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Treat Your Home to Some Cozy Aromatherapy with These Candles for Men

Melt away stress and create a welcoming environment with these scented wax accessories.

boy smells cowboy kush Boy Smells

By Sean Tirman

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Your nose is a powerful tool. Not only can it help you sniff out the difference between tasty food and that which has turned bad, but your sense of smell is also said to be the sense most closely tied to memory. That also means your nose has the ability to somewhat shape your mood, impact your stress levels and potentially set the pace for the rest of your sensory experience on any given day. But you don’t have to worry about being at the whims of whatever smell wafts your way if you don’t want to. Rather, you can “hack” your sense of smell by actively picking out some aromatherapy home goods — candles, in this case.

Simple and time-tested, candles have been an easy means of setting a sensory mood for generations. And while once largely dominated by floral smells, the candle industry has, in recent years, expanded its horizons greatly. Now, there’s a candle out there for every kind of person — from car enthusiasts to outdoorsmen, brutalist architects to backyard barbecuers and everything in between. Whether you’re already on board with the idea of filling your home with candles or you’re entirely new to the concept (or even need a gift), you’ll be able to find one from one of the candle brands below. These are the best candles for men.

Products in the Guide

  • Cowboy Kush Candle

    Editor's Pick

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  • Shinola Hand Poured Candle S.02

    Editor's Pick

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  • Good + Well Supply Co. Yellowstone National Park Candle

    Editor's Pick

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  • Homesick New York City Candle

    Editor's Pick

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  • Diptyque Wood Fire Candle

    Editor's Pick

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  • P.F. Candle Co. Teakwood & Tobacco Candle

    Editor's Pick

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In the words of the brand itself, this candle gives off an aroma reminiscent of “enjoying a joint at the rodeo,” which is just as mellow and interesting as it sounds. Made with actual cannabis leaf (without the THC), alongside ingredients such as saffron, suede and patchouli, this 50-hour candle is a favorite of ours and we think it’ll be one of yours, too.

Even with just three options to choose from, it’s hard to say which of Shinola’s candles is our favorite. But this one is certainly a worthy pick, if we had to settle, which draws its inspiration from both the natural and man-made wonders of Detroit, especially during the rainier season. It also burns for 55 hours and was poured by hand.

In all honesty, there’s not a scent from this brand we wouldn’t suggest checking out, which is made all the better by the retro-inspired oil tins these candles all come in. But if we had to highlight one, it’d be the Yellowstone-inspired, 80-hour offering you see here with its notes of pine and sandalwood.

How does one capture the spirit of a place like NYC in a scent? Well, we imagine it starts with natural soy wax, a cotton wick, and notes of things like bergamot, concrete, musk, waterlilies and more. And that’s exactly what you’ll find in this outstanding 60-80-hour candle.

Straddling the space between traditional scents and novel ones, this candle is made to smell like a campfire — just without the ashes, excessive smoke and all that cleanup. And while that means it’s a lot easier than building a fire, it’s still just as warm and welcoming (metaphorically speaking, of course). This is the kind of scent that will remind you of good times spent with friends and family.

Made from natural soy, this is the candle that started it all for P.F. Candle Co. And it also happens to still be one of the brand’s best. Called the “boyfriend scent” by fans of the brand, this scented burnable boasts notes of leather, teak and orange. Truly, you can’t go wrong with this one — or anything from this brand, for that matter.

Unfortunately, not everyone lives in a place where they can enjoy a cozy, comfy fire. But you can get at least a portion of that same downhome peacefulness with this firewood-scented candle, which burns for up to 70 hours and is made in the USA from a soy wax blend.

As its name suggests, this 60-hour offering from Byredo is meant to conjure up images of fully-stocked stacks, like those you might find in an old library. No, it doesn’t smell of dust and musk, but rather offers notes of peach, plum, vanilla and patchouli — coming together to envelop you in the kind of comfort found at, say, a Scholastic book fair from your childhood.

As mentioned, you can’t go wrong with a candle from D.S. & Durga. But if you want one that stands apart, you absolutely must smell this collaboration with Johnnie Walker, based on the distiller’s lauded Blue Label whisky. Light this one up and you’ll be transported instantly to the hills of Scotland. And yes, it pairs wonderfully with a glass of scotch.

If you wanted to capture the smell of flowers outside a monastery and put it into a scent, it might end up a lot like the Sacred Roses candle you see before you. With a 45-hour burn time, this candle boasts notes of lavender and orange to help put you at ease on even the most stressful of days.

Inspired by the ocean breeze, this classic candle is made from 100% soy wax and boasts notes of geranium, amber, vanilla, jasmine and more. It’s also entirely vegan and cruelty-free, made in the USA and has a 60-hour burn time.

With a clean-burning, 60-hour soy wax blend and an organic cotton wick, this is a candle you can feel good about lighting. That goes double once you smell the refreshing fragrances it emits, marked by notes of eucalyptus oil, spearmint, black tea, cedarwood and papyrus.

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