Tag: scented candles

The Art of Cosy: Transform Your Space with Festive Fragrances

As the festive season approaches and we prepare to welcome in the new year, there’s nothing quite like the warm embrace of a cosy, fragrant home to lift our spirits and create a welcoming atmosphere for family and friends.

The power of scent to evoke memories, comfort, and joy is particularly potent during this time of year, and many of us turn to fragrant candles and diffusers to infuse our living spaces with delightful aromas. But which are best, where should you place them, and how can you make them last longer? Read on for a fuss-free fragrant guide…

 

 

Candles vs Diffusers:

Scented candles have long been a favourite for creating a cosy ambiance, especially for those of us who don’t have the luxury of a real log fire. The soft, flickering light combined with a carefully chosen fragrance can transform any room into a snug haven. There’s something inherently comforting about the warm glow of candlelight, and when paired with seasonal scents like woods, cinnamon, forest-y notes like pine, or warming, creamy ingredients like vanilla, it can instantly transport us to a world of festive cheer.

While candles remain a popular choice, scented diffusers have been gaining significant traction in recent years. Their appeal lies in their convenience and longevity. Many modern diffusers are refillable, making them a more sustainable option for the environmentally conscious. The beauty of diffusers is that you can simply place them in your desired location and let them work their magic, continuously releasing fragrance without the need for constant attention or the worry of an open flame.

 

 

Perfect Placement:

To get the most out of your home fragrancing, consider strategic placement of your candles and diffusers: For maximum impact, place them in areas with good air circulation – near doorways or in the centre of a room often works well. However, avoid placing them directly in the path of air conditioning or heating vents, as this can disperse the scent too quickly or unevenly.

In the living room, consider placing a candle or diffuser on a coffee table or mantelpiece, where it can become a focal point and spread its aroma throughout the space. For a subtle yet effective approach in the bedroom, a diffuser on a bedside table can create a relaxing atmosphere conducive to sleep.

The kitchen is another excellent location for home fragrancing, especially during the festive season. A well-placed candle or diffuser can help neutralise cooking odours and infuse the space with inviting scents that complement your culinary creations.

 

 

 

Make Them Last Longer:

To get the best from your candles, always trim the wick to about 6mm before lighting. This ensures a clean, even burn and helps prevent smoking. Allow the wax to melt all the way to the edges of the container on the first burn to prevent tunnelling and ensure you get the most out of your candle.

For reed diffusers, flip the reeds every few days to refresh the scent. If you find the fragrance too strong, simply remove a few reeds to reduce its intensity. Conversely, add more reeds if you want a stronger scent throw.

 

 

Layering Home Scents:

Don’t be afraid to layer scents throughout your home. You might choose a fresh, crisp fragrance for the entrance hall, a warm, spicy scent for the living areas, and a soothing lavender or vanilla for the bedroom. This creates a journey of scents as you move through your home, each one evoking a different mood or memory.

Remember, the goal is to create an inviting atmosphere that reflects your personal style and enhances your home’s comfort. Whether you prefer the traditional charm of candles or the modern convenience of diffusers, the right fragrance can transform your living space into a cosy retreat perfect for enjoying the festive season and welcoming the new year.

We’ve so many home scents we love to use at this time of year, but here’s our fragrant festive selection for a cosy home right now…

 

 

La Montaña Three Kings Candle £39 for 220g

‘Everyone in the village looks forward to the Three Kings holiday and its unique fragrances – a highlight of the winter months. We love to walk down into the village, through the woods, with their gorgeous fragrance of trampled pine needles (which smell to us like a field full of fresh Christmas trees). Then, we get to the heart of the village, where the church doors are wide open and the air is suffused with incense, as well as the warm scent of traditional, homemade turrón (almond nougat) being sold from stalls. It’s usually cold (even in Spain), so there’s much milling about with the promise of a brightening tot of brandy. What a winter treat!’

 

Cochine Juniper & Ginger Diffuser £60 for 150ml

‘This luxurious diffuser combines the crisp scent of juniper with the sweet spiciness of ginger. Reminiscent of lush, green woods and exotic, evergreen mountains this uplifting scent has hints of clove, bergamot and patchouli blended with the freshness of eucalyptus. Containing the finest essential oils, Cochine reed diffusers will visually and aromatically give your room a unique and subtle elegance.’

