The Best Home Fragrances — 12 Exquisite Scents Our Editors Can't Live Without
Conjure up your home's signature mood with these delicious buys
Nothing smells like home quite like... well, a nice-smelling home, and while that might sound obvious, it's a fact. Think about the moment you get back from work and walk past your doorway: doesn't the familiar scent of your house instantly hit you, ending all the preoccupations and commitments that have shaped your day up until then? Smells, of course, are just as crucial in other people's homes, since the ones we encounter as we step inside them — whether of mouth-watering delicacies sizzling in the oven ahead of a dinner party or of their go-to scenting picks — determine our experiences of their domestic space. Whether you're looking to impress others or indulge in the luxury of an aromatic house, our edit of the best home fragrance products will set you up for success.
From the best essential oil diffusers and the best candles for scenting your rooms to the best incense options for serial design lovers, the buys listed below have got you covered, whatever your perfume, format, and look preferences. Whether you're into long-lasting scents and natural home fragrances, or keen to discover what the latest designer-approved house scenting alternatives are, this comprehensive list has something for everyone. Hypnotizing, oscillating diffusers waving goodbye to unaesthetic home scenting additions? Check. Traditional yet equally mood-boosting candles crafted to elevate your interiors and last a lifetime? Done.
Coming courtesy of Diptyque, Jo Malone, Aromatherapy Associates, and more, these are the best home fragrance buys to add to your wish lists — or gift someone you love — tried and cherished by our editors. Before sharing them with you, we have used them in our own homes for weeks, getting to observe their scenting performance across different rooms over a long period of time and, of course, paying attention to how their presence enhanced the look of our domestic havens. This best home fragrance curation, featuring 12 buys we wouldn't trade for the world, thus brings you the finest options on the market that will not just scent your rooms like a master perfumer but also make them look absolutely flawless. Discover them all below.
Best Home Fragrances
Best All-Round Candle
Type: Candle
Scent: Flowers; Citrus
Size: 2.6oz
Life: 20hrs
As one of the world's leading, organic fragrance brands, all NEOM products will be your ultimate allies in unleashing the most peaceful, regenerating side of your home environment with both ease and aesthetics. Their Happiness Scented Candle is a best-seller for a reason, and lives up to its moniker: with a 4.7 overall rating and 5/5 stars for quality satisfaction, its uplifting, luxurious fragrance, blending white neroli, mimosa, and lemon essential oils, was designed to boost your mood and to be enjoyed for a long period of time. Produced responsibly, the candle has been praised for its long-lasting scent, natural composition, and for bringing minimalist elegance into the home.
Best All-Round Room Spray
Type: Room Spray
Scent: Fresh
Size: 3.5oz
Life: Several Months
I have used this Jo Malone London room spray for over a month now, and I never get tired of its balanced combination of fresh, almost citrus-like, and floral notes. Instantly perceptible after just one spray, it makes a great year-round home fragrance for people looking to give their house a consistent, energizing smell. Its long-lasting, delicate scent has helped me create a more enjoyable atmosphere in my window-less bathroom, though it works as nicely as a nature-inspired touch to your bedroom and entryway. The design is elegant, blending seamlessly into my home's décor. The only negative is the bottle's small size for its price point.
Best All-Round Diffuser
Type: Diffuser
Scent: Varied; Rose
Size: 0.35oz bottle
Life: Standard Mode: 64 days if used 30 minutes a day, 31 days if used one hour a day, or 10 days if used for 3 hours a day. Boost mode: 34 days if used for 30 minutes a day
"The sleek, minimal ceramic body of this Aromatherapy Associates diffuser subtly elevates any space, it's like bringing the spa home," Livingetc's Newsletter Editor Vivian Cheng tells me about her latest scenting trick. "This machine uses pure essential oils without any water added to it, making this diffuser one-of-a-kind. Not only does every bottle last longer, but the scent feels much purer. Every essential oil bottle is fully natural, with fragrances for different moods — I received the brand's Essential Oil Blends Collection as a gift, and it included its Revive, De-Stress, and Deep Relax options — treating everything the organic way. I also have, and love, their Rose blend."
Best for Fall
Type: Candle
Scent: Woody, Spiced, Floral
Size: 8.5oz
Life: 50hrs
"I'm a sucker for Boy Smells branding," Livingetc's UK Editor Hugh Metcalf tells me. "My favorite fragrance is the Hinoki Fantome, as it feels just right for when I'm looking for something warm and woody. It's not as on-the-nose as some other smoky autumnal fragrances I've tried — it's intense with spice and wood, but there's something softer, flowery, and fruity, which makes it a better all-rounder in my eyes."
Best for Winter
Type: Candle
Scent: Earthy & Woody
Size: 18oz
Life: 140hrs
"Baltic Amber is definitely a scent for the fall, but it has easily earned its spot in my year-round arsenal," Livingetc's Style Editor Brigid Kennedy tells me of her go-to home fragrance. "It's warm, inviting, and calming, with a woodsy vanilla feel and velvety amber finish. Autumnal golden hour bottled. Could not recommend more for colder holiday nights and festive dinners!"
