Autumn is my favorite season for a myriad of reasons—cooler temperatures, changing leaves, all things pumpkin, cable-knit sweaters, and because I’m a Scorpio, of course. Every year, I eagerly await for Bath & Body Works to drop its fall candle collection, which now sits at 20-plus scents ranging from White Pumpkin to Flannel. I’m a seasoned Bath & Body Works candle sniffer. So, if anyone was going to volunteer as tribute to rank the brand’s top fall candles, I was more than up for the challenge. Below is my definitive ranking of the best fall candles at Bath & Body Works, in ascending order. However, I would argue that any one of these is a certified fall fragrance showstopper.
RELATED: 10 “Spot-On” Luxury Perfume Dupes From Bath & Body Works, Expert Shares.
10. Marshmallow Fireside
Don’t hate me—I’m not a huge fan of s’mores, so the smell of toasted marshmallows doesn’t quite do it for me. However, the woodsy vanilla and amber base notes do trigger a sense of nostalgia, like I’m around a campfire with friends. And that I do love.
9. Flannel
If fall isn’t your favorite season, the Flannel-scented candle might be for you. It smells like bergamot, mahogany, and soft musk, so it’s on the gentler side. You don’t have any of those traditional fall fragrances coming through. It just smells, for lack of a better word, “good.”
8. Mountain Teakwood
Sometimes, masculine fragrances can be really strong and overbearing, but I’m a big fan of Bath & Body Works’ Mountain Teakwood-scented candle. It’s woodsy with subtle undertones of eucalyptus, which can be a nice departure from the revolving door of pumpkin and clove aromas.
7. Pumpkin Snickerdoodle
This candle smells exactly like what you’d expect: freshly baked pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies. It’s amazing, no notes!
At the time of writing, this candle was not available online.
5. Cozy Cashmere
This fragrance feels like a warm hug. It’s a fragrant melting pot of lavender, vanilla, pink jasmine, and sandalwood. I would light this candle year round, it’s that delicious.
4. Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla
Personally, I find vanilla-scented candles boring. I usually pair vanilla with really bold fragrances, maybe something extra fruity or nature-y (like birch tree). The subtlety of vanilla helps balance the other one out. Thus, I gravitated towards this candle, which has vanilla mixed with a sweeter fragrance, fresh ground cinnamon, and sugar.
3. White Pumpkin
Not to be mistaken with orange pumpkin, this White Pumpkin scent is paired with ginger, caramel glaze, and fall spices. Because you can find traditional pumpkin-scented candles anywhere, I found this variation to be a fun, unique alternative.
2. Leaves
This candle marries my two favorite fall scents: crisp red apple and clove. If you like the aroma of fall spices (think cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg), this scent is for you. This will be the candle I light on Thanksgiving.
1. Afternoon Apple Picking
Bring the apple orchard to your home with the scent Afternoon Apple Picking. It has notes of crisp apple, sweet pear, and cinnamon. This scent reminds me of Honeycrisp and Red Delicious apples! It’s on the sweeter side but not overpowering like you’d imagine a fruity fragrance would be.