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Editorial Disclosure: LAWA Candles paid TheRoundup.org an editorial fee for this independent brand review and gifted a candle for testing. Payment and gifting did not guarantee a positive review, and LAWA Candles did not receive final editorial control.
LAWA Candles makes unscented, sculptural soy wax candles, hand-poured in a Los Angeles studio.
Scented candles fill your home with fragrance ingredients as they burn, which is a problem for anyone who gets headaches from artificial scents. LAWA's candles are made from plant-based soy wax with no added scent. Every LAWA candle ships in plastic-free packaging.
Our tester, Carl, has been lighting LAWA's large Swirl Candle at home to judge its design, burn, and value for money.
If you want a non-toxic candle that looks as good on a shelf as it does lit, this LAWA Candles review is for you.
LAWA Candles' best features are its sculptural shapes, unscented plant-based soy wax, and plastic-free packaging. The main drawbacks are the high prices and the melted wax that runs down the sides, so you'll need to buy a plate.
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LAWA Candles designs every shape in its range in-house, which sets it apart from brands that resell imported candles.
LAWA Candles is a Los Angeles brand that hand-pours unscented soy wax candles in sculptural shapes, designed to burn well and look good on display between burns. Kseniya and Polina, two founders originally from Belarus, started LAWA in 2022 in a one-bedroom apartment with a small budget and a few molds.
LAWA's founders built the brand around shape over fragrance. Kseniya and Polina still run LAWA themselves and stay involved in every candle, from concept to finished product.
LAWA makes its candles by hand in its own studio in Reseda, California. LAWA pours every candle by hand into a mold in small batches, and hand-pouring creates slight differences from one candle to the next.
The Swirl Candle is LAWA's best-selling shape, so Carl from our testing team tested the large size for this review.
The LAWA Swirl Candle (Large) is a $56 unscented soy pillar candle with soft spiral ridges that twist upward. The large Swirl Candle has the following specifications.
| Feature | Swirl Candle (Large) |
|---|---|
| Size | 4.9 inches (12.4 cm) wide, 7.5 inches (19.1 cm) tall |
| Price | $56 |
| Burn time | About 20 hours (LAWA's estimate) |
| Wax | EcoSoya Pillar Blend soy wax |
| Wick | Cotton |
| Scent | Unscented |
| Colors | Moon Gray, Olive Beige, White, Sandstone, Dusty Rose, Jade |
| Other sizes | Small, Medium, Set of 3 |
Carl picked the large Swirl Candle in Moon Gray, and he shares his verdict in his own words.
The plastic-free packaging feels premium, and I'd happily give a Swirl Candle as a gift. I love the design, which makes a much bigger statement than a standard candle, even before I light it. I chose Moon Gray because it's neutral enough to suit the color scheme in any of my rooms.
Check the measurements of the large Swirl before you order if you have a particular shelf or candle plate in mind.
At $56, the large Swirl is expensive. For me, the design, the EcoSoya wax and the fact that each candle is hand-poured in Los Angeles help justify the price.
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The Swirl Candle's twisted shape also changes how it burns because the distance from the wick to the outer surface varies around the spiral.
LAWA candles are freestanding pillar candles, so they burn without a jar around them to hold the melted wax.
LAWA's best-selling candles burn 2 to 45 hours each, depending on shape and size, according to the burn times listed on their product pages.
Carl found the large Swirl slower-burning than the cheaper candles he has used. So far, LAWA's 20-hour estimate feels about right to Carl. LAWA's burn times are estimates, and drafts, room conditions, and wick length all change how long a candle lasts.
LAWA candles drip because melted wax that reaches the edge has nothing to hold it, so it runs down the side. On the Swirl Candle, melted wax runs down the swirls and hardens again, so the candle looks slightly different after every burn.
Carl thinks the drips give his Swirl Candle character, while his wife thinks they make it look messy. According to the brand, some LAWA shapes develop pronounced drips, while others soften gradually.
