Yes, the Instagram-Famous Boy Smells Candles Are Worth Every Penny

If you spend any time on Instagram, you likely have seen ads for the luxury candles made by Boy Smells. The ads are typically lush and filled with botanicals or seen with Kacey Musgraves next to a candle with the name “Slow Burn.” It seems like everyone has fallen in love with these candles so we decided to order some to see what all of the fuss was about. Okay, we can say, without a doubt, that these are some of the most interesting and complex scents we have ever smelled from a candle. So many candles today are saccharine and overly sweet. These candles, even the more botanically-heavy scents are so balanced and clean smelling.

A luxury candle can easily run you $50 or more but Boy Smells’ prices land around the $35-$45 mark. They are not cheap but they could be much worse! After ordering several of their candles, we have now become Boy Smells converts. We will share some of our favorite scents with you and we hope you will give these amazing candles a try. So rarely do a brand’s products live up to their ad campaigns or online presence but Boy Smells has done it! Let’s talk candles!

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Grace

$46 at the time of publication.

Let’s kick things off with Boy Smells’ latest collaboration. They partnered with icon Grace Jones to create a truly one-of-a-kind scent. GRACE, the eponymous scented candle by the legend and Boy Smells, celebrates the fluidity of identity, while also paying homage to the natural beauty of her home country, Jamaica. The brand describes the scent in truly poetic terms:

“Sitting on the coastal rocks during a cool rainfall, the scent of everything is amplified. The rise of black pepper and bergamot waft through the air, as waterlilies and fresh freesia blossom. The smell of salt on your skin and the wet stones dry in the sun of the mineral oceanside. Suddenly, a fresh and brooding scent exists as you’ve never experienced before. Familiar and new all at once. This is the musk of Jamaica after the rain.”

Slow Burn

$46 at the time of publication.

The other big celebrity-endorsed Boy Smells candle comes from the imagination of Kacey Musgraves and is named after one of her most popular songs. Slow Burn has won awards: Voted 2020 Consumer Choice Candle of The Year by The Fragrance Foundation and winner of GQ’s 2020 Grooming Awards for Home Scents. You don’t meet a candle with many blue ribbons, do you?

Again, this brand goes above and beyond to describe its scents. This one is:

“Glowing and dark — incense, black pepper, and guaiac wood take center stage with whiffs of embers in the distance. A little dank, a little crisp: accords of smoked papyrus and amber add an earthy expensiveness. Commanding, but not in a hurry, like the last sips of a Negroni at the bar down the street, expressed through hints of elemi and tonka bean. The ‘scentiment’ of SLOW BURN is about pausing along the way to relax and enjoy exactly where you are right now. Burn in a hurry.”

Cowboy Kush

$36 at the time of publication.

Earthy, spicy, and warm, Cowboy Kush is one of our favorite scents from Boy Smells. Don’t let the “kush” aspect of this scare you away. Your mom is not going to be offended if you are burning this one and she drops by. It’s a very subtle note in the complex mix of scents in this candle. Boy Smells describes this candle’s scent as:

“A rustic accumulation of soft suede and spiced saffron with puffs of pot leaf and patchouli floating through. Earthy, grounded, it is warm and well-worn like a saddle with notes of tonka bean and patchouli. A best-seller and for good reason, enjoy riding off into your own olfactive sunset.”

Hinoki Fantome

$36 at the time of publication.

We are huge fans of earthy, woody scents that remind us of being outdoors. This has those sweeter wood smells paired with a touch of smoke for a divine combination. We can’t do it the justice it deserves but the poet who Boy Smells has hired to describe this scent can:

“The resinous combination of sacred Japanese cypress and jasmine petals are uniquely wrapped in rich amber glow. Warm and meditative with an element of earthy spice and soft woodland moss. Best described as complex, balanced, and meditative, studies note hinoki’s vibrant timber can induce physiological relaxation. A best-seller and an absolute year-round necessity to invigorate the senses.”

Les

$36 at the time of publication.

Are you a big fan of fruity to floral scents? Who doesn’t love those botanical, green-smelling scents? If so, this is likely the Boy Smells candle for you. A great candle for spring and summer this candle celebrates rich fruit and crisp floral scents. The brand describes this candle in very colorful terms:

“In the French language, LES is the plural article used for both masculine and feminine nouns, a very genderful word indeed. It is also the acronym for one of New York City’s most vibrant cross-cultural neighborhoods—picking up on notes of rice powder, peach blossom, cardamom, cedar and pear, to name just a few of its many notes, much like the bodega and wholesale food suppliers synonymous with the area. All in all, this scent is an unexpected, abundant, cross-cultural, olfactive exploration that reaches far beyond the binary.”

Cedar Stack

$36 at the time of publication.

Wood and spice and everything nice! Cedar Stack is one of Boy Smell’s most popular scents. It’s for the resin-lovers of the world. We love this one, especially for the fall and winter months. The brand describes this candle as:

“An instant classic since day one at Boy Smells, expect notes of cedar chips and dried tobacco led into deeper resinous floral notes, while peppercorn and dried ginger add a snap to its woody heart. Both modern and nostalgic, it is instant glamping in a candle.”

Ash

$36 at the time of publication.

The wood-inspired sents at Boy Smells are all wildly popular. Ash is no exception! It’s bringing you the smoky and woodsy scent with hints of burning hay. You don’t need a fireplace to enjoy some fire! The brand has this to say about Ash’s scent:

“Notes of dry hay and black charcoal permeate rare woods. A lingering accord of lemon peel and charred clove add brighter tannins to the top of the scent. A minimal smoke note runs through the entire body of the scent, reminding us of the circular nature of renewal.”

Marble Fruit

$36 at the time of publication.

A scent that captures the ripe sweetness of summer, Marble Fruit features the scent of stone fruit and various florals. You will want to burn this one all summer long. You have been warned, however, that it will make your mouth water. Boy Smells describes Marble Fruit’s scent as:

“A ripe, yet structured olfactive composition, combining the expressive tannins of summer fruit with the subtle strengths of cedar and sandalwood. Also invited to the party are blossoming jasmine, fresh freesia, and warm musk, all adding to the spectral nature of this iconic scent.

Park Life

$46 at the time of publication.

While many of the scents we have shared are mellow, Park Life feels energetic and zesty. Ginger, basil, sage, and clove strike a balance between sweet and spicy. Again, we can’t even touch the verbiage that Boy Smells has chosen to describe this one:

“The Boy Smells x GANNI collaboration, PARK LIFE, is an aromatic recreational scent. Made using fully recyclable and responsibly sourced ingredients, this candle expresses the brands’ shared values of making products that do not jeopardize our futures. This scent pays tribute to the ethereal and grounding beauty of nature and the resurgence of park culture, weaving together fresh green notes of basil, fig, and sage with earthy accords ginger, tonka, and sandalwood.”

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St. Al

$36 at the time of publication.

We tried this St. Al scent and it is a mystery why it has not become one of the brand’s biggest sellers. Warm, earthy, woody, and spicy are all words we would use to describe this ethereal-smelling candle. It’s not too overpowering and will be your year-round staple if you try it. Boy Smells has this to say about it:

“The name ST. AL is a play on the French term for sandalwood — Santal. This candle has powerful notes of holy woods and exotic florals, layered with undertones of frankincense. All of these are muted into a dense argil tone of white clay. To the nose, it’s a sanctified commingling of protective sandalwood, clove flower, oud and ylang-ylang with a dampness of rare and ancient earth. Complex, quietly sophisticated and steeped with history.”

There you go! We hope you found yourself a new candle to try. These scents are truly fabulous and you are not going to find a candle with this much complexity at this price point from any other brand. Boy Smells got big on Instagram but customers keep returning because they offer some of the very best candles on the market. Try one today!