The past few years have been all about self-care. While we don’t always have time to take a warm bath or go for a long walk, it only takes a few moments to strike a match and light a candle. The warm glow of your favorite candle, as it fills your space with its scent, is instantly relaxing.
That’s one of the many reasons candle gifts make the best gifts, whether you opt to give one solo or a candle gift set. What’s the one thing that works equally well for a birthday gift, hostess gift, Mother’s Day gift, anniversary gift, Valentine’s Day gift, Christmas gift and practically any other occasion you can think of? A candle, of course. Who doesn’t love a candle? And just like how there’s a candle for every occasion, there’s also an option for every taste and budget. That’s why candle gifts are the best gifts.
If you have a big occasion to celebrate, you can always make a candle part of a DIY gift basket. Pair it with a book to please the avid reader in your life, a bottle of wine or a set of bath bombs for the ultimate self-care moment. To avoid last-minute gift shopping, it’s a good idea to have a candle or two stockpiled for when you need a gift. The best ones do double duty as a touch of decor and fragrance for your home.
How to Choose a Scent for a Candle Gift
One of the most challenging parts of picking out a candle to give as a gift is choosing the scent. After all, the scents we like and dislike are highly personal. So, here’s a brief guide to selecting a scent they’ll enjoy:
- The best way to choose a scented candle for someone is to actually know which scents they enjoy. In some cases this will be easier than others, but you should probably know which scents your parents, your partner and your children like most. If you don’t, you can always surreptitiously ask them.
- If the gift is for a holiday, opt for a seasonal one to play up pumpkin spice time or pine tree everything.
- If the gift is for an anniversary or Valentine’s Day, you might choose something like an ocean breeze to fake a getaway or a romantic scent for date night.
- But if the above doesn’t apply, and you don’t feel comfortable asking the recipient which scents they like, you can always try to remember how their home or their preferred perfume or cologne smells. If it’s musky or sweet, that will give you a hint as to which candle scents they might enjoy.
- Failing everything else, scientists have recently discovered five scents that are enjoyed almost universally. Those are: lime, grapefruit, bergamot, orange and peppermint. Home interior experts also suggest that vanilla and jasmine are neutral, well-liked options.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best candle gifts to give this year.
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Lulu Candles Fresh Linen
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon As a best-seller on Amazon, this candle has earned rave reviews, making it one of the best candle gifts. Plus, who doesn’t love the scent of fresh linen? Made from eco-friendly soy wax, Lulu Candles are practically famous for having some of the most extended burn times. Vegan, paraben-free and cruelty-free, these candles are hand-poured in the U.S., helping create jobs here at home.
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Yankee Candle Large Jar Candle Sage & Citrus
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Yankee Candle has certainly earned its status as a classic brand, which is why they make great candle gifts. Their Sage & Citrus scent is a delightful blend of earthy sage and lemon-lime that’s both grounding and invigorating. The 22-ounce candle delivers a whopping 110 to 150 hours of burn time, and its paraffin-grade candle wax and natural fiber wick provide a clear, consistent burn.
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Skylar Vanilla Sky Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sephora Warm and cozy, this sweet gourmand candle is truly a treat, making it a great candle gift— notes of cappuccino, vanilla and caramelized cedar blend together to deliver 50 fragrant hours of burn time. The clean, soy coconut wax candle is made without phthalates and poured in Los Angeles.
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Maison Louis Marie Le Bouquet Candle Trio Set
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sephora This trio of clean candles makes for an excellent candle gift set. It includes Antidris Cassis, a fruity fragrance with black pepper, bergamot, black currant, green notes, a white rose base, oakmoss, tonka and a clean musk base; No.04 Bois de Balincourt, a blend of sandalwood, cedarwood, a spicy cinnamon nutmeg complex and an earthy vetiver note; and No.09 Vallée de Farney, a woody, mineral scent with grapefruit, orange, black pepper, cedarwood and patchouli.
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Otherland Canopy Fig Vegan Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sephora Fresh and fruity, Otherland’s Canopy Fig Vegan Candle is the perfect pick-me-up. California fig, ivy green and summer dew notes mingle to create a citrusy treat that evokes moss-covered hills and misty mornings. Thanks to its impressive throw, the fragrance will fill your space. Hand-poured in a reusable glass jar, the clean-burning candle will last approximately 55 hours.