 

La Montaña Winter Oranges (3 wick) Candle £100 for 650g

‘A warm, spicy, zesty blend of Valencia orange, cinnamon, red apple, and clove. This is our interpretation of the fragrance of the Valencian orange harvest that takes place throughout winter, with added hints of nostalgia from the English Christmases of our childhoods. This is one to come home to after a crisp, crunchy, winter walk – cheering, cosy and comforting. A perennial winter favourite.’

 

 

Cochine Tuberose Absolute & Sandalwood Diffuser £60 for 150ml

For those seeking an alternative to traditional winter scents, this is still cosy but stunningly opulent, too! ‘Exclusively created with master perfumer, Maurice Roucel, this is the scent of exotic and unforgettable nights. Feminine, alluring and intriguing tuberose notes combine with rich leather and sandalwood in this intoxicating, utterly addictive fragrance.’

 

La Montaña Mistela Candle £39 for 220g

‘Mistela is a Valencian dessert wine usually served at family celebrations, or when lingering after a good meal; it’s a festive blend of raisins and exotic spices often served with a curl of orange peel, or even a coffee bean… The fragrance is distinctive and original yet at the same time warm and familiar. And utterly more-ish.’

Cochine Vanille & Tabac Noir Candle £45 for 230g

‘This rich, sultry candle balances notes of vanilla bean and warm hints of patchouli with soft, sensual tones of tobacco flower. Extracts of cardamom, nutmeg and basil lend a delicate spiciness.’

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Cosy scented candles for autumn

How many of you have sought out your scented candles in the last few days, we wonder? There’s something undeniably comforting about lighting a candle when the nip of autumn’s chill and the darker nights have drawn in. While we may not rely on them to illuminate our spaces entirely, the gentle flicker of a flame has an enchanting way of drawing our attention and soothing our senses.

In these darker months, when the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, candles become more than mere décor; they transform our homes into sanctuaries of warmth and tranquillity.The soft glow of candlelight can evoke the cosy ambiance of a crackling log fire, even if we’re not fortunate enough to have one in our living rooms. There’s a rhythm to the flickering flames that mimics the natural dance of fire, creating a serene atmosphere that invites relaxation and reflection.

 

 

 

 

This visual comfort is especially potent as we retreat indoors, seeking solace from the brisk winds and early sunsets.While it’s true that scented candles can be enjoyed year-round, there’s a special allure to them as the temperatures drop. The colder months bring with them a unique yearning for warmth, both physical and emotional. As we wrap ourselves in blankets and sip on warm beverages, reaching for candles feels instinctive. They become companions in our evening rituals, casting a soft light that enhances our surroundings and elevates our mood.

Moreover, the act of lighting a candle can be a mindful practice in itself. It serves as a moment of pause amidst our busy lives—a chance to breathe deeply and set intentions for the evening ahead. The flicker of the flame encourages us to slow down, inviting us to embrace the present moment and relish in its simplicity.

 

 

 

 

As we gather with loved ones or enjoy solitary evenings, candles create an inviting backdrop that fosters connection and conversation. Their presence can transform any space into a haven, offering not just light but also an element of magic that enhances our experiences.

So, as we embrace this season of longer nights and cooler air, let’s celebrate the humble candle. It’s more than just a source of illumination; it’s a beacon of comfort that draws us in with its warm glow and soothing presence. Whether you’re curling up with a good book or sharing stories with friends, let the flickering flames of some of our favourite scented candles remind you of the beauty in stillness, and the joy found in simple pleasures…

 

 

La Montaña Alfredo’s Café Candle

Capturing the essence of a vibrant Spanish village hub. Inspired by a real-life café owned by Alfredo, this fragrance embodies the heart and soul of community life. As you light the candle, you can almost hear the lively chatter, hearty laughter, and the satisfying clack of dominoes hitting the table. This complex aroma took exceptional craftsmanship to perfect, requiring over forty iterations before achieving its final, captivating scent. The result is a sophisticated blend of black tobacco, coffee, and brandy, intertwined with notes of leather and church incense. So evocative and alluring is this fragrance that it’s become the most requested as a personal cologne. Alfredo’s Café Candle doesn’t just scent a room; it transports you to the warm, cosy atmosphere of a bustling Mediterranean café.

