The Scent-Obsessed Gift Guide

This is No. 1 on our Best-Smelling, Bubbliest, Most Soothing Bath Products roundup: “The cult-favorite gardenia scent has a slightly creamy undertone that translates well into a relaxing bath, and the bubbles are also kind of mellow.”

This sachet filled with a mixture of buds, leaves, and flower petals typical of the Tuscan hills is the sort of luxury we’d never buy for ourselves but would love to get as a gift. Santa Maria Novella is an apothecary in Florence, Italy, and the oldest pharmacy in the world. The proprietors have been making potpourri for three centuries — they know what they’re doing.

These candles from Jackie Aina lean toward the sweeter side with notes of caramel musk and vanilla. There are a variety of scents in this set, so you can leave one in each corner of your home, and even if you don’t light them, you’ll get a whiff of the warm notes.

Perfect for an at-home spa day, or every day. Mom get super-soft skin, plus the aroma of warm almonds and vanilla. If she likes it, you can buy her the refill (with 78 percent less packaging) next time.

Chic enough that you might never want to light it, Ceremony features notes of citrus, cedarwood, and Palo Santo. The concept brand from Afro-Latina artist Dawn Marie West features ethically sourced essential oils and apricot and coconut blend wax.

Cut beauty director Kathleen Hou deemed this the best-smelling lotion in the world: “It smells like something you would want to eat — a creamy, warm dessert made from scratch and like a mix of pistachio, buttery caramel, and nuts, with the key word being delicious (unless you have a nut allergy).”

For a scent that looks and smells pricier than it is, look no further than this Ganni collab. Park Life smells outdoorsy and fresh, but still has notes of vanilla and sandalwood.

Send a person cookies, and you feed them for a day. Send them an assortment of frozen cookie dough, though, and you fill their home with the smell of freshly baked cookies any day.

It doesn’t have to be expensive to be great. Ashlea Halpern over at the Strategist describes the scent: “Delicate but powerful. Not in a nose-singeing, throat-scratching, dorm-room patchouli kind of way, but more like I’d stumbled into a dewy meadow or sun-dappled timberland and inhaled with all my might.”

Simple and minimal, this candle has subtle notes of orange, bergamot, and cardamom. Keep this earthy and woody candle lit or leave it as a centerpiece on a coffee table.

This is like a gift for you too — your partner will smell better than they ever have before. And nothing says “I think you’re a grown-up with long-term relationship potential” like fancy detergent.

With notes of winter rose, sugar plums, and sandalwood, this candle smells like opening gifts and watching Elf for the hundredth time.

This lovely little pillow is billed as a relaxation aid for yoga and meditation, but we’re in favor of just using it while lying on the couch too. It offers lightweight pressure and the subtle scent of lavender.

Get into the holiday spirit with a festive scent. Spruce is earthy with notes of citrus, spiced pumpkin rivals your PSL, and vanilla ghost pepper features cinnamon and violet. Gift one to everyone on your list.