17 Best-Scented Candles for Every Room (& How to Choose the Right One, According to a Candle Expert)
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
Striking a match and lighting your favorite candle easily sets the tone for your home. Whether it’s to relax after a long day at work, get you in the zone for a yoga session, or fill your home with delicious fragrances before you host (hot tip from our senior commerce director: always light a candle in the guest bathroom!), candles are a transformative piece for any space. And there’s no shortage of the best-scented candles on the market. From fall-like apple smells to sweet and citrusy, there’s a candle for every scent palette. To help you find the best ones to add to your cart, we chatted with an expert to learn how to find the right candle, plus 17 picks you can shop for now.
More from SheKnows
Today's Top Deals
Lululemon Just Dropped a Pickleball Collection Full of Stunning Exercise Dresses & Skorts
You Can Save Up to 40% Off Fire TV Products During Today's Huge Amazon Sale
Best Scented Candles, at a Glance
Best Overall: Bath & Body Works White Barn Vanilla Bean Candle, $27
Best Apple-Scented Candle: Mainstays Warm Apple Pie Scented Candle, $7
Best Sweet-Scented Candle: Voluspa Large French Cade & Lavender Candle, $27, was $34
Best-Orange Scented Candle: Jo Malone London Lime Basil & Mandarin Scented Home Candle, $80
Best Lavender-Scented Candle: Capri Blue Volcano Capiz Jar Candle, $29, was $36
Best Eucalyptus-Scented Candle: Threshold 3-Wick Amber Glass Eucalyptus + Palm Candle, $26
Best Splurge Candle: Aroma 360 My Way 6-Wick Candle, $161, was $230
Best Floral-Scented Candle: Maison Margiela Replica On a Date Scented Candle, $70
Best Fruity & Floral Scented Candle: Boy Smells LES Scented Candle, $48
Best-Sandalwood Scented Candle: Glossier Candle in Sandstone, $45
How to Pick the Right Candle for You
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the multitude of candle options that’s why keeping it simple is best when stocking up on candles. Krysten Kauder, founder of candle and home fragrance brand Candier, shares the mantra “light up good vibes.” And while striving to keep the good vibes going, her brand Candier wants “all our candles to smell amazing, but also to be a little symbol of self-expression, reflecting your tastes and changing moods.” Sticking to the scents that reflect who you are and the model you want your space to showcase is key. Speaking of fragrances, Kauder shares that some top scents right now are fruity florals. She also shares that vanilla and holiday-themed candles are also bestsellers. “holiday-themed candles smell extra yummy (we don’t care if it’s cliche, we love pumpkin season).”
Also shop for high-quality candles. “Choosing the right wax goes a long way to creating a premium candle,” Kauder explains. “We use soy wax, as it’s a super sustainable, plant-based, vegan wax that we can source locally in the United States (where all our candles are made). It holds fragrance oils really well and burns slower than other types of wax, so you get more burn for your buck (sorry, we couldn’t resist)”. This wax burns much cleaner than cheaper, petroleum-based candles.
Ahead, shop the best-scented candles from Bath & Body Works, Target, and more.
Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Bath & Body Works is a SheKnows sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
BEST OVERALL
Bath & Body Works White Barn Vanilla Bean Candle
$27
Bath & Body Works candles are known for their deliciously scented candles that burn for hours. This vanilla bean pick takes the title as our “best overall.” It’s created from a soy wax blend and three wicks to provide over 25 hours of burn time.
Scent: Madagascar vanilla bean, marshmallow, cinnamon, and nutmeg
Sizes available: 14.5 oz.
Type of Wax: Soy wax blend
Burn time: 25-45 hours
BEST APPLE-SCENTED CANDLE
Mainstays Warm Apple Pie Scented Candle
$7
Mainstays’ Warm Apple Pie Scented Candle makes your home feel like fall all year round. It’s packed with the scent of warm, spiced apples, which permeates throughout your entire home. The candle is encased in a decorative beveled-edge glass vessel and can burn for 100 to 120 hours.
Scent: Orchard apples, red pear, orange zest, cranberry, nutmeg, clove, and allspice
Sizes available: 20 oz.