£39 for 220g

Cochine Cedar & Vietnamese Oud Candle

Close your eyes, and imagine hidden temples of Central Vietnam’s lush forests. This exquisite fragrance artfully transports you there via nuanced tones of cedar and sandalwood with the precious resins of amber and oudh. As the candle burns, it releases a warming aroma that envelops your space in comforting woody notes. The deep, resinous scent of oudh adds a luxurious depth, while hints of incense evoke a sense of ancient rituals and tranquility. This grounding fragrance soothes the senses, creating an atmosphere of calm contemplation. The interplay of these noble ingredients results in a sophisticated, multi-layered scent that transforms your home into a serene sanctuary, perfect for meditation or unwinding after a long day.

£45 for 230g

 

 

 

 

Ostens Illumination Rose Candle

If you’re not quite ready for full on spices, consider the plush velvety scent of an opulent rose candle. Ostens Rose Illumination, for example, transports you to the valleys of Anatolia, Turkey, where the exquisite Rosa Damascena, known as the ‘Queen of Flowers,’ is harvested at dawn. The delicate blooms are kept in the shade until they reach traditional copper stills, where their essence is distilled into a luxurious rose oil, capturing the fragrance of thousands of fresh petals. This candle unfolds with a vibrant, green freshness that transitions into a voluptuous, warming heart of jammy rose, accented by notes of exotic fruits and ripe red berries. Light it to fill your home with the enchanting aroma of a blooming Turkish rose garden, and wrap yourself in a velvet robe, darling!

£65 for 220g

Cochine Agarwood & Amber Candle

Discover the divine essence of Cochine’s Agarwood & Amber Candle, a luxurious fragrance inspired by the legendary ‘Wood of the Gods’. This rich, woody scent masterfully blends the profound depth of agarwood with the sensual warmth of white amber, ethereal tuberose, and earthy patchouli for a scent that bridges seasons and feels cosy yet not overpowering. Crafted with meticulous care, the candle features eco-friendly cotton wicks and creamy botanical palm wax sourced from renewable resources. Each hand-poured candle promises over 50 hours of sublime fragrance, elegantly finished with an embossed silver lid, proving cosy can be ultra chic.

£45 for 230g 

 

Candle Mistela La Montana

La Montaña Mistela Candle

Inspired by the cherished tradition of Valencian dessert wines, the Mistela candle captures the essence of this beloved libation, perfect for family gatherings. Picture loved ones around a table, laughter mingling with the gentle clink of glasses filled with amber nectar. The candle’s aroma unfolds with the luscious sweetness of raisins, complemented by a blend of exotic spices like cinnamon and star anise, creating a complex yet comforting scent. Notes of zesty orange peel and roasted coffee bean add depth, making this fragrance both distinctive and familiar. With its warm embrace, the Mistela candle invites you to indulge in nostalgia and celebration.

£39 for 220g 

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

 

Bringing sunshine home – the perfumed power of scented candles (to make the most of August)

We’re celebrating the power of scented candles to evoke sunshine and make the most of August! Let’s embrace the summer we wished for with these exquisite candles that embody the season’s warmth and beauty, and bring the sunshine home (even if it’s not present in the weather!)

 

 

In a world where the sunshine can be fleeting, and the British summer can often be elusive, scented candles serve as a delightful remedy, allowing us to invite the essence of that sunshine into our homes, in fragrant form. After all, we know the power of fragrance is so profound; it can evoke memories, alter moods, and transform the atmosphere of any space. So, lighting a candle is not just about illumination; it’s about creating an experience that uplifts and inspires.

 

The Transformative Power of Scent

When you light a candle, you release a symphony of scents that can instantly transport you to a sunny paradise. Each candle, with its unique blend of fragrances, encapsulates the warmth and vibrancy of summer. Here’s how they can brighten your day:

  • Mood Enhancement: Fragrances like frangipani, jasmine, and rose have been shown to elevate mood and reduce stress. The act of lighting a candle can trigger the release of feel-good hormones, making you feel more relaxed and happy.
  • Atmospheric Change: Whether it’s morning, noon, or night, lighting a candle can instantly change the ambiance of your home. A flickering flame and the soft glow create a cozy, inviting environment that encourages relaxation and connection.
  • Sensory Escape: Each time you light a candle, you embark on a sensory journey. The scents can evoke memories of summer vacations, garden parties, or lazy afternoons, allowing you to escape the dreariness of the weather outside.

