With its dusky pink packaging and boundary-pushing scent combinations, Boy Smells has become a staple for anyone who wants their home to smell as stylish as it looks. The brand perfectly blends eclectic fragrances like Cowboy Kush and Hinoki Fantôme with a chic, minimalist aesthetic that feels both modern and luxurious.
If you're obsessed with their unique approach to home fragrance but are looking to discover other creators in the scent space, you're in luck. Here is our curated list of 25 brands that deliver unique scented candles, incredible design, and a little something special for your home.
1. Otherland
Otherland offers a curated collection of luxury candles with vibrant, distinctive scents in sleek, colorful jars. Priced between $38 and $52, their fragrances range from floral and fruity to smoky and spicy, appealing to a trendy, design-conscious crowd. Known for their unique scent combinations and artistic packaging, they’re perfect for those who want candles that make a statement.
Similar to Boy Smells, Otherland focuses on bold scents and modern aesthetics, but they lean more toward playful, colorful, and artistic designs. Their emphasis on layering complex fragrances makes them a favorite for creative scent layering and gifting.
Shop now at otherland.com
2. Le Labo
Le Labo is a luxury fragrance house known for its artisan approach to scent creation, bringing the personal touch of a perfumery to your home. Their candles, typically priced from $65 to $85, feature minimalist apothecary-style packaging and sophisticated, unisex scents like the iconic Santal 26 and Thé Noir 29. They’re designed for those with a refined palate seeking complex yet subtle fragrances.
While Boy Smells embraces eclectic and provocative blends, Le Labo’s fragrances are more refined and understated, emphasizing craftsmanship and quiet luxury. If you appreciate the unisex appeal of Boy Smells but want something a bit more classic and perfume-driven, Le Labo is an elegant choice.
Shop now at lelabofragrances.com
3. P.F. Candle Co.
P.F. Candle Co. has become synonymous with accessible, high-quality soy candles. Known for their signature amber glass jars and natural, earthy scents like Teakwood & Tobacco, their candles are priced affordably from $20 to $36. The brand’s vibe is relaxed and rustic, perfect for creating a cozy atmosphere in any modern home.
Where Boy Smells is bold and luxurious, P.F. Candle Co. offers a more grounded, everyday simplicity. They're a fantastic alternative if you love nuanced scents but prefer a less polarizing fragrance profile and a more budget-friendly price point for daily burning.
Shop now at pfcandleco.com
4. D.S. & Durga
D.S. & Durga crafts scents that are more like stories or captured memories than simple fragrances. Handmade in Brooklyn, their candles offer complex, layered scents with evocative names like 'Big Sur After Rain' and 'Portable Fireplace'. Priced from $65, they appeal to those who see fragrance as a form of art and self-expression.
Like Boy Smells, D.S. & Durga focuses on unique, often unconventional olfactory experiences. However, D.S. & Durga’s creations are deeply rooted in narrative and place, offering a more rustic Americana and less gender-fluid punk vibe than Boy Smells. They are for the true scent connoisseur.
Shop now at dsanddurga.com
5. Byredo
Swedish luxury brand Byredo brings high-fashion sensibilities to the world of fragrance. Their candles, which start around $90, are housed in stark, black minimalist vessels that make a strong design statement. The scents themselves, like Bibliotheque and Burning Rose, are complex, sophisticated, and incredibly chic, transforming any room into a high-end experience.
Byredo elevates the minimalist aesthetic Boy Smells is known for into the realm of ultimate luxury. While both have a pared-back Scandinavian design influence, Byredo is more expensive and its scents feel more like "cool art gallery" while Boy Smells is more like "cool, trendy apartment."
Shop now at byredo.com
6. Diptyque
A true icon in the world of luxury home fragrance, Paris-based Diptyque is famous for its elegant oval-labeled jars and refined scents. Starting around $70 per candle, beloved fragrances like Baies, Figuier, and Roses are staples in stylish homes everywhere. Diptyque embodies timeless French elegance and sophisticated living.
