It's nearly Halloween and that makes it the perfect time of year to light some candles and set the mood for the spookiest night of the year.
You can now buy all sorts of Halloween decorations to get your house ready for October 31 and you don't need to spend a fortune, with budget stores including Home Bargains, B&M and Poundland selling cheap items for the occasion. From paper garland pumpkins, to spooky serving bowls for all those Halloween treats, many stores have entire aisles dedicated to All Hallows' Eve.
Among the decorations, many stores also sell Halloween-themed candles, or ones that are perfect to use throughout autumn. This week, we put several to the test, to see how they compare when it comes to scent, price and look.
READ MORE: We compared autumn door wreathes and the cheapest was the best
It's important to remember when using lit candles to do so safely. It's best to avoid lighting candles when people are wearing Halloween costumes as these can be flammable.
Marks and Spencer Halloween Pumpkin Colour Change Candle
I love candles, but with small children in my house I tend to opt for the battery powered LED variety and will only light a real one once they're tucked up in bed. I was intrigued by this M&S 'colour change' candle to see how effectively it worked, especially considering it doesn't come cheap at £10.
The candle comes in bright orange glass jar shaped like a traditional Jack-o-lantern with a smiley face. The shiny orange has a slightly speckled finish, which once lit, meant it glowed with a pretty dappled effect and the light reflected off surrounding areas.
It's not huge in size but having had it lit for around an hour, the wax hadn't burnt away all that much so I think this is big enough to see you through the days leading up to Halloween and the evening itself, with the M&S website saying it has a burning time of 25 hours.
The candle is fitted with built in LED lights that illuminate and change colour as soon as it's lit. I have to say the effect really impressed me. The colours were vibrant, but not in a tacky way, changing softly between blue, red, orange, purple and green. They don't flash quickly, so wasn't distracting and I found it quite relaxing watching the candle change from colour to colour.
Now I have to admit I'm not a massive fan of pumpkin spice scent, finding it a bit sickly and when I smelt the wax before lighting it, I feared it would be overpowering. Thankfully for me, the aroma was really subtle, though if you're looking for a pumpkin scent to fill the room this may not be the candle for you.
Overall I was impressed with the effect and look of the candle, but I still think £10 is a bit steep especially at the minute, when money is so tight for many people. But if you're willing to spend £10 on a candle, it's certainly good quality again from M&S.
Price: £10
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: M&S online or in stores
TK Maxx DW Home Spooky Spiced Cocoa Candle
I absolutely love candles, in fact, I can easily say I've got more than 10 different varieties dotted around my house. My favourite kind of candles are seasonal candles, especially when it's autumn and winter.
I always like to invest in some cosy looking candles for when it gets chilly outside because I think the scent and the warm glow just makes everything feel better. This time, I took a trip to TK Maxx on the hunt for a spooky candle, and I wasn't disappointed by the amount on offer.
There was just one problem though, I don't really like pumpkin scented candles, and TK Maxx had a lot of those. Luckily, I stumbled across a 'cocoa' scent which is described as 'spooky spiced' with a cute ghost on the lid.
This candle smelt absolutely amazing, and reminded me of the scent of Smarties or Mini Eggs, a scent that will definitely make me hungry. For £7.99, I was a little surprised at how expensive the candle was considering it's not huge, but the scent was really quite strong and the aesthetics of the candle were worth it in my opinion.
I like the candle that much I've barely been burning it because I don't want to waste it. I definitely knew I wanted something that didn't smell like pumpkin, so I really hit the jackpot with this one.
Although this current candle is available to buy online, you can visit your local store to try and find it. You can browse other TK Maxx candles here.
Price: £7.99
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local TK Maxx store
Homesense 'Spooky' Pumpkin Candle
I absolutely adore Halloween - in my opinion, it's one of the best nights of the year. I have Halloween themed tea towels, candles and decorations galore.
In September, my childhood best friend travelled over from our little Yorkshire hometown so we could meet up for a long overdue catch up and a spot of shopping. We ventured to Homesense because, as much as we'd like to pretend we're the same cool, energetic, trendy young things who wouldn't dream of spending a rare day off shopping for homeware, we're in our 30s and now get very excited by candles and cushions.
Homesense is brilliant for festive themed products; its Halloween and Christmas stock never fails to disappoint. When I spotted this large orange jar candle, it went straight in my basket.
It's complete with a pumpkin shaped lid and has the word 'spooky' etched on the front in a linear black font. The fragrance is very powerful so I wouldn't recommend it if you're not a fan of pumpkin aromas, but I adore just how autumnal and festive my home feels when this candle is flickering away.
I've lit it every night since picking it up in September and it's still going strong, so I think it's well worth the £10 I spent on it. It looks gorgeous in my kitchen too and I love the fun, whimsical design.
I'm a bit of a Monica Gellar and am happiest when my home is squeaky clean and smelling like a blend of cleaning products and scented candles. When cooking, my tiny terrace quickly fills with food smells which drives me mad. I've found candles that offer a food-based scent - like cookie dough, croissant, lemon or cupcake - are the best at combatting lingering cooking smells. This pumpkin candle is no exception, filling my home with the dreamy fragrance of an autumn staple.
Price: £10
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: You nearest Homesense store
Primark Pine Scented Candle
I'm a huge fan of candles and autumn is my favourite season, so I just had to add a nice, autumnal-themed one to my collection. I went to my local Primark store in search of a Halloween-themed candle, but couldn't find one on the shelves.
Luckily, I managed to spot this pine scented offering, which was just the autumnal treat I was after. What drew me to this candle was the lovely design - an acorn shape with a gorgeous gold lid.
It looks more like an ornament and made a nice addition to my shelf. The quality of the candle is great too, it definitely looks more expensive than its £4 price tag.
In terms of the scent, I wasn't too sure if I'd be a fan, as I usually opt for sweet smells when buying candles. However, the pine scent was lovely and fresh and smelled pleasant when the candle was lit too. Overall, I was really happy with this candle - particularly with how aesthetically pleasing it looks.
Price: £4
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: Primark stores
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