Over the past three years, I’ve moved three times. During my packing process, I always looked for simple and easy ways to make my home feel like a true reflection of my style, which can pose somewhat of a challenge with apartment living. There are a few items I’ve always unpacked within minutes of my arrival in a new space: freshly washed and ironed bedding, thrifted art history coffee books, framed artwork via Etsy, and a room spray. The latter has always been the quickest way to set the mood of a room and determine the other home fragrances I would like to pair with it. Not yet convinced you should give it a try? You might want to keep reading and see what’s in store.
If you’ve been on the hunt for a way to refresh your space without dedicating much time or effort, a room spray might be the best solution. As much as I love candles and reed diffusers, they carry certain risks and require surveillance and frequent replacement, and they may not always layer well with other home fragrances. While shopping for your fragrances, consider the size and foot traffic of the space you’d like them to fill. Room spray can linger without being overwhelming, allowing for a space that’s entirely your own, and may even help combat scents that are tough to remove. Many room sprays can also double as home décor, as their vessels are often as elegant as the fragrance found within.
Below are eight of the best room sprays that Who What Wear’s beauty and fashion editors have agreed belong in every home. Each of them can be used alone or layered, with a select few doubling as fabric mist. Keep scrolling to see my breakdown of the best options for specific spaces across many price points.
Key Notes: fresh damascena roses. Living la vie en rose has never been more achievable with the help of Diptyque’s classic scent. An ode to springtime, this blooming floral fragrance is the perfect finishing touch to any space. Customer Review: “I brought this for the bathroom and to [complement] the Roses candle I have previously [purchased.] The smell is divine and just right, not too overpowering. Another great product from Diptyque.”
Key Notes: cedarwood, labdanum, incense, and patchouli. Le Labo’s Palo Santo 14 scent has been a staple in my space, and I’m ecstatic that I can now pair the classic candle with a matching home fragrance. It offers an identical olfactory experience to its precursor and does wonders for creating a warm and inviting environment. Customer Review: “Delightfully surprised. It doesn’t smell like burning palo santo wood as I thought it would—but it’s even better. It’s spicy and strong, not overpowering.”
Key Notes: sugared citrus, woodland greens, jasmine, orchid, gardenia, and raspberries. If you’ve stepped foot in an Anthropologie store, you know how iconic this fragrance is. Energizing and inspiring, Capri Blue’s Volcano Room Spray is an excellent complement to all candles and diffusers you may have nearby and lingers for hours with a couple of spritzes. Customer Review: “I am a huge fan of Volcano candles and wanted to try this spray. I absolutely love it! The floral smell is stronger in the spray. It is perfect for when you need to quickly give a room a lift, and the smell lingers for a good amount of time. I ended up purchasing three more.”
Key Notes: geranium rose, sweet orange, lavender, and palmarosa. If you’ve ever wanted to transform the bedroom into a spa-like space for a good night’s sleep, this Espa mist is the best way to do it. Affectionately referred to as a “hug in a bottle” by the brand, it provides an undeniable sense of tranquility to your atmosphere and settles nicely on the skin. Customer Review: “This has to be one of my favorite fragrances. It’s a beautiful fragrance blend. A reassuring hug. I’ve been using the restorative body oil and candles for years and was so pleased that the range has been extended to include this atmosphere spray.”
Key Notes: galbanum, grapefruit, cedar, cardamom, and jasmine. With just two to three pumps of this Aesop room spray, your space will be refreshed and your senses revitalized. Crafted from a blend of citrus botanicals, it delivers a fresh, woody, and citrusy aroma that will last for several hours and combat any other less enjoyable scents lingering in the air. Customer Review: “This scent is stunning. It really fills the room and lasts a while. Our bottle lasted about six months with almost daily use. It has a luxury scent to it that just gives a decadent feel to the room. Love this product so much and all the scents from Aesop. They’ve really found a way of doing the earthy, musky scent in a luxurious way.”
Key Notes: spearmint, black tea, eucalyptus oil, white cedarwood, and dried papyrus. Clinically tested to reduce and neutralize odors while imparting a long-lasting fragrance, this Homecourt Room Deodorant is exactly what I’d want to smell when walking into someone’s space for the first time. It would be enough to convince me we’ll be great friends, as they avoided a fragrance faux pas. Customer Review: “Perfect long-lasting product that lingers for a perky midday pick-me-up. I spray it around the entry doors, and it’s a love note to my senses when I walk back in the door.”
Key Notes: bergamot, white musk, and amber. If you’ve been on the hunt for the perfect milk-based fragrance for your home, DedCool’s Milk Room + Linen Spray is one of the best. It smells soft, light, and fresh—the ideal combination for a bathroom. Plus, the minimalistic bottle will look extremely chic on the counter. Customer Review: “I love the smell of this room spray. It’s not powerful enough to fill a room, but it lasts for a long time when I spray it on my sheets and pillows. The bottle also functions as décor it’s so cute.”
Key Notes: ginger, rose, vanilla, tuberose, amber, white woods, and musk. For the living room, I love warm, elegant fragrances featuring notes of rose and smooth vanilla, like this one by Boy Smells. Named after the 18th-century stoneware pendants depicting portraits in profile and inspired by Wedgwood porcelain and the Andy Warhol polaroid of Dolly Parton, this is one room spray that I’ll always have in my home. Customer Review: “I love this room spray! It smells just like the candle, and it has a powerful presence without being overwhelming. I hope they continue to make this because it is going to become a regular in my apartment.”
