Autumn and Winter Mood: Five Scented Candles

Do you burn candles during the colder seasons or all year long? I love to burn them throughout the year but smelling something lovely in a comfy room is especially satisfying when temperatures outside drop and I spend more time curled up with a book or movie.

Here are my scented candle picks for the autumn and winter.

The Wayfinder’s Lantern Rogue

I found this candle by chance in a quaint market in Austin, Texas. My friend smelled it first and mentioned this is something I might really like. Indeed, you don’t often encounter violet in candles or room scents, so I was instantly curious. I was also drawn to the minimalistic, polished look, as well as the wood wick. The violet here isn’t dainty, candied, or powdery, but assertive and emboldened by the saffron, which imparts a daring suede-like quality. The result is a whirlwind of wild purple flowers with a ghosting of leather and woods.

The candle’s projection is soft yet present. Over time, burning tends to cause some welling around the edges, leading to some of the wax sticking to the jar walls. Nevertheless, this is beautiful and long-lasting.

Notes: Violet, Saffron, Leather.

Vessel: 10 oz, glass jar, metal lid, wood wick.

Learn more about The Wayfinder’s Lantern and Elizabeth “Zizi” Roberts, line owner and founder living in Austin, Texas. The candles are made with coconut and apricot wax with small amounts of food-grade paraffin and fragrance oils. Rogue is part of the Dungeons and Dragons collection.

Find more details here.

HENNY FAIRE Co. Saffron Oak

This festive candle melds boozy, rich, and sweet notes that make it a perfect home scent choice for the holiday season. This is something one could burn while baking a pie or sipping a flavored coffee or tea. I smell caramelized spices, cinnamon-sprinkled apple crumble, and hints of warm mulled wine on a drier woody backdrop.

The throw is strong and fills up my large living room with a nice and even wax burn. The scent of the extinguished wax is just as delightful as I walk by.

Notes: Saffron, Oakwood, Suede, Cider, Bourbon Vanilla.

Vessel: 12 oz, rustic tin, cotton two-wick candle.

HENNY FAIRE Co. candles are crafted with long-burning coconut wax by owner and perfumer Erica Vinskie . They are all limited editions. The Saffron Oak candle was a limited release from last fall and is no longer available, but you can find more offerings on the line’s website.

Paddywax Palo Santo Suede

The aroma gently diffuses around my large living room with assertive woods and a mix of warm and cool spices. Its earthy scent is at once alluring and grounding. I smell a blend of resins, smoke, and a touch of herbs and leather, which together create a glowing atmosphere.

The candle burns beautifully and evenly, and I get wafts from the wax even when it isn’t lit.

Top Notes: Pink Peppercorn, Bergamot, Clove Bud, Saffron.

Middle Notes: Black Leather, Gingerlily, Cedar Leaf, Elemi Resin.

Base Notes: Dark Oak, Agarwood, Guaiac, Burlwood, Cade.

Poured in Nashville, Tennessee, Paddywax candles are created with a burning soy wax blend and fragrant oils.

Vessel: 12 oz, cotton wick, and ceramic jar that can be used as a planter once the wax has burned off.

Find more details here.

Black Labdanum Pandemonium and Wolf in Sheep’s Skin

Pandemonium evokes gothic outdoor atmospheres on a cold morning. I smell pine forests and freshly picked black roses that together create a mysterious and enticing experience. I get wafts of coniferous sweetness, extinguished coals, and mineral nuances mixed to lightly spiced florals.

The candle burns evenly with a strong throw that fills up a large room. Also, I have rarely experienced such an even, perfect wax burn in a candle.

Notes: Myrrh, Carnation, Embers, Tonka Bean, Rose, Balsam Fir.

I have a true soft spot for Black Labdanum’s candles and Wolf’s in Sheep’s Skin is my favorite of the ones I have tried so far. I smell twirls of dried fruit-like pipe tobacco, supple suede, and something hay-like combined with soft animalic and creamy sandalwood notes. A “wolf in sheep’s skin” is the perfect idiom to describe a scent that brings together the audacity of leather and the comfort of wool – the two fabric sensations conveyed by this complex scent.

The sensual and earthy aroma diffuses through a powerful throw I can detect even when the candle has been extinguished.

Notes: Vetiver Haiti, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Tonquitone Musk, Civet.

The first edition of Wolf in Sheep’s Skin included a wood wick that mimicked a crackling fire, while the latest release has a double cotton wick. Both wick types allow the wax to burn very evenly.

Black Labdanum candles are hand poured by line owner and founder, Olia Saylor, in small batches in Washington, U.S. High quality essential oils, absolutes, and coconut and soy wax are used in all the blends.

Vessels of both candles: 13 oz, glass container, wood lid, dual cotton wick.

Find more details here.

Black Labdanum Pandemonium and Wolf in Sheep’s Skin were purchased thanks to a voucher I won as a giveaway hosted by the brand. The first version of Wolf in Sheep’s Skin, which appears in the picture above, was purchased by me, as well as all the other candles featured here.

Pictures were taken by me.

What have you been burning this season?