Best for Spring
Type: Candle
Scent: Fresh; Citrus
Size: 12oz
Life: 20hrs
Coming in a crafty ceramic vessel, this candle encapsulates some of the best notes for repose — including lime, cyclamen, rose, and jasmine — and essential oils (eucalyptus) in one buy. Ideal to soothe anxiety and fatigue, and available in three different sizes, it will complement your rooms while helping you recharge at night.
Best for Summer
Type: Candle
Scent: Herbal
Size: 9.5oz
Life: 55 to 60hrs
"French brand Trudon's fragrances are super intense, and on the more expensive side of things when it comes to shopping for home fragrance," Livingetc's UK Editor Hugh Metcalf tells me. "I spent some time in their London store trying to find my favorite scent, and settled on Cyrnos. It's fresh and herbaceous, think Mediterranean summer. It was one I burned in my kitchen when I had it." Complete with an opulent, golden leaf-like jar, it will add a touch of lavishness to any room.
Best Sustainable Option
Type: Candle
Scent: Vanilla
Size: 8.1oz
Life: 35hrs
This Soak Sunday fragrance's combination of vanilla and honey makes it a soothing go-to for a cozy vibe before bed. The vanilla fragrance sits on the back burner without overshadowing the other notes, while the spring flower honey shines to create a subtly expensive-smelling fragrance. Packaged in fully recyclable materials, the jar is beautifully decorated and features two, smoothly and evenly burning wicks.
Best for Bedroom
Type: Diffuser
Scent: Varied; Sleep Encouraging Home Fragrance
Size: 0.33oz bottle
Life: up to 50hrs for 5-10 drops
"NEOM's Wellbeing Pod is the perfect little home fragrance," Livingetc's Advice & Gardens Editor Faiza Saqib tells me. "As well as bringing a zen feel into your home and preparing you for a good night's slumber, this wellbeing pod has a beautiful white ceramic cover and a light wood base. Its essential oils calm the body and mind. I have the English Lavender, Chamomile, and Patchouli Scent from the house's Perfect Night's Sleep Essential Oil Blend, and I couldn't do without it."
Best for Bathroom
Type: Candle
Scent: Forest Greens; Citrus
Size: 9oz
Life: 60hrs
This Antica Farmacista candle must easily be one of the best-burning and fragrantly smelling candles I have ever owned. Packaged in a sleek hexagonal glass jar that lights up into a warm glow as it burns, it releases a constant, immediately detectable and soul-soothing fragrance powerful enough to transport you some place else. While, so far, I have only tested it in my living room, where it completed my orange-hued lighting fixtures beautifully, I am thinking of moving it into my bathroom because of its almost mountainous, forest-like air-refreshing scent. Its charm, though, lies in its versatility, as the fragrance seamlessly reunites sweet honey notes, citrus accents, and musky traits all in one candle.
Best for Small Rooms
Type: Diffuser
Scent: Berries
Life: Six Months (ca.)
"A pet peeve of mine is when home fragrances — be that candles or reed diffusers — get dusty," Livingetc's Interiors Editor Emma Breislin tells me. "Not only does it impact their scent, but it also just looks gross. I'm also not a fan of things with plugs and power, because I believe the ritual of scenting your space is supposed to be slow, considered, and calming. Enter Diptyque's oscillating diffuser, The Culbuto. Not only is it a work of art, but the gentle swaying motion also helps prevent it from gathering dust. Watching it dance is mesmerizing (and slightly addictive). My only note would be that as it's unpowered, the scent is definitely subtle — making it best used in smaller and more enclosed spaces."
Best Decorative Candle
Type: Candle
Scent: Sweet; Honey
Size: 12.34oz
Life: 10hrs
I'll be honest, this is the only candle I still haven't got my hands on among the ones featured in this edit of the best home fragrance buys, but I was too obsessed with its design not to include it. After all, not all scented candles are there to revolutionize our home; some are just there to make it even more beautiful, and LOEWE honeysuckle scented candle, handcrafted in Spain, is definitely one of them. Described by reviewers as evocative enough to bring "memories of a summer morning" back to mind, its crisp, floral aroma is bound to add a touch of sweetness into your rooms, and plenty of style, too. It'd also be magic styled on a festive dining table!
Why Should We Stick to Natural Home Fragrance?
According to Mark Jacobs of Below 60°, “natural fragrances made with essential oils offer a gentler, subtler, and more pleasing scent", translating into an all-around superior fragrance experience that is not overbearing. "Most synthetic fragrances formulated with many chemicals give off a similar 'artificial' and more harsh scent that often overtakes a room," he adds. As scents are proven to influence our overall frame of mind and moods, we should always stick to natural fragrances to get the best out of our olfactory journeys. Not only are these best to keep us balanced, whether mentally, emotionally, and psychologically, but eliminating synthetic, artificial chemicals from our environment "provides us a safer, healthier environment for our pets and loved ones, too", Mark points out.