Type of Wax: Non-toxic, clean-burning wax
Burn time: 100-120 hours
BEST LAVENDER-SCENTED CANDLE
Voluspa Large French Cade & Lavender Candle
$27 $34 21% off
If you’re looking for candles that double as decor pieces, consider stocking up on a few Voluspa scents. These candles are poured into an intricately crafted jar, paired with a flower-covered tin top. Each 18 ounce candle boasts a burn time of up to 100 hours and gives off fresh scents of lavender, rose, musk, and cucumber, and more.
Scent: Musk, jasmine, rose, cucumber, green apple, and watermelon
Sizes available: 18 oz.
Type of Wax: Coconut wax
Burn time: 100 hours
BEST SWEET-SCENTED CANDLE
Yankee Candle Vanilla Cupcake Scented Candle
$17 $31 45% off
If you’re a fan of sweet-smelling candles, this pick is a must-have. The Yankee Candle Vanilla Cupcake Scented Candle encapsulates the delightful aroma of a freshly baked cupcake, complete with a zesty hint of lemon and a dollop of creamy icing — imagine the sweet scent wafting through your home for up to 150 hours.
Scent: Vanilla cupcakes, lemon, and buttery icing
Sizes available: 22 oz.
Type of Wax: Paraffin wax
Burn time: 110-150 hours
BEST-ORANGE SCENTED CANDLE
Jo Malone London Lime Basil & Mandarin Scented Home Candle
$80
Jo Malone candles are loved by a handful of celebrities, and according to shoppers is “worth the splurge.” This jar is packed with hints of lime basil, Mandarins, thyme, and amber wood, which create a fresh and light fragrance.
Scent: Mandarin, basil, amber wood
Sizes available: 2 oz, 7 oz, 21 oz, 88 oz
Type of Wax: Blend off beeswax, coconut wax, and soy wax
Burn time: Up to 45 hours
BEST LAVENDER-SCENTED CANDLE
Capri Blue Volcano Capiz Jar Candle
$29 $36 19% off
If you’ve ever smelled a Capri Blue Volcano Capiz candle, you know how hard it is to resist adding a handful to your cart. But if you’re not familiar with the scent, here’s a few features to note: The candle features smells like tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons, limes exotic mountain greens for a strikingly beautiful smell. The candle is so loved that it’s racked up thousands of five-star reviews at Anthropologie.
Scent: Tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons, limes, and exotic mountain greens
Sizes available: XS, M, L, XL
Type of Wax: Soy wax blend
Burn time: 75 hours
BEST EUCALYPTUS-SCENTED CANDLE
Threshold 3-Wick Amber Glass Eucalyptus + Palm Candle
$26
This Target candle radiates the fresh scent of soothing eucalyptus. It has three burning wicks that create a mellow crackling sound. The Threshold candle comes in a moody jar and burns for up to 48 hours.
Scent: Eucalyptus
Sizes available: 22 oz.
Type of Wax: Soy wax blend
Burn time: 48 hours
BEST SPLURGE CANDLE
Aroma 360 My Way 6-Wick Candle
$161 $230 30% off
The gigantic candle from Aroma 360 is a splurge but worth it. This candle radiates a similar smell that 1 Hotel, Miami Beach, inspired. If you’ve been think about the scent that meets you right as you walk into the lobby, yep, that one. Notes of leather, cardamom, lemon, sandalwood, cedarwood, cinnamon, vetiver, amber, musk, and iris are red in the 50-ounce candle to create the signature fragrance.
Scent: Leather, cardamom, lemon
Sizes available: 50 oz.
Type of Wax: Soy wax and essential oils
Burn time: 295 hours
BEST FLORAL-SCENTED CANDLE
Maison Margiela Replica On a Date Scented Candle
$70
Awake your senses with the Maison Margiela Replica On a Date Scented Candle. It boasts a flirty floral scent. It also evokes notes of black currant, rose, and patchouli, which gives it a romantic feel.
Sephora shoppers can’t stop raving about the candle. “This candle is truly gorgeous,” one shares. “It smells so wonderful, like the days between spring and summer. It makes me think of cool summer mornings and spring showers. It’s a floral scent with unique notes of grape. I’ve never smelled anything like it.”
Scent: Floral with black currant liquor accord, Isparta rose petal, patchouli
Sizes available: 5.8 oz.
