Lighting a candle is the very least you can do when in pursuit of a cosy mood this season. Delicately perfumed and housed in an adorned vessel, setting light to a candle initiates an experience like no other: A flame that dances grounds one’s gaze rather than excites. Scent captures olfactory attention and mingles with the air.

For it is the desire and pleasure of embracing the redolence of musk, amber, or sandalwood at home that makes scented candles the perfect bridge between fragrance and objet d’art. Autumn may just be the season for scented candles. While we increase our time spent indoors and temperatures drop, lighting a warm and molten candle might just be the antidote to transitioning into longer nights and shorter days. So go ahead, light a scented candle and take a moment for yourself.

Container Candles

scented candles, best candles, diptyque candles, ginori, tom dixon, luxury candles — Ginori Rain Rock Creek Scented Candle, R3900. Apsley Home. Image courtesy of Ginori.

During the day, a container candle is a beautifully designed object perched upon the mantelpiece or vanity, but deep down you know it is so much more. When it comes to selecting your scented candles, consider the fragrance family that most delights your senses: Fresh, Oriental, Floral, and Woody.

scented candles, best candles, diptyque candles, ginori, tom dixon, luxury candles — Tom Dixon, Medium Scented ‘Earth’ Candle, R3882. Créma Design. Image courtesy of Tom Dixon.

Found in glass, or porcelain vessels that boast these sumptuous scents, consider whether your candle will punctuate a space or stand centre stage, making a decorative statement. Once the wax is finished, the vessel can be cleaned and used as a decoration, storage box and container.

scented candles, best candles, diptyque candles, ginori, tom dixon, luxury candles — Stokperd, Mot reën neroli and lavender scented candle. Image courtesy of Stokperd.

Tapered Candles

For celebratory gatherings at a long dinner table, this is the wonderful base to place tapered candles in a vintage sterling silver candelabra, ceramic candle holders or tap fresh produce like tomatoes as unique candle holders.

scented candles, best candles, diptyque candles, ginori, tom dixon, luxury candles — Hay Twisted Candles Set of 6, R479, INOVA Concept Store. Photography by Klaus Langelund.

Strategically placed tapered candles infuse a table with character, and bring warmth and beautiful simplicity to a table full of compelling conversations. While passing around dishes of hearty food, be sure not to overcrowd the table with too many candles. Less is more is the key to ambient candle lighting.

Ritual Accoutrement

scented candles, best candles, diptyque candles, ginori, tom dixon, luxury candles — Diptyque Scented Matches, Skins Cosmetics. Image courtesy of Diptyque.

The art of scented candles is also that of rituals. The apparatus of a good candle collection helps you take care of your scented candles, ensuring that it burns perfectly throughout its lifespan. Before lighting your candle using something like a bespoke lighter that is as beautiful as it is practical, trim the wicks to 5mm to control the burn and prevent tunnelling. Rounding off the ritual, a candle snuffer adds extra beauty and gracefully puts out the flame.

scented candles, best candles, diptyque candles, ginori, tom dixon, luxury candles — Diptyque Gold Wick Trimmer, R1200. Skins Cosmetics. Image courtesy of Diptyque.

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