Carl's Swirl Candle arrived without a plate, and a metal lid from an old candle now works as its drip tray.
To burn a LAWA candle safely, set it on a heat-resistant base, trim the wick, and keep each burn short. LAWA recommends the following steps for its sculptural candles.
LAWA also advises burning its candles in a ventilated room because burning candles release pollutants into indoor air.
Yes, LAWA candles are non-toxic because they are unscented, although all burning candles, including soy, release particles. All of LAWA's retail candles are 100% unscented, with no fragrance oils or perfume, according to the brand.
Leaving out fragrance makes a difference, because scented candles release evaporated fragrance ingredients into the room as they burn (Salthammer et al., 2021). Artificial fragrances give Carl headaches, so the unscented Swirl Candle was a big plus for him. The Swirl Candle still gives off a faint, clean, natural smell when lit.
Soy wax and paraffin wax emit different pollutants, and two studies show how they differ. In one test, soy wax candles produced little or no soot, while paraffin candles produced a considerable amount (Rezaei et al., 2002). A 2026 test found that natural-wax candles emitted more ultrafine particles than paraffin candles, while paraffin candles emitted more larger particles (Crunkelton et al., 2026).
Taken together, the two studies suggest that a soy candle like LAWA's produces less soot than a paraffin candle but still emits fine particles. How a candle burns also matters, because a flame flickering in moving air produces more soot (Andersen et al., 2021). Keeping a LAWA candle out of drafts, as the burning steps above describe, reduces emissions.
LAWA uses EcoSoya Pillar Blend, a plant-based soy wax made for freestanding candles, with cotton wicks. EcoSoya Pillar Blend is made from 100% natural soybeans, according to Kerax, the UK company that makes it. LAWA imports its wax from England.
A pillar candle has to stand up without a jar, so pillar wax has to set firm enough to keep the shape of the mold. LAWA chose EcoSoya Pillar Blend after testing other waxes, because the wax keeps the ridges and curves of each mold, releases cleanly, and sets with a soft matte surface. LAWA's candles are vegan and paraffin-free, according to the brand.
Kerax describes EcoSoya Pillar Blend as a sustainable, renewable wax, which is the first of several reasons LAWA Candles is a sustainable brand.
Yes, LAWA Candles is a sustainable candle brand, with plant-based soy wax, plastic-free packaging, and small-batch production in Los Angeles. LAWA's sustainability claims come from the brand itself and are not independently certified.
Soy wax comes from a crop, and paraffin wax comes from petroleum. Soy wax is compostable, but paraffin wax is not, as our guide to whether candle wax is compostable explains. LAWA's soy candles are biodegradable, according to the brand.
LAWA packs every candle in paper-based wrapping and cushioning, without plastic wrap or foam. Paper packing still has to protect each candle in transit, according to LAWA, because a damaged candle means another candle, another box, and another shipment.
Carl expected a plate at this price, but leaving the plate out saves waste if you already own a candle plate or tray.
LAWA Candles includes plastic-free packaging with every order, regardless of the candle's price.
LAWA Candles sells its candles through its website and hand-dispatches every order from its studio in Reseda, California.
LAWA candles start at $16 for the Square Ribbed Candle and go up to $56 for the largest single candles. LAWA's six best-selling shapes, in order of popularity, have the following sizes, prices, and burn times.
