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Jan 06, 2024

The 23 Best Fall Candles of 2023

Spice up your home with cloves, amber, and pumpkin chai Madison Yauger is

Spice up your home with cloves, amber, and pumpkin chai

Madison Yauger is commerce writer at PEOPLE.

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Sephora / Bath and Body Works / Nordstrom / Literie

Fall candles are essential to the cozy feeling of autumn because they allow you to experience apple picking, trees painted with red and orange leaves, and warm flavors like pumpkin spice, hot cocoa, and roasted marshmallows by the fireside — all without leaving your home. And scent lies at the heart of what makes a candle so comforting.

"When it comes to candles, you want to have a very linear fragrance, which can be compared to an even fragrance when it comes to notes in terms of weight," Olfactory NYC director of fragrance and product Jessica Reichert tells PEOPLE. She explains how balancing scents is an art form, weighing the top, middle, and bottom fragrance notes. "Fall scents are perfect for candles because many of them have all those components," she says.

To help you select the right scent for you, we’ve gathered 23 of our favorite fall candles to bring the magic of sweater weather into your home.

Sephora

Nest New York is known for its elevated and rich fragrances and this pumpkin chai candle is no exception. This explosion of scent and season brings the colors and flavors of fall to a head. This writer buys this candle every year and for such a compact size (8.1 ounces), it surprisingly lasts throughout the fall and fills a room with the most delicious scents.

Featuring a soy wax, this candle is all-natural and won't spread soot around your home while it burns. It's available in four sizes so it can work for those with limited or ample space. The pigmented orange glass and wax is an ode to autumn and will add a whimsical flare to any coffee table or desk. Surround yourself with warm spices this fall with this delicious candle.

Price at time of publish: $46

Size: 8.1 oz./230 g | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Pumpkin, masala chai, cinnamon | Burn Time: 50 to 60 hours

Target

You don't have to pay a premium to enjoy the aromas of autumn this season. This pumpkin spice cookie candle will bring the pumpkin patch and smell of freshly baked goods into your home for a truly decadent experience at a low price. This medium-sized candle will burn for about 40 hours or so, and it has soy wax and is all-natural. The warm yellow color — symbolic of fall leaves — and sweet scent create a relaxing ambiance perfect for celebrating the season.

Size: 15.1 oz./428 g | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Pumpkin, spices | Burn Time: 40 hours

Bergdorf Goodman

This blend of vanilla, candied fruits, and spices is the ultimate luxury fragrance. It smells like the end of autumn when the leaves have almost all fallen and there's a crispness in the air signifying the coming winter — but bundled into a 9.5-ounce candle. It's made from a signature Trudon wax created with natural ingredients like vegetables. If you don't mind paying a little extra, this candle provides a premium fragrance to close out fall and welcome winter.

Price at time of publish: $145

Size: 9.5 oz./270 g | Wax Type: Vegetable | Primary Scents: Vanilla, honey, candied fruit, nutmeg | Burn Time: 55 to 60 hours

Anthropologie

This candle is as gorgeous as it is fragrant with a blend of apple and grounded notes of clove, cedar, musk, and fir, among other woody scents. At 19 ounces, this candle is a larger candle and can burn up to 75 hours, so it will last you deep into fall. As a soy blend, this candle has at least some natural elements in it, so it shouldn't release too much soot while burning. Plus, the cracked glass look with green and white tones makes it an absolute showpiece sure to elevate the design of any room.

Size: 19 oz. | Wax Type: Soy blend | Primary Scents: Apple, clove, fir, pine needle, white birch, cedar, vetiver, musk | Burn Time: 75 hours

Voluspa

As the star of the fall season, pumpkin of course earned its place on our list, and this spiced pumpkin latte candle from Voluspa captures its essence perfectly. Made with coconut wax, this candle throws scent far into a room, and holds fragrance well so you can enjoy this candle for all 100 hours of its burn time. Top notes of pumpkin and spice will hook you first, followed by softer notes of vanilla marshmallow and coconut milk. The patterned glass jar and warm orange tones only add to the effect of this fragrant fall candle.

Size: 18 oz. | Wax Type: Coconut | Primary Scents: Pumpkin, warm spices, coconut milk, vanilla marshmallow | Burn Time: 100 hours

Literie

Apple picking, whether a nostalgic memory or a future plan, is a quintessential fall activity. This candle pairs the fresh fragrance of apple with a sweet spiced cider. It's made with a vegan soy and coconut wax blend so it holds fragrance well, doesn't emit soot, and will throw the scent out into the room for more coverage. For being a smaller candle, it has a solid burn time of 50 hours, so it should last most of the fall if you’re burning it a few hours at a time.

