Here's the thing: If you want to be part of the achingly cool clique of the fashionable elites, be prepared to decorate your home with scented candles. But far from one of those Yankee candles you see at drugstores, these chunk of scented wax will set you back more than $100. And that's just for the small-sized ones.

But if you're willing to pay top dollar to bring some ultra chic scent into your home, you definitely have discerning taste - or at least you can pretend to have it. You know what they say, fake it till you make it!

Here's a run-down of some of the best names you need to know and get for your homes.

DIPTYQUE

The french candle-maker has become one of the most covetable fashion items - and it is not even an It bag or the latest skyscraper heels. Walk into some of the most upscale department and multi-label stores, and you will definitely be greeted by the sweet scents wafting through the air.
One of the cult-favourites is the Figuier (fig tree) candle.

Recalling the warmth of fig tress, this scent is one of the most popular scents from the French candle house. Its light, elusive and deliciously fresh fruity fragrance perfectly encapsulates the essence of summer. And since we all live in Singapore (where it's super hot all the time), this scent fills the room with that rich, warm notes that make your home welcoming and, more importantly, achingly hip.

CIRÉ TRUDON

While Diptyque is a brand the cool fashion set look to when furnishing their homes, it is not the best. If you want to be seen as someone who is "in the know", what you need is a candle from Cire Trudon.

Founded in 1643, Trudon has the prestige of being the oldest wax factory in the world. According to American Elle, the meticulous manufacturing process, which involved tirelessly filtering the wax and choosing wicks of only the utmost quality for the cleanest, longest-burning votives possible, set the precedent for the top home fragrance companies today.

It is said that back then, the handmade candles even earned a glowing endorsement from Louis XIV during the Sun King's reign. Basically, the house has 370 years worth of impressive history and it is the most covetable candle brand to date. That says alot, no?

Try the Odalisque scent that's described as being enclosed in citrus and wood bark. The orange blossom weaves a painter’s dream from which escapes the pale volute of smoke from a narghile. We want this in truckloads already.

LE LABO

Le Labo was founded by Fabrice Penot and Edouard Roschi in 2006. They debuted with 10 fragrances. The number in the fragrance name indicates the number of notes in its composition and the name of material (Vetiver, Jasmin, Labdanum) refers to the most prominent note in it.

Though it was a recent launch, Le Labo quickly became a cult-favourite. The Santal 26 candle is by far one of my favorite scent. Comprised of cardamom, iris, violet, and ambrox, smelling of wood alloy (Australian sandalwood, papyrus, cedar wood) and some spicy, leathery, musky notes. This bad boy burns for over 65 hours and sits in a thick one-pound glass.

MAISON BALZAC

Founded by Elise Pioch, Maison Balzac Candles have been described as “an ode to the memories” of a childhood spent in the South of France. The brand's name is inspired by Pioch’s grandfather Andre Balzac, a descendant of literary legend Honoré de Balzac, and each scent pulls on olfactive memories - from the foods and fauna of the region to the perfumery boutique her mother ran in the ’70s. Following a stint in Paris working in communications for Hermes, a move to Sydney saw a change of careers sparked by homesickness.

The candle house uses a mix of lemon myrtle, native ginger, hemp, tree resin, birch tar, red cedar in its smartly presented candles.

Brands featured in this article are available at Escentials. Visit their website at escentials.com.sg or have a whiff of the scents in person and find your favourite at 03-02 Paragon.