My name is Eleanor, and I have a candle obsession. From Diptyque to Byredo and Jo Malone London to Cire Trudon, it’s fair to say that I’ve burnt a lot of luxury candles. As a beauty editor, I’m lucky enough to be sent some of the most expensive candles out there to try. However, if it weren’t for my job, there’s no way I’d be able to regularly afford these designer candles. As wonderful as they are, I can’t help but wince at lighting an luxury £60 candle—you’re quite literally burning money, after all.
However, I love the ritual of lighting a fresh candle, whether it be to create a cosy atmosphere or to fill my home with a scent I love for a bit of a mood boost. But at the rate I burn candles, I like to swap in some affordable ones that I don’t feel guilty about lighting. This is why I often turn to the high street. In recent years, high-street retailers like & Other Stories and Marks & Spencer have debuted their own affordable candle collections which are now amongst my go-tos for luxury-smelling candles that don’t break the bank.
However, my favourite affordable candles have to be from Zara. Just like Zara’s perfume dupes, the brand’s candles smell just as good as their luxury counterparts.