From £4 to £90, These Are the Best Candles That Money Can Buy

When high-street powerhouse Zara teamed up with Jo Malone CBE to launch a collection of affordable fragrances, the beauty world was turned upside down. Those perfumes are seriously good. So it made sense for the brand to filter its popular scents into candles, too. From the chic monochrome packaging to the expensive-smelling fragrances, these candles belie their £16 price tag. 

Milky with coconut, warm with vanilla and slightly sweet, this caramelly candle is summer nostalgia in a jar. Our beauty contributor Shannon Lawlor first got me onto this scent with her glowing review of the matching body scrub, so I was seriously overjoyed to discover that it comes in candle form. It burns evenly, smells incredible and looks pretty good. 

If you've ever used any of Sanctuary Spa's bath and body products, then you'll already be familiar with the brand's trademark scent—sparkly citrus with a comforting twist of musks and sweet florals. Basically, it smells like a fancy spa, and I've long adored it. The brand's candles are equally uplifting and provide a room-filling aroma without breaking the bank. 

I'll come clean: WoodWick candles are my guilty pleasure and are some of my most reached-for candles once autumn arrives. Sure, they won't win any awards for packaging—the glass jars are simple and unassuming—but that crackling-firewood sound that they emit once lit just cannot be rivalled. Instant cosy points. Oh, and they come in so many scents. This one smells incredibly expensive thanks to a smoky blend of amber, mahogany and musk, but there are definitely some hits and misses in the full line-up. 

The cheapest scent in this line-up comes courtesy of this £4 number from H&M—an underrated shopping destination for affordable candles. While this woodsy scent isn't as complex as some of the luxury versions, it's pleasingly rich and smoky. The glass pot also looks pretty luxe for the price point. I don't think you'll find better if you're looking to fragrance your home on a budget.

Undeniably one of the coolest candle brands on the market, Boy Smells is an L.A.-based company that oozes both aesthetic and scent appeal. The brand's chic black pots and baby-pink labels are as instantly recognisable as its unique scents. Les is my ultimate favourite. It's a sweet, fruity hit of blackcurrant and peach blossom that gives way to a warming, musky base of white cedar and cardamom. Truly unique. 

One of my Christmas highlights has to be the release of Elemis's limited-edition collection of candles which never fail to disappoint. This year's offering includes a cosy rose scent and this delightful Mediterranean-inspired blend of neroli, orange blossom and petitgrain. I'll be stocking up before they sell out.

There's something about a three-wick candle that always makes me feel incredibly fancy, and in my opinion, you can't find better for the price than Neom's cult essential-oil blends. There are so many that I love, but the brand's Perfect Night's Sleep range—which encompasses soothing lavender, calming jasmine and sweet basil—is the ultimate relaxing scent. 

This Works candles are some of my favourite items to gift. They're hand-blended, brimming with pure essential oils, and smell way more expensive than their modest price tags. This one is an uplifting, warming blend with hints of spicy clove, fruity orange and grounding cedarwood and fills the entire room with fragrance. 

Luxury fragrance house Byredo is renowned for its unique perfumes and home scents, but its iconic fragrances do come with a hefty (if well-deserved) price tag. I always recommend the mini candles as a good entry point to the brand. They might be small, but no compromises have been made on the scent or finish. Bibliothèque is always on in my house—it's a perfect blend of fruity, floral and leather that smells instantly welcoming. Plus, I wore it on my wedding day, so it feels like the best kind of comfort blanket to me.

Possibly the chicest candles to ever exist, Loewe's glazed terracotta pots are more than just candles—they're mini works of art. Admittedly, £70 is a lot to spend on a candle this size (it's a petite 170g), but the pot itself will last a lifetime, and this Tomato Leaves fragrance is mouth-wateringly refreshing. 

Diptyque is one of my favourite candle brands, hands down. In my opinion, the brand's candles are truly worth the money. And while there is possibly nothing chicer than its classic monochromatic jars, I've spotted these jewel-coloured versions on the fireplaces and coffee tables of the coolest women on Instagram and simply adore them. This one contains the brand's cult Figuier candle—a fresh, earthy scent that smells good all-year round. 

Of course, no list of the best candles would be complete without Jo Malone. I always have a couple of the brand's candles stashed away on standby (Myrrh & Tonka and Pomegranate Noir), but it's the Townhouse collection that makes for a truly special addition to your fireplace. There are a few scents to choose from—my favourite being the freshly picked sweetness of Wild Berry & Bramble—and each comes in a unique, hand-finished ceramic pot that can be reused. 

A massage candle might sound a little saucy, but trust me on this one. Oskia's award-winning Rose de Mai Skin Smoothing Candle is one of my favourites. It's a musky, rosy scent that not only smells incredible but that also melts into a nourishing blend of oils and waxes that you can use to massage into your skin. (I treat it like a fancy body treatment, but if you want to get someone else involved, then go for it.) This limited-edition version involves a floral print inspired by Alice Temperley's 2021 bridal collection, with 10% of the RRP donated to Women for Women International. 

Le Labo perfumes are a mainstay of the fashion set, and these minimalist candles are equally captivating. Housed in domed, heavy glass vessels and made from soy wax, this is a luxury candle with a scent to boot. Of course, the cult Santal 26 is my pick of the bunch—a smoky, leathery, warming fragrance—but there are others to choose from, depending on your personal scent preferences. 
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