(Living)

This Horror-Inspired Candle Is The Stylish Way To Do Halloween Home Fragrance

by Madge Maril
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Courtesy of A24
A24 x Joya Genre Horror Candle
We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

While streaming Hereditary, The Lighthouse, or Midsommar, wondering how the movies might smell in real life isn't a top-of-mind thought. Usually, viewing a horror flick from the ever-blooming movie company A24 conjures up one thing and one thing only — fear. (OK, maybe followed by the need to discuss the ending, in detail, with every single one of your friends.) However, if you have ever wondered how the horror genre smells — or Sci-Fi, or Rom-Com — then let the A24 x Joya Genre Candles answer for you. Rereleased on Oct. 12, the incredibly chic collection rethinks movie theater scents.

This drop might feel familiar to you. A24 originally launched its Genre collaboration with the candle brand Joya in November of 2018. Eight quintessential movie genres are brought to life (or rather, scent) for the collection: Horror, Western, Thriller, Noir, Adventure, Musical, Sci-Fi, and Rom-Com. Each $48 candle is packaged in a sleek black vessel with a color-coordinated label; truthfully, fans of the cult film purveyor might even keep the black-on-black box, which is glossily embossed with the A24 logo.

So, what is the fragrance of a spooky season movie? According to A24's website, the inspiration for the scarlet-labeled Horror candle was "fangs, glowing eyes, remote lakeside cabins, foreboding shadows on walls, bloody knives, low-angle staircase shots, dilapidated houses silhouetted on a hill, [and] black cats." More specifically, this means mandarin, clove leaf, cypress, suede, and cinnamon bark, a gender-neutral, Halloween-esque combination that errs on the side of mystery.

Courtesy of A24

And, yes, before you ask, the candles really do smell like genres. A24 sent the Sci-Fi candle my way, a water lily, star anise, witch hazel, and ice water fragrance inspired by weightlessness, hyperdrive, cryogenic pods, and "an astronaut falling into the infinite void," amongst other things. There is a hint of astronomical panic and otherworldly metal to it, if you know to look for it. If you don't, though, you might just think it's a very elevated floral. It's excellent either way.

Ahead, the rereleased A24 x Joya Genre Candles, now available online on A24's website as well as JoyaStudio.com. Move fast, though; as with any A24 drop (including the original collab), products tend to sell out in the blink of an eye.

We only include products that have been independently selected by The Zoe Report's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

This article was originally published on