Which Types of Home Fragrance Last Longest?
Reed diffusers are the longest-lasting home fragrance you can choose. They are oil-based, meaning the scent is of high quality and releases slowly, and are an optimal way to introduce a base scent to your home since there is no on-and-off switch — just a clever little bottle that constantly emits a subtle fragrance. They come in a range of sizes and scents, some of which are small enough to be a concealed way to make your home smell amazing.
"Reed diffusers are excellent for long-lasting fragrance," Spekless Cleaning's Karina Toner tells us. "Reeds already disperse scent gradually over time, but the trick to making them more potent is to flip the reeds regularly." This, adds the expert, will extend their lifespan and refresh their scent. One more tip: don't forget to layer them with other types of fragrance, unless you want to go nose blind!
What Tricks Make Home Fragrance Last Longer?
The key to creating a fragrance that lasts is using the best products. "To make scents last longer, choose high-quality candles and fragrance oils over synthetic ones," Grace Young, scent expert at House Fragrance, tells us. To maximize your scenting experience, check ingredients to determine the quality of your home fragrances, and remember to avoid harmful parabens.
In the case of candles, look for ingredients such as soy wax and natural oils for a luxurious house addition that will show you how to make your home smell like a hotel. "Natural oils disperse slowly and maintain their aroma longer," explains Grace. Candles with synthetic scents, on the other hand, will overpower your space and dissipate quickly. Other useful tricks include fragrancing your furnishings using your room spray of choice (many of them are safe to use on fabrics); scent-layering, or combining multiple types of fragrance products for a more intense, albeit pleasant, effect; and switching up your choice of home scents so as to make the most of them intermittently.
What Home Fragrance Notes Are Best for Each Season?
Fall: Sweet and Spicy; Fruity; Warm and Smoky; Forest Greens. In short, anything that can help us elevate our domestic spaces as we gradually go back indoors while retaining the experiential, sensory-led feel of the hot season. Think gourmand candles that incorporate sweet flavors such as vanilla, pumpkin pie, and orchard fruit, or more abstract fragrances such as smoke and must, oakmoss, sandalwood, rich amber, and soft leather — refreshingly cozy nods to the outside world.
Winter: Pine and Birch; Citrus Fruits; Lavender. Again, the coldest months of the year are the time to pamper ourselves with home fragrance that not only enhances our experience of our domestic spaces, but simultaneously, and subtly, echoes what lies ahead of us. Avoid overpowering festive scents like cardamom, to name one, you'll get tired of in a matter of days, and stick to evergreen scents that can grant you long-lasting peacefulness, relax, and joy, including patchouli, honeysuckle, and cashmere and musk. Check our QVC festive scents for the holidays deep-dive for room-by-room winter fragrance inspiration.
Spring: Floral; 'Clean' Scents; Citrus Fruits; Woody Aromas. Spring is a time of renewal, rebirth, and reset, both literally and metaphorically. Mixing blossoming and fruity touches of scent with more grounding, wood-based ones will help you ease into the season and gain fresh energy ahead of your summer comeback.
Summer: Citrus Fruits; Fruity Notes; Spiced Accents; Clean Aromas. Summer is a celebration of all things sunshine and fuit, so it only makes sense to bring part of that vibrant world indoors with you when scenting your home. While citrus is everyone's top-of-the-list for this season, other fragrances such as bergamot, grapefruit, sweet orange, and cedar can keep you glowing and revitalized even at the peak of summer.
What Scents Should We Use to Revitalize Our Homes?
Cedar: At once warm, comforting, and uplifting, this natural scent has got it all, and it is one of the best scents to revitalize your home, and yourself, in return.
Eucalyptus: Because of its aromatherapy potential, eucalyptus is probably one of the first scents you'll think of when looking for ways to imbue your home with a fresh boost of energy. Its punchy, almost mint-like smell will open up your lungs and breathe new life into your rooms.
Citrus: A room that smells of citrus doesn't just feel instantly cleaner and well-kept, but it also captures a sense of escapism, particularly during the coldest and darkest months of the year. Its timelessly elegant, crisp, and invigorating.
Bergamot: Bergamot is one of those scents I always return to because of its instantly positive impact on my mood, energy, and stress levels, and, of course, its naturally permeating smell is just as beneficial to any room of your home and those who spend time in them.
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Gilda Bruno is Livingetc's Lifestyle Editor. Before joining the team, she worked as an Editorial Assistant on the print edition of AnOther Magazine and as a freelance Sub-Editor on the Life & Arts desk of the Financial Times. Between 2020 and today, Gilda's arts and culture writing has appeared in a number of books and publications including Apartamento’s Liguria: Recipes & Wanderings Along the Italian Riviera, Sam Wright’s debut monograph The City of the Sun, The British Journal of Photography, DAZED, Document Journal, Elephant, The Face, Family Style, Foam, Il Giornale dell’Arte, HUCK, Hunger, i-D, PAPER, Re-Edition, VICE, Vogue Italia, and WePresent.
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