Elevate your space and complement your home with these unforgettable candles, diffusers, incense, and more.
From the wonderfully subtle to the undeniably luscious, there’s something irresistible about the right home fragrance. Our sense of smell is our strongest scent—just a subtle fragrance note can trigger a whole cacophony of long-lost memories and emotions.
The right fragrance can evoke a feeling of nostalgia, or add a feeling of freshness to a room. It can act as a backdrop for entertaining, or serve as a reminder to take some time out for self-care. This is why a home fragrance is so important: it can help to influence how you feel, and how others can feel when they step foot in your home. When it comes to home fragrances, there are many different types of fragrances to explore: candles, reed or electric diffusers, and incense.
Candle vs. Diffuser vs. Incense: which is best?
Before choosing a scent, first, decide what kind of experience you want with your home fragrance. Are you looking for a lingering scent or a burst of fragrance every now and again? Each form of fragrance has different staying power, and strength. Owing to their complex scents and soft flickering light, candles are often used for creating a relaxing experience for a short period of time.
A diffuser, reed or electric, is a more subtle experience. With a reed diffuser, the porous reed sticks absorb the fragrance oil and allow it to dissipate slowly in the air. An electric diffuser, on the other hand, uses power to break down fragrances and turn them into mist. Incense releases a burst of strong fragrance for a brief period of time, filling the space quickly and dissipating just as fast. Whether you’re looking for an everyday home fragrance to add ambience, or a special occasion scent for when you need it, here are our top picks for the best fragrance for your home.
The Best Home Fragrance Candles
Glasshouse Fragrances: A Tahaa Affair
When it comes to incredible home fragrances, Glasshouse Fragrances makes the cut every time. Not only do they set the bar for instantly recognisable and unique blends, but their candle jars are home decor all on their own. For home fragrances, the new must-have scent is the island-inspired A Tahaa Affair. This candle will instantly whisk you away across the ocean to Tahaa, a fresh, tropical island in French Polynesia. You won’t need a passport for this Polynesian-inspired experience, but you will feel like you’re on holiday with a scent-blend of vanilla bean, frankincense, and coconut.
Carrière Frères: Tomato Candle
Say bonjour and enchanté to last year’s Best In Home Fragrance Awards finalist, Carrière Frères‘ famous Tomato Candle. Crafted in the famed Cire Trudon’s factory, Carrière Frères candles are a tribute to the rich historic avenues of fragrances and food. The Tomato Candle pays homage to the fresh, fragrant oil of the tomato plant, which fascinated explorers and botanists throughout the 18th century. Committed to employing traditional manufacturing techniques to make every fragrance, Carrière Frères’ fragrances will be a welcome delight throughout your home.
Lumira: Cuban Tobacco Candle
Escape to golden afternoons in the heart of Old Havana with the Cuban Tobacco Scented Candle by LUMIRA. This Australian-made luxury-scented candle carries a rich, evocative scent, sure to transform your space with its rich earthiness and warmth. You’ll feel as though you’re walking the streets of Cuba with notes of tangerine, cardamom, and clove bud. See if you can also detect a soft whisper of rich tobacco, patchouli, vanilla and musk. A symphony of rich notes, this candle is the perfect backdrop for romantic dinner dates, cigar-and-whiskey moments, and rooms with rich leather furniture.
Maison Balzac: Sainte T Candle
Artistic powerhouses Doctor Cooper Studio and Maison Balzac have united once again to celebrate the life and graces of the patron saint of florists, French Carmelite Nun Sainte Therese de Lisieux (SAINTE T). Created in her honour, this candle has been masterfully crafted to evoke the same sensorial experience as stepping into a florist. Punctuated with sharp notes of cut flowers, rose, freesia, musk, and more, this candle will remain on display in your home long after the wax has melted away.