Price at time of publish: $45

Size: 9 oz. | Wax Type: Vegan soy & coconut blend | Primary Scents: Apple, spiced cider | Burn Time: 50 hours

Seventh Avenue Apothecary

Vanilla by itself is, well… vanilla, but when you add bourbon, cinnamon, caramel, and a hint of tobacco, the scent becomes richly layered. Made completely of soy wax, this candle burns cleanly without emitting any soot. It's a fairly small candle, but it lasts for a long time. This writer has been burning this candle for several fall seasons now (only occasionally to savor it) and it's still going strong. It also has a simple and minimalistic design and looks great on a bookshelf (though we wouldn't recommend lighting it there).

Price at time of publish: $32

Size: 11 oz. | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Tobacco, caramel, vanilla, bourbon, cinnamon | Burn Time: 65 hours

Nordstrom

Tea light candles are great for displaying on a mantel or shelf because they’re small so you can stagger them across a surface for ambiance. This tea light candle diffuses a delicious blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves as well as fresh orange and cedarwood. Given its small size, the burn time is only about 30 hours, but when broken up an hour or two at a time, this candle should last for a while.

Size: 4 oz. | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, orange, cedarwood | Burn Time: 30 hours

Courtesy of Homesick

Soy wax is made from all-natural soybeans so they’re generally cleaner than candles made with paraffin wax, and this candle from Homesick is no exception. A hayride of the senses, this candle melds clove, amber, birch, and patchouli among other scents for a rich fragrance. It's a medium-sized candle and will burn for between 60 and 80 hours to provide coziness throughout the fall.

Price at time of publish: $38

Size: 13.75 oz. | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Amber, clove, nutmeg, birch, maple bark, patchouli | Burn Time: 60 to 80 hours

Amazon

As one of the oldest candle companies, Yankee Candle knows how to build a candle that lasts, and with 150 hours of burn time, this autumn wreath candle will last all the way to winter (and maybe after). It's made with paraffin wax and maintains a richly pigmented red color and scent of fresh leaves, cinnamon, and apple. Built-in a jar, it has a stately and traditional appearance perfect for a dining room or front hall table.

Price at time of publish: $28

Size: 22 oz. | Wax Type: Paraffin | Primary Scents: Autumn leaves, cinnamon apples | Burn Time: 150 hours

Nordstrom

Harlem Candle Co. highlights icons of the Harlem Renaissance with its rich fragrances and storied histories. The Josephine candle celebrates Josephine Baker, an American-born French dancer, actress, and singer. With top notes of citrus and bergamot blended with base notes like amber, vanilla, and tonka bean, this candle is the perfect companion to fall. It's also made of clean soy vegetable wax and burns for up to 80 hours with a scent that lasts all season.

Price at time of publish: $48

Size: 12 oz. | Wax Type: Soy vegetable blend | Primary Scents: Citrus, bergamot, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, tonka bean, amber, vanilla | Burn Time: 80 hours

Anthropologie

This soy candle can only live in the kitchen because its mouthwatering scent of apricot chantilly creme with notes of orange buttercream and maple sugar might tempt you to get a snack. It's not a large candle, so it only burns for about 35 hours, but if burned sparingly, it can last a while. (This writer has had this candle for two years and it's only just at the end of its wick.)

Size: 6 oz./170 g | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: orange buttercream, maple sugar | Burn Time: 35 hours

SoHum

Patchouli is a flowering plant that's commonly used in essential oils for its delicious fragrance and healing properties. With notes of rose, patchouli, amber, as well as sandalwood, cinnamon, and white jasmine, this soy candle mingles the fresh botanical fragrances with warmer flavors for sweater season. It's a smaller candle with a shorter burn time than most of the others on our list, but all the more reason to savor it.

Price at time of publish: $15

Size: 5.5 oz. | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Lemon, lavender, orange, patchouli, amber, musk, sandalwood, cinnamon, rose, white jasmine | Burn Time: 30 hours

Keap Candles

If your perfect fall scenario is being surrounded by colorful trees and mountains in a cabin in the woods, this candle embodies that dream with scents of woods and spice. Creating a sensory experience of wet moss, burnt pine, cedar, guaiac wood, and cade juniper, this candle makes you feel like you’re in the woods — with a hint of nutmeg for seasonal spice. It's a smaller candle, but has a decent burn time of 45 hours, and it uses coconut wax which retains fragrance better than soy wax.

Price at time of publish: $55

Size: 7.4 oz | Wax Type: Coconut | Primary Scents: Cade juniper, cedar, nutmeg, burnt pine, guaiac wood, wet moss | Burn Time: 45 hours

Nordstrom

Ringing in at two ounces, this votive candle is petite, but will still last up to 28 hours if you burn it sparingly. Votive simply refers to the size, and similarly to a tea light candle, this size looks great with several of them displayed. For instance, two of these candles would add a nice design element on either side of a mantel or on your dresser. With a deep purple color and chorus of scents like cinnamon, plum, cashmere wood, and patchouli leaf, the candle creates a bold presence in any home.