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Acqua Di Parma Luce Di Colonia Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sephora Light up this luxurious Acqua Di Parma candle, close your eyes, and you’ll feel like the sun is beating down on you in a citrus grove in Italy — this candle is just that good, which makes it a sumptuous scented gift. Taking cues from Acqua Di Parma’s Colonia scent, the fragrance is citrusy yet woody, with lemon, patchouli, and vetiver notes.
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Diptyque Set of Three Scented Candles
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Net-A-Porter French fragrance house Diptyque is known for creating the most coveted candles out there, so this set of three of their favorite scents is hands down one of the best candle gifts available. The mini candles come in a beautiful box that’s ready to gift, making it perfect for any occasion. Each candle is crafted in France, and the beautiful glass vessels add a touch of sophistication to any room. The trio includes their best-seller Baies, a blend of fresh roses and sweet blackcurrant leaves; Roses, which gorgeously captures its eponymous flower; and Figuier, a warm fig wood.
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Homesick New Orleans
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Those bitten by the travel bug might be feeling blue after being grounded most of this year. If they can’t get to their favorite destination, bring it to them with a Homesick candle. Each is meant to evoke a specific place. New Orleans celebrates the city’s historic Garden District with notes of gardenia flowers that line the streets and NOLA’s signature King cakes with cinnamon and beignets to commemorate Mardi Gras. The all-natural soy wax blend is hand-poured in the USA and has a 60- to 80-hour burn time.
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Molton Brown Tobacco Absolute
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Warm, woody and cozy, tobacco scents have been trending for quite some time, and Molton Brown captures the note perfectly in their Tobacco Absolute candle. As the base note, tobacco gets rounded out with leather and Peruvian balsam. At the same time, it opens with top notes of elemi, bergamot and grapefruit, and a heart of cedarwood, nutmeg and rosewood.
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Birthdate Candles
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Birthdate Candles Candle gifts can’t get any more personalized than the offerings from Birthdate Candles. Created specifically for a birthday, it takes everything from astrology to tarot to numerology into account for a blend that’s sure to please them. The striking label features their date of birth as well as personality traits. Each natural fragrance is custom created by master perfumers then hand-poured in small batches in the U.S. into a premium reusable glass with a 100% cotton wick. The all-natural soy and coconut wax blend candles have a burn time of 60 to 80 hours.
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Boy Smells Kush Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Boy Smells doesn’t make your grandma’s candles. Quirky and original, the gender-neutral cool kid brand has paved its own path in the candle world. Kush is one of their top sellers, qualifying it for a great candle gift. The unique scent is a fresh take on a green floral, with a bright mix of hemp flowers, brushed suede and amber. Mixed and hand-poured in Los Angeles from all-natural coconut and beeswax with braided cotton that burns clean, it’ll last for about 50 hours.
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Nest New York Rose Noir & Oud Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sephora Nest is known for delivering serious home scenting — their candles have impressive throw — so when you add three wicks to the mix, you’re going to notice the difference. Rose Noir & Oud is a warm floral featuring smoky oud, incense, black leather and patchouli that will burn cleanly and evenly while filling a room with its intriguing scent.
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Byredo Burning Rose
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Net-A-Porter Leave it to popular fragrance house Byredo to make a rose smell even sweeter. Fresh rose petals meet violet, leather and birch tree in this woodsy take on the classic candle fragrance. Handmade in France, the black mouth-blown glass vessel makes it a chic object as well.
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Lifetherapy Grounded Soy Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lifetherapy Lifetherapy Grounded is an excellent candle gift built on the principles of aromatherapy. Grounded is all about peace and harmony, and who doesn’t need some of that these days? That soothing sensation is courtesy of fresh citrus, heliotrope, dry amber, calming rose and vanilla notes. Hand-poured in small batches of soy wax from the Midwest and metal-free cotton and paper wicks in a reusable glass container, they deliver approximately 75 hours of burn time.
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Voluspa Baltic Amber Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon For a candle that appears as attractive as it smells, look no further than the Voluspa Baltic Amber Candle. This candle is presented in a vivid tin and features notes of amber resin, sandalwood and vanilla orchid with a burn time of approximately 40 hours. Furthermore, Voluspa hand pours all their candles in the USA from a blend of coconut wax over all-natural wicks. Baltic Amber is a safe scent that most palates can appreciate.
