Over the last few weeks we have taken on a very important task–smelling a lot of candles. There’s no doubt that one of the best things about Fall are the scents and with so many out there and only a limited amount of weeks, (we’re starting TODAY!) we didn’t want anyone wasting any time with a sub-par fall candle this season. So, we ordered a plethora of candles all claiming to be the best and we narrowed it down to 20 of our favorites (with one delicious bonus one)–nixing anything that felt overly sweet or soapy or not fall enough or didn’t fill a room with its aroma. Trust us, these are goooooood. We ordered them by price, least expensive to most expensive and left our notes by each one!
1. Mrs. Meyers Acorn Spice $7
If you have the multi-surface spray in this scent, then you know it’s rich and nutty, very comforting, smells like a hug. **Tristan’s favorite**
2. Capri Blue Pumpkin Clove $12
Capri candles are STRONG and sweet and this falls right in line with what you would expect except with a fall twist.
3. Urban Concepts Tobacco Vanilla $14
This actually smells like leaves are changing. This one reminds me of raking the leaves when we were younger and our neighbor would smoke a pipe. It brought me right back. Not super potent but very nice.
4. Noir Oud Wood & Musk $14
Sweet, but earthy. Everyone on our team loved this one! Not a traditional fall scent per se, but felt so familiar.
5. Boulangerie Vanilla & Fig $14
This one feels like a night in. It’s warm and beautiful.
6. Cinnamon Apple Peach $16
Smells exactly like the name and somehow even better than you can imagine. Chris always makes peach cobbler at the end of summer and it really brings in fall. Fills a room the perfect amount.We can’t get enough of this one! *Chris’s Favorite**
7. Smoked Amber $16
This was one of the prettiest containers of the bunch. It has a warm, soft smokiness to it. The smell is not as strong as others. **Andi’s Favorite**
8. Spiced Chestnut $19
Your classic fall candle that also adds a fun fall element to your room with the color. The perfect amount of smell put off. If you want a fall FALL candle, this is it. **Brooke’s favorite**
9. Brown Sugar Chestnut $19
Sweet & spicy. Cozy cinnamon.
10. Pumpkin Latte $19
Syrupy. A crowd pleaser. You know what you’re gonna get. I’d light this on a weekend morning for brunch!
11. P.F. Candle Co. Spiced Pumpkin $20
This is your tried and true pumpkin candle. Smells EXACTLY like warm pumpkin chocolate bread fresh out of the oven. I feel like I could EAT this one. The smell will absolutely fill a room.
12. Craft + Foster Oakmoss & Amber $22
I’ve ordered this candle three times! It’s Earthy and woody. It’s the spritz you would put on when you go out in your fall coat.
13. Hello Fall No. 17 $24
Fresh apples and cinnamon. This smells like hot apple cider mulling on the stove to a T.
14. Bookshop $25
Like a bouquet of sharpened pencils. I keep coming back to this one. I bought the big 4 wick one at Target and it’s just perfect for early Fall. **Julia’s favorite**
15. Homesick Pumpkin Patch $27
It’s called homesick for a reason, it’s nostalgic. It really ACTUALLY smells like you’re at the pumpkin patch. I don’t know how they do it. We all loved this one so much.
16. Chai Tea $28
Like a hot cup of Buttery chai you want to curl up in a flannel blanket with. Also one of the prettiest containers!! **Victoria’s Favorite**
17. Diptyque Feu De Boi $36
Before we lit this one, I wasn’t sure. It unsurprisingly smells like a fire, perfect to flip on a gas fireplace and light this candle. But after we lit it, it filled the entire room with the most soothing smell–like a resort in the mountains. Even the small version of this candle can fill a whole room. **Derek’s Favorite**
18. Koto $49
Warm tobacco. We have had this one in our guest room for a year and it’s just a warm, comforting, soft smell.
19. LAFCO Sage & Walnut $65
This one is an early fall, fresh, back to school smell.
20. Diptyque Ambre $68
Warm smell, good for the afternoon, definitely fills up the room.
bonus!!
21. Malin + Goetz Dark Rum $20
This one arrived late, but I HAD to include it in this roundup because it’s that good and I would definitely go back and buy the full size. I smelled it and said wow! Chris smelled it and said, “It smells like Autumn in the city.” **Chris and Julia’s other favorite**
Happy almost Fall!!!!
Leave a Reply
What do you think?
