive device. Plus the lighter with the USB (included), charge for a bit, then pop it open and light ALL THE THINGS; well, candles. I don't know how well it lights cigarettes or whatever. However, for my personal intended use, it's awesome!" —Jee W

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 12 colors).

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.