We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (2024)

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (1)

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As Mariah Carey would say, “It’s tiiiiiime!” The pop queen of Christmas has unofficially declared November 1 the beginning of the holiday season, and it's safe to say that agrees. The fragrance giant launched its 2024 holiday collection this week (and they're even celebrating with a 3-wick candle sale!).

We got samples of this year's Bath & Body Works holiday candles sent to the Good Housekeeping office, and I set aside time with my coworkers for our definitive holiday candle smell test. We immediately fawned over this year’s packaging and especially loved the classic Christmas wrapping reminiscent of vintage wallpaper (see: Frosted Cranberry).

For our smell test, we sniffed our way through over 30 candles — including those new to 2024, like Christmas Cabin, and classic favorites, like Winter Candy Apple. With each sniff, each tester jotted down their unfiltered thoughts and ranked each candle on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best. I then averaged out the scores to name our top favorites.

Note: Each bullet point references an individual tester's thoughts.

25

Frosted Coconut Snowball 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (2)

Rating: 4.1/10

Tester notes:

  • Unexpected coconut scent for holiday, but I do pick up coconut flake desserts
  • Doesn't smell like coconut initially — the scent was confusing. There's definitely a musky energy in this
  • A bit too musky for me

24

Strawberry Snowflakes 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (3)

Rating: 4.5/10

Tester notes:

  • It's nostalgic like a strawberry shortcake
  • Smells like a strawberry flavored candy like Hi-Chew — super fruity and sweet
  • Too sweet for me

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23

NEW FOR 2024

Peppermint Bark 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (4)

Rating: 4.9/10

Tester notes:

  • If you like peppermint patties, you'll like this... It smells exactly like one
  • Smells just like the description: "Melted candy canes blended with chocolate"
  • I found the chocolate notes in this cloying

22

NEW FOR 2024

Gingerbread Bakery 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (5)

Rating: 5.2/10

Tester notes:

  • I like the combination of spicy and sweet
  • I like the sugary top notes but it has a burnt undertone that I can't put my finger on
  • Should be spicier

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21

NEW FOR 2024

Vanilla Eggnog 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (6)

Rating: 5.7/10

Tester notes:

  • I'm normally impartial to gourmand fragrances, but this one surprised me. It's cozy and delightfully warm
  • This is for someone who loves sweet, butterscotch scents
  • Actually smells like eggnog

20

Vanilla Bean Noel 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (7)

Rating: 6.3/10

Tester notes:

  • Very pungent and sweet with the combo of vanilla, cake and marshmallow
  • Smells like sugary vanilla frosting versus traditional vanilla
  • Smells like Christmas

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19

Holiday 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (8)

Rating: 6.5/10

Tester notes:

  • Love the combination of cinnamon and clove, feels tingly and spicy on my nose
  • Definitely for people who like spicier scents. This is an embodiment of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
  • Very warm

18

A Thousand Wishes 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (9)

Rating: 6.7/10

Tester notes:

  • Smells like Sweet Pea perfume
  • This reminds me of my high school days. The sweet and perfume-y scent has a special place in my heart
  • The packaging perfectly embodies the scent, reminiscent of walking into a Victoria's Secret. Super sweet and somewhat floral
  • Not Christmas-y

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17

Twisted Peppermint 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (10)

Rating: 6.9/10

Tester notes:

  • It smells like a literal candy cane, for people who like that
  • Not too much like peppermint, I like that there is vanilla to balance it out
  • A nostalgic favorite, best of the peppermint options

16

Winter Golden Pear 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (11)

Rating: 7.4/10

Tester notes:

  • The pear notes are super bright — this feels like a Christmas morning candle to me versus Christmas Eve
  • Smells like a glass of champagne
  • I don’t think it‘s super holiday-forward, but I like it

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15

Sugared Snickerdoodle 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (12)

Rating: 7.4/10

Tester notes:

  • It seems like a good one for the fall-winter transition, great for Thanksgiving
  • The vanilla/sugar scent is very festive and would smell great in the kitchen, but I wish there was a little more spice
  • A classic, cookie-like scent that smells really yummy

14

Falling Flurries 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (13)

Rating: 7.6/10

Tester notes:

  • Smells like laundry detergent in a good way — very fresh and clean
  • Good for those who don't like spicy holiday scents
  • If there's a eucalyptus note, I'm probably gonna love it, and that's true of this one. This is great for the whole winter season, not just Christmas

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13

Frosted Cranberry 3-Wick Candle

We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (14)

Rating: 7.7/10

Tester notes:

  • Smells super fresh. Lightly seasonal, especially with the apple notes. I could definitely see myself burning this one on Christmas morning
  • Rather sweet and fruity but it's pleasant
  • Worth buying for the cute packaging alone

    12

    NEW FOR 2024

    Christmas Cabin 3-Wick Candle

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (15)

    Rating: 7.7/10

    Tester notes:

    • I like clove and this is an unapologetically clove, spiced scent. I feel like it'll really fill a room
    • Accurate to its name, this candle evokes the smell of a cozy cabin with a roaring fire. Cloves come through
    • Smells super clean and reminds me of pine cones

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    11

    Tis The Season 3-Wick Candle

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (16)

    Rating: 7.7/10

    Tester notes:

    • I love the apple and cinnamon notes. It's a little spicy, a little sweet and not overpowering at all
    • Would bridge the gap well in the fall to winter transition
    • Smells like apple cider

    10

    Winter 3-Wick Candle

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (17)

    Rating: 8/10

    Tester notes:

    • Really nostalgic for me — my mom always pokes cloves in oranges and it feels so homey to me, would 100% burn
    • I like the citrus note in this one (clementine), great for burning all winter long, not just at Christmas
    • Perfect scent to burn during a holiday party
    • Very traditional

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    9

    NEW FOR 2024

    Frankincense & Amber 3-Wick Candle

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (18)

    Rating: 8.2/10

    Tester notes:

    • A nice and unexpected scent, has depth
    • Really like the frankincense and amber
    • Doesn't smell too much like incense — a good one to burn when entertaining

    8

    NEW FOR 2024

    Frosted Forest 3-Wick Candle

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (19)

    Rating: 8.2/10

    Tester notes:

    • A classic, evergreen scent
    • I like the combination of peppermint with the pine. It feels like a natural combo that oomphs up the pine scent
    • Great blend of forest and mint — icy, winter vibes

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    7

    Flannel 3-Wick Candle

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (20)

    Rating: 8.3/10

    Tester notes:

    • Smells rich, musky and very cozy, like a soft worn-in flannel
    • Smells like Abercrombie
    • A masculine crowd-pleaser

    6

    White Barn The Perfect Christmas 3-Wick Candle

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (21)

    Rating: 8.3/10

    Tester notes:

    • I'm not a big marshmallow girl but I love this one... the sugary notes pair nicely with the cinnamon and pine
    • This smells so nostalgic — think Christmas in the 90s. It has a little bit of everything you could want in a Christmas candle, like pine trees and cinnamon
    • I like the sweetness of the marshmallow with the spicy notes

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (22)

    Heath Owens

    Senior Commerce Editor

    Heath Owens is a Senior Commerce Editor at Hearst Magazines, where he covers home, fashion, tech and gifts for Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful, Esquire, Delish, Men’s Health, and more.

    We Sniffed Every Bath & Body Works Holiday Candle so You Don’t Have To (2024)
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