Diptyque is the eternally classic, sophisticated forerunner to brands like Boy Smells. While Boy Smells pushes the envelope with modern, edgy blends, Diptyque has perfected the art of timeless botanical and woody fragrances. It’s the go-to for someone who loves high-quality candles but prefers timelessness over trendiness.
Shop now at diptyqueparis.com
7. Maison Louis Marie
Maison Louis Marie channels centuries of botanical history into its clean, elegant fragrances. With a focus on natural, plant-derived scents housed in simple, white-labeled glass, their candles are subtle and sophisticated. Priced accessibly from $36, their famous No.04 Bois de Balincourt (a dead ringer for Le Labo's Santal) is a fan favorite.
Think of Maison Louis Marie as the more nature-focused, purist cousin to Boy Smells. Both brands offer clean burning candles in minimalist vessels, but Maison Louis Marie’s scents are softer and rooted in traditional botanicals, rather than the unexpected, blended combinations Boy Smells is known for.
Shop now at maisonlouismarie.com
8. Aesop
Known for its chic, minimalist amber packaging, Aesop brings its signature apothecary vibe to home fragrance. Their candles ($45-$65) feature aromatic, botanical scents that are grounding, clean, and never overpowering. Think philosopher's study or serene spa, bottled. They’re perfect for creating a calming, sophisticated environment.
Aesop and Boy Smells both cater to a design-savvy audience that appreciates a strong brand aesthetic. However, Aesop's scents are more herbaceous, earthen, and subtle - a stark contrast to the louder, more playful personality of Boy Smells' fragrance compositions.
Shop now at aesop.com
9. Overose
If Boy Smells has cornered the market on moody and eclectic, Overose dominates the world of dreamy, Parisian romance. Famous for its all-pink-everything aesthetic, from the wax to the holographic jars, Overose specializes in intensely fragrant rose and floral scents. Priced around $58, candles like Valkiria and Nudesse are an Instagram sensation.
Overose is the hyper-feminine, floral-forward answer to Boy Smells' more gender-fluid approach. Both brands offer incredibly strong scent throws and eye-catching packaging that doubles as decor, but Overose's vibe is all about romanticism, sweetness, and that perfect shade of millennial pink.
Shop now at overose.com
10. Brooklyn Candle Studio
With a focus on handcrafted quality and minimalist design, Brooklyn Candle Studio creates beautiful soy candles in-house. Their scents are inspired by nature, travel, and cozy moments, with fragrances like Santorini and Japanese Citrus. With pricing from $28 to $45, they offer an artisanal feel that feels both high-end and accessible.
If you love the simple, chic jar design of Boy Smells but are looking for scents that are a bit more serene and classic, Brooklyn Candle Studio is a perfect match. Their aesthetic is cleaner and brighter, contrasting with Boy Smells' darker, edgier branding, while still delivering sophisticated fragrance blends.
Shop now at brooklyncandlestudio.com
11. Cire Trudon
Cire Trudon is one of the oldest and most prestigious candle makers in the world, founded in 1643. Owning one of their candles (which start at $120) is like owning a piece of history. Housed in stunning, hand-blown glass vessels bearing their emblematic gold crest, scents like Ernesto (Leather & Tobacco) are rich, regal, and deeply complex.
Cire Trudon shares Boy Smells' appreciation for complex, statement-making scents, but approaches it from a place of old-world luxury and heritage. It's less about being trendy and more about timeless, opulent artistry. This is the brand you turn to when you want your home to smell like a French palace.
Shop now at trudon.com
12. Malin + Goetz
This modern apothecary brand brings a New York-chic sensibility to its range of home fragrances. Malin + Goetz is known for their intensely fragrant candles housed in simple, bold-type jars. Scents like Dark Rum and Leather are modern classics, offering rich, warm, and slightly unexpected aromas for around $58.
Malin + Goetz shares Boy Smells' penchant for dark, rich, and gender-neutral scents, wrapped in minimalist packaging. The key difference is the vibe: Malin + Goetz feels like a sleek, modern hotel lobby - clean, sophisticated, and direct - while Boy Smells brings a touch more artistry and eclecticism to the table.
