11 best scented candles
It’s dark when you leave the house and dark when you get home, but there’s nothing better to help beat the winter like lighting a scented candle. This selection will not only keep your house cosy and well lit, but smelling great too.
{1} True Grace Rosemary and Eucalyptus: £16, John Lewis
For an 100 per cent plant wax candle – which makes the scent far stronger – the True Grace range is brilliantly priced, and looks gorgeous. This one is sweet and woody, and smells a bit like being in an English garden.
{2} NEOM Real Luxury: From £30 (Jenny Packham three-wick, £80), John Lewis
The best candles burn cleanly and evenly, leaving no sooty deposit. Neom’s, made from pure vegetable wax, always deliver. Containing a blend of 24 essential oils, this one’s jasmine and lavender scent is not only intense, but also lingers beautifully. Currently available in an elegant jar with 18-carat gold accents, by British wedding dress designer Jenny Packham.
{3} Habitat Figue Et Noix: £20, Habitat
The chunky wooden lid and fancy French writing on the glass pot make this seem far posher than a Habitat own brand. It burns really evenly and has a very sweet, nutty scent – which is actually a lot more pleasant than it sounds.
{4} Sainsbury’s Redcurrant and Cassis: £15, Sainsburys
A supermarket might not seem like an obvious place to stock up on home fragrances, but this candle is a good buy. It has a warm scent, which is sweet without being sickly, and comes under a prettily decorated cloche.
Buy now (available in selected stores)
{5} White Company Winter: £10, The White Company
If you want your house to smell like a swanky hotel at Christmas, then this is the one for you. The cinnamon and orange is potent without being overpowering, and although the larger sizes are pricey, they really will last for more than one year without losing the scent.
{6} Zara Home Lily and Ginger: £10, Zara Home
You might think that a floral candle would be a bit insipid for this time of year, but a hefty dose of rich ginger makes this anything but. Instead it packs a decadent punch, with far more richness than you would expect for this price. A real winner.
{7} Diptyque LE REdouté: From £48 (£55 for the porcelain pot), Selfridges
Diptyque’s new 34 Collection sums up why they’re considered one of the best in the business – the intense scent is a heady and rich mix of cloves, rose and amber, which smells like an incense filled church. It burns cleanly right to the bottom so nothing’s wasted.
{8} Oliver Bonas Saffron and Amber: £17, Oliver Bonas
It doesn’t look like much, but the scent is far more luxurious than the rather basic pot. The scent payback isn’t quite as heavy as some others, but the saffron adds a great spicy kick to the light, musky amber.
{9} Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt: £42, John Lewis
Sea salt, wood and sage might sound like a an odd combination, but it really works. There’s a spicy, earthy kick to the smell, which is otherwise feels like a blustery autumn walk along the coast. The glass pot and silver lid looks good too.
{10} MUJI Log Fire Tin Candle: £4, Muji
Like most things from the Japanese store, this candle is fantastic quality for the price, and you don’t get much more of a wintry scent than this smoky, burnt wood. Within minutes of lighting it you’ll swear your city flat has been turned into an idyllic country cottage.
{11} Miller Harris Bois Noisette: £50, amazon
Ok, yes, this is super pricey - but live off baked beans for a month if it means you can afford it, because the Bois Noisette is essentially 280g of candlelit heaven. You can’t get more wintery than roasted chesnuts, the main scent, but throw in some pimento berries and ginger and you will never want to blow it out.
Verdict:
If you can stretch to it, Miller Harris’s Bois Noisette will probably change your life, but for the same price you could buy 20 of Muji’s Log Fire tin, and keep your house candlelit for years. A better middle ground would be Zara Home’s Lily and Ginger which is luxurious smelling, but not bank breaking.
Read More: 10 best bath oils
10 best bed spreads
10 best cushions