 

 

Embrace the Light Anytime

Candles are not just for evenings; they can be enjoyed at any time of day. Here are a few suggestions for incorporating them into your daily routine, to make the most of their scent, and bring instant sunshine at the strike of a match:

  • Morning Rituals: Start your day with a lighted candle while enjoying breakfast or your morning coffee. The uplifting scents can invigorate your senses and set a positive tone for the day ahead.
  • Midday Boost: When the afternoon slump hits, light a candle to refresh your workspace. Bright, citrus, fragrant notes evoking sunshine can enhance focus and creativity, making mundane tasks feel more enjoyable.
  • Evening Wind Down: After a long day, lighting a candle can signal to your mind that it’s time to relax. Pair it with a good book or a warm (fragrant) bath for a truly indulgent experience.

Tropical Escapes

Cochine Frangipani & Neroli transports you to sunshine-drenched beaches with its intoxicating blend of exotic frangipani and zesty neroli.Its heady floral notes evoke memories of balmy evenings and seaside retreats. £45 for 230g

Cochine Tuberose & Wild Fig offers a lush, green fragrance reminiscent of Mediterranean gardens. The creamy tuberose intertwines with earthy fig, creating an aroma that captures the essence of languid summer days. £45 for 230g

 

 

Floral Fantasies

Ostens Illumination Jasmine fills your space with the intoxicating scent of night-blooming jasmine. Its delicate yet powerful fragrance evokes moonlit gardens and romantic summer evenings. £65 for 220g

Ostens Illumination Rose brings to life rose petals basking in sunshine. This sophisticated scent captures the essence of English rose gardens in full bloom, perfect for lazy afternoon teas. £65 for 220g

 

 

Mediterranean Moments

La Montaña Siesta embodies the tranquility of a Spanish afternoon. With notes of orange flower, herbs, and woods, it recreates the serene atmosphere of a sun-dappled courtyard. £39 for 220g

La Montaña August Sunset encapsulates the magic of late summer evenings. Its blend of fruit, flowers, and woody notes evokes the golden hour, when the sky is ablaze with warm hues. £39 for 220g

 

These candles offer a sensory journey to the sunshine we longed for, allowing us to bask in its essence even as (dare we whisper it?) autumn approaches. So, if August hasn’t quite been the sunshine-soaked idyll you’d dreamed of so far, and if you’re not able to get away – or you’ve had your holiday and it already feels like a distant memory: light one of these stunning scented candles, and bring the sunshine home, at any time…

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Sumptuous Summer Candles…

Yes, candles for Summer – it’s a vibe! Forget thoughts of only saving scented candles for cosying up in Autumn and Winter (although, the British weather, lately, has reminded us of those seasons). Here’s our round-up of sumptuous candles to bring joy and light into your life for the rest of Summer, even when the weather isn’t playing along…

 

 

 

 

La Montana August Sunset £39 for 220g

Conjuring visions of a blissful Summer evening spent in the garden, the heat of the sun dispersing as the sky becomes suffused with melting colours, and the scent of the blooms yields to the cooler night’s air. A heady haze of orange flower, rose and geranium meet fennel-flecked rockrose in this Summer stunner.

 

 

Paul Smith Daydreamer £65 for 240g

For blissed-out moments of perfumed pondering you can do no better than to light this, sit back, relax, and let your thoughts wander where they will. Fragrant meanderings are via head-clearing verbena, calming clary sage and a late Summer’s breeze carrying drifts of bee-buzzed lavender and sun-warmed hay.

 

Cochine White Jasmine & Gardenia £45 for 230g

Evoking a Summer of exotic climes (or memories of them), all the lush floral scents that infuse the sun-filled streets and gardens of Saigon are packed within. Blooming as it warms, wafts of white petals – jasmine, gardenia and peony – combine to unfold an enchanting aura that is soft yet effortlessly elegant.

