The White Company candles

My housemate V introduced me to a deep, unshiftable love of scented candles. We cannot get enough of them. The very best and loveliest, as far as I'm concerned, are from The White Company. At £16 a pop, they're pretty reasonably priced (although not exactly cheap) and will last for awhile.

And they smell so gooooood. V's favourite is Cassis and I love, love, love Mustique. Ooh - I also recommend the Mustique hand moisturiser. It's the only moisturiser I can keep on my desk and reapply constantly throughout the day without my male colleagues making squishy-nose faces at the flowery girlishness of it all. And yet... it's still flowery and girlish. Win.

Heaven Scent: The White Company Seychelles Gift Set

There's something about The White Company that reminds me of illicit hotel rendezvous and all kinds of fun. There's something very classy about the fragrances and the smell last for ages. It's certainly better than using Radox.

This gift set is only £30, and considering it'll make you smell all lovely and expensive, that's a small price to pay. There's even a candle to make the rest of your home smell as lovely as you do.

Ormonde Jayne scented candles - our little secret

My flat is part of big, drafty old Georgian house, and I often find my hallway smells of whatever my downstairs neighbour is cooking. With this in mind I'm always on the lookout for good scented candles (I hate air fresheners). As far as budget buys go, Yankee Candles take some beating, but I have a secret addiction to overpriced boutique brands and perfume-based candles.

My latest discovery is Ormonde Jayne, a beautiful little perfumery hidden in the Royal Arcade off London's Bond Street. Their Frangipani scent is heavenly, like a grown-up version of the tropical, fruity florals many of us wore as a teenagers. I burn the candle only on very special occasions, but whenever I do, the flat suddenly becomes twice as homely. These babies make the perfect gifts, and come perfectly wrapped in the trademark orange and black paper. Far more unusual than Diptyque but just as luxurious, they give the impression you know about something fabulous before everyone else. Just remember who told you!