Some candles make your home smell like a flower market. Others smell good enough to eat. Then there are the ones that can transport you somewhere completely different without you having to leave the sofa.
The right candle can change the mood of a room in minutes, whether you want something fresh and floral, warm and indulgent or soothing enough to signal that the day is officially over.
Here are five candles for five very different moods.
For when you want your home to smell like spring
If your ideal home fragrance involves an abundance of flowers without having to keep a vase of them alive, Glasshouse Flower Show makes a strong case.
The limited-edition 380g candle combines green apple, blackcurrant, pineapple and grapefruit with jasmine, orange flower, ylang ylang and pink pepper. Amber, rosewood and almond blossom add warmth underneath the floral notes. Glasshouse describes it as a mid-strength fragrance designed to create a gentle, everyday scent.
The mood: Fresh flowers, open windows and a house that feels freshly reset.
Glasshouse Flower Show 380g Scented Candle, $64.95
For when dessert sounds like a perfectly reasonable dinner
Can’t be bothered whipping up brunch?
Dusk’s Buttermilk Pancakes Soy Blend Scented Candle layers blueberries, honey and apple with caramel syrup and cinnamon, then finishes with vanilla, praline and brown sugar for the next best thing.
It is the candle for anyone who thinks their home should smell delicious and has absolutely no interest in pretending otherwise.
The mood: Sunday breakfast, coffee on the table and absolutely no plans until lunchtime.
Dusk Buttermilk Pancakes Soy Blend Scented Candle, $34.99
For when you want something that feels expensive
Some candles are decorative. Others seem to arrive with their own sense of occasion.
Trudon’s Altaïr sits firmly in the latter category, with a woody-floral composition built around peony, agarwood, sandalwood and rose, with cedarwood and leather adding depth. The fragrance takes its inspiration from desert landscapes and warm amber tones.
This is the one to light when you want the living room to feel a little more grown-up, even if the rest of your evening involves takeaway and television.
The mood: Low lighting, good glassware and pretending you always have your life together.
Trudon Altaïr Candle, $169, at Libertine
For when the day is finally over
There is a reason candles and evening rituals work so well together. Turn off the overhead lights, light something softly scented and suddenly checking your emails feels considerably less urgent.
Diptyque’s Evening Scented Candle forms part of its Les Rituels de Soin collection, which centres on morning and evening rituals. The evening ritual pairs the candle with soothing body care and positions the scent as part of a slower transition towards rest.
You don’t need to follow the entire ritual to enjoy the candle. Sometimes lighting it is enough of a signal to yourself that work is finished and the night has started.
The mood: Shower done, phone on silent and nowhere else to be.
Diptyque Les Rituels de Soin Evening Scented Candle, $125, at Mecca
For when you would rather be on holiday
If Sydney weather has you mentally checking flights, Pure Fiji’s Palm Collection Coconut Wax Candle offers a much cheaper form of escapism.
Hand-poured from coconut wax, the candle aims to bring an island-inspired fragrance into the home and offers approximately 34 hours of burn time.
It is the obvious choice for anyone who likes their home to smell like holidays rather than housework. Light it while you make dinner, run a bath or simply pretend the palm trees are outside the window.
The mood: Bare feet, warm air and absolutely no airport security queue.