 

 

 

 

 

Byredo Summer Rain £64 for 240g

A sudden Summer downpour heralds a relief of emotions with that sudden release of freshness, a verdant awakening with wet trees, dripping foliage and the coolness of the air slicing through oppressive humidity. The luxuriant, renewed greenery of basil is garlanded by a gasp of spearmint; richly grounded in tonka.

 

 

Stories No. 2 Trio £95 for 3 x 70g

Reflecting the top, heart and base notes of STORIES Nº.02 original fragrance, this candle trio are fragrant facets – inspired yet not identical, with some creative tweaks. Light one at a time or all at once for a memory-filled barefoot stroll through dewy grass, a drift of pipe smoke, the silvery ripples of a stream.

 

 

 

 

 

Diptyque Citronelle £56 for 190g

Repelling mosquitoes in the most deliciously opulent way, this candle will certainly attract welcome Summer visitors. Luminous lemongrass infuses its uplifting, soul-reviving scent into smile-garnering verbena, luscious neroli, and heady orange blossom. A delight at any time of day or night: the scent of Summer.

 

 

Ostens Illumination Jasmine £65 for 220g

One of those candles whose scent is such exquisite quality you almost hesitate to light it, worry not: the fragrance will suffuse a room even unlit, and once the wick is alight, the sheer beauty of that LMR-bottled night-blooming jasmine (hand-picked near the Nile Delta) truly shines. Its gorgeousness is unsurpassed.

 

 

 

 

Ruth Mastenbroek Blooming Wild £45 for 220g

Like running headlong into a Summer’s meadow, this flower-filled candle is all the exuberance of a Summer fling in scented candle form (though will last far longer than many seasonally-transient relationships). It’s a whole field of blooms, plus snapped stems and crushed leaves adding verdancy. Joyous!

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Scented candles we’re coveting

Scented candles have helped us stay (mostly) sane this year. A bold statement, but when we’ve spent more time than ever at home – working, raising families, interacting with partners or house-mates on a 24 hour basis or simply trying to get through the day alone – it’s been an easy way to instantly change a space, a vibe, with fragrance.

And it seems we’re not alone in this perfumed passion. Sales of fragranced candles, along with ‘premium food’ have been one of the mood-markers of 2020.

As The Guardian newspaper recently commented, ‘cold weather and coronavirus restrictions encourage Britons to hunker down for winter,’ reporting that what we’re been turning to are ways of making ourselves feels better, hence: ‘Sales of scented candles, potpourri and essential oils for diffusers jumped 29% in October, according to the research group Kantar.’

It makes sense. Candles can help us feel calm – not only for the scent, but focusing on the flickering flame awhile. They bring a feeling of warmth and comfort, a cosiness that’s been sorely needed as the temperatures in the U.K. plummeted and the darkness drew in. We’ve gone from tropical exoticism in the bathroom to torrid sensuality in the bedroom (or the kitchen, why not?). We’re using zingy scents to get us going in the morning, soothing smells to help us wind down of an evening, and traversing the world through our noses all the many, many hours in-between.

Because good grief, how we’ve longed for ‘newness’ – and the act of lighting a scented candle can genuinely shake you out of the doldrums!

Quite apart from how fabulous some of the containers look, and how good quality candles can contiunue to scent a room even unlit; they also make thoughtful gifts. But personally, we’re doing the ‘one for you, one for me’ rule with the following selection of some of our favourites to stock up on. Which will you give, and which are you coveting for yourself, we wonder…?

Ruth Mastenbroek Ancient Frankincense £55 for
Cosy as toasting your toes by a roaring fire, this is one to light, snuggle up on the sofa and read something unashamedly soothing with. Or kick back with a frivolously festive film. The warmth of frankincense, precious resins of myrrh and labdanum are tickled by pink pepper up top and swaddled in rich patchouli in the base. Aromatic notes of cypress and pine, meanwhile, remind us of walks through the woods – wrapped up in your favourite coat, savouring the frosty freshness of the air. Sublime!

