Best candles 2020: the most gorgeous scented candles to fragrance your home

There's arguably nothing more fun than shopping for the best candles to cosy up your home at any time of year, whether you're looking to create an inviting hygge vibe or a beautifully scented space to relax in. Some of them are healthier than others, in terms of indoor pollution, so budget plays a role here.

The candle market is brimming with incredible soy candles, scented candles and luxury candles, so you're spoiled for choice when choosing the best candles for your home or to gift to a loved one or friend.

Given that we spend so much time inside our homes (especially during autumn and winter), the cost of candles (which varies from brand to brand) feels easy to justify, considering how much they boost the ambience of our homes. 

• Relax with at-home aromatherapy by using the best essential oils
• ...and burn them in our pick of the best oil diffusers

Seeking a therapeutic scent to help send you off to sleep? Need something to mask  cooking smells at your next dinner party? Looking for a fool-proof gift for your friend or mother in law? Whatever the quandary, the solution is always a candle.

In the depths of winter, while we wait patiently for spring to arrive, the need for a little scented-candle-shaped indulgence grows ever keener – which is why we have rounded up the best candles to fragrance your home, whether you prefer more woody and sensual scents, or floral and playful home fragrances.

Best candles: are some healthier than others?

Nowadays, it seems like everyone is jumping on the candle bandwagon, with designers and supermarkets alike creating their own offerings. But which are the best candles for you? And are some candles healthier than others? 

Generally speaking, beeswax and soy-based candles are healthier than paraffin candles, as they produce less pollution inside our homes, but these can often be more expensive. 

So which candles, scented and non-scented, should you consider buying? We've rounded up the best candles available right now, from the enduring classics to the limited edition newbies. Let's take a look at these beauties now... 

Ah, spring. Is there anything better than waking up to the smell of freshly cut grass, or catching a heady whiff of lilac on your way to work? If you can't have the real thing just yet, the new Spring candle from The White Company will go some way to tiding you over.

There are superb notes of freshly mown grass and relaxing lilac here, as well as additional whispers of sweet honeysuckle, rose and jasmine. This is a playful yet romantic scent that would make a world of difference in your bedroom.

If you're shopping our best candles guide because you're feeling stressed or not sleeping well, this is the candle for you. This Works have created a whole line of  sleep-inducing products, from pillow sprays to essential oils. 

Speaking of which, this therapeutic candle is enriched with lavender and chamomile extracts to help to chill you out after a stressful day. Remember, the more relaxed you are before going to bed, the more likely you are to sleep better (and for longer).

We've used this candle religiously as part of our wind down routine before going to bed, and now whenever we smell it something triggers in our brain to say 'it's bedtime'. Try it yourself by running a luxurious bubble bath, with the soft glow of this scented stunner helping you to relax, relax, relax. 

You’re probably well-acquainted with the concept of Hygge by now, and Swedish-inspired candle brand Scandinavisk have gone as far as naming a candle after this blissful state of cosiness. 

As for scent, think hints of baked strawberry cake and tea, along with rose petals and wild mint. Yep, that sounds like Hygge to us. Now, pass us a cinnamon bun and a nice warm throw...  

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Jo Malone is a real powerhouse in the world of scented candles, and is one of the most copied candle companies ever... that's how coveted these Jo Malone products are. And the Lime, Basil and Mandarin candle is a real classic.

Subtly marrying peppery basil and aromatic white thyme with zesty citrus, this one’s something of a chart-topper It's also Jo Malone’s signature fragrance, so a great place to start for Jo Malone candle newcomers. When in doubt, this candle is a foolproof option for Christmas presents and gifts at anytime of the year.

With fans including Victoria Beckham and Beyonce, Diptyque is certainly one of the big players in the world of candles. While Figuier and Baies are the clear bestsellers, we’re putting this ultra-woody Protective Pine Candle forward as a contender for your next shelfie. 

New for 2019, our best candle top pick conjures up a fresh and wintery scent with notes of Siberian and Balsam pine, cedar and hints of basil and sage. Herby! The glorious green packaging, covered in little charms (dream catcher, shooting star and beetle) symbolises hope and protection.

La Montaña may not have the lofty candlemaker status of a brand like Diptyque, but boy do their candles smell good! This young company recreates the scents of the Spanish mountains, with romantic and evocative candle names like ‘First Light’, ‘Fig Grove’ and ‘Winter Oranges’. 

As the brand’s signature fragrance, First Light is a particular nostril-pleaser, blending wild mountain flora including fennel, bergamot, rosemary, mountain pepper and rockrose. It's ideal to get you through those bleak winter days when you’re fantasizing about your next sun-drenched holiday.

Fancy filling your home with the scent of laundry powder, pencil shavings, sun lotion or toothpaste? Of course you do! Then head straight to Anya Hindmarch, where fun, nostalgic and completely bonkers scents are made into highly collectible candles for the home.

The Anya Hindmarch Toothpaste scented candle is inspired by freshly brushed teeth, so expect refreshing notes of spearmint, French peppermint, Australian grapefruit ring, menthol and rhubarb. All encased in that super-cool graphic container.  

Despite the name, California-based candle maker Boy Smells specialises in gender neutral fragrances. Each candle is a blend of beeswax and coconut oil, and produces a a rich-burning finish.

If you tend to recoil at super-sweet fragrances, this Ash Candle might just be worth lighting the wick on. It's a heady marriage of firewood, smoke, charcoal, palo santo and hay, and is best enjoyed in front of a roaring fire, in a log cabin on a cold afternoon. 

Failing that, just spark it up in your living room, close your eyes and dream of being in a log cabin high up in the mountains, where no-one can disturb you. We also love the St Al candle, which produces a very sensual and evocative sandalwood based scent.

Both the Boy Smells Ash Candle and St Al Candle are  available to buy from Selfridges.

Hey, if it’s good enough for Marie Antoinette then, frankly, it’s good enough for us. The provider of the royal court of Louis XIV, French company Cire Trudon was founded in 1643, making it the oldest wax-producing factory worldwide. 

Specialising in sophisticated scents (and instantly recognisable thanks to that gold foil sticker), we can’t imagine a nicer – albeit pricey – Christmas pressie than their Nazareth candle, which packs a festive punch with hints of clove, cinnamon and orange. 

Made using natural cotton wicks, and housed in reusable glass containers, Daylesford Organic’s candles are hand-poured using totally natural wax – free from paraffin and GM-derived waxes. 

The scents are pleasingly garden-fresh, too, and you can choose from Geranium Leaf, Lavender or this beauty, the Botanical Vine Tomato. It's a good choice for those adverse to sickly floral fragrances and who want to overpower dense cooking smells, as this candle will fill your kitchen with the heady whiff of a summer garden.  

Want more wellness content? Then don't forget to check out the following...

• Create a relaxed vibe at home with the best oil diffusers
• And stock up on the best essential oils to use with them
• Prefer a cosy glow? Check out the best candles for home use
• Reduce aches and pains by improving your posture with the best posture correctors
• Or try out the best massagers for your body, face and feet
• Too tired for any of it? Snuggle up instead in one of these best electric blankets