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The days are noticeably shorter, and there's a nip in the air when the sun's not out. That's right: autumn candle season is here. Whether you prefer to burn them for ambiance or just to make your home smell way better than it normally does, we've mapped out — in no particular order! — New York City's 24 best shops for restocking your candle selection for the season.
Photo: Driely S. Research assistance: Kathryn Lindsay
Though you can find the iconic French brand's candles at plenty of boutiques around the city, head straight to the source — the Madison Avenue flagship — for the largest selection, and remember that paying full-price might be better than standing in a freezing-cold line. Diptyque also has locations in Nolita, the Shops at Columbus Circle, and Grand Central.
Buying candles at this department store is one of the few ways you can walk out with a shopping bag without spending your entire paycheck. You can find Odin New York and Diptyque candles starting around $30, but of course it wouldn't be Barneys without high-end options like Fornasetti candles in artistic holders for $580.
The Fifth Avenue store gave up third-party brands last year, but that made plenty of room for its extensive candle selection. Smaller candles start at $15, while a trio of complementary scents is $25 and large triple-wick candles are $65.
This Midtown boutiques specializing in products to stimulate the olfactory nerve — not just candles, but also oils, incense, sage, and bath salts — has been voted a top candle shop in several local polls. Brands they carry include Belle Fleur, Trapp, and Ergo.
Whether you're stocking up for yourself or looking for a last-minute housewarming gift in the Hell's Kitchen area, Delphinium is a go-to for home tchotchkes, especially candles. Favorites here include the Rewined brand, whose candles smell like your favorite type of wine.
Don't let the name fool you here — in addition to good-smelling products to keep next to the sink or in the shower, Soapology also its own brand of vegan soy candles. Bonus: What melts doubles as a moisturizer or massage oil.
The "noses" that select out the scents here are so highly regarded that you can even shop by specific perfumers, so you can trust that this West Village shop offers only top-tier when it comes to their candle selection. Stop in to discover under-the-radar fancy brands alongside the expectedl Cire Trudon, Byredo, and Diptyque.
The original pharmacy has been operating in Florence since 1221, but it didn't really become known as a fragrance house until the 1500s. Now you can purchase signature scents like their Pot Pourri in the form of a candle.
So maybe you can't bottle up and burn that intoxicating experience that Anthropologie stores always seem to have, but at least you can shop a bunch of candles here that won't break the break, from the popular Voluspa tins to Capri Blue.
Even though Le Labo is now part of Estée Lauder, it hasn't lost its mission to go back to the roots of the fragrance world, before synthetic ingredients and celebrity scents permeated perfume counters. Choose a candle or two from their handmade, all-vegan selection that'll burn for about 60 hours.
The Chelsea destination for cosmetic and body products for the past 55 (!!) years also stocks a robust candle selection. Make this your first stop for favorites like Nest and Tocca.
Nolita's purveyors of holistic, environmentally-friendly bath and body products since 2001 have captured its scintillating scents — like Italian blood orange and Indian jasmine — in long-lasting candles. A medium-sized one that'll burn for about 50 hours and comes topped with flower petals will run you $38.
With a name that literally translates to "fire," you know they're always burning something good in here. The Williamsburg shop that began in 2004 with home goods and tchotchkes imported from Mexico (it now stocks items from local artists from the borough and brands from places like Haiti and Vietnam, too) keeps up a solid candle selection.
It's no surprise that the master of all bright and quirky home goods has brought the same aesthetic to his collection of candles, some of which come in monochromatic glass holders while others are in more sculptural tins. Go beyond the typical flower scents and scope out candles that evoke cucumber, hashish, sea salt, and absinthe.
After months of anticipation, Byredo's first US store landed in Soho back in June, so dedicated fans now have a sanctuary in which to shop pro basketball player-turned-perfumer Ben Gorham's luxurious scents in both perfume and candle form.
Make your way through the maze of incredibly cheap home goods that made their way to the Flatiron District earlier this year to find a wall of brightly-colored candles. Though unscented, you can grab a bunch of pillars in varying sizes and hues to easily bring ambiance to any room — especially when each won't cost you more than $3.
It shouldn't come as any shock that the Flatiron destination for all things home goods has plenty of quality candles to choose from. With prices ranging from $13 for a small Travel by Land tin to nearly $200 for a Tom Dixon gift set, anyone can walk out with a good-smelling accessory regardless of budget.
If your favorite fancy fitness studio stocks this popular skincare brand in their locker rooms, they're probably also burning its great candles. Head to Malin + Goetz's Upper East Side flagship (or the smaller Chelsea location) to pick up the votive size for less than half the cost of a single fitness class.
Check out the perfumer's downtown location to pick out what your home will smell like, whether that's a simple tubereuse or the technical Notre Dame, evoking the scents of an old church.
The New York-obsessed brand lets you inhale the smells of the city — the good kind, that is — both in personal fragrance and candle form. Use this as an opportunity to bring a little piece of a neighborhood you can't afford (Central Park West, Park Avenue South) into your own home.
Wade your way through pretty much every beauty product available to find the affordable candles stocked at most Ricky's locations (it's likely that you'll have a better selection if you're in a bigger store). Find popular options from Voluspa or Nest here, or take a chance on the funky house brand — scents include Street Meat, Banker Husband, Drunk Brunch, and Walk of Shame.
The New York-based store with locations both here and in the East Village has its own line of candles that are perfect for gifting, whether that's for someone else or yourself.