Shop now at malinandgoetz.com
13. Voluspa
Voluspa is beloved for its highly fragrant coconut wax candles presented in beautifully embossed, decorative tins and glass jars. Their scents are often lush, fruity, and floral, with bestsellers like French Cade Lavender and Panjore Lychee drawing a loyal following. Prices range widely from $12 for travel tins to over $200 for giant multi-wick creations.
While Boy Smells leans into modern minimalism, Voluspa embraces a more ornate, glamorous aesthetic. Their scents are typically less complex but have an incredible throw, making them perfect if you want a statement-making visual piece and a powerful, beautiful fragrance to fill your entire home.
Shop now at voluspa.com
14. L'Objet
L'Objet creates luxurious home fragrances in striking, handcrafted containers that are designed to be kept long after the candle has burned. Often made of porcelain with 24k gold accents, their candles are true art objects. Prices range from $95 to over $200, with exotic scent blends that ooze sophistication and worldly elegance.
Compared to the contemporary cool of Boy Smells, L'Objet offers unadulterated opulence. Both brands view the candle vessel as a key part of the experience, but L'Objet's are collector's items - perfect for those who want their home fragrance to be a true centerpiece of their decor.
Shop now at l-objet.com
15. Homesick
Homesick built its brand on the power of sensory memory, creating candles that smell like places and moments. From state-specific scents (think Southern California's orange groves) to memory-jogging events like "Friday Night Football," they capture nostalgia in a jar for around $34. It's a playful and personal approach to home fragrance.
Where Boy Smells evokes a mood or an identity, Homesick evokes a specific memory. They both appeal to a tech-savvy millennial and Gen Z audience who appreciate a strong concept. Homesick is a great option if you're looking for a highly personalized and gift-able candle with a heartwarming twist.
Shop now at homesick.com
16. Jo Malone London
A giant in the world of British fragrance, Jo Malone London is synonymous with understated elegance and signature cream-and-black packaging. Known for combining surprising ingredients into refined scents like Pomegranate Noir or Lime Basil & Mandarin, their candles (starting at $75) are a hallmark of sophisticated taste and an unforgettable gift.
Jo Malone offers the same high-quality feel as Boy Smells but with a more traditionally elegant, British countryside sensibility. Their scents are less provocative and more focused on bright, beautiful, and often layerable combinations, making them a brand for those who prefer classic luxury over modern edge.
Shop now at jomalone.com
17. Fornasetti
Fornasetti produces candles that are unequivocal works of art. Housed in stunning ceramic vessels adorned with the surrealist, classical-inspired motifs of Italian artist Piero Fornasetti, these are heirloom-quality decorative objects. With prices from $150 to $350, their signature scents, like the herbaceous 'Otto', are as complex as the art they accompany.
Both Fornasetti and Boy Smells understand the candle as a piece of decor, but they exist on different planes. Fornasetti is pure high-design opulence, a collector's item for art and design lovers. Boy Smells has an accessible sort of cool, while Fornasetti is a statement of extravagant taste.
Shop now at fornasetti.com
18. Apotheke
Hand-poured in Brooklyn, Apotheke offers home fragrances inspired by the unexpected beauty that can be found in life's simple, daily moments. Their candles come in chic, minimalist matte black or white jars, with subtle yet complex scents like Charcoal and Sea Salt Grapefruit. Prices are typically around $38 to $42.
Apotheke captures a similar Brooklyn-cool, minimalist vibe as Boy Smells, but with a softer, more atmospheric approach to scent. Their fragrances are more muted and nature-inspired than Boy Smells' bold, eclectic creations, perfect for creating a serene and sophisticated backdrop in your home.
Shop now at apothekeco.com
19. Anecdote Candles
Anecdote Candles makes scent personal and relatable with witty labels that describe familiar feelings and scent memories, like "Bottomless Mimosas" or "Adulting." Priced very accessibly at around $26, their coconut-soy wax candles turn fragrance into a conversation starter, making them a fun, modern take on home scenting.
