I Tested 40 “Basic” Fall Candles To Find The Best Scents—Here Are The Winners

If you were to come into my home and open any given drawer or cabinet, odds are that you will find candles. Sweet candles and spicy candles and fall candles and floral candles and giant candles and tiny candles and, well, you get the idea. To me, there’s nothing more relaxing. I light candles when I sit at my desk and start my workday. I light them when I put on a movie and want to make things feel warm and cozy. I light them when I do my nightly skincare routine and wind down for the evening. I light them for no reason at all and have to ask, Wait, did I blow that candle out? as soon as we leave the house. Bottom line: I love candles, I burn them often, and I own a lot of them.

Though I love all candles, fall candles, in particular, hold a special place in my heart. To me, there’s nothing better than curling up under a giant blanket with the leaves falling outside and a fall candle (or two, or three, or four…) burning somewhere in the background. Sure, this scene is what some might call “basic,” but in 2021 where the universe continues to descend into complete and total chaos all around us, I am taking joy wherever I can find it. And damnit, fall candles bring me joy. 

So this year, maybe more than any other year, I’ve found myself at the end of September with what some might call a disturbing amount of candles. Between gifts from brands and myself—I have virtually zero self-control—I’ve somehow ended up with 40-plus fall candles. Am I proud of it? No. Am I complaining? Also no. Naturally, I’ve smelled them all by now. I’ve burned most of them. My fiancé and I even got tipsy and reviewed some of them on Instagram (there’s not much to do in isolation, OK?), which people seemed to like. Without even trying, I had somehow gotten to the end of the month and tested dozens of fall candles. It’s hard work, sure, but someone had to do it. I figured I would write down my very favorites of the bunch and describe just what makes them so great. You know, for posterity.

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Homesick Apple Orchard Candle

White Barn
Leaves Scented Candle
$25.00

If the TED Talk people are out there listening, I would like to make it clear I want to give a short, yet impactful speech on Bath & Body Works’ Leaves at any point. Just name the time and place. But I digress.

If you’re looking for the crisp scents of fall with just a hint of sweetness, go get yourself some Leaves. The scent notes listed for this one are: crisp red apple, golden nectar, warm clove spice, and essential oils, but it’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Burning this candle smells like you’re in a fall foliage-filled forest and then—what’s that? The distant smell of a warm, cinnamon-y apple pie baking somewhere in the distance? Ah yes, you realize, it is. Anyway, this candle is great and again: TED Talk people, call me. 

Fragrance