The 7 Candles a PaperCity Editor Actually Wants

When choosing the perfect hostess gift, you might go with a great bottle of wine. (I’d suggest shopping with the experts at Café Duro.) But if you want to go with my preferred hostess gift of choice, consider a great candle. And since the humble candle has a bit of a reputation for being regifted, consider the following — their sumptuous scents and sculptural vessels have proved impossible to part with.

Blue Print’s Signature Candle — Noon ($40)

I can’t remember how I discovered this scent, but my best friend and I adore it. It smells like old WASPY money. And we mean “old” in the most classic, not musty way.

Frederic Malle’s Un Gardenia La Nuit Candle ($170)

When you want to make an impression, order one of these — or a couple to keep around for the holidays for that hard-to-gift friend. I’m not the best at describing scents, but the team at Malle sketch out an entire scene of what it should remind clients of — “A summer night on the Riviera, where the milky comfort and spice of gardenia in the day give way to a green, fruity freshness at dusk. Carried by a sudden breeze, the flower’s scent floods the terrace of a seaside villa into the small hours of the morning.” Sign me up.

Diptyque’s Baies Candle ($70)

If you find yourself shopping for a frock at Forty Five Ten, you’ll find a pretty good selection of gift items, candles being one of them. I’ve long been a fan — as many are in Dallas — of Diptyque. And since your hostess has likely picked one up at some point, they’ll know that you like them more than $50… wink wink.

Evermore’s Moon Smoke + Night Rose Candle ($82)

I discovered this line and this particular scent while embarking on some retail therapy at The Conservatory. The packaging is gorgeous and the scent is heavenly.

Niven Morgan’s Lavender and Mint Candle ($36)

If you don’t know hometown hero, Niven Morgan (Texas claims him, but he is from Louisiana), then you should. He is known for his fabulous line of bath products, men’s scents, lotions, and candles. He launched the line 25 years ago and finds inspiration everywhere he goes — from walks down St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans to beachside in Mustique.

Goose Creek’s Little Debbie Collection ($13.99)

Once in a while, an Instagram ad will stop your scrolling in its tracks. I saw this one and had to do a double-take. Had they found a way to turn the scent (or rather essence) of my elementary school-aged snack into a candle? It seemed unfathomable. But a deeper dive showed that all my favorite snacks — Oatmeal Cream Pies, Nutty Bars, and Swiss rolls were, in fact, available in wick-burning versions. If you have a dear friend that you have insider jokes with … this might be the perfect gift to show up with one evening.

Loewe’s Juniper Berry small candle in brown ($110)

This Spanish luxury brand has had a hot couple of years. With sexy actors modeling their looks (Jamie Dornan was the face of their FW23 campaign) and a new boutique about to debut in Highland Park Village. Everyone is buzzing about the line with the name that is a little hard to pronounce. If you want to look oh-so-fashionable, then present your hostess with one of these lovely little boxes.