Notes: milky, fresh, green
Associate commerce director Lori Keong is a huge fan of Homecourt. “My siblings have told me that this mini candle smells like the ubiquitous pink soap you find in gas stations, but I think it smells like the perfect expression of rose. I leave it out next to me at my home office desk so I can get whiffs of it without needing to light it up, and you know the sweet Hasami-esque ceramic it comes in is not getting tossed to the curb when I eventually burn it all the way down to the bottom.”
Notes: rose, basil, neroli, cedarwood, cardamom, and leather
If you loved the tomato candle from this viral candle brand, you will be floored by this one. Adriatic sage brings the outdoors in—this candle smells like an open window in the height of Italian summer, sunlight on tile floors, and triple servings of pasta to come in the late dusk. Or, you know, just a good candle.
Notes: clary sage, sage brush, and thyme
Looking to capture summer year-round? This candle brings peak produce to the darkest hours, with notes of fresh bergamot and pink pepper with warm musks, jasmine petals, and soft orris root. “I also own the fragrance version of this candle—I can’t get enough of the scent. It’s light, not overly sweet, and super refreshing,” says Audrey.
Notes: sparkling bergamot, mara strawberry, pink pepper
This candle has a “well-traveled smell,” says Harrison. Valencia orange and black pepper meet leather and amyris for a completely unique and earthy aroma that feels worldly—enough to fool someone that the Amazon rug under their feet is actually from Marrakech. Each of these candles are hand-poured in Brooklyn and made with a soy-wax blend.
Notes: Valencia orange, Black pepper, sandalwood
“It’s been long-rumored that Rihanna’s signature scent is the fragrance version of this candle and I can see why she loves it,” says Lee. She calls it sultry, and recommends this for those who don’t love an overpowering votive—”great for a date night where you still want to smell the delicious meal in front of you.” If you can’t drop the $400 on the perfume, but you’re Baccarat-curious, this one comes in at $125.
Notes: Jasmine, saffron, cedarwood, ambergris
More Candles We Recommend
We’d be remiss not to include this ever-popular pick from French-fragrance brand Diptyque. Baies is a blissful mix of black currant leaves and fresh roses. This celebrity favorite comes in five sizes to suit your burn time needs, including an extra large (with five wicks).
Notes: berries, black currant, rose
Any scent that can bring us that windows-down feeling is an instant add to cart. It’s easy to feel like a Californian coasting down Highway 1 with this votive—the smell of wet, effusive eucalyptus, and what they call “young green shoots, long spears, and russet underbrush.”
Notes: coastal rain, eucalyptus shoot, magnolia, pacific spray
Boy Smells is the brand of low-lit, relaxed, and romantic evenings. Always flirty and always a great gift, this one has top notes of fig, coconut water, and jasmine, bolstered by more rooting scents like sandalwood and cedarwood.