Ecoya: Guava and Lychee Sorbet
Founded in Australia, designed in New Zealand, and inspired by Australasia, Ecoya is a company that seeks to celebrate the great outdoors. Their sumptuously fruity and fun Guava and Lychee Sorbet Candle features layers and notes that will whisk you away to the tropics. In this summer-inspired candle, you’ll enjoy ripe guava nectar interwoven with a lively, Queensland lychee-inspired scent, topped with a cocktail of berries.
Short Story: Disney Candle Dumbo
The perfect addition to any Disney-loving household, or as the perfect baby shower gift, this candle is part of the Disney x Short Story collaboration. Each and every candle and diffuser in this collection celebrates a beloved childhood character from the Disney universe, including Cinderella, Ursula, Moana, and more. For Muggles and aspiring wizards, be enchanted by the Harry Potter collection, with a fragrance for each of the Hogwarts houses; Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. For a burst of nostalgia and ever-so-sweet scents, we love the fragrance of the Dumbo Candle. You’ll feel like you’re floating away with notes of peanut brittle, almond, and vanilla beans.
The Best Diffuser Scents For Your Home
Circa: Oceanique Diffuser
You don’t need a beach house to get that beach-house-by-the-coast feeling—all you need is an Oceanique Fragrance Diffuser from Circa. An ode to ocean breezes, this seaside-inspired diffuser will have you convinced your sofa is a hammock with Orange Blossom and Bergamot waves followed by a soft undercurrent of Patchouli and Sandalwood. Australian-made and containing nothing but water, alcohol, and high-quality fragrant oils, this diffuser comes with an eco-friendly reusable glass bottle.
Juliette Has A Gun: Not A Diffuser
Don’t let the label fool you on this one. The Not A Diffuser diffuser from Juliette Has a Gun is definitely a diffuser. But, it’s a diffuser with a twist. An unapologetic and hypoallergenic scent that creates a cleansing experience for your space, it features their iconic Not a Perfume scent. Raw and ready, this formula is composed of a single note, cetalox, which is usually used in perfumery as a base note. We suggest pairing this diffuser with Not a Room Spray for that extra spritz when you need it.
Laboratorio Olfattivo: Distillato 17 Room Diffuser
Be whisked away for an Italian holiday with the Distillato 17 Diffuser from Laboratorio Olfattivo. Launched by husband-and-wife team, Roberto Drago and Daniela Caon, Laboratorio Olfattivo is a luxurious fragrance house from Turin, Italy. Like a vintage liqueur, the name of each of Laboratorio’s home fragrances reveals the year of its creation. The Distalliato 17, crafted in 2017, is a symphony of Rum, Cognac and fresh Orange, with a subtle finish of Vanilla, Cedarwood, and Amber Woods.
In Essence: 360 Diffuser
The In Essence 360 seeks to reimagine the humble home diffuser system. Designed to challenge the single-direction function of traditional diffusers, this brilliant design uses a three-sixty-degree ring to disperse your favourite essential oils in a theatrical circular radius, increasing the reach and aroma of the diffuser. As an added bonus, the 360 Diffuser is a portable unit featuring a bespoke charging plate and ambient light, so you can take your favourite fragrance in your suitcase for your next holiday.
The Best Incense Holders For Your Home
Addition Studio: Sphere Incense Burner
For those who can’t get enough of traditional incense, Addition Studio’s Sphere Incense Burner is a sculptural piece with a twist. Carved from solid beige Travertine, this ethereal incense burner has been designed to be customised and rearranged to your heart’s content. Suitable for all types of incense, we love pairing this artistic piece with these Tea Tree Incense sticks and a natural Clay Mask (because, why not pamper yourself?).
Fazeek: Wave Incense Holder
The iconic Wave Incense Holders by Fazeek take inspiration from organic natural shapes and structures that stimulate the senses and catch the eye. Each incense holder is crafted from handmade glass, sporting little quirks and imperfections, which only add to the uniqueness of the pieces. To use, fill the rippled glass piece with the provided black sand, and nestle a lit Fazeek charcoal incense cone on top. Available in pink, smokey, and amber, these incense burners will be the perfect addition to your Fazeek glassware collection.
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