Price at time of publish: $46

Size: 2 oz./ 70 g | Wax Type: Paraffin | Primary Scents: Plum, cinnamon, patchouli leaf, cashmere wood | Burn Time: 20 to 28 hours

Bath & Body Works

Bath & Body Works might be known for soaps and lotions, but every fall and winter, its candle section steals the spotlight and holds it until January. This cashmere candle plays with floral scents like jasmine and lavender, as well as subtle notes of vanilla and sandalwood for a cozy scent that wraps around you like a cashmere blanket. It's a three-wick candle so it should last about 45 hours. The soy blend indicates it likely has some soy (longer burn time) mixed with some paraffin to produce the pink pigment and hold the fragrance longer than a completely soy wax candle.

Size: 14.5 oz./411 g | Wax Type: Soy blend | Primary Scents: Lavender, vanilla, pink jasmine, sandalwood | Burn Time: 45 hours

Bath & Body Works

The perfect autumn involves apples, cranberries, and lots of spice, and this candle blends all of those scents. Similar to other Bath & Body Works candles, it has a decently long burn time of 45 hours and burns without too much soot thanks to the soy wax blend. The gorgeous merlot color and whimsical design of leaves dancing around the edge of the glass container radiates the sense of autumn.

Size: 14.5 oz./411 g | Wax Type: Soy blend | Primary Scents: Fresh cranberry, spiced pumpkin, crisp apple, rich clove | Burn Time: 45 hours

Woods Grove

Made with the same 100 percent soy wax as our other Brooklyn Candle Studio pick, this cardamom minimalist candle has a clean white exterior and burns for about 50 hours (despite its small size) without any soot. Since spices add to the warmth of the season, this fall candle highlights fragrances like black pepper and cardamom, as well as earthy scents like balsam, cedar, dry amber, and velvet wood.

Size: 7.5 oz. | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Black pepper, cardamom, balsam, cedar, dry amber, velvet Wood | Burn Time: 50 hours

Amazon

If you’ve been longing for an autumn night by campfire, you don't have to wait any longer because this candle brings the fireside to you. Homesick uses 100 percent soy wax for a slow burn (60 to 80 hours) that will evoke a sense of nostalgia with scents like smoked embers, cloves, pine leaves, and vanilla. Black myrrh and incense add dimension to this candle, as well as woodsy fragrance like cedar, guaiac wood, and palo santo.

Price at time of publish: $38

Size: 13.75 oz. | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Smoked embers, clove, cedar, palo santo, incense, pine leaves, vanilla, black myrrh, guaiac wood | Burn Time: 60 to 80 hours

Bath & Body Works

If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, the fall can be a delicious time of year with seasonal treats like marshmallows, pumpkin spice bread, and apple pies popping up all over the place. This candle celebrates that sweeter side of life with a blend of toasted marshmallow, fire-roasted vanilla, amber, and a hint of wood for a little smokiness. It's a soy blend with three wicks, so this candle will last you through the season.

Size: 14.5 oz./411 g | Wax Type: Soy blend | Primary Scents: Toasted marshmallow, smoldering woods, vanilla, amber | Burn Time: 45 hours

Amazon

For my fellow fans of astrology, the fall is a time of strong zodiac signs like Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius (yours truly), and what better candle to celebrate the season than one dedicated to your birthday. Since we love a moment of good energy, we chose to feature the November Eleventh candle (11/11), but you can get a Birthdate candle for any day of the year. With a long burn time and blend of soy and coconut wax, this candle is sustainably made and will last the test of time (or at least 60 to 80 hours). The blend of mahogany, musk, bergamot, plum, and cinnamon will make each breathe a savory one to inhale. Set your own horoscope: good vibes (and scents) only this fall!

Price at time of publish: $50

Size: 13.5 oz. | Wax Type: Soy & coconut blend | Primary Scents: Mahogany, musk, bergamot, plum, cinnamon | Burn Time: 60 to 80 hours

Amazon

If you want two candles that complement each other in scent and design, this set from Muyebn is your perfect match. One candle offers a fresh lavender scent while the other smells of cedar teakwood. Paired together, these candles smell like a walk in the woods, strolling past a bed of fresh lavender, with crisp air blowing past. Though on the smaller side, these candles have a significant burn time of about 50 hours, so they should last you well into the fall and winter.