| LAWA candle | Sizes (width × height) | Price | Burn time (LAWA estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swirl Candle | Small 3 in (7.6 cm) × 3.6 in (9.1 cm), Medium 4.4 in (11.2 cm) × 4.6 in (11.7 cm), Large 4.9 in (12.4 cm) × 7.5 in (19.1 cm), Set of 3 | $21, $37, $56, $105 | 2, 9 and 20 hours |
| Hourglass Pillar Candle | Set of 2: 2.75 in (7 cm) × 8 in (20.3 cm) and 2.75 in (7 cm) × 10 in (25.4 cm) | $53 | 16 hours |
| Raw Block Candle | Small 2.7 in (6.9 cm) × 2.7 in (6.9 cm), Large 2.7 in (6.9 cm) × 5.4 in (13.7 cm), Set of 2 | $28, $42, $60 | 14 and 45 hours |
| Sphere Candle | Small 3 in (7.6 cm), Large 4 in (10.2 cm), Set of 2 | $20, $30, $50 | 12 to 16 hours |
| Vase Candles | Set of 2: 4 in (10.2 cm) × 8 in (20.3 cm) and 4 in (10.2 cm) × 12 in (30.5 cm) | $41 | 3 hours |
| Greek Face Candle | 4 in (10.2 cm) × 6 in (15.2 cm) | $31 | 3 to 4 hours |
LAWA ships free to US addresses on orders over $50; smaller orders are calculated at checkout. LAWA usually prepares each order in 1 to 2 business days, and tracked delivery takes 3 to 5 business days in the US and 4 to 15 business days in Canada. Customs or import fees on Canadian orders are the buyer's responsibility.
LAWA accepts returns of unused candles within 14 days of delivery and refunds the original payment method. You may return the candle in any packaging, as long as it is packed carefully.
If you receive a damaged candle or the wrong item, LAWA replaces it if you email a short description and a photo within 48 hours of delivery. Candles left outdoors in heat, cold, or rain for a long time after delivery fall outside LAWA's damage cover.
Yes, LAWA candles are worth the price for an unscented, plant-based candle that looks good in a room whether it is lit or not, as long as you are happy to pay more than for a plain pillar candle. Burn time per dollar varies across the range. Among LAWA's best-sellers, the Raw Block Large offers the most burn hours per dollar.
If you prefer a different shape to the Swirl, LAWA's other products use the same EcoSoya wax and cotton wicks.
LAWA Candles lists 30 candles on its All Products page, grouped into collections such as Swirl, Wavy, Ribbed, Statue, and Round Ball candles. LAWA also makes custom candles for businesses and events.
After the Swirl Candle, LAWA's best-sellers are the Hourglass Pillar, Raw Block, Sphere, Vase, and Greek Face candles, all hand-poured from the same EcoSoya wax with cotton wicks. The five best-sellers come in the following shapes.
LAWA's swirl collection also includes the Spiral Spire and Twisted Pyramid candles, which share the twisting ridges of the Swirl Candle Carl tested.
LAWA makes custom and private-label sculptural candles for businesses, either in its existing shapes or in new shapes designed with the client. Custom orders come in brand-matched colors and, if the client asks, brand-matched scents.
LAWA's custom projects include 500 sculptural face candles for a BOY London America event and 100 candles shaped like Particle's Elephant Chair for AZUR at LA Design Week. The brand makes a sample of each custom candle and refines it through two rounds of approval before pouring the full order.
The brand is also expanding into jar candles, both as its own line and as a custom option.
LAWA's retail customers review its candles on its product pages through the Judge.me review platform.
LAWA Candles holds a 4.9 out of 5-star average from 351 Judge.me reviews. The Swirl Candle averages 4.93 out of 5 from 59 reviews, although only 7% of them are marked as verified purchases.
Swirl Candle reviews most often mention the design, careful packing, and gifting. One buyer gave the Set of 3 as a Christmas present, which the recipients now use as a table centerpiece.
Our own testing backs up the praise for the design and packaging. Carl's testing adds two drawbacks the reviews we read leave out: the dripping wax and the missing plate, both covered earlier in this LAWA Candles review.
LAWA Candles is a good choice for shoppers looking for a sculptural soy candle with no added scent, and a poor choice for shoppers looking for fragrance or a candle that burns without a plate.
Choose LAWA Candles if:
Choose a jar candle if:
Whichever LAWA shape you choose, we recommend adding a heat-proof base before the first burn; then you can enjoy watching it change.
Get 10% Discount at LAWA Candles With Coupon Code THEROUNDUP10
