The 9 Best Unscented Candles

Aromatic candles can waft delicious smells into your space, but for those times when you're simply looking to add warmth and ambiance instead of scent, you'll be happy to have one of the best unscented candles on hand. Wax types vary, each with its own pros and cons, so it's important to consider which will work best for you.

• Paraffin wax: This colorless and odorless wax is derived from petroleum, coal, or shale oil, which makes it arguably the least eco-friendly, however, paraffin candles are generally the most popular and affordable of the bunch. It's also important to point out that though paraffin has had a reputation as potentially being a "toxic" substance, no conclusive evidence has found that it's harmful to human health.
• Soy candles: Soy candles offer a more sustainable option because they're made from a vegetable source. They're also denser and have a longer burn time than paraffin ones, but they can be more expensive. Plus, when it comes to tracking down unscented soy candles, there aren't nearly as many styles to choose from.
• Beeswax candles: Similar to soy, this type is thicker and will burn longer. It is hypoallergenic, but because it's made from beeswax, it's not vegan and you can expect it to have a slight honey smell that is subtle but could be a deal-breaker if you're looking for something truly unscented.

No matter which you go with, you always want to look for candles that indicate that they are dripless and smokeless so you can avoid having to chip away at wax buildup on your surface or a sooty black color on your walls. Alternatively, you can go for a flameless model that still offers a worthy glow, but keep in mind upkeep will come in the form of battery replacements.

Below you'll find a list of the best unscented candles you can find on Amazon to light up your space (or even just decorate it). Take a look!

1. These Classic Pillars That Will Elevate Any Space

A subtle, textured pattern sets these Melt unscented pillars apart, as do their saturated hues. The candles are available in 14 colors (gray pictured here), so you'll be able to find one that sets the mood perfectly in your space, plus you'll get up to 70 hours of burn time. Made from food-grade paraffin wax, the pillars are smokeless, dripless, and have a lead-free, cotton wick. These are 6-inches tall, but there are also 8-inch and 4-inch sets available.

If you're looking for a soy pillar, here's a gorgeous organic option.

One glowing review: "I have ordered red, green, and blue pillar candles from Melt, and all are perfection. They have incredibly vivid, pure colors with a wonderfully subtle surface texture, and burn beautifully."

2. These Tapers That Come In So Many Beautiful Colors

Smokeless and dripless, these paraffin tapers come in a choice of 34 colors, including this beautiful pomegranate shade, as well as basil, slate gray, and spice gold. The hand-dipped, fragrance-free tapers feature self-fitted ends that will work with most candle holders and lead-free wicks that will burn bright for six to eight hours. The tapers pictured here are 12-inches-long, but 10-inch and 15-inch sets are also available. More than 1,700 reviewers have given these candles positive ratings with several pointing out that they are so attractive in person, they will look lovely as decor pieces in any room, even if you never plan to burn them.

One glowing review: "These candles look BEAUTIFUL on my dining room table. They burn so cleanly, that unless they get tipped somehow, there is ZERO wax to clean up afterwards. They put out quite a bit of light, too, perfect for relaxing in the evening."

3. A Set Of Pure Beeswax Tea Lights

Made from 100% raw beeswax that's been hand-poured, these sweet tea lights are denser and will be able to light up your table or mantle for up to five hours. While they are smokeless, lead-free, and hypoallergenic, you may smell a trace of honey as the candles burn, but most shoppers reported that it's and pleasant, with one even describing it as "calming." Each candle comes in its own individual clear plastic cup (that's recyclable and reusable) and you can also choose a 6- or 48-pack. Plus, there's an ivory version if the "pollen-colored" gold is not your thing.

One glowing review: "Love these little candles! They're a perfect size for my pink salt candle holder, for other decorative candle holders, and for just setting one down wherever I need it. Sometimes I have a strong reaction such as headaches with popular candles, but these beeswax ones make me feel good, not bad. Plus the little container in which they come is recyclable!"

