Candle of the day?

[rogalal]

I know I'm not the only candle enthusiast here, and I can't think of a more appropriate forum to post my thoughts on the random candles I burn all the time. So I figured I might as well try to start a thread and see if anyone would join me...

We all put so much thought into our perfumes - what do the candles we're burning smell like???

I'll kick it off with a fun one:

Today, I burned Diptyque La Belle.



It's the "Beauty" half of their La Belle et la Bête (the beauty and the beast) set.

Smelling up close, I mostly smelled coriander (which has kind of a watered-down berry smell to it) with some green in the background (apparently geranium). The smell it threw around the room, though, was more of a lemony tea smell that reminded me of Heeley's Verveine, which is a verbena scent. There was something creamy and honeyed about it, too - it wasn't as watery as I'm making it sound. It was quite nice, and bright and fresh enough to be appropriate for warm weather.

[rogalal]

Yesterday I finished off the last of another Diptyque, my much-loved Epicea.



Epicea, a former Christmas limited edition that's now available as a mini candle, is described as "The scent of leaves, pine resin and wet birch bark mingle with rising wisps of vetiver, cedar and sandalwood." This is pretty spot-on as a description. It's VERY woody, like a warm evergreen forest, complete with the dirt underfoot. I can pick out the subtle vetiver, and I'm pretty sure there's a lethal dose of Iso E Super in here, too. The closest perfume comparison I can make is CDG's Incense: Jaisalmer, with its burnt evergreen smell, but Epicea is less burnt and more green.

Would I buy another one? Possibly, but their Cypress candle is really calling out to me, so I'll probably buy that one first. Really, with no offense intended to their wonderful florals, the deep, smoky wood and resinous incense scents are what Diptyque does best in their candles. It strikes me as odd that they have yet to put out a perfume in this style, because they're so good at them...

[rogalal]

Wow - this thread has 100 views and no one's saying anything... Hopefully someone will have something to add soon.

Today's candle was Malin + Goetz Neroli.



I really don't think this smells even a tiny bit like neroli. It's actually more of a sweet artificial citrus (like those little packets of Crystal Light citrus-flavored powder you pour into a bottle of water). It has that same sort of mixed citrus + chemicals + sacharine smell to it. Oddly, this synthetic weirdness is paired with a rather buttery indolic floral of some kind, which makes for a really odd combination of nature and chemicals.

But it actually does smell good. Realistically, if this were a perfume, I'd hate it, but it kind of works as a candle. The combination of heady floral and synthetic citrus makes for the kind of smell that either comes really cheap or or really expensive, depending on whether how much artfulness it's intended to have.

This came as part of a set, and I wouldn't have bought it on its own, but I kind of like it. For a hot day when you just want something sweet and pleasant, it's fine.

[socalwoman]

BURN Rare Cascarilla Bark on this blustery afternoon.

[BooRad859]

WoodWick ~ Twilight

[rogalal]

Today I'm enjoying another Malin + Goetz, Cannabis.



Not surprisingly, this smells absolutely nothing like marijuana (which I'm sure is a good thing...). Instead, it's a pleasant stew of black pepper and lemony orange citrus, with just a pinch of something green in the background. There's a hint of patchouli in there, too, when smelled really close, but the overall impression is mostly spicy citrus. It kind of reminds me of L'Artisan's Ananas Fizz, but just the bright peppery topnotes, before the rum kicks in.

I got this one in a sample pack, and would likely not purchase a big one when I use this up, but it's nice. I like it better than their misguided Neroli candle, but I'm not particularly infatuated. But if you like fresh citrus scents with a dark edge to them (and you can get passed the silly drug-related marketing), Cannabis could be worth checking out.

[Primrose]

Byredo's Bibliotheque for a scent of an old library! Old books in leather binding and spending all day inside reading and researching!


Top: Peach, Plum
Heart: Violet, Peony
Base: Patchouli, Leather, Vanilla

[socalwoman]

Miller Harris Bois Sucre today ~ sweet winter berries, fig, cardamom and osmanthus with a base of Moroccan cedar, Paraguayan guaiac and vanilla.
I'm burning it in my bedroom instead of the living room because it just doesn't have enough throw to fill a large space.

In the living room I'm heating an oil that's a knockoff of iPdF Ambra del Nepal
http://store.scent-works.com/amdelneiprdi.html

[BooRad859]

Village Candle ~ Spring Lilac

[rogalal]

Today's candle has been By Kilian Cruel Intentions: Oud du Laos.



A rather dirty oud. It's mostly just that (oud) with a lightly berry-ish sweetness and possibly a tiny pinch of rose. And I'd bet the farm that there's civet in here. Not only does it have that surprisingly fecal quality, but it has that creamy, luxurious depth you get with civet, too. While I hate to wear civet scents as perfumes (no Jicky for me!), it works better than I would have thought in an oud candle.

Really, if you don't know and like oud, this candle would probably be way too much. To the vast majority of the people in this world, this would smell simply nasty. But I guess I'm that little niche that thinks it's brilliant.

That being said, my oud candle of choice is still Diptyque's notorious Feu de Bois (which is actually largely oud), which is more like a forest or soil than the straight-up fecal oud.

[Haunani]

Burned my Diptyque Narcisse candle for a bit tonight. Extravagant narcissus and delicious!

[rogalal]

This evