My Neighbors Can Smell This Candle Two Floors Up (and Bought Their Own!)

I live in Manhattan, and there are a few things I take for granted in my apartment that’s tucked into a six-story tenement building near the East River. The first is that everyone knows your business — our units are shoulder to shoulder, so ambient noise is always a given. But after many years of living on the Upper East Side, I’ve just recently learned that my neighbors are also privy to the ambient aromas seeping through my walls. And it’s not because I’m whipping up fragrant dishes in my kitchen, either. 

Because I live on the ground floor of my building (which means that everyone passes my front door to collect their mail or head upstairs), it seems that my serious candle habit has pushed fragrances into our lobby (which houses literal trash receptacles, mind you). It’s all due to Bath and Body Works’ line of citrus-forward three-wick candles. In this particular case, it started with a seasonal scent called Citrus Grove. 

A few weeks ago I heard a quick knock on my front door and assumed a mail courier needed my signature. Turns out, it was a neighbor in 3B (two floors above me!). She told me she had noticed a lingering citrusy-floral scent in the alcove and stairwell. Just as I was mentally prepping to apologize for my scent pollution (a new one for me!), she asked if I would go retrieve said candle so she could snap a pic and shop it when she got upstairs. Influencing, the OG way!

Clearly, Bath and Body Works has a knack for making candles that throw off some serious scents: They’ve earned a reputation for strong, powerful fragrances imbued in their candles (look to the “blind reaction” genre on social media that’s often filmed in their stores!). I’ve found that sometimes I can catch a whiff of my Bath and Body Works’ candles sticking to clothes hanging in a nearby closet, so I’m not surprised it’s permeating into my building’s entryway.

But I’m only obsessive, specifically, over the brand’s line of citrus-based candles and scent diffusers. The best citrus candles should feel bright and fresh (like many of the best candles Apartment Therapy editors have reviewed). My favorites often rely on root notes of lemon, orange, or lime; however, if they’re not blended with other accents, they can quickly delve into “cleaning product” territory. I’ve found that Bath & Body Works’ citrus-based scents ensure other spices or woody undertones add complexity to the candle.

Similar to Citrus Grove, Midnight Blue Citrus is a White Barn-specific scent that makes use of a fresh citrus profile, alongside a hint of mango that I find absolutely delightful. While some may say this is more of a warm-weather option, I find that it helps me feel that my apartment is refreshed and clean — for me personally, it’s a neutral scent that smells as if I pulled a diffuser straight out of a five-star luxury hotel’s lobby.

Just like other Bath & Body Works signature candles, this three-wick product is easy to maintain; I trim each wick at the end of my burning session (which shouldn’t last more than four hours, at most!). 

And while they’re regularly priced at just over $25 in stores, in the last year I’ve shopped Bath & Body Works’ iconic “candle day” sale at year’s end — meaning I can stockpile my home with Midnight Blue Citrus candles for just $10 if I play my cards right. At that price, it looks like my apartment’s lobby will be continuing to host a twinge of orange citrus for years to come.

Buy: White Barn’s Midnight Blue Citrus 3-Wick Candle, $26.95