Like Boy Smells, Anecdote uses a clever, modern marketing voice to connect with its audience. The key difference is the tone: where Boy Smells is chic and subversive, Anecdote is humorous and conversational. It’s a great pick if you want a candle that smells great and also makes you smile.
Shop now at anecdotecandles.com
20. Tatine
Based in Chicago, Tatine is an artisan studio that draws inspiration from rock and roll, memory, and wanderlust. Their candles are moody, mysterious, and deeply atmospheric, often packaged in smoky, dark glass. Scents like Kashmir and Forest Floor are complex and haunting. With prices from $28 to $52, it's a brand for dreamers and poets.
Tatine shares the dark, romantic, and slightly rebellious spirit of Boy Smells. However, Tatine’s aesthetic is more gothic and bohemian, reminiscent of a mysterious old library or a foggy forest, whereas Boy Smells feels more polished and contemporary in its edge.
Shop now at tatinecandles.com
21. Keap
Keap is a sustainable candle brand with a mission to help people unplug and reconnect with themselves. Their nature-inspired scents like Wood Cabin and Green Market come in beautiful, reusable glass tumblers (think classic whiskey glass). B-corp certified, Keap focuses on zero-waste packaging and master perfumer-grade scents starting at $50.
Keap is the eco-conscious, mindful alternative to Boy Smells. While both use high-quality ingredients and offer sophisticated fragrances in stylish vessels, Keap’s ethos is centered on calm, sustainability, and the regenerative power of nature, a contrast to the high-energy, trend-focused vibe of Boy Smells.
Shop now at keapbk.com
22. Jonathan Adler
Potter and designer Jonathan Adler brings his signature brand of "modern American glamour" to scented candles. His creations are housed in bold, pop-art-inspired porcelain vessels that are meant to be reused as chic catchalls. Scents like Champagne and Hashish are playful and decadent, priced from $48 and up.
Jonathan Adler swaps Boy Smells' minimalist cool for maximalist fun. Both brands use scent to express personality and make a strong design statement. However, if your style is more glam and unapologetically bold, this is the candle to light up your space.
Shop now at jonathanadler.com
23. Tom Dixon
British designer Tom Dixon is renowned for his industrial-chic lighting and furniture, and his candles are no exception. Housed in stunning reusable metal vessels made of copper, brass, or stainless steel, his scents are inspired by the raw elements. The "Materiality" collection features scents like Stone, Quartz, and Oil, starting around $80.
Tom Dixon offers a more industrial, masculine, and architectural take on the candle-as-object concept that Boy Smells champions. If the Boy Smells aesthetic feels a little too soft, Tom Dixon’s powerful, metallic, and elemental approach is the perfect edgy alternative.
Shop now at tomdixon.net
24. Nomad Noé
Inspired by forgotten historical figures and fascinating places, Nomad Noé creates vegan candles with a story. Hand-poured in the USA and blended in Grasse, France, scents like Poet in Hangzhou or Visionary in Esvedad are housed in chic, matte porcelain vessels with striking gold lettering. They typically sell for around $65.
Nomad Noé has the same sophisticated, minimalist container design as Boy Smells but adds a layer of captivating storytelling inspired by historical wanderlust. They are a wonderful alternative for those who love deep, unique fragrances and a great backstory.
Shop now at nomadnoe.com
25. Votivo
A classic in the home fragrance world, Votivo is famous for its powerful scents and signature hand-tied silver ribbons. Known for their incredible scent throw, fragrances like Red Currant are instantly recognizable. Their candles ($30-$40) feature proprietary wax blends designed to hold a high level of fragrance, filling any room effectively.
Votivo is the established favorite for those who prioritize scent performance above all else. While Boy Smells focuses on trendy scent combinations and modern packaging, Votivo is dedicated to classic, potent fragrances with a more traditional aesthetic. It's the go-to when you need a scent that really lasts.
Shop now at votivo.com
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