Type of Wax: Mix mineral waxes
Burn time: 40 hours
BEST FRUITY & FLORAL SCENTED CANDLE
Boy Smells LES Scented Candle
$48
The effortlessly cool candle is inspired by New York City’s Lower East Side. It’s “as unexpected, nonbinary, cross-cultural and eclectic as the neighborhood itself,” the brand says. Shoppers love its fruity and floral scent, featuring notes of Blackcurrant, peach blossom, jasmine rice, Asian pear, coconut, cardamom, and white cedar. The rich blend of coconut wax and beeswax and the braided cotton wick helps the candle to have a burn time of up to 50 hours.
Scent: Blackcurrant, peach blossom, jasmine rice, Asian pear, coconut, cardamom, white cedar.
Sizes available: 8.5 oz., 27 oz.
Type of Wax: Coconut wax and beeswax
Burn time: 50 hours
BEST-SANDALWOOD SCENTED CANDLE
Glossier Candle in Sandstone
$45
Glossier is known for its viral makeup and skincare, but here’s one more item to add to your shopping list: The brand’s candles. Glossier candles come in three scents in eight-ounce jars. We love the Sandstone candle, which is filled with hints of sandalwood, clary sage, and fig leaf and offers a light, fresh fragrance.
Scent: Sandalwood, clary sage, and fig leaf.
Sizes available: 8 oz.
Type of Wax: soy and coconut wax
Burn time: 45 hours
H&M Home Scented Candle
$8
You can score affordable candles at H&M that look like decor pieces, starting at just $8! Take this candle, for example. It comes in a translucent orange jar, detailed with elegant ridges and a glass lid. The candle smells of springy orange blossoms.
Scent: Yuzu blossom , Orange, Yuzu blossom
Sizes available: 5 oz.
Type of Wax: Soy wax, beeswax, paraffin wax
Burn time: 35 hours
Candier Go Shawty Birthday Cake Candle
$36
“Our confectionary-inspired gourmand scents are also really popular. The colorful sprinkle birthday candle—Go Shawty It’s Your Birthday“—is the ultimate vanilla cake scent,” Kauder says. Candier strives to be a “high effort” brand by pushing “innovative hand-poured candlemaking processes and adding eye-catching, candle-safe finishing touches like fun, wax-based sprinkles, and sparkly, plant-based eco-glitter,” Kauder adds.
Scent: Birthday cake, buttercream, gourmand, bourbon
Sizes available: 9 oz.
Type of Wax: Soy wax
Burn time: Over 60 hours
Rituals The Ritual of Jing Scented Candle
$30
A common praise this emerald candle receives from shoppers is that it “smells amazing.” That’s because this jar radiates a warming fragrance of sacred lotus and jujube to bring you into a calm, meditative state. Pro tip: Light the candle to set the mood for your next at-home yoga session or bath.
Scent: Lotus, jujube
Sizes available: 10 oz.
Type of Wax: Natural sunflower wax and rapeseed wax
Burn time: 50 hours
Moroccanoil Candle
$56
All of Moroccanoil’s products smell so luxurious. I love their original fragrance found in the brand’s haircare and body washes. I recently discovered this candle with the fragrance originale — that same heavenly scent — combined with notes of spicy amber and sweet florals. It also comes large jar, which lasts for months.
Scent: Fragrance Originale
Sizes available: 7.05 oz.
Type of Wax: Premium European wax
Burn time: 50 hours
Lafco Amber Candle
$30
We’re convinced that candles in beautiful vessels just smell better, and that’s the case with the Lafco Amber Candle. It boasts a stunning jar design and a light scent of amber, incense, bergamot, coriander, and labdanum, which creates a woodsy fragrance.
Scent: Incense, golden amber, labdanum, bergamot, coriander
Sizes available: 6.5 oz., 15.5 oz.
Type of Wax: Soy wax
Burn time: 50 hours
Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Soy Tin Candle
$5 $8 38% off
If you love Mrs. Meyers Clean Day soaps and cleaning products, you’ll love this tin candle. It’s made from soy wax and essential oils to give you a “better for your home” option.
Scent: Lavender
Sizes available: 2.9 oz.
Type of Wax: Soy wax
Burn time: 12 hours
Experts in This Article
Krysten Kauder is the founder of candle and home fragrance brand Candier.
Before you go, check out our slideshow below:
More Top Deals from SheKnows
Best of SheKnows
After Researching Extensively, These Are the Best Online Flower Delivery Services
10 Best Etsy Shops for Affordable, Modern Decor — & They Have Products Starting at $7
26 of the Best Under-$20 Red Lipsticks to Channel Your Inner Swiftie
Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
