The 7 Best Soy Candles of 2023

Best Overall

Sanari Candles

5

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Made in California, these eco-friendly candles combine coconut wax and soy wax for a clean burn. The coconuts used are organic and sustainable, and the soy is GMO-free and free from harmful pesticides and herbicides. The blend is naturally biodegradable, and ingredients come from organic farms. Pure essential oils create full, rich scents like ylang ylang, tangerine, pink grapefruit, Persian lime, and Douglas fir, and unbleached and untreated cotton wicks mean no harmful chemicals or toxins enter the air as you burn your candle.

Sanari Candles also get points for their packaging, which use tree-free recycled paper and soy ink, and for its glass containers, which are both recycled and 100% recyclable. For a woodsy, masculine scent, try the Bosco candle, which combines Douglas fir, pine, mint, and a touch of grapefruit. Or go for the Sanam, bursting with pomegranate, jasmine, and rose petals for a floral aroma reminiscent of summertime.

Price at time of publish: $46

Best Value

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Scented Soy Aromatherapy Candle

4.2

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You’ve probably seen the brand at your local grocery store or even boutique shops, but Mrs. Meyer’s produces a respectably eco-friendly product at a low price. These candles are made from soy, vegetable, and cottonseed wax, and have lead-free cotton wicks. The smaller candles will burn for around 25 hours, and the larger candles burn for around 35 hours.

The cruelty-free formula means you don’t have to worry about any animal testing, and thoughtful ingredients like essential oils create relaxing scents like lemon-verbena, lavender, peony, basil, and honeysuckle. The recyclable glass candle jars can be re-used after the candle is done burning, or give the candles as an Earth-friendly gift. Recyclable packaging rounds out this sweet value.

Price at time of publish: $16

Best Splurge

Ellis Brooklyn Candles

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Hand-poured in recycled, lead-free, and handmade glass containers, Ellis Brooklyn candles are made in upstate New York using a domestic soy wax blend. The candle’s wick is made from hemp, which is more sustainable than cotton, and burn between 50 to 60 hours. The scents are inspired by literature and legends, and feature bold ingredients like saffron and pepper.

The “Pseudonym” candle was inspired by the D.H. Lawrence poem “Figs,” and includes notes of Capri fig plus jasmine, pepper, and sandalwood for a mysterious scent. “Raven,” made from peony and patchouli, is named for the bird’s storied history throughout literature, from Edgar Allen Poe’s dark tales to the way Native Americans interpreted ravens on totem poles.

Price at time of publish: $65

Best Wood Wick

Ritual + Fancy Glass Tumbler Candle

5

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Topped with colorful dried flowers, these candles from Ritual + Fancy are great conversation starters, especially as scents like “Ginger Bouquet” and “Bazaar” (eucalyptus, mint, vetiver, bergamot, clove, patchouli, amber, and cedar) fill the room. The hand-poured candles are made in Portland, Oregon in small batches with 100% vegan soy wax, slow-burning wooden wicks, and pure essential oils. As the wick burns, the petals and leaves gently sink in the melted wax.

These candles are free from phthalates, lead, dyes, parabens, and other harsh additives, and fragrances are derived from sustainably sourced, therapeutic-grade essential oils and botanicals. They are poured into recyclable glass containers, and the company is POC owned and woman owned.

Price at time of publish: $36

"If you're a fan of ASMR, you'll enjoy the tiny crackle of these candles. They're almost too pretty to burn, but I particularly love the lavender scented candle." ~ Margaret Badore, Treehugger Associate Editorial Director.

Best with Essential Oils

Slow North Candles

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Slow North chooses to strictly use essential oils for their candle fragrances, as essential oils are a natural, renewable resource that doesn’t contain chemicals that contribute to indoor air pollution. The candles are made from soy wax, free from artificial dyes, and contain lead-free cotton wicks. They’re also hand-poured in the U.S. and topped with sustainable cork lids.

Scents include eucalyptus and lavender, geranium and rose, grapefruit and spearmint, lavender and cedar, lemongrass and tangerine, orange and clove, patchouli and cedar, and other fun combinations like “Midnight Garden:” lavender, rosemary, geranium, and frankincense. To reuse your glass candle holder after the wax is gone, simply soak in hot water until the remaining wax is melted, throw out the wax and wick, and wipe clean.

Price at time of publish: $35

Best for Gift Giving

Homesick Candles

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For those wanting to remember special moments with friends and family, Homesick Candles offers more than 200 different products that represent all of those lifetime memories. Want to send a friend a candle reminding them of home or your loved one a reminder of the night you first met? There’s a candle for it.

Homesick has a candle for all 50 U.S. states, multiple cities and countries, and even scents that invoke special occasions like “Book Club” (orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandalwood, vanilla, balsam, and amber) and “Friday Night Football” (grass, leather, lemon, popcorn, cedarwood, musk, dirt, and steel). All candles are made with a soy wax blend with 100% organic cotton wicks and contain no lead, plastics, parabens, phthalates, or synthetic dyes.

Price at time of publish: $37