I love scented candles and I’m big on creating a mood in the home (especially a romantic one), though I’m sensitive to a lot of fragrances and tend to get headaches quite easily. I can’t even walk by a Yankee Candle store without nearly passing out from the odor so I order from them online (there are only a few by YC that I can burn in the home without getting a migraine). Allergies I guess. Lucky for me, I’m not allergic to all candles but have had to test quite a few billion in order to find the right ones for me.
I burn lots of unscented candles too, but a few times a week I enjoy relaxing by candlelight or soaking in my tub with a lovely scent filling the air… What candles do you love? Do you have a favorite? I’m always looking for new ones, so if you have any to share, please do. I’ve composed a list of my favorites in return, in no particular order, below. Would you like to see them?
- Pacifica – Great brand of soy candles, especially if you’re California dreamin’ like me (I have a crush on California, it’s my favorite state) because they all remind me of the west coast. My three favorite scents are Brazillion Mango Grapefruit, Mediterrean Fig and Malibu Lemon Blossom. You can purchase them online or you can find them at shops like Anthropologie where I tend to find them.
- L’OCCITANE – They carry everything for the skin and such, but it’s their candles that had me at hello. I love, love, love the Candied Fruit and also the Lavender. Yum.
- Stonewall Kitchen – What a great brand, huh? They have some delicious things for the kitchen and whenever I’m in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (45 minutes from me) I always stock up on sauces and mixes, oh and their Lavender Mint soy candles, fantastic! So fresh and clean.
- Yankee Candle – Due to my allergies, I can only burn a few from this shop but the ones I can use are wonderful. My picks: Café Au Lait, Mango Peach Salsa, Sage & Citrus and Star Fruit & Orange.
- mi SPA – Handmade in California, these mini soy candles in travel tins are great, I am hooked on the Kauai Gingerlily. So light and pure!
- Bluewick – My husband started buying these for me and I love them. My favorite is the Peyton. It’s a very strong scent so best used in large spaces but wow, it’s dreamy!
- Voluspa – Another company I found out about thanks to my husband. Both he and I love any of the scents from the Japonica collection.
- Illume – This is a brand I found at my local Anthropologie. There isn’t one I haven’t liked. I suggest them all!
That’s all I can think of for now, though there are certainly many more but I don’t want to burn you out. Ha! Bad joke I know. Ok so it’s your turn to play… please share your favorite candles and scents and feel free to add links!
(images linked about to their sources)
Great suggestions! I enjoy the candles from Aveda – soy based and no overwhelming-make-you-pass-out kind of scents!
I like Candlewishes soy candles. I first bought one from a kid selling them for a fundraiser. They are now available online at http://www.candlewishesinc.com/store/catalog/index.php
I really like Method candles. They sell them at Target and Whole Foods. The scents are very clean and refreshing.
Mediterrean Fig from Pacifica YUUUUUMMMMMMM!
Yankee candles are the best! They last the longest and the scent is always just right and never fades.
I agree that Illume candles are great.
But I really love Aveda’s soy wax candles – they have a good burn time, and come in a glass jar. The scents are all natural, and the best part is that you can buy a refill ($19) for the jar, rather than buying a whole new candle ($30).
http://www.aveda.com/templates/products2/mpp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY9580&PRODCAT_ID=CATEGORY10614
please check out our etsy shop for some handmade candle options as well! we only use American produced natural waxes and create all our own molds so many of our products are completely unique to Berd and Bee!
http://berdandbee.etsy.com
I’m a Yankee Candle lover myself, and my favorite scents are those like Vanilla, Boston Creme, and Clean Cotton. I actually have this spiral votive holder on my wall from Pottery Barn (since discontinued) in which I obsessively change the candle colors according to the season. Well, if I’m expecting company. Scented candles are the best air freshener!
I’m extremely picky when it comes to scented candles, but I love Diptyque candles — Baies Noir is my favorite. Expensive, but they burn for a long time (50+ hours). They definitely win in the looks department, too!
http://www.diptyqueparis.com/
My second choice are Votivo candles, which are much more afforable. Moroccan Fig is especially nice.
http://www.votivo.com/
@anna – check out our candles – most burn way longer than 50 hrs! plus they are handmade and natural!! http://berdandbee.etsy.com
This is true-you just can’t live without candles. I always go with the old Yankee Candle stanby, especially since I am from New England. They have new and versatile scents all the time. I also have to give props to Stonewall Kitchen another great New England brand!
I am a big fan of Capri Blue candles – especially the Volcano scent. I just can’t get enough of it’s citrus- sweetness! I found it at Anthro and am completely hooked.
