- Otherland is an up-and-coming startup lauded for its curation of beautifully packaged and fragranced candles.
- Candles can be purchased as a three-piece set for $89 or individually for $36 each; we’ve already bought a few for ourselves and as gifts.
- You can even customize the matchbox that comes with the candles, making it the perfect gift for a loved one.
- Read more: The best candles and where to buy them
I know what you’re thinking.
Does the world really need another fancy candle brand? Isn’t that market saturated enough?
Well, yes, but hear us out – because we wouldn’t be writing this article if we didn’t think this particular company was doing something special.
Otherland, a relatively new startup, is making some of the most beautifully packaged and scented candles we've seen in a long time, and at a super affordable price point ($36 each) when compared to some of the luxury brands like Diptyque and Byredo. The soy and coconut wax base burns for 55 hours (a definite selling point if you ask me), and the candles can be bought in custom three packs ($89) or individually.
Previously the art buyer for Ralph Lauren's stores and restaurants, Otherland founder Abigail Cook Stone has always known the importance that visuals play in our lives. Stone created this line of colorful candles with that in mind, understanding that even the smallest things, when well-crafted and beautiful, can bring so much delight and energy into our space.
In addition to their base offerings, Otherland cycles through its seasonal collections - and they never disappoint.
The current collection is inspired by the beach and candles include notes like sea salt, cucumber, and even tennis balls - yes, really. Previous offerings included the Gilded Collection featuring rich, smoky, sweet scents - the kind you may smell in a Narnian Christmas-tree forest; the Carefree 90s Collection, which translated blue jeans, glossy lips, and pastels into soft florals mixed with citrus and musk; and the Manor House Weekend Collection, inspired by cool weekends in the countryside and full of sweet and fresh fragrances like corn, hay, lilies, and burnt maple.
When you open an Otherland candle, you're met with something so meticulously designed you'd think a jeweler was presenting you with a rare gem. Bright pops of color, be it from a seasonal collection's all-over color theme or the base collection's logo design, immediately grip you. And just as stunning as the packaging are the delicious fragrance combinations that are designed to transport you to "other lands."
The presentation experience when you shop from the "gift" page includes the option of custom gold foil messaging on a set of matches, and is what really sets these candles apart. There is such joy in the process of unwrapping, opening, smelling, and lighting them that we've bought multiple sets as gifts for just about every occasion.
Check out all the scents Otherland has to offer below.
The Beach Collection: Freshwater Pearl
Beach Collection: Freshwater Pearl, $36
The scent includes notes of sea crystal, salt water, crushed shells.
The Beach Collection: Match Point
Beach Collection: Match Point, $36
The scent includes notes of tennis balls, cut grass, and cucumber.
The Beach Collection: Stone Fruit
Beach Collection: Stone Fruit, $36
The scent includes notes of beach plum, peach skin, and brown sugar.
The Core Collection: Kindling
Core Collection: Kindling, $36
The scent includes notes of wood, clove, and smoke.
The Core Collection: Canopy
Core Collection: Canopy, $36
The scent includes notes of fig, ivy, and fresh greens.
The Core Collection: Rattan
Core Collection: Rattan, $36
The scent includes notes of sandalwood, golden amber, and musk.
The Core Collection: Daybed
Core Collection: Daybed, $36
The scent includes notes of rosebud, peonies, and florals.
The Core Collection: Chandelier
Core Collection: Chandelier, $36
The scent includes notes of champagne, saffron, and leather.
