Perfuming your Pad🕯️
A post dedicated to home smells including all the things I burn, spray, and steep to make my house smell good.
My love of things that smell good goes beyond what I spray on my body. I also like a good smelling house. I’ve wanted to do a round-up of all the candles and home sprays I use for a while now. I also got some great recs from you all that I’m excited to share here. Maybe this will be a living resource I keep updated.
Like fragrance, I am very aware of how expensive some of these candles and sprays are, it’s a splurge I chose to make but it can also feel weird recommending a $75 candle. I tried to share a range of price points, you don’t have to spend a lot to have a good smelling place. Please share your recs in the comments too, I welcome all suggestions that smell good at any price point.
Stuff I burn and spray
When I moved into my apartment a couple of years ago I was gifted many candles. I wasn’t mad about it. People say candles are a lame gift, but I disagree. Not everyone will splurge on a home scent so gifting one makes perfect sense to me. Here are the candles I’m currently burning along with a couple of room sprays.
Diptyque
It should be no surprise that Diptyque is on my list, I’m a big fan of their perfumes as well. A friend gave me this Roses Diptyque candle for my birthday a year ago and I’m about halfway through with it. These candles are not cheap but they make a lovely gift and you can’t go wrong with Baies, one of their most popular scents. Pro tip - if you buy anything in one of their stores they’ll ask your birthday and give you a free small candle as a gift that month (at $35 that’s a pretty sweet gift). I happened to buy some stuff from their Fillmore store in April and happily left with a small Baies that I burn in my bathroom.
Replica, Maison Margiela
Another one that you probably know for their perfumes first. I own a bottle of By the Fireplace but it’s very much a mood for me, not an everyday scent I want to wear. I think I bought the candle during a Sephora sale and I just bought more this weekend from the Maison Margiela site because they were having a sale. Here’s the thing— these candles are expensive at $70 a pop but I have never had a candle that has had such a strong cold throw (that’s the term for how a scent travels when it’s not lit, hot throw is when it’s lit) and honestly, that’s worth it for me. Because it’s so expensive I savor the times I burn it, but it makes me so happy when I walk past this candle unlit and still get that warm and cozy fireplace scent. It’s right at the top of my stairs too so I get a good hit of it when I come home. I love this candle so much. Worth every penny and excited to try a few more scents (I got the trio set this weekend).
P.F. Candle Co
I love P.F. Candle Co because everything about them just screams California to me. The fragrances, the packaging, the way they were in every single shop in every major city in California for a while. Their eye towards sustainability and natural ingredients is very west coast too. I like their brick and mortar stores — there’s one in North Beach I recommend visiting. Their diffusers are great too. I find their candles are perfect for small spaces, they don’t have a huge throw but they pack a smaller space with scent well. I especially love the Amber & Moss and Golden Coast scents. I douse my house with that Amber & Moss spray before guests arrive. I was gifted some candles from Kristen, the founder of P.F. Candle (who also has a great Substack you should subscribe to called
Flamingo Estate
If I could only have one candle in my home forever it would be a really close tie between Flamingo Estate’s Roma Heirloom Tomato candle and Replica’s By the Fireplace. But I can say with certainty that there will never be another candle that enters my kitchen. I am obsessed with this green leafy garden smell, it’s the exact smell you get after rubbing a tomato stem or leaf between your fingers. Danny gifted me the one with the label over a year ago and I finally burned through it, replacing it with this same scent but newly branded one. I kind of liked the look of that paper label but appreciate the elegance of the new design. I don’t care what the vessel looks like, this scent is perfection to me. I bought the new one at Aggregate Supply in SF.
Sydney Hale Co.
I bought this Neroli + Musk room spray on a whim when shopping at Onyx on Divisadero. I liked the smell and was surprised by how inexpensive it was, I also bought a candle with the same scent. The candle is meh to be honest but this room spray is solid. It lives in my bathroom. A good clean scent that feels fresh.
I already talked about Diptyque and this Roses room spray also gets used often, especially before company arrives.
DS&Durga
They’re everywhere but they know how to make a good fragrance. They too sell $70 candles, but I have never owned one so I can’t speak to how good they are. My clever BF bought some of these car fresheners when we visited their Brooklyn store last Fall and he puts them in his closet. I tried one by my front door and the smell went away pretty quickly, I think because the space was just too big. But if you want to keep a closet smelling good these are priced well and last a while. Yes I know, $15 for a car fragrance seems silly, but inflation? I don’t know. Feels worth it to me.