Candles might not be the first thing you think of when Oak comes to mind — lots of black clothes probably do — but they stock fun New York-centric scents based on city corners, like Prince + Mercer and McKibbin + Bogart.
Though you can find the iconic French brand's candles at plenty of boutiques around the city, head straight to the source — the Madison Avenue flagship — for the largest selection, and remember that paying full-price might be better than standing in a freezing-cold line. Diptyque also has locations in Nolita, the Shops at Columbus Circle, and Grand Central.
Buying candles at this department store is one of the few ways you can walk out with a shopping bag without spending your entire paycheck. You can find Odin New York and Diptyque candles starting around $30, but of course it wouldn't be Barneys without high-end options like Fornasetti candles in artistic holders for $580.
The Fifth Avenue store gave up third-party brands last year, but that made plenty of room for its extensive candle selection. Smaller candles start at $15, while a trio of complementary scents is $25 and large triple-wick candles are $65.
This Midtown boutiques specializing in products to stimulate the olfactory nerve — not just candles, but also oils, incense, sage, and bath salts — has been voted a top candle shop in several local polls. Brands they carry include Belle Fleur, Trapp, and Ergo.
Whether you're stocking up for yourself or looking for a last-minute housewarming gift in the Hell's Kitchen area, Delphinium is a go-to for home tchotchkes, especially candles. Favorites here include the Rewined brand, whose candles smell like your favorite type of wine.
Don't let the name fool you here — in addition to good-smelling products to keep next to the sink or in the shower, Soapology also its own brand of vegan soy candles. Bonus: What melts doubles as a moisturizer or massage oil.
The "noses" that select out the scents here are so highly regarded that you can even shop by specific perfumers, so you can trust that this West Village shop offers only top-tier when it comes to their candle selection. Stop in to discover under-the-radar fancy brands alongside the expectedl Cire Trudon, Byredo, and Diptyque.
The original pharmacy has been operating in Florence since 1221, but it didn't really become known as a fragrance house until the 1500s. Now you can purchase signature scents like their Pot Pourri in the form of a candle.
So maybe you can't bottle up and burn that intoxicating experience that Anthropologie stores always seem to have, but at least you can shop a bunch of candles here that won't break the break, from the popular Voluspa tins to Capri Blue.
Even though Le Labo is now part of Estée Lauder, it hasn't lost its mission to go back to the roots of the fragrance world, before synthetic ingredients and celebrity scents permeated perfume counters. Choose a candle or two from their handmade, all-vegan selection that'll burn for about 60 hours.
The Chelsea destination for cosmetic and body products for the past 55 (!!) years also stocks a robust candle selection. Make this your first stop for favorites like Nest and Tocca.
Nolita's purveyors of holistic, environmentally-friendly bath and body products since 2001 have captured its scintillating scents — like Italian blood orange and Indian jasmine — in long-lasting candles. A medium-sized one that'll burn for about 50 hours and comes topped with flower petals will run you $38.
With a name that literally translates to "fire," you know they're always burning something good in here. The Williamsburg shop that began in 2004 with home goods and tchotchkes imported from Mexico (it now stocks items from local artists from the borough and brands from places like Haiti and Vietnam, too) keeps up a solid candle selection.
It's no surprise that the master of all bright and quirky home goods has brought the same aesthetic to his collection of candles, some of which come in monochromatic glass holders while others are in more sculptural tins. Go beyond the typical flower scents and scope out candles that evoke cucumber, hashish, sea salt, and absinthe.
After months of anticipation, Byredo's first US store landed in Soho back in June, so dedicated fans now have a sanctuary in which to shop pro basketball player-turned-perfumer Ben Gorham's luxurious scents in both perfume and candle form.
Make your way through the maze of incredibly cheap home goods that made their way to the Flatiron District earlier this year to find a wall of brightly-colored candles. Though unscented, you can grab a bunch of pillars in varying sizes and hues to easily bring ambiance to any room — especially when each won't cost you more than $3.
It shouldn't come as any shock that the Flatiron destination for all things home goods has plenty of quality candles to choose from. With prices ranging from $13 for a small Travel by Land tin to nearly $200 for a Tom Dixon gift set, anyone can walk out with a good-smelling accessory regardless of budget.
If your favorite fancy fitness studio stocks this popular skincare brand in their locker rooms, they're probably also burning its great candles. Head to Malin + Goetz's Upper East Side flagship (or the smaller Chelsea location) to pick up the votive size for less than half the cost of a single fitness class.
Check out the perfumer's downtown location to pick out what your home will smell like, whether that's a simple tubereuse or the technical Notre Dame, evoking the scents of an old church.
The New York-obsessed brand lets you inhale the smells of the city — the good kind, that is — both in personal fragrance and candle form. Use this as an opportunity to bring a little piece of a neighborhood you can't afford (Central Park West, Park Avenue South) into your own home.
Wade your way through pretty much every beauty product available to find the affordable candles stocked at most Ricky's locations (it's likely that you'll have a better selection if you're in a bigger store). Find popular options from Voluspa or Nest here, or take a chance on the funky house brand — scents include Street Meat, Banker Husband, Drunk Brunch, and Walk of Shame.
The New York-based store with locations both here and in the East Village has its own line of candles that are perfect for gifting, whether that's for someone else or yourself.
Candles might not be the first thing you think of when Oak comes to mind — lots of black clothes probably do — but they stock fun New York-centric scents based on city corners, like Prince + Mercer and McKibbin + Bogart.
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