(PS: Get your hands on a mini size of either Ancient Frankincense or the Rebel County candle as part of our sumptuous Indulgence Discovery Box, for £36 / £32 for VIPs)

Boujee Bougies Queen Jam £55 for 220g
Outrageously jam-y, this sashays up with bucket loads of berries – raspberries and bilberries, to be precise – and oodles of rose petals; that unctious stickiness shot through with flashes of tart green to prevent it being sickly. Olfiction perfumer Pia Long has created a stunning evocation of a Finnish preserve that feels equal parts grown up glam and giggle-inducing frolics. Check out their entire range via the super cute mini candles for £25 (buy one of each and you’ll get one free as part of their launch offer, while stocks last!)

Floral Street Sunshine Bloom £28 for 200g
A welcome shaft of sunlight for the duller days, this scented candle keeping the memory of summer vibes alive with luminescent notes of jasmine, creamy fig leaf (which smells like being on holiday – close your eyes and you can almost feel the sunshine, hear the waves…). Meanwhile, wild orchid, black pepper, incense and salted musks manage to be both delicious and vibrant. This is a solar scent that truly sparkles and recalibrates: a fragrant re-set for the mind, if you will.

 

La Montaña Siesta: £39 for 220g
We don’t know about you, but getting absolutely anything done right now seems to sap twice the amount of energy as usual. We could all dearly do with a daily siesta, but not all of us can make that space in our day. This candle cossets with lavender, juniper and thyme – an herbaceous breeze from a garden as you ‘close your eyes and imagine yourself drowsing on a hot afternoon, gently swinging in a hammock in the shade of a tree, with the crickets chirruping, and the sun-baked fragrances of the countryside lulling you to sleep.’ Oh we’re SO there…

Tom Daxon White Narcissus: £25 for 185g
A winter’s walk captured in fragrant form, here, with a bouquet of white flowers – gloriously heady narcissus and hyacinth – and the snapped-stalked freshness of galbanum and green violet leaf, which manages to temper the otherwise fabulously blowsy floralcy. Tendrils of cardamom-infused smoke drift drowsily through the cold, still air as gaiac wood and cedar smoulder on the shady vetiver base. One to gift those who are about done with cinnamon and eggnog and are checking the weather forecast, hourly, for the first signs of spring. That’d be us, then.

By Suzy Nightingale

Scented candles for summer: bring the sunshine in!

Scented candles have become a staple for many a home these past few months – establishing a sense of calm or uplifting spirits when we may have felt rather trapped indoors – and affirming the long established massive rise in sales of fragranced candles year ’round…

It seems practically a century ago, now, but in 2018 it was reported that the U.K. ‘candle economy’ was already worth £1.9bn. With some online retailers recently reporting that sales of scented candles over the Covid-19 lockdown period have massively spiked, Emma Fishwick, account manager of consumer trend monitors, NPD UK Beauty, said that this proves ‘…how important home comforts are to us. We have seen from our data that consumers are increasingly turning to self-care to improve wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic. People are utilising scents to create a calming ambiance while confined at home during this period of uncertainty.’

Many of us will be missing out on a summer holiday abroad this year, too, as travel restrictions continue, and so we’re going to focus on the positive changes we can make to ensure our homes feel even more welcome, or sending lovely scented gifts to friends we miss. And we feel sure we wont be alone in stocking up further on some of these beautifully evocative, so-summer-y scented candles that guarantee to let the sunshine in…

Inspired by Empress Eugenie’s historic, sun-drenched Corsican villa, this wafts forth a grove of salt-tinged lemon trees, ripe figs and smooth cedar.

Cire Trudon Cyrnos candle £74.95
Buy it at harrods.com

Their best-selling fragrance has been transformed into a candle, so now you can fill your home with the luminious floral bouquet of Turkish rose garlanded with crisp lily of the valley and beautifully powdery peonies.

Parfums de Marly Delina candle £65
Buy it at harveynichols.com

 

Acqua di Parma teamed with California-based La DoubleJ for this limited edition Arancia di Capri candle, transporting us directly to the Italian Med via sparkling, cardamom-speckled citrus.

Acqua di Parma + La DoubleJ Arancia di Capri candle £60
Buy it at ladoublej.com

Escape to tropical climes with the scent of Madagascan ylang-ylang, Moroccan jasmine, rose and heavenly frangipani for intimate summer evenings (or whenever you just want to unwind).

Sana Jardin Revolution de la Fleur candle £48
Buy it at sanajardin.com

A stroll along an English coastal resport on a sunny day is perfectly evoked with banks of windswept wild flowers, lush countryside grassiness and slightly spicy undertones to warm your cockles as the sun sets over the sea.

