Item: Boy Smells
Rating: 3
Author: Lex S

Boy Smells creates candles, fragrances, and intimate apparel for all, regardless of gender.

In late 2015, Boy Smells began as an experiment in candle-making in the Los Angeles kitchen of co-founders and real-life partners Matthew Herman and David Kien. Herman and Kien – both fashion veterans who worked in design (Herman) and product development (Kien) – began by making the things they’d want to use on a daily basis, products that were fluid and essential.

Founder-invented scents like Cinderose, a union of rose and smoke, and Gardener, a compilation of tomato vine and honeysuckle, wrap traditionally masculine scents in a prettier bouquet. Burn up expectations, release clear intentions. Boy Smells candles are all developed and designed in Pico Union, Los Angeles with fragrance and natural oils, all-natural coconut wax and beeswax blend. The candles are hand-poured in a reusable glass vessel and hand-labeled in Los Angeles, California.

Currently carried in over 500 retail locations (300 in the US alone), across 37 countries on 6 continents, with over 20 original scents in various sizes and aesthetics.

From routines to rituals, Boy Smells renews the personal care routine by creating rituals from the otherwise mundane experience. These are moments that can be experienced by all.

Candles

Boy Smells earns strong reviews for distinctive, gender-inclusive scents—standouts like Hinoki Fantôme, Kush/Cashmere Kush, ST. AL, LES, Cowboy Kush, and the Slow Burn collaboration—plus chic, giftable packaging that often fills rooms and lingers. Reviews also flag inconsistent performance: tunneling, weak or overly strong throw depending on scent/size, smoky snuffing, occasional label/QA issues, and rare glass or soot concerns, with perfume reception more polarizing than candles.

Boy Smells

Home Decor

Boy Smells St. Al candle evokes a warm, earthy ambiance. A blend of sandalwood, clay, and clove flower intertwines with the unique notes of oud and ylang-ylang. The scented candle, crafted from a coconut and beeswax blend, promises approximately fifty hours of burn time. Infuse any space with this complex, comforting fragrance, creating an inviting and tranquil atmosphere.

St. Al Candle

I’d heard so many good things about Boy Smells, so when my husband gifted me one, I was excited. The verdict? Gorgeous candle, just not my scent. Funny enough, he ended up loving it more than I did — which worked out perfectly.

The positives: the packaging is chef’s kiss — sleek, minimal, and something you actually want sitting out. Once it burned down, I kept the jar for decor because it’s that cute. The scent itself was strong, which I respect — you don’t need to light it for long to fill a room.

The con? The specific fragrance I got just wasn’t my vibe. But I can totally see why people rave about this brand, so I’m planning to try a different scent next time.

Verdict: Aesthetic, powerful, and quality — just pick your scent carefully. Boy Smells definitely deserves the hype; I just need my right match.

St. Al Candle

3.0 • 1 Review

1 review or post

St. Al Candle 3.0 • 1 Review

St. Al Candle

3.0 • 1 Review