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Tocca Marrakesh Patchouli & Amber Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon If you haven’t gotten that cabin getaway you wanted yet, this might just be the next best thing. Light up Tocca’s Marrakesh Candle, and it will instantly transport you to the famous seasonal escape — you’ll practically feel the coziness around you. The individually hand-poured candle spotlights spices and leather with patchouli and amber taking center stage. This makes an excellent candle gift for friends and fam who can’t travel.
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Fernweh Sparkling Champagne Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Fernweh Editions The gorgeous Fernweh Sparkling Champagne Candle will transport whoever is lucky enough to receive it directly to France. It boasts notes of satsuma citrus, Muguet, apricot, passionfruit and sugared black currant and is available as a part of the three-candle, France-themed set. Plus, gift wrapping is available for only a few extra dollars.
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Febe Candles Cocoa Butter Cashmere
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of FEBE Candles You may not be able to buy them the cashmere sweater they’re dreaming of, but you probably can send them this Cocoa Butter Cashmere candle from Febe Candles. This gold-jar candle boasts hints of rich cocoa butter, warm vanilla and cashmere, leaving the room in which it’s burning with a cozy and luxurious feel. Furthermore, the coconut wax candle has a burn time of over 45 hours and features a lead and zinc-free cotton wick.
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Backyard Candles Coffee & Cream
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Backyard Candles One of the most unique candle companies on our list, Backyard Candles prioritizes the environment and strong scents in their candle-making process. That’s why they’ve chosen to create a line of candles that are poured directly into coconut shells. Thanks to this construction, these candles can float in water while burning. Plus, this particular candle is cheaper than many others on our list, so it makes an ideal gift for occasions when you don’t want to or can’t spend too much.
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Rukske Rose Oud
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Rukske Candle users across the gender spectrum will adore the Rukske Rose Oud candle thanks to its scent, which combines the delicate feminine florals of Damascan roses, violet and deep oud with an elegant masculine accord provided by agarwood and sandalwood. The candle comes in a jet-black glass container with a cotton wick. Finally, it’s important to note that this candle also provides an impressive 50 hours of burn time.
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Midunu x byTalata Adwoa Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Midunu Chocolates Midunu Chocolates celebrates Africa’s culinary heritage with its unique collections inspired by women across the continent. Chef Selassie Atadika leads the all-female chocolatier team in Ghana, but you’re probably wondering why we’re talking about chocolate in an article about candles. Midunu has recently collaborated with Talata Maldima to transform their signature chocolate flavors into candle form. The result is a beautiful cocoa scent aided by hints of African spices. You can also buy this candle in a set with Midunu chocolates for a more robust gift.
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Esas Joy Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Esas Beauty The Esas Joy Candle features notes of organic fir balsam, peppermint and icy citrus, but what we love most about this candle is the elongated burn time without the added cost. This candle can burn for more than 75 hours, thanks to its blend of grapeseed oil and wild Japanese berry wax.
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Jo Malone London Wild Bluebell Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sephora No matter the season, you can bring spring into a lucky recipient’s home with this candle gift. The floral scent will transport them to an alfresco walk in the woods just as the weather is warming up, with bluebell, persimmon and white musk notes. The burn time on this elegantly presented candle is 45 hours, and because Jo Malone produces it, you can expect the fragrance to be intense yet well balanced.
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Malicious Women Candle Co Positive Vibes Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Make a statement with your candle gift, and get them a Malicious Women Candle Co. Positive Vibes Candle. The saying on the label is blunt yet motivational, and the scent is also enjoyable. It features notes of iced champagne mixed with rich sweet raspberry and pink sugar. And, as an added bonus, a portion of the proceeds from this candle is donated to empowering women in need.
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YFYTRE Candle Six Pack
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon The mother of all candle gifts is a set of candles. This set comes with six candles, each in a different fragrance from YFYTRE’s classic collection, including grapefruit and fig. Made with a soy wax blend and presented in amber jars, they boast a 25-hour burn time per candle. Do the math, and you’ll realize that’s a lot of burn time. Plus, the box is so inventive that this gift doesn’t even need to be wrapped.
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Bath & Body Works White Barn Mahogany Teakwood Candle
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon The warm, woody mix of mahogany and teakwood make it seem like you can practically feel the warmth of the fireplace on your face. Light it up on chilly evenings for a different type of warmth. And, as an added bonus, this candle from White Barn boasts three wicks and a burn time that lasts up to 45 hours while providing a high intensity scent.
