The best home fragrances: how to make your home smell amazing

Jo-Malone-London-candles-on-fireplace-with-flowers

Credit: Jo Malone London

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The best home fragrances: how to make your home smell amazing

By Shannon Peter

5 years ago

Make your space smell calm and comforting with the latest indoor scents.

The sun may finally be shining, but unfortunately we’re having to spend more time indoors than ever. Our homes, which were once devoted solely to post-work relaxation, have transformed into offices, classrooms and gyms seemingly overnight, and now more than ever we need them to feel like a tranquil oasis of calm during these unsettled times.

Luckily, there’s an influx of new, and rather chic, air fresheners that will breathe stimulating scents into the limited space we have around us. More refined than Febreze, cooler than reed diffusers and better looking than a plug-in, these home fragrances team the high-end notes you’d expect from fancy perfumes with clever air-detoxifying molecules, aromatherapy boosters and stylish formats.

“Scent has such a close relationship to memory that it influences our mood and perception in a profound yet often unconscious way,” explains Emma South, Jo Malone London fragrance and lifestyle expert. Where possible, she recommends alternating home scents at different times throughout the day. “The art of home scenting is also about helping to structure the day, creating scented signals that direct us from work to leisure, day to night.”

Needless to say, no candle can cure a crisis, but if you’re looking for a pick-me-up, these elevated air fresheners will emit wafts of calm, concentration and cosiness into every corner of your home — from the first laundry-fresh towels of the morning to the lingering scent on your pillow at night. 


The best home fragrances

Sensori-Toowoomba-Carnival-Room-Mist

For your kitchen

Using a pH neutral compound, this room mist neutralises airborne pollutants like dust, fumes and unwanted cooking smells – ideal if your kitchen is also your office.

Sensori+ Toowoomba Carnival mist, £36.

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Diptyque-Baies-Scented-Oval

For your wardrobe

A solid form of the brand’s cult fragrance, hang Diptyque Baies-infused ceramic and wax oval in your wardrobe to keep dresses (OK, joggers) smelling fresh between washes.

Diptyque Baies Scented Oval, £42

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Rituals-The-Ritual-of-Jing-Candle

For your living room

Borrowing from traditional Chinese medicine, Rituals’ candle will fill your main room with the soothing smell of jujube seeds. Burn while you practise a little lunchtime mindfulness.

Rituals The Ritual of Jing Scented Candle, £15

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This-Works-Love-Sleep-Pillow-Spray

For your bed

Upping the ante on its iconic linen mist, This Works’ latest pillow spray contains an aromatherapy blend of ylang ylang and patchouli to both relax the mind and boost the libido.

This Works Love Sleep Pillow Spray, £30

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Buly-Ceramic-Decorative-Pencils

For your desk

Dip the tip of one Buly’s chic ceramic pencils into the accompanying oil before plopping into a pencil pot on your makeshift desk. Here, they’ll slowly release a scent that’ll ease the stress of endless Slack notifications.

Buly Scented Decorative Pencils, £59

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Jo-Malone-London-Green-Tomato-Leaf-Candle

For your dinner table

Unlike overtly floral or incense-heavy scents, Jo Malone’s green tomato scent is so mouth-wateringly delicious it won’t clash with the smell of your evening meal.

Jo Malone London Green Tomato Leaf Candle, £48

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The-Laundress-x-Le-Labo-Santa-33-Laundry-Detergent1

For your towels

It’s conquered your collarbone and now everything from your towels to your T-shirts can smell like Santal 33 if you slip a capful of this detergent into your wash.

The Laundress Le Labo Scented Detergent, £33.75

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Haeckels-Courtesy-Flush-Oil

For your toilet

We won’t go into too much detail, but squeeze a few drops of this scented oil blend into the loo to keep things smelling fresh. Your housemates will thank you.

Haeckels Courtesy Flush Oil, £25

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Image: courtesy of Jo Malone London

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