Can scent build confidence? Selena Gomez's $35 candle promotes 'feeling comfortable in your skin' – a fragrance expert says she could be onto something

A new candle launched by Rare Beauty claims to invite feelings of confidence and comfort – here's why home fragrance works to change our mood

Selena Gomez
(Image credit: Getty Images)

As brands seek to create more experiential products to cut through our digital malaise, home fragrances make increasingly bold claims. From room sprays that can induce calm to incense that promotes happiness, promises of mood-shifting properties are nearly ubiquitous. Now, Selena Gomez has invented a candle that builds confidence.

The actress debuted the Awaken Confidence Scented Candle with her brand Rare Beauty. It has notes of juicy peach and fresh flower blossoms to promote comfort and the confidence that comes to it. According to the product description, the candle is 'about feeling comfortable in your skin.'

The look of the home fragrance is just as beautiful as its scent. Selena's stunning soy wax candle has two wicks housed in a chic white ceramic vessel. After you finish burning, you can freeze it and use the container for stylish storage.

So, how credible are these claims? Can a candle really promote confidence? According to the experts, it's possible.

Carlin van Noppen, home fragrance expert at Fig Linens and Home tells Homes & Gardens: 'After helping people scent their homes for over 20 years, I can honestly say that the right signature scent can completely change the way you experience your living space. Scent is the sense most associated with memory, so a fragrance has strong emotional pull.'

She continues: 'Though it sounds bold to say a frgrance can make you feel more confident, I've seen first hand how a clean, good smelling home can transform lives. Since confidence is much more associated with emotion than competency, something simple like burning a candle you love in the morning can be a great way to build that self-esteem. This act shows yourself that you care, and that can certainly contribute to confidence long-term.'

Shop more celebrity favorite candles

Perhaps you're searching for the best fall candle, but you're not convinced on the combination of peach and florals. Here are a few of our favorite celebrity-approved candles to scent your home in style this season.


We're not saying the right candle will change your life, but making your home smell nice can never hurt. According to the experts, it's at least worth a try.



TOPICS
Sophie Edwards
News Editor

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.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.