Boy Smells
I don’t currently have any Boy Smells candles left to burn but I have gone through many and highly recommend them. You may want to smell them in store first as some are real winners to me and some are pretty meh. But competing with By the Fireplace and Heirloom Tomato for my top candles is Neopeche. I got this in a set Jennifer gave to me as a house warming gift and this smell is heaven. Oaky and mossy with a fluffy floral, it’s kind of unlike any candle I have ever smelled. It looks like Boy Smells no longer sells this one on their site (maybe a sign I need to stock up elsewhere) but ZGO in SF and other places online still have it.
Maison Louis Marie
My signature scent, as in the fragrance I have worn in my life longer and more than any other (except maybe Egyptian Musk in high school and college) is (was?) Maison Louis Marie’s No.04 Bois de Balincourt. It was MY smell and I loved it so much, then I kind of got tired of it but I will never tire of the way this smells burning in my home. It’s sandalwood and cozy and people call it a dupe for Santal 33 but I actually think it smells better, and it’s way less money.
The brands you burn
Below is a list of home fragrances some of you recommended from an IG story I posted a couple of months ago. I was delighted to get so many replies of brands I had never heard of. Got more suggestions? Share them in the comments!
Anthropologie
Yup! You can’t go wrong with a candle from Anthro - especially if you like a big bold scent that will remind you of shopping. They also have good tapers, pretty matches, and nice candle holders.
Austin Press
New to me but hand crafted in San Francisco. This friend swears by their Farmer’s Garden and says it is the best fragrance for the kitchen. I may have to try this and see how it compares to my Flamingo Estate Heirloom Tomato!
Byredo
I have never owned a Byredo candle but can confirm they smell good from visiting their store. This friend recommends their candle called Loose Lips which they said smells like lipstick. Like their juice, these candles are not cheap, $99 a candle so make sure you smell it before you buy!
Commonwealth Provisions
One friend recommends their candles and incense.
Fiamma Candles
These candles look lovely and the person who recommended them said they’re a great woman owned, local company.
Honey Coast
Mountain Home Candle - with Amber, Mandarin Leaf, White Cedar, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Sandalwood, Cashmere, Vanilla this one sounds like it will smell good.
Le Labo
Come at me but I still like Santal 33 and I bet it would be lovely as a candle burning scent. But also there may be cheaper alternatives that smell just as good? I have never owned one of their candles so I can not speak to the throw or burn quality.
Living Thing
I have never heard of them but I like their design and they have a candle called Witchy which I may need to try.
Malin+Goetz
This friend calls out their Dark Rum scent. I like their body stuff and I’m not surprised they make a good candle.
Mar Mar
I had never heard of this Los Angeles brand but I am a big fan of the packaging and design.
Mrs. Myer’s
I love a Mrs. Myer’s cleaning scent and I am not at all surprised their candles hold up. This friend likes the lemon candle. I would not however like a body wash from them. Starving for Beauty has a good deep dive on that if you want to learn more.
Nest
Not a fan of their perfumes but agree that their candles and diffusers are nice.
Summer Solace
Another local bay area friend said she’s obsessed with Summer Solace’s tallow candles. I trust her good taste and will be checking out this Oakland based brand.
Soap & Paper Factory
Roland Pine Candle - this one is really reasonably priced and comes in a cute tin.
Tatine
I noticed this brand at Aggregate Supply recently and was curious about them. Will have to smell through them next time I’m there. Love the bottle.
Thymes
Fraiser Fir was recommended and I couldn’t agree more with this one. I used to burn this religiously every holiday, it is such a good piney scent!! Strong log cabin vibes. Cute vessel and good price too.
Trader Joe’s Candles
Someone swears by the Trader Joe’s candles - and I believe them. For the price you can’t go wrong too.
I never thought I’d write so much about candles. But hopefully this is a good post to turn to when you’re trying to figure out your next candle to give or get for yourself. Please tell me what you love to burn in the comments.
Also if you want to check our more fragrance focused Substacks I started an index/list right here.
Smell you later friends. 🕯️
xo
Tatine’s Holy Basil candle is the best.
love this! Wish I could smell it through the screen! xo