Candles are a self-care, home décor, and home fragrance staple. They serve many uses, so it’s no wonder that retail sales of candle products in the United States are over $3 billion each year.

By 2023, 91% of the country’s current population is expected to shop online, up from 69% in 2022. That’s a whole lot of online shopping—and a whole lot of candles!

While you can’t smell a scented candle through your screen while shopping for candles online, there are other factors you should consider.

Here are our recommendations for the best places to buy candles online, plus five tips on what to look for to pick the best candles for your home or as a gift. 

Shop Candle Round Ups from Online Publications

Many online publications and magazines do what’s known as ‘product roundups’ of the best candles. Think “The 14 Very Best-Smelling Candles” by New York Magazine’s The Strategist.

Editors at these publications typically receive candle samples to test in their own homes to determine who makes these lists. Real people (the editors) try a lot of candles, and it’s in their best interest as respected publications to feature the best of the best.

Following the roundups from publications will typically direct you to the brand’s website, where you can buy candles directly from the brand online.

Shop for Candles on Curated Marketplaces

The key word here is to shop on a ‘curated’ marketplace.
Have you ever heard of a little site called Amazon? Well, it’s an online-shopping behemoth. But, just because you can get your undies, candles, and a romance novel all on one site, doesn’t mean that you should.

The e-commerce giant is home to a lot of third-party sellers. Not all sellers and products, in this case, candles, have been vetted. Almost anyone can sell items on the Internet’s superstore. It can be a real gamble buying quality candles on Amazon.

So consider shopping at a purpose- and values-driven, curated marketplace like The Verticale or The Fascination. These marketplaces exclusively curate high-quality brands that demonstrate ethical, sustainable practices and quality ingredients.

These curated marketplaces, much like the publications, test all of the candle products that they feature. Less gamble. Greater quality candles, which you can buy directly on their marketplace.

🏃 I’M READY TO GIFT - LET’S GO! 🏃

5 Tips: What To Look for When You Buy Candles Online

When buying candles online, you should consider these five factors:

1. Ingredients

It’s important to know what’s in your candle. The candle flame will vaporize the ingredients inside your candle; this is how scent fills your space. So whatever is in the candle will evaporate and be what you breathe at home. Ensure that the candle contains no toxic ingredients, and phthalate-free fragrances are key. 

🥳 READY TO CELEBRATE? SHOP TRIO SETS 🥳

Bonus tip: How to pick a candle scent for a gift

So a candle gift set meets your needs, but you’re not sure what scents they like 😟 Pro tip: consider an unscented candle or a gift set that offers a variety of scents.

The unique thing about Spoken Flames’ Trio Sets is that each candle gift set has a variety of scents with great range—from woody, citrus and floral in our F, Yes Collection, for example.

Your gift recipient would never get bored, and it increases your chances for satisfaction with a broad range of scents in their hands.

Because Spoken Flames candles are message-driven, our motivating candle statements (even without scent) mean that you’ll still win big with this meaningful gifting choice!

2. Quality and Complexity of the Candle’s Fragrance

The scent notes should be in the candle’s product description. Look for a clear or lively explanation of how the candle smells or an outline of the top, middle, and base notes for the candle’s scent. Ensure the fragrance is phthalate-free.

3. Candle Wax Type

All-natural and toxin-free are good indicators of a quality wax blend. Soy, coconut, and beeswax are common wax blends. We recommend looking for symbols or text that confirm that a candle’s wax blend is toxin-free and petroleum-free.

If you’re feeling extra curious, consider learning about the different types of candle wicks, too: cotton wicks vs. wooden wicks.

4. Production Quality: Where, How, and Who Made The Candle

Conscious shopping is in. No more mystery low-cost candle ingredients mass-produced at mystery warehouses. So be sure to know where your candle is made.

Sometimes brands will say ‘Made in the USA’ or, more specifically, say in which city or state the candle was manufactured—which is even better!

For example, Spoken Flames hand pours each candle in Brooklyn, New York. We take our craft seriously and are transparent that humans, not machines, make our candles.

5. Buy the Sample or Preview Sizes

If the scent is essential to your decision while shopping for candles online, look for sample sizes or preview product options. Spoken Flames, for example, offers a scent preview pack that includes a set of micro candles so you can try them before you commit to buying a full-size candle.