Catherine Zeta-Jones calls this candle 'the most beautiful thing' she's ever smelled – she has one in every room of her home
A beloved classic candle from Jo Malone is the actress's all-time favorite scent that she's used in her home throughout her career


Fragrance is what transforms a house into a home. From candles to diffusers to room sprays, a signature scent signals to your brain that you are in a safe space and makes guests say, 'wow' when they walk through the door. Catherine Zeta-Jones swears by Jo Malone's Lime Basil & Mandarin candle to scent her home.
When asked about the best candle, Zeta-Jones told The Strategist: 'When I first became sort of known as an actor in Britain, I was invited to a party for Elton John’s AIDS Foundation. In the gift bag, he gave me one of his scented candles that I probably couldn’t afford at the time. It was the most beautiful thing that I had ever smelled in my life. I cherished it. That was my introduction to scented candles. Now, I really push the boat out when it comes to candles. I’m very specific with them. Jo Malone is such a beautiful brand.'
The home fragrance line has become a life-long obsession for the actress. She continues, 'After I left London for the States, I would come back to visit or for work, and I used to stay at Claridge’s, which is just off Bond Street. The Jo Malone flagship store was two doors down from the hotel. I was like a kid in a candy store. When I had any time off, I would go in and smell every candle they had. My all-time favorite is this lime and basil and mandarin one. I have one in almost every room in my house. It’s quite an exotic smell.'
A signature scent doesn't have to come only in the form of a candle. Jo Malone makes the Lime, Basil, and Mandarin fragrance in a variety of forms including a room spray, diffuser, and soap.
If you aren't a candle person, or have small children, a reed diffuser is a great option. I have one I got from Jo Malone months ago and the smell is still just as strong.
For a more short lasting infusion of scent, this room spray has the same scent. It could be nice layered with the candle for an even stronger smell.
I love this hand wash because it would look beautiful on the side of a bathroom or kitchen sink. The added benefit is it will make your hands smell amazing for the rest of the day.
Taking inspiration from celebrities is a great way to find new fragrances, or revisit old favorites. Catherine Zeta Jones's idea is especially good.
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Sophie is a writer and News Editor on the Celebrity Style team at Homes & Gardens. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly passionate about researching trends and interior history. She is an avid pop culture fan and has interviewed Martha Stewart and Hillary Duff.
In her free time, Sophie freelances on design news for Westport Magazine and Livingetc. She also has a newsletter, My Friend's Art, in which she covers music, culture, and fine art through a personal lens. Her fiction has appeared in Love & Squalor and The Isis Magazine.
Before joining Future, Sophie worked in editorial at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens brand. She has an MSc from Oxford University and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.
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