4. These Soy Votives In Elegant Glass Holders

These white soy votives are made from a renewable, vegetable source and come housed in a reusable glass tumbler making them an excellent option for anyone looking to make earth-friendly changes to their home. They're also completely scentless and smokeless and come with cotton wicks. Even better? They are so affordable. Plus, soy has an especially long burn life, so you can expect each of these tiny votives to last up to 10 hours.

One glowing review: "These little candles are great! So many for a very economical price. They burn clean and last long. They look really pretty in my fancy candelabra that uses tea lights.."

5. A Set Of Soy & Coconut Wax Tapers In Soft Shades

These long-lasting tapers are made from soy, coconut, and other vegetable waxes for a clean, environmentally-friendly glow. The candles are smokeless and dripless, with lead-free, cotton wicks and have a burn time of eight to ten hours. These unscented 12-inch tapers come in 11 colors (just note that the orange shade is scented). They're also available in 8-inch and 10-inch heights.

One glowing review: "Exactly what I was looking for! A beautiful, clean burn, with no drips at all...This candle burned completely clean down to the bottom...It burned for 8 hours. I purchased the Ivory and will absolutely purchase more colors now!"

6. A Statement-Making Beeswax Candle That Can Extinguish Itself

If you're looking for a flame that's also a conversation starter, this spiraling creation from Candle By The Hour can't be beaten. The 100% beeswax candle is naturally dripless and smokeless and should last you an impressive 48 hours. Its metal base (included) will protect surfaces and the cool-looking clamp at the top is actually a self-extinguisher. Pull as much of the candle rope up, clamp down and you can rest easy knowing that the candle will put itself out, even if you've gotten distracted. To avoid breakage, reviewers recommend warming the wax "rope" up with your hands to soften it so it's more pliable before uncoiling. The 9-inch candle is available in other designs and you can also buy refills of the beeswax spiral.

One glowing review: "This is absolutely my favorite thing I've bought and gifted to others recently. The style is so cool. I love that you can set it for a relative amount of time and forget about it, it extinguishes itself...I love the look and functionality of these!! it looks great on any counter and everyone always asks about it."

7.This Affordable 20-Pack Of Floating Candles

There's something so romantic and peaceful about setting a few floating candles in a bowl of water. More than 3,000 Amazon shoppers have weighed in on this 20-pack of candles, giving it an overall 4.7-star rating. These small candles stay upright and last for hours (a few fans mentioned getting as much as seven hours of burn time). Other highlights include a cotton wick and smokeless design. The set pictured here comes in white, but you can also get them in a fragrance-free ivory version.

One glowing review: "Floated in the water-filled vase and did not sink or get lopsided. Burned evenly and were long-lasting for our event. We felt the quality was significant and these are a good value. Nice visuals for table center."

8. An Array Of Flameless Candles That Come With A Remote Control

It's hard to find LED candles that look realistic, but these Hausware flameless pillars have hulls made from paraffin wax that make it look and feel more natural. Each set comes with two 4-, 5-, and 6-inch pillars as well as one 7-, 8-, and 9-inch pillar. The battery-operated candles (they each require two AA batteries, not included) can be turned on and off with a remote and can even be set to flicker or programmed on a cycle.

One glowing review: "These flameless candles are definitely a great buy. It's great to walk through the front door and be greeted with the glow of candlelight, thanks to the use of the timer function on the remote control. The candles are bright and flicker like real candles."

9. These Popular Flameless Tea Lights With More Than 14,000 Positive Reviews

For a flameless candle in a more compact size, these LED tea lights are one of the most popular picks you'll find on Amazon with glowing reviews from more than 14,000 shoppers. Though they're constructed out of plastic, the lights still give off a warm, white hue that one fan described as "the perfect balance of warm white" Added another, they "flicker like real candles." Each light powers on with a lithium CR2032 battery (included), which should last up to 100 hours.

One glowing review: "These are a great alternative to real tea lights. I use them in mercury glass votive holders, and everyone has commented on how I "lit candles" for their visit -- no, I just turned these votives on! I left them on overnight once, and expected them to be dead in the morning, but they were still going and I've used them several times since. The light hue looks authentic. I think they are quality and a good value."