House Beautiful Editors Love These Candle Brands So Much

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Though scented candles may not be the most personal gifts for others, they make for great gifts for yourself, so if you’re in the market to treat yourself, peep the best candle brands below. We’re well aware that there are thousands of worthy contenders out there, so instead of heading into the black hole of candles and testing all of them in order to make our carefully curated list, we looked in our own homes. In fact, this whole list comprises the candle brands that House Beautiful editors buy over and over again.

From big-name brands you already know to small-batch women-owned businesses who hand-pour their wares locally, there are plenty of top-notch options on here that will make your house smell like heaven and feel like a home. Plus, if you’ve been wanting to get to know our editors' personal tastes, this is your chance. We spill the beans on which brands we love most and why.

If you want to introduce a new fragrance to your space, too, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got everything from luxurious candles with a price tag to match to more affordable options you’ll burn through and buy again. Trust us: incorporating a scent into your home is always a good idea. We even suggest using a few for different occasions to create a specific mood. For instance, light something a bit richer for dinner parties and something fresher for pre-bedtime relaxation time.

Paddywax

I am obsessed with Paddywax," Senior SEO Manager Rachel Crocetti admits. "As someone who prefers really fresh, natural candle scents, I haven't found any fragrances that beat Paddywax's collection." The brand also breaks up its candles into four scent profiles, fresh, woody, spice, and sweet, so if you aren't sure which specific candle you'll like, you can start by picking one of the four scent buckets that speak to you. Rachel's favorite? Fresh.

Voluspa

"There has been a Voluspa candle in every bedroom I've slept in since I was a college student," Associate Editor Jessica Cherner says. "I love the core collection, but my favorite ones are the limited-edition ones tied to holidays, like the Cherry Gloss candle that debuted around Valentine's Day." All of the candles come in elegant, thick glass vessels that are as beautiful to look at as the candle is to smell. Plus, they're all made with 100 percent natural, hand-set wicks and globally-sourced ingredients. There are also no sulfates, phthalates, or parabens.

Ranger Station

"This is a Nashville-based boutique fragrance house whose fresh, earthy scents have won me over," Associate Shopping Editor Janae Mackenzie explains. "They have a long-lasting, far-reaching throw, but avoid that cloying scent that make you want to snuff it out immediately." Their woody candles make for a great gender-neutral gift. "They're beloved by my younger brothers, who are impossible to shop for," Janae adds. The coolest part? The brand pours the wax into cocktail glasses and packages each candle with a beverage pairing. "So when yours is all burnt, you have a new glass and a cocktail recipe to use it with!" Janae says.

Sydney Hale Co.

"I first learned of this brand back in 2015 when I was visiting my parents in a DC suburb. This company is based in Virginia, so its candles find their way into a lot of local places," Cherner says. "I was so happy to see that they're also sold on Anthropologie so that I don't have to travel all the way to DC to snag one!" This is also a worthy business to support, as it's one of the most philanthropic on our list. Sydney Hale Co. donates either two percent of its revenue or 20 percent of its profits (whichever is higher) each year towards animal rescue organizations that strengthen the Richmond, Virginia community.

Sweet Water Decor

"I have recommended this candle to literally anyone who will listen," Cherner admits. "It smells so darn good! Just like a pot of freshly brewed coffee—not the cheap stuff." Sweet Water Decor may sell on Amazon, but it's one of the thousands of small businesses the retail giant supports, so if you want to enjoy the best of your Prime membership and local companies, shop this brand. All of the candles include the scent notes on the label, so if you're not in the mood to read the fine print on the website, peep the few ingredients right on the vessel.

Astier de Villatte

SEO Content Manager Zee Krstic says, "One of the finest brands, as in the gift I am giving myself once a year or buying as a housewarming gift for a dear friend, is made in France but strategically sold here in the U.S. Beyond the uniqueness of the scent profile, the candles are visually stunning." The glass is hand-blown in Tuscany and you can tell, and the exterior of the candle is reportedly set by a hand-typesetter in France. So if you're into the heritage look, this is a good find.

The Brooklyn Candle Studio

"As a Brooklynite, I want to support the local businesses around me, one of them being The Brooklyn Candle Studio. The brand’s workshop is based in Sunset Park, just a mile away from where I grew up," Senior Commerce Editor Marina Liao notes. "Proximity aside, I love the way all their candles smell—my favorite is Woodsmoke." There's an eco-conscious component to the company as well: The candles are made from 100 percent soy wax, lead-free cotton wicks, and are 100 percent vegan. "Plus, the packaging, from the text to the label, gives off minimalist vibes that I like, but is still elegant enough to give as a gift to someone," she adds.