Blue Volcano from Anthropologie. Absolutely fabulous.
Love, Love, Love Volsupa candles!!! Another favorite is Diptyque brand, Violet scent, ummmm smells so good, strong scent! Expensive, but my sister buys it for me!!
ZUM soy candles are my favorite! They’re all handmade and have the most delicious scents; I especially love lavender and frankincense & myrrh.
http://www.indigowild.com/shopping/zum-glow-candles.cfm
Trapp Private Gardens! The Orange-Vanilla is everybody’s favorite, but I have enjoyed every single one I’ve tried. They last forever & beautifully scent the room. The 18-hour votives retail around $5 or less, too!
I find them in little boutiques here in the SF Bay area, but the Trapp site has some suggestions where to buy online.
http://www.trappcandles.com
the Blood Orange scent from Pacifica ALWAYS makes me dream of Cali – so funny you say that. I have a crush too; actually I’m having an affair with it.
I agree about the Method candles – they have a soy collection and the vanilla-apple (weird combo but so nice) is absolutely great. Smells delicious and fresh and last a LONG time. I even broke apart the pieces of mine and put it in my tart burner so the scent would last longer. Worked great!
I LOVE Illume candles!! The Pomegranate ones are my favorite . . . So fresh and clean- smelling.
)
DayNa Decker candles are incredible. Long lasting and the scents are divine. Subtle but really complex- interesting combinations I wouldnt expect. The floral collectino is my favorite. They can be a bit pricey, but Ive found some on sale at retailers.
http://daynadecker.com/v2/collection-chandel_flora.html
The Capri candles from Anthropologie- their VOLCANO scent is the BEST! New Orange scent that is soooo yummy as well!
i love, love, love the Vetiver and Shaved Vanilla candle by Kobo … super-dreamy! also tried the water mint and it’s good, too. and, best of all … they are organic and soy!
I AGREE – “The Capri candles from Anthropologie- their VOLCANO scent is the BEST! New Orange scent that is soooo yummy as well!”
My absolute FAVORITE line of candles is Tocca (especially the Agadir scent). I received one as a gift, otherwise I don’t think I could spend the money on it!
For any Australian readers Dusk candles are the absolute best. Their scents are strong (and delicious!) and they burn for hours so they’re excellent value (even though they seem a little expensive upon purchase).
I LOVE the candles at the Etsy shop “ajscountrycottage” —
They are homemade, so the appearance isn’t the greatest, but the scents are GREAT. They’re smaller sized than yankee but they do burn a very long time and the people who make them copy familiar yankee scents. You can chose soy or wax candles too.
I’m obsessed with Fresh’s Sugar Lychee. It’s mesmerizing, even though it’s not a scent I thought I’d be anywhere near attracted to.
My favourite scented candles are Arran Aromatics’ “Jasmine and Philidelphus” and “After the Rain” and one from The White Company which smells of peonies.
Very nice blog. Hope you don’t mind me visiting. I have a home-based candle business and I personally love the candles. They are a natural wax, burn clean and last long and the scents are wonderful.
I love d.l.&co’s alchemy collection, but particularly the Salem candle. It smells EXACTLY like a bonfire. It’s uncanny and really romantic on a winter or fall evening.
Votivo’s Red Currant candle is the best. I also love the Star Fruit Orange from Yankee candle, and lots of the candles from Bath & Body Works – they used to have one that was Orange Flower Vanilla that was awesome, but I don’t think they have it anymore.
I cannot live without scented candles…seriously. I just went out and bought a stash as my order I placed hadn’t arrived. The thought of not having a beautiful scent to burn sends me into panic, I am not joking.
I love Fresh Cosmetics Rose Bais, clean and fresh, mint tones to cut through the rose. Their Sugar Candle is brown sugar in a glass, with lemony notes.
Bridgewater Candles are great value and soy based so they burn well, they do Christmasy scents that I love, and Cinnamon which is delicious.
Voluspa candles are amazing, Fig Frangipane is wonderful.
Henri Bendel’s Fig candles! I found them when I was traveling and never left home without it since. I use it at home as well. They smell wonderful! Not too over-powering. I had given them to a colleague who also travels quite a bit for work and now she brings them along as well.
We have an amazing local high-end candle company here in Atlanta called Paddywax, and based on what you’ve said, I think you would LOVE them. Highly recommend you check them out: http://www.paddywax.com
i love the voluspa candles! i’ve also gotten a lot of really top quality candles at really reasonable prices on zestcandle.com