Previous Post
Next Post
Semihandmade
Our wood grain Shaker cabinet fronts were designed for busy, high-traffic homes like ours. Clad with durable textured thermofoils, this line is compatible with Sektion, Akurum, Godmorgon, and Besta cabinets from IKEA. It's the perfect, practical way to add the warmth of wood to all the rooms of your home.
Collaborations
learn more
next
Loloi
We have teamed up with Loloi to create a line of rugs that are as affordable as they are beautiful. This collection houses a great mix of traditional and modern rugs, in cottage-y colorways, as well as vintage-inspired beauties that you’ll want to roll out in every room.
Collaborations
learn more
next
STUGA
We partnered with Stuga on a line of hardwood floors — The Ingrid is really livable, and the color is very neutral. It doesn’t lean warm or cool, it’s that just right in-between. We have really loved putting it everywhere in our house. It’s the best jumping-off point for design, no matter your interior style. In addition to being beautiful, Ingrid is really durable — we have three kids, and we always have a home construction project going on. Ingrid stands up to it all.
Collaborations
learn more
next
SHop all
What We're Right Now
What We're Right Now
Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop.
Loving
Portfolio
Design
Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
BROWSE BY CATEGORY
let's break this thing up
We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
Projects
Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
read more
read more
02
01
03
looking for inspiration?
A reader recently asked me if I’m starting to fully embrace traditional style and whether we still consider our house to be a “modern Colonial” and why. It was a really great question and so timely — I had really just been thinking about my approach to this home and how my style has changed […]
SEARCH THE BLOG
We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?
looking for something?
find stuff like:
Can We Send You Our Love Letter?
Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
@chrislovesjulia
Links
Get Around
Make yourself right at home
Portfolio
Design
Casual Friday
Projects
Lifestyle
Gift Guides
All Posts
Shop
Love where you live.
Social
RivrLinks
Links
Get Around
Make yourself right at home
Portfolio
Design
Casual Friday
Projects
Lifestyle
Gift Guides
All Posts
Shop
Love where you live.
Social
RivrLinks
I want to smell them all! I love fall scents…alas, my husband, not so much. Hoping one of these will be loved by both of us! I love your descriptions, especially, “It’s the spritz you would put on when you go out in your fall coat”, I can already imagine the scent!
I was just in Marshall’s today looking for a fall scented candle and didn’t find one I liked. I like the soy bases or coconut wax ones, something without too much junk in it. Thanks for the list!
Great job! Your article is so informative. I really like it.
Wow, reading all the descriptions got me so excited for crispy breezes and dark evenings. Can’t wait to buy some. Thank you!
Any suggestions for an aesthetic lighter? One that you would leave out as almost a decor piece next to these beautiful candles?
I’m a fan of matches! So many cute boxes out there
Bath and Body Works, Sweater Weather! The best!! Looking forward to trying some of these other options!
Love this roundup! My birthday is October 1 and I feel like several of these candles will be making it onto my wishlist (which could just mean that I buy them for myself :)).
Feu de Bois. i have three of the not tiny ones, so a pretty large investment in candles. lol. i lit one the other day, the first day it felt sort of fall-ish here on the central coast of CA. it’s just the perfect candle, especially this time of year.
Something I always wonder when I see a candle linked on various blogs: what is the stigma around the larger jarred candles? Oftentimes, you can get a larger sized jarred candle for the same price you can get many of the smaller ones linked here. Genuinely curious. There’s gotta be something I’m missing!
Generally better quality, more potent, cleaner burn, longer burn time
The Magnolia Fall candle is by hands down favorite! It’s burning now as a thunderstorm rages outside and it’s all the fall vibes. Pumpkin Chai goodness! :D
Hi! I LOVE these candle round-ups for the seasons!!! Would you maybe consider doing one next time sourcing non-toxic options? With everyone being home so much more, I think many of us are trying to be more conscious of the products we are bringing inside and looking for more healthy/safe options!
As an Australian, it’s always weird seeing these things when our seasons are reverted. Plus our stores like TKMaxx and other American brand stores often have Halloween (Pumpkin, etc) and Christmas (cinnamon, pine, etc) themed candles which align much more with your Autumn/Winter than our Spring/Summer feels. But, I still find myself burning those candles in the wrong seasons because they smell so good!!
But important question – did I miss who Derek is?!
Derek is the new director of ProperTee!
Ah, of course! Welcome Derek :)
I see several I’d like to try…also, where can I find one of the round wood stands that the three candles are on? I’ve been looking for one recently!