Laboratory Perfumes Gorse candle £45
Buy it at cultbeauty.co.uk

By Suzy Nightingale

The Alchemistress solves your scented candle woes…

Are your scented candles burning too fast, or creating that dreaded ‘tunnel’ (or ‘core’ to give it the correct name) of doom, where the wax only melts in the middlle and traps the wick? We’ve all exclaimed profanities and desperately dug around with nail-files to try and save them, but we just watched a BRILLIANT Instagram video that solves these woes with ease…

Lesley Sparks (hello, nominative determinism anyone?!) is also known as ‘The Alchemistress‘ – an independent maker and purveyor of the most beautiful perfumed candles. And she has got tips and tricks up her scented sleeve to make sure your candles perform to their best and (most importantly) ultimately to save your hard-earned money.

You can watch the instructive ‘How To’ on her IGTV channel, and afterwards, if you find yourself casting your eye critically over your previous burning performance (and general lazy lack of candle maintenance) then you’re in great company, as that’s exactly what we did, too. For shame!

Looking around The Perfume Society home-office, we suddenly realised that we already owned one The Alchemistress candles, in fact (look, we have quite a few scented candles, okay? It’s not a problem, we can stop any time we like… we just don’t ever want to). It’s called Persian Nights – a smouldering mix of sultry spices, featuring cardamon, black pepper, orange, ginger, coriander, patchouli, cinnamon and cedarwood – and has us dreaming of more exotic climes, and when we can next travel there, every time we light it.

 

 

The Alchemistress Persian Nights Apothecary Jar £8.95
thealchemistress.co.uk

…And now, of course, having watched Ms. Sparks’ instructional video, all our candles will be burning more brightly from now on. We hope you find it just as helpful as we have!

By Suzy Nightingale

Scenting the ‘sulking room’ with candles we covet…

Which candles should you scent a boudoir with? Here’s a list of just some we’re swooning over…

The word boudoir comes from the French ‘bouder’, meaning to pout or sulk, and for centuries has been a private, feminine space to indulge ones desires. Boudoir-type fragrances evoke images of face powder and rosy lipsticks, be-ribboned furnishings and velvet chaise-lounge to swoon on while reading love letters – or to recline on silken cusions while eating violet cremes and idly flick through the latest papers, searching for scurriolous gossip.

In fact, the boudoir was often the only place a woman could do as she liked, historically, and so they became intimate places of great mystery, a sanctuary to write and dream in, or a hotbed of sensual power.

In our just-published ‘We’ll Always Have Paris’ issue of The Scented Letter Magazine (which recently won another Jasmine Award from The Fragrance Foundation – we’re so thrilled to say!) we foucused on boudoir perfumes you should try; but there are so many more ways of scenting this ‘sulking room’, and here we’d love to share with you some of the candles we’re currently coveting for our own boudoirs and bedrooms.

A dreamier duo you’d be hard-pressed to find – burn this limited edition separately or (our favourite) together for a deliciously naughty infusion of soft, powdery caresses that follow, perhaps, a crack of the whip…?

Diptyque Leather & Violet Duo Set £94 for 190g candles

Evoking memories of orchid-hunting trips – tales regaled to you while you recline in something too sheer to be seemly – this blend of exotic blooms and smooth cedar will certainly get your senses swooning while he drones on.

Urban Apothecary Ambrée Noir Candle £30 for 300g

Lady Blanche is busy lady, dispensing ‘female-friendly advice’, so Penhaligon’s intriguing story goes, from within her boudoir. There, the scents of rice powder and makeup mingle with rose perfume, and (we gather) utter lasciviousness.

Penhaligon’s The Powder Room Candle £48 for 290g

Narcotic tuberose was once banned by polite, Victorian society, for fear the heady scent was causing flighty females to experience involuntary orgasms. My my. We can’t vouch for that, but it is very lovely.

