The best scented candles for a cozy home or as the perfect Christmas gift

Nothing says “pleasant” like a scented candle. Of course, you can burn them all year round, but there is something in the changing seasons that increases their attractiveness. Not surprisingly, the online search for the best scented candles grows as soon as the nights begin.

The best scented candles will instantly lift your mood and fill your home with fragrances – the perfect backdrop for a pleasant night or a hot sparkling bath. They also work great Christmas presents, especially for difficult purchases for friends or mothers-in-law, and safe from mistakes a gift for a wife or girlfriend.

As with perfume, creating a fragrance for the home is a beautiful art that is more complex than it seems at first glance. Candles can be made from different types of wax and each has its advantages.

The most common are soy or paraffin (also called mineral) waxes – soy wax is generally better than paraffin wax candles because they burn more slowly and are more environmentally friendly. Paraffin is cheaper and more easily accessible as it is a by-product of the oil industry.

“Each type of wax has a different personality,” says Liz Drew, owner of the UK’s largest specialty candle store. Osmology. “Soy wax is the most popular of the more environmentally friendly options and has a nice, clean brick, but it doesn’t give off as strong a smell as mineral wax. Other options include beeswax, which gives wonderfully long-lasting burns, and coconut or rapeseed wax, which retain odor very well. Beeswax also gives the “purest” burns, free of soot and smoke.

“Cheaper scented candles are usually made from petroleum-based wax and people are wondering if they emit unpleasant ones or not,” Drew says. “My opinion is that there’s nothing so bad about them – it just depends on personal taste and how strong you like the smell.”

There are also different ways to scent the candle itself. “Some customers like to have all-natural scents based on essential oils, and there are brands that specialize in that,” Drew continues. “But more crafted or artificial oils can still be incredibly high quality – it just depends on what you’re looking for. As long as it’s a high-quality candle, you won’t have a problem.”

Most candles use a mixture of natural and crafted fragrances. Essential oils (such as lavender, jasmine, and bergamot) smell nice and have soothing properties, but disappear quickly, Drew says.

So what is the best scented candle? I went on an olfactory adventure to collect the best scented candles and try and test a wide range of fragrances of famous favorites (Jo Malone London, Diptyque, etc.) and some interesting new ones that are not yet -be-popular.

Without further ado, this is the definitive list of the best candles on your Christmas list in terms of smell, appearance and burning time …

The best scented candles for fall, winter and beyond

1. Diptyque Flocon scented candle

£ 60, Diptyque