Price at time of publish: $26

Size: 7.1 oz. | Wax Type: Soy | Primary Scents: Lavender, cedar teakwood | Burn Time: 50 hours

Literie

From one reality TV fan to another, there's nothing quite like snuggling up on the couch with a glass of wine, a candle burning, and watching drama unfold on your television screen. This Flipping Tables candle in The Real Housewives collection from Literie offers a calming scent mix of cedar and suede. With a soy and coconut wax blend, this candle burns cleanly for up to 50 hours — or about two full seasons of The Real Housewives.

Price at time of publish: $45

Size: 9 oz. | Wax Type: Soy & coconut blend | Primary Scents: Cedar, suede | Burn Time: 50 hours

The size of a candle might determine where you end up placing it — whether that's on your living room side table or bedroom dresser — so it's an important factor to consider. Tea light candles are the smallest type of candle and look the best with several together either clustered or staggered across a space. Votives are also small and make great bookends on a table or long surface like a mantel. A coffee table might need a larger candle to act as a statement piece, and medium-sized candles might be a good fit for a desk or breakfast room table. Size also affects burn time, so the bigger a candle is, the longer it will last.

Price is also determined by the size of a candle — large candles last longer and therefore cost more. So if you’re someone who burns candles frequently, you might consider smaller candles that you can burn through on a regular cadence (and not pay a fortune to replace). If you only burn candles occasionally and want a more decorative piece, a large candle like Yankee Candle Autumn Wreath Candle is a good investment that will give you a longer burn time.

Wax plays a huge role in the appearance, functionality, and longevity of a candle, so it's not to be overlooked. The two main kinds of wax are paraffin and soy, followed by coconut wax. If you’re looking for an all-natural wax that burns cleanly (no soot), and has a slower burning rate to prolong the life of your candle, soy wax is your best bet. Coconut wax also burns cleanly and holds more fragrance than soy so if you like stronger scents, you might go that route. Paraffin doesn't burn as cleanly, but it holds color and fragrance extremely well, so it's a good option if scent and appearance is your top priority.

There are so many delicious scents that fall into the autumn category, but they don't always go together. Finding the right scent combination can lead you to the perfect fall candle. "A perfect scent for me would start off with top notes having some citrus and fruits to help lift the fragrance up for the candle," says Reichert. "Then, you would have a heart that has a lot of complexity like spices, a lighter wood, and earthier notes to help carry the fragrance through the room. Your bottom notes would then be sweet and creamy notes, darker woods, and heavier notes like ambers. Those notes help ground the fragrance to where the candle is being burned."

She adds that a scent's balance is of utmost importance when choosing a candle. "If any of those notes of top, middle, and bottom are not balanced, you run the risk of having a candle that will not burn the way you want it to," says Reichert.

While fall is maybe the most poignant season for scents — those of apple orchards, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving spreads, spiced cider and baked goods — there are a few star scents that standout at this time of year. Pumpkin spice, apples, and cinnamon are base scents that appear in many popular fall candles, including our best overall pick — Nest New York Pumpkin Chai Candle — that features both pumpkin and spice.

"Fall, to me, is embodied by smoke, incense, spices, or warm notes of amber, vanilla, and perhaps patchouli (cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, etc.)," fragrance expert and founder of Modern Urban Sensory Experiences Kimberly Waters tells PEOPLE. These scents create a sense of warmth and coziness that set the tone for sweater weather.

Soy candles are better for several reasons, but that doesn't mean you should avoid paraffin candles altogether. According to Homesick, soy candles are all natural and made from soybeans, whereas paraffin candles contain petroleum so there's more soot released when they burn. That being said, paraffin holds color and fragrance better than soy candles, and when you see "soy blend" there's a high chance the candle includes both types of wax.

If you want a fun decorative candle with a stronger scent, paraffin candles are the way to go, but for long-term candles that you will consistently burn in your home, soy candles are a more sustainable and cleaner option.

Simply put, yes it does. When you’re considering purchasing a candle, you’ll notice things like size and burn time, but those become moot if you don't burn your candle properly. According to The Harlem Candle Co., when burning a candle for the first time, you should burn it one hour for every inch in container diameter. So if your candle is three inches across, you can burn it for three hours.

And generally you shouldn't burn a candle for more than four hours at a time without trimming the wick if you want it to last. Another thing that can shorten the life of your candle is tunneling. This is when your candle doesn't burn evenly, so it creates a wall of wax around the edge. Trim the wick regularly to prolong your candle's life and avoid wasting wax in this way.

Madison Yauger is a seasoned writer who's tested hundreds of lifestyle products across all categories. With a background in news and lifestyle journalism, she has a wide network of expert sources and a penchant for accuracy. For this story, she spoke to fragrance experts Jessica Reichert, director of fragrance and product at Olfactory NYC, and Kimberly Waters, founder of Modern Urban Sensory Experiences. She also considered her personal experience with several of the candles listed and heavily researched the current candle market to determine the best picks for fall at a variety of price points.