We have a post on “Wood Pedestals” you can search for!
How do I pick just one? I need all 21 haha!!!
Thank you for the You’ve Got Mail reference (bouquet of sharpened pencils ????)!
My favorite fall candle of all time, hands down is Linneas Lights Pumpkin. I get it every year.
This is the most beautiful picture of fall candles that I ever did see (heart eyes!!!) Can’t wait to try out some of these new brands & scents!
Am I the only one that gets soot all over my house from candles??? Is there a trick??!!
Hmmm—-are you trimming your wick? It should never be longer than a 1/4″
Paraffin candles cause soot and also are really bad for the air quality of the room. Many candles are labeled misleadingly as soy when they only contain a percent of soy (see HH Target candles). Hope that helps!
Flannel from Target is my go-to for Fall! Learned about it from you guys a few years ago!
I just bought Diptyque’s Feu de Bois (or “For da Boys” as John Mayer hilariously calls it – check his saved stories…once you hear it you will only read it that way :)) and I love it!! I agree, even the small size (which was a stretch for me to afford) fills a room beautifully. One that didn’t make your list which I think you would also love is Kacey Musgraves collaboration with Boy Smells – their “Slow Burn” candle. It is such a gorgeous, smoky, sultry, scent, perfect for fall. It’s not easy to find though, it sells out quickly and always seems to be on a pre-sale wait list – but trust me, it is 100% worth the wait. Probably my most favourite candle ever. I’m almost finished my first and will re-order another for sure. In the meantime, you’ve given me a lot more to think about!
I had that one on my list to try and couldn’t find it anywhere!!! Definitely hope to snag one soon!
I love candles and have been using them for years without knowing how toxic paraffin candles can be. They can cause headaches, breathing problems and other health issues, especially when burning in a small, closed room.
I started using soy candles and I feel it’s safer for me and my family. There are great candles out there that are much better for your health.
A lot of these are soy candles :)
Love your blog/ newsletters! I was wondering if you happen to know which ones meet the three requirements for healthy candles? 100% cotton or wood wicks, 100% pure essential oils, wax is soy/beeswax. In other words best non-toxic candles. Thank you!
Yes, I’m interested as well. As someone who also has to eat gluten free with multiple allegies I’m surprised candles don’t bother you…I have to just use essential oils.
Came down to ask the same question! Would love to know which of these are healthy candles.
Probably none of them, I’m guessing! Not Many do. Look on Etsy and read the fine print. I love scents but can’t handle most artificial ones unfortunately- and the 100% essential oil scented only type doesn’t have the room filling power that most consumers are looking for.
Definitely check out Naturalight Candles out of Duluth, MN, they have gorgeous cozy fall scents and they meet those healthy candle requirements ???? in my experience the scents do fill a room, too!
Check out http://www.HouseofRoyals.com – the alabaster candle is 100% pure beeswax, with no fillers, and the beeswax is sourced on an organic bee farm in Cali. Definitely pure.
This is important to me as well. I personally LOVE Terralite candles — they fit the bill on being clean, and have amazing scents scents that actually fill the room.
Love love love these kinds of round ups! Takes me back to when you ranked the Mrs Meyers scents.
Brb going to buy ALL the candles… :)
Such a fun post! I’m a picky candle person (not one of my best qualities lol) and really appreciated the descriptions and opinions. :)
Thank you! This list is brilliant. Can’t wait to put some of these to the test!
Last fall you convinced me to try the Harvest candle from Target’s Hearth and Hand line, and I loved it. Does it really not make the top 20 cut a year later??
The bookshelf one is just so so so good this year. Cut throat!
I pretty much have either a Capri Blue or Voluspa candle going at all times EXCEPT this time of year when I burn the Leaves candle by Bath & Body Works. Pulled my first one out last night and everyone in my family commented on how ah-mazing it smells! Not sure if you’ve tried it, but it’s good!
Yes! B&BW Leaves is my go to candle! I also pulled it out over the weekend and it instantly gave me all the cozy fall vibes I ever need!
YES! Another vote for B&BW Leaves <3
Yes! I have to put in another vote for Leaves– it is fall perfection!
Although I just went on to Target to order it, and saw that 42% of the reviews gave it a 1 star rating because of the burn time. I think I need to look at others.
Yes! This is exactly what I needed! Please do this for every season! Haha I’m home all day with my three kids and now we’re doing online learning so you can tell it’s the little things that excite me! :)