Three Candles That Won't Break The Bank

I am absolutely obsessed with candles. I am not however, obsessed with the price of most nice candles. Don't get me wrong, smelling a Byredo, Jo Malone, or Diptyque candle can most aptly be described as ascending into heaven, but I have a near impossible time justifying the $70-ish price tags. Luckily there has been a surge of affordable (they aren't super cheap but significantly less than $70) candles on the market that not only burn incredibly well, but also have really complex and sophisticated scents that are very reminiscent of the higher-end candle options. Its worth noting that all of these brands of candles have a solid range of scents and while I am recommending specific scents, its worth giving the other scents in these ranges a whiff. 

One of the longest standing companies in my candle rotation is P.F. Candle Co. These candles range from $18-24 depending on where you buy them. One of the best fragrances in the range is Black Fig, which I think can be burned both in the warmer and cooler months because it has the fruitiness that you want when its warmer and the spicy and woodsy notes you want when its cooler. These candles also have a total burn time of 40-50 hours, which makes it a great value per ounce.

If there's one candle that is incredible just from a aesthetics perspective its got to be Boy Smells Cedar Stack. All of the Boy Smells candles come in the most amazing millennial pink boxes and are housed in a black glass jar with a pink label. Looks aside though, the fragrances themselves are incredible. Cedar Stack in particular is my favorite scent in the range because it has a really woodsy but fresh scent. I think the best way to describe it would be a sophisticated Christmas smell, because it has those woodsy aspects of a typical "Christmas" candle, without being over powering or generic smelling. Boy Smells candles are priced at a fairly reasonable $29 for a 8.8 oz. (which is the same size as a Byredo candle for more than half the price).

Last but absolutely not least is Maison Louis Marie No. 4 Bois de Balincourt. I think this has become my favorite candle, almost overnight. If you have ever smelled Le Labo's Santal 33, which is perhaps one of the most recognizable scents at the moment, then you will know exactly what this smells like. It's also half the price of the Le Labo option. I think that this scent is best suited for Autumn and Winter because it is very woodsy and almost leathery smelling. It is $34, but I think it is absolutely worth it because of how sophisticated and complex the fragrance it.