I Sniffed Dozens of Candles, and These Are the 8 Your Home Needs This Spring

For me, this is the ultimate spring candle for my kitchen. I always look forward to lighting this after an extensive deep clean that makes my kitchen and entire home smell clean and uplifting. The simple lemon with lime zest scents help neutralize any strong smells, so it’s also great for lighting after cooking a particularly pungent meal. It’s available in two sizes — medium single wick, which is perfect for small kitchens, and large double wick for bigger kitchens, or for those who, like me, live in an open floor plan home.

One of my favorite spring activities is baking treats like carrot cupcakes or lemon bars, and once it’s time to wash all those mixing bowls, I like to light this candle. It has notes of vanilla, brown sugar, and sandalwood, it’s made of plant-based ingredients and essential oils, and it’s cruelty-free. I also love lighting this cozy and comforting candle during sunset and unwinding with a cup of herbal tea.

What is spring without florals? I would never want to know — which is why this Voluspa candle is one of my favorites. The notes of Yashioka gardenia, tuberose, and Tunisian clove smell like a lush garden on a warm summer night. This clean-burning coconut wax blend candle is available in seven sizes, from a mini tin to a three-wick vessel, as well as a reed diffuser and room spray to enhance this whimsical, floral fragrance throughout your kitchen.

One of the most memorable and nostalgic kitchen smells for me is from my mom brewing dried hibiscus flowers to make my favorite agua fresca, jamaica. This mandarin hibiscus candle brings me back to my childhood with its notes of the floral yet tart hibiscus, and the delicate, candied mandarin (another favorite childhood snack). I love lighting this candle on weekends and letting the crisp spring breeze spread the sweet fragrance all around my home.

Few things scream spring more than brunch and mimosas. Whether I’m making my own brunch at home or I’m out at a cute restaurant, I love the smells of breakfast food, fresh air, and, of course, bottomless mimosas. This candle leads with juicy notes of blood orange, bergamot, and grapefruit, plus a hint of earthiness to really feel like you’re enjoying your brunch cocktail outside on a sunny day. It’s available in three sizes, including a travel tin, a standard jar, and a boxed tumbler.

If you grew up in a Latinx home, the refreshing lavender smell of the beloved multipurpose cleaner Fabuloso is likely ingrained in your olfactory senses. With this Bonita Fierce candle, I don’t even have to clean to get a whiff of that scent I love so much, with notes of lavender, chamomile, sage, rosemary, citrus, camphor, cedar, and sandalwood. My favorite thing about this candle is that no candle is ever made the same since they are made to order and hand-poured in micro-batches. Plus, they have a natural wooden wick and a plantable seed paper dust cover (perfect to plant in the spring!).

If you’re looking to splurge on a special candle for the spring, this is it! It not only smells fresh and sweet, but it comes in a charming apothecary jar with a natural composite cork topper (which is so cute for upcycling). The top notes are grapefruit, petitgrain, and green leaves; the delicate middle notes are neroli blossom, orange blooms, and white jasmine; and the base is cedar and patchouli. I also love that all 1502 candles are vegan, and free of phthalates and petroleum. Light this candle in your kitchen after a trip to the farmers market as you store your produce and arrange a bouquet of flowers for the *perfect* spring morning.

Since my washer and dryer are stacked right next to my fridge, my kitchen (and entire apartment) can smell like clean laundry — which can be a huge plus. To maintain that delicate, crisp aroma, I love this Good Day Scents So Fresh N’ So Clean candle. It has notes of linen, soap, and snap peas, which make it the perfect spring candle for those who prefer something fresh over something floral. As a bonus, it’s made with GMO-free and U.S.-grown soy wax and has an unbleached, lead-free cotton wick.