Are Bath & Body Works candles any good? We tried one

If there is one thing that immediately brings me back to my teenage years, it’s a stroll through a Bath & Body Works store—the blue gingham packaging, the tables piled high with sprays and soaps, those signature scents that have stood the spritz of time (Cucumber Melon and Japanese Cherry Blossom—can I get an amen, ‘90s kids?).

To me, nothing is more well-loved for scented self-care than Bath & Body Works lotions and body mists.

While Bath & Body Works started in 1990 for its body care lines, it launched its home fragrance brand in 1998. This sister company, The White Barn Shop, went through a few identity issues (like a rename to Slatkin & Co in 2005 then back to White Barn in 2013), but it remained the go-to place for room sprays, candles, and hand soap (it's only non-home item).

Consider White Barn’s products the grownup version of the more fanciful Bath & Body Works. While some of the same scents are offered under both brands, White Barn’s packaging is usually more neutrally colored—letting scent be the star, not the container. I decided to go big for my home and try out one of White Barn’s large three-wick candles. I picked the Eucalyptus Rain scent, which you can still order on Amazon, but as of this writing, White Barn no longer makes this scent, instead offering options like Eucalyptus Mint and Bergamot Waters.

Get White Barn Eucalyptus Mint at Amazon for $30

What we like

This is one sophisticated candle. The packaging is sleek and easily fits in with any décor, a quality White Barn is known for.

The candle’s wicks were a little slow to catch fire, but once the three wicks were going, there was an even melt pool.

The scent also took a bit to move throughout the room, but when it did, it remained even after I had extinguished the candle. The eucalyptus scent is strong, but not overpowering.

White Barn uses a soy wax blend, and most of its candles are scented with natural essential oils, so I felt better burning it for hours, more so than I normally do with traditional 100% paraffin wax ones.

What we didn’t like about it

Honestly, there isn’t much that I didn’t like about this candle.

When I blew out its flames, the white smoke took a while to dissipate, but that wasn’t a deal breaker.

From a safety standpoint, I would prefer if White Barn made its candles with soy wax and cut the paraffin out totally, since paraffin has some toxic properties, being a byproduct of petroleum.

Although the candle lets linger the perfect amount of fragrance in the room, I am not in love with the actual scent itself, which is a personal taste consideration only. Rainfall on a hot pavement is one of my favorite summertime smells, so I was already going to be a tough critic when I saw the fragrance was inspired by a light rainfall. Plus, there are barely any eucalyptus or spearmint notes, even though the packaging indicated there should be, and the fresh rain smells like fresh, clean soap—not rain.

Should you buy a White Barn candle?

Yes. There’s a reason that Bath & Body Works has been the mainstream go-to for all things fragrance. The brand delivers quality fragrances that disperses widely without being overpowering.

And, when it offers an entire brand label like White Barn dedicated to lavishing your home, this three-wick candle definitely makes scents. Pun intended.

Get a White Barn 3-wick Candle at Amazon for $23

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.