LAFCO New York

"I love how unboxing a LAFCO candle truly feels like a luxurious experience. The hand-blown glass vessels make them a cut above other pricey candles (in my humble opinion) and they make for such classy gifts!" Associate Editor Lauren Gruber says. "The Feu de Bois scent is top tier, but I also love the holiday launches, like the Fireside Oak and Woodland Spruce candles." Not only do pretty much all LAFCOs smell delicious, but they also have a long burn time of at least 50 hours. What's more, the fragrances are strong enough to fill a room, but not so strong that they're overpowering.

Diptyque

Senior Editor Elyse Moody says, "My mother-in-law always has multiple Diptyque going downstairs, and her house smells so good. She's given me a couple, and I hoard them because I love them so much." They may be pricey, but the cult-following the brand has built since its inception in 1961 proves the products' worth.

Harlem Candle Co.

"The Harlem Candle Company offers the perfect blend of fragrant and vintage-inspired candles, which are all an homage to the Harlem Renaissance," Commerce Editor Nashia Baker says. The candles, appropriately named the Ellington, Vintage Garden, and Home, feature fresh, soothing notes, "and I love the stunning vessels to put up on display," Nashia adds.

Rigaud

This may be one of the most expensive candles on the list, but Executive Editor Jess Teves swears by it. She says, “I have road-tested a lot of candles over the years, and I always return to Rigaud Cypress. Its distinct scent of pine needles and cedar wood feels luscious and extremely distinct, transforming any setting (casual or otherwise)." The brand is also backed by a rich history: After launching scented candles in the 1950s, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis exclusively used them in the White House while her husband was Head of State.

Boy Smells

SEO Editor Kate McGregor, like many others, has a thing for Boy Smells, which launched in the Los Angeles kitchen of its co-founders nine years ago. "Boy Smells immediately makes me feel like the coolest kid on the block, and it's partially thanks to its chic pink branding," she says. "The coconut and beeswax candles burn evenly, cleanly, and I find that they produce a lot less smoke than my cheaper alternatives." The brand definitely scores cool points with its pink packaging, but most of the fan love comes from the fun collaborations with such icons as Kacey Musgraves and even Magnolia Bakery.

NEST New York

"Throw (the distance a scent can travel) is the most important thing to me when it comes to candles,"Senior Commerce Editor Heath Owens says. "If a candle is burning, I want to be able to smell it. NEST candles will fill a room. Even a single wick fills my whole living room, and a three-wick will waft through the apartment." People tend to love this brand because the fragrances—no matter the scent notes—are clean and fresh and not overly complicated. They also make for great hostess gifts.

Elsewhere

"Every time I light this candle I am instantly transported out of my city apartment to a country house where the only sound I hear is the crackling of a wood fire stove. The scent is the perfect combination of smoky and soft," Assistant Video Producer Kaitlin Kemp explains. Of course, helping you forget your troubles and indulge in your escapism was the whole idea behind the brand whose name, Elsewhere, really says it all. If you want a cozy and warm scent, you can't go wrong with Country Club.

Hearth & Hand

"It’s nearly impossible for me to go to Target and not come home with a new candle. I’ve tried nearly every brand they carry, but my favorite, for now, is Hearth & Hand. (Yes, this is a Chip and Joanna Gaines collaboration.)," Deputy Digital Director Katelyn Lunders says. "The pampas candle is my current go-to, which has a refreshing floral and black currant scent, but the brand has a variety of fragrances in different vessels and sizes to work with any aesthetic, which also makes them great gifts.” Not to mention, plenty of the brand's options have six weeks for under $45, a steal if you ask us.

How We Chose the Best Candle Brands

With thousands of worthy candle brands out there, narrowing the best ones down was no easy task. Instead of combing the Internet and local shops for the best-smelling ones we may not have known about, we wanted to shine a well-deserved light on candle brands to which we're loyal to. We asked the House Beautiful editors what candles they love to light and always buy on repeat when the wick finally burns down to a stub.

From big-name brands like NEST to locally poured ones like Sydney Hale Co., we came up with a trustworthy list. As editors at a design-centric publication, we have used, smelled, and appreciated many a candle brand, but for this particular story, we each picked the one we love the most, which was not an easy feat.

Why Trust House Beautiful?

When it comes to picking out the best (and affordable) decor for any space, Associate Shopping Editor Jessica Cherner has been reviewing furniture, accessories, and home-centric must-haves, including candles, for nearly eight years. Having access to more than a few stylish samples, she's embarked on a never-ending quest to fill her own New York City apartment with a scent that feels unique to both her and her space.

After sampling hundreds (yes, hundreds) of candles since graduating college, she has developed a deep understanding of what makes candles worth investing in. From price to wax type (soy and coconut prevail over traditional paraffin) to fragrance notes, Cherner knows which candles are top-notch and why. For this story, Cherner put forward her own favorites and turned to her fellow House Beautiful editors for their candle brand picks.

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