Kilian French Boudoir Candle £60 for 220g

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Scratch ‘n’ sniff! La Montaña’s clever new way to shop virtually for scented candles

We’ve always believed that smells can transport you across the miles – and through time, too. And La Montaña is proof. Since Cassandra Hall launched her beautiful candle brand a couple of years ago (India Knight’s a fan – and so of course are we), we have been whisked to Spain with every whiff.
The trouble with buying scented candles – not ‘sight-unseen’ but perhaps ‘smell-unsniffed’ – is that you just don’t know what you’re getting. So La Montaña offers a terribly clever way to experience the candles, in the form of beautifully-illustrated scratch ‘n’ sniff cards! ‘

Explains Cassandra: ‘As La Montaña is principally an online business – we like dealing with our customers directly – we have invested in some haute technologie to sample our candle fragrances via crystal technology. It’s hard for people who don’t live in London to sample our fragrances – so we have beautifully-printed sets of our seven fragrances with clear, resealable labels which give an utterly true rendition of each fragrance.’

Simply peel back the clear panel and there’s a perfect, evocative representation of the smell. (We’re using ours as scented bookmarks!) Excitingly, Cass has 100 sets of these scented cards to offer exclusively to Perfume Society readers. Simply click here to e-mail her – be sure to mention The Perfume Society – and prepare to enter the wonderful, aromatic world of this ‘rising star’ candle brand. What’s more, one lucky reader will receive a full-size La Montaña candle of their choice.’

Cass spends most of the year in Spain and the fragrances recreate the different smells she associates with that country. There are seven scents altogether, of which our three favourites are the following:

Alfredo’s Café – inspired by the scents of her village square: coffee, black tobacco and brandy, swirling with leather and incense from the nearby church. As Cass says, ‘Alfredo and his café are real – and wonderful.  The only thing missing from this fragrance is the sound of old men slamming down their dominoes.

Three Kings – celebrating a winter festival (a highlight of the colder months), we’ll leave it to Cass to describe this: ‘The trees surrounding the village create a background of cedarwood notes mingled with trampled pine needles, while frankincense and myrrh from the church make an accord with traditional, homemade turrón (almond nougat) and a brightening tot of brandy.’ We’re almost there, thanks to a sniff of this seasonally-perfect fragrance…

Cloudburst – zingy, sense-awakening and just so refreshing, this evokes the mountainside after a summer storm, when notes from Cassandra’s herb garden blend with the fresh citrus from lemon and lime trees, alongside the scent of wild mountain fennel and rockrose (cistus).

The other fabulous fragrances are Sacred Roses, Gálan de Noche (night-scented jasmine, rose, ylang ylang and orange blossom), Winter Oranges and First Light.
As above, click here to e-mail. Once you’ve received your set, we think you’ll be tempted to try the candles for real – there are lots of options (ranging from £18 for an individual mini candle, which burns from an impressive 15+ hours, to £30 for a 40+ hour full-size candle). And on our Christmas wishlist for sure is this 7-candle set, below, with all the miniatures in one beautiful presentation box (at what we think is a jolly reasonable £75).
Time to say ‘hola!’ to La Montaña, we think – just in time for a feliz Navidad…
lamontana.co.uk

Watch one of our favourite-ever florists, Robbie Honey, fashion a Christmas wreath

In the September issue of The Scented Letter, we shared with readers superflorist Robbie Honey‘s favourite scented flowers for arranging at home – to mark the debut of his stunning candle range. Robbie is ‘the fashionista’s florist, with clients who’ve included Vivienne Westwood, Valentino, Armani and – most famously – Christian Dior.

Now, in the run-up to Christmas, we bring you a great how-to video in which he demos the creation of a stunning yet deceptively simple Christmas wreath.

Robbie spends much of his time jet-setting between New York and Shanghai, the two cities where he’s in hot demand as a teacher of floristry. So we know you’ll find the video really easy-to-follow. (And probably fall just a teeny bit in love with Robbie, as everyone seems to.)

Robbie Honey‘s candles will no doubt be seen – and smelled – on all the smartest dinner tables, this Christmas. Perfect for a ‘white Christmas’, each celebrates a single note  white floral in the most stunning way, choose frm heavenly, breath-of-spring Muguet des Bois, sultry Jasmine, intoxicating Tuberose and ravishing Casa Blanca.

Each a fabulous, flickering reminder that after the holidays are over, spring – and then summer – are just around the corner.

Robbie Honey Candles £42 each (or £150 for the full collection)
At Robbie Honey