The best antidote to dark evenings and falling temperatures? A scented candle, gently flickering away on your coffee table, mantel or nightstand.
There are seemingly endless varieties to choose from — from type of wax to number of wicks, let alone fragrances — and the last thing you want is to spend money on a candle that doesn’t deliver a pleasing scent or a substantial burn time.
Here, we round up the candles worth investing in for a cosy home this autumn.
Under €20
Much like perfume, your choice of scented candles can be very personal, so once you find the scent that works for you, Deirdre Walshe, Head of Interior Design at designful.ie, recommends sticking with it.
“Go with what makes you feel relaxed and at home — if you use the same scent throughout the house, you’ll get the smell when you walk through the door and you know you are home,” she says.
Though her favourite is Jo Malone, on a budget, she recommends the candles from Dunnes Stores, in particular the Pomegranate and Orchid, which is available with two or three wicks (from €5, Dunnes Stores).
Pomegranate And Orchid Two Wick Scented Candle from Dunnes Stores
“The more wicks you have, the more intense the smell and you get a nice effect of having a group of candles together. They don’t last as long, but they burn very well and evenly,” she says, noting that her teenage children are fans too.
“I find the kids like to burn a candle when they’re studying in their bedrooms — they are banned from the Jo Malone candles, so the Dunnes ones are perfect.”
When Martyna Wilk from Smart Home Staging is preparing properties for sale, she likes to use one fresh scent throughout the house and seeks out brands that are local to her base in Maynooth.
Her go-to is the Citrus Blend by Dee4 Candles in Naas, which contains orange, geranium and grapefruit (€16.50, Dee4Candles.com).
“They make soy candles and the prices are really, really good. They’re all beautifully packed in a glass jar. They’ll be very strong — you can smell the fragrance out of the jar without even lighting the candle, and they have very nice and fresh fragrances. The Citrus Blend is just amazing,” she says.
Her other pick is The Handmade Soap Company in Meath, highlighting the Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme and Mint (€17.50, TheHandmadeSoapCompany.ie) as a standout.
The Handmade Soap Company's Soy Candle - Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme & Mint
For Sarah Twigg Doyle, Interior Stylist at ReTwiggd.ie, the most important thing to look out for in a scented candle is a “clean burn”.
“What I mean by that is a natural wax,” she explains, advising choosing candles made with natural ingredients and essential oils rather than paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances for a healthier and greener purchase.
She likes the range from British producer Fern & Fell. “What I love about those candles is they are a combination of rapeseed and coconut oil wax, so they’re a clean burn, and long lasting — they’ll last you a good 20 hours.
"They only use natural essential oils and they come in a lovely brown jar,” says Sarah, adding that £1 from each sale is donated to the Cumbrian Wildlife Trust to help preserve the habitat in the region.
Her favourite scent is Eucalyptus and Bay (€19, FernandFell.com), which she notes is particularly good for daytime to “keep you awake and lively” while working. If you’re after a seasonal fragrance, she suggests the brand’s limited edition Spiced Pumpkin (€19, FernandFell.com), a blend of warming cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
For cosy nights in, Sarah recommends Wicklow-based Bread and Weather, namely the Rosewood Lavender (€22, BreadandWeather.ie).
“I love my scented candles to be in amber glass jars — I just think they provide such a nice glow, and also those jars are then really handy as a decorative item that you can reuse for posies from the garden on the table,” she says.
“The Rosewood Lavender is really lovely, it’s kind of reminiscent of a spa weekend. I think those scents feel so restful.”
Marie-Louise Keeley is an interior designer at H&G Design Group and says she favours “classic, traditional scents” when staging properties for sale.
“I find the perfect autumnal scent is a mix of spicy and sweet like vanilla, apple, cinnamon and sandalwood notes,” she says, naming the Antique Library candle by Cloon Keen (€40) as her “personal favourite”.
“Those are Irish-made, beautiful candles, and Antique Library is inspired by the Long Room in the library of Trinity College Dublin, with notes of spicy nutmeg and cedar. I like the history and the story, and it’s an excellent quality candle,” she says.
At home, she also likes the Soothing candle by ESPA (€42, Millies.ie), a blend of sandalwood, rose geranium, frankincense and myrrh. “They’re hand-poured with a natural soy wax blend, allowing the infusion of scents to be especially potent and long-lasting,” she says.
For a cheaper option, Marie-Louise recommends the range by Max Benjamin, particularly Pink Pepper (€25, Arnotts). “It’s a crowd-pleasing candle and 100pc Irish-made, with natural wax and cotton wicks that burn for 40 hours. I love it.”
Martyna names Pink Pepper as her “number one” for the home. “I’ve just fallen in love with this — I use the diffusers, I use the candles, I use the scent cards in the car, in the hot press or in the wardrobe. I literally have them everywhere,” she says. “Even to the last bit of wax, you still have the beautiful smell.”
For property stagings, she prefers the brand’s Fresh Linen Water, Grapefruit and Pomelo, and Lemongrass and Ginger (all €25, Arnotts). “It’s more fresh, but they’re not too fresh, so they can be used all year round, even during the Christmas season,” she says.
Over €50
They may be expensive, but according to the experts, Jo Malone candles really are worth the hype — and the investment (from €56, Brown Thomas).
“The candles with two and three wicks have an exceptional longevity of fragrance,” says Marie-Louise. “Jo Malone is aspirational, so I would stage all my properties with that.
"It’s something you can put in the halls and in the bathrooms, and definitely coming into autumn, those warm, kind of exotic fragrances are always nice. I would go with Mimosa and Cardamom for its warm, rich finish.”
Deirdre echoes this recommendation. Her top picks from Jo Malone are the classic Pomegranate Noir and Lime, Basil and Mandarin.
Tips for burning candles
Let the candle burn for at least two hours on first use to allow the top layer of wax to fully melt, ensuring an even burn when you next light it.
Burning for less time can cause the candle to ‘tunnel’, where the wax builds up around the sides and can reduce the maximum burn time.
Don’t burn for more than four hours at a time, as it can cause the wick to shift, become crooked or blacken the glass. If the wick does slant, you can recentre it once you’ve snuffed the candle out and the wax has cooled a little, but is still liquid.
Trim the wick to about 5mm once the wax has set, to avoid sooting, smoking or high flames when you next burn the candle. Keeping the wick at the correct length will also prevent the candle burning too quickly or unevenly.
Try to keep the wax pool clear of wick trimmings, as it can form a secondary wick, which may cause your candle to burn faster. Stop use when 10mm of wax remains at the bottom to avoid heat damage or cracking the glass.
