If you’re like us, lighting up a candle can make you feel like you’ve got your shit together—even if you have a week’s worth of dishes in the sink and a month’s worth of tasks on your to-do list. There’s just something so calming about choosing a scent that speaks to you, striking a match, and having your entire room fill with fragrance as you bask in the flickering light (even if said room is tiny and messy and maybe even shared with a roommate or two). Feel the same? Then let me be the first to say that you deserve to splurge on a luxury candle every once in a while. It’s good for the soul.
Unfortunately, some luxury candle brands have some pretty hefty price tags. Like, way more zeros than you wanna see when you take a peek at the number on the sticker. But since they boost your mood, mask weird smells, and convince your guests (and yourself) that you're living your fanciest life, the $$$ is sorta justified, right? Right.
Regardless, you don’t wanna blow your hard-earned cash on just any candle. Obviously, you want the best of the best, and quite frankly, we want that for you, too. That’s why we put together an extensive list of the best damn candles money can buy. And I promise they all smell *just* as lovely as they look. So read on and prepare your wallet and home for your new fave candle found below.
Considering the full-size perfume version of this scent costs upwards of $100, I suggest opting for this mini candle instead. You'll get to enjoy the soft scent of this luxury fragrance that's been redefined with notes of lily, iris, and white musk.
Even if you’ve never been shopping on Melrose, your home can still smell like the iconic LA street. This pretty pink candle offers rich notes of champagne, pink peppercorn, bergamot, lychee, cedarwood, and white musk for a velvety-sweet floral scent.
Who says a luxury candle has to cost an arm and a leg?! This $12 option from the brand Allswell (known for their killer mattresses and cozy bedding) looks and smells wayyy more expensive than its price tag leads on. Herbaceous and spicy but still fresh and clean, the fragrance boasts notes of palo santo and sage as well as moss and ambered wood. (Long story short, it smells like a fairytale forest.)
Many of us already know and love (or covet) Diptyque candles—so why not add this unique Parisian scent of the first diptyque boutique located on 34 Boulevard Saint Germain to your home? This is one that's worthy of your nightstand, folks.
This Pick That Gives Back
st. jude St. Jude Giveback "Hope" Candle - Sky + Rain
This Pick That Gives Back
st. jude St. Jude Giveback "Hope" Candle - Sky + Rain
You may love the way this fresh- and floral-scented candle looks right off the bat, but you’ll love it even more when you hear the story behind it: The glazed ceramic votive is decorated with flowers drawn by a St. Jude patient named Camila while she was going through treatment. Paddywax also donates 5 percent of profits to St. Jude for every candle sold, so you can feel good every time you light it up.
With this minimalist stunner, you get notes of orange jasmine, silky musk, and white gardenia. It's the type of candle that'll have you coming back for more time and time again.
This Reflective One
Boy Smells x Ganni Boy Smells x Ganni Park Life Scented Candle
This Reflective One
Boy Smells x Ganni Boy Smells x Ganni Park Life Scented Candle
I'm just sayin'...Get you a candle that looks as good as it smells. And given that this one is made in collaboration with fashion label GANNI, you know this nature-scented candle is chic as hell.
Voluspa’s candles are oh-so chic when it comes to the decorative tins and vessels, but they also happen to have an amazing price point. Your room will instantly feel more luxe with this candle's essential oils.
Wondering what a candle reminiscent of '80s lipstick smells like? Well, lemme tell ya, it's FAB. The floral notes of rose water and violet are hit with a hint of morello cherry.
Le Labo is famous for its Santal scents. Santal 26 is a blend of amber, coco, vanilla, and sandalwood. Ever wonder why every trendy NYC hotspot smells so damn good? Well, here's your answer.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
This Mysterious One
HARLEM CANDLE CO. Harlem Candle Company Speakeasy Luxury Scented Candle
This Mysterious One
HARLEM CANDLE CO. Harlem Candle Company Speakeasy Luxury Scented Candle
Let me apologize to your wallet rn—after burning this candle—you're going to want to buy the entire collection. Reminiscent of the Harlem Renaissance, each candle is infused with a piece of history. Speakeasy is my fave, due to the pimento berry and tobacco incense.
One sniff of this and you’ll be transported to a fancy dinner party. I can’t explain it, but just know that you need it in your life. If you want more specifics, though, it has notes of champagne, saffron, and leather.
This Garden-Scented Thing
JO MALONE LONDON Orange Blossom Scented Home Candle
This Garden-Scented Thing
JO MALONE LONDON Orange Blossom Scented Home Candle
Thank you, Jo Malone for combining the smell of orange blossom and water lilies. The black ribbon on the lid makes this candle a perfect gift for a friend—or yourself.
Malin + Goetz has some amazing skincare, haircare, and grooming products. The same rings true with its home fragrances, like this top-rated floral candle. The clear vessel with plain text makes for a chic, minimal design, and it burns up to 60 glorious hours.
I mean, the name of this one really says it all. But if you need to know what F*cking Fabulous really smells like, it has notes of leather, sage, vanilla, and tonka bean for a rich (in every sense of the word) fragrance. Yes, it’s pricey, but it burns up to 40 hours, and sometimes you just feel like splurging after payday.
I wish I was seaside in Greece rn. But, unfortch for your girl, that is not a possibility with my funds. This candle transports you to the Aegean sea with its notes of fig and laurel leaves. Okay, yeah it's expensive, but it's cheaper than a plane ticket. Right?
This company—created by two BFFs inspired by their love of memes and fab scents—offers incredible fragrances with even better packaging. Combine any saying with either of their two scents: Mango Guava or Spices and Evergreen.
Idk about you, but I love the citrus smell of oranges and the coziness associated with winter scents. So, when I found this candle, (that combines both!) I. Freaked. Out. Valencia orange, cinnamon, red apple, and clove come together to create a beautifully scented candle. Plus, I'm a sucker for this vintage packaging.
Jacquelyn Greenfield is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers the best gift ideas, sales, and more across all things beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and sex. She has a serious obsession with sneakers and lives for a great clear lip gloss. She previously worked at Nylon and has had bylines in The Zoe Report, Coveteur, and CR Fashion Book. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Siena Gagliano is the associate editor at Cosmopolitan, where she primarily covers beauty in the makeup, skin, and hair spaces, as well as some fashion and lifestyle. Wanna know how to get the best brows of your life? Gotchu. What about how to achieve ridiculously glowing skin, a super bouncy blowout, or exactly how to use that viral face mask? Check, check, and check. Before joining Cosmopolitan, Siena was a writer at Bustle and several other media outlets. As NYC's newest resident, she has vowed to find the best (extra) dirty martini this city has to offer—and yes, that means ~attempting~ to try every cute cocktail spot in the city (hit her up with some recs, pls). Follow Siena on Instagram where you'll see that her account is mostly dedicated to pics of her cute dog and that magazine life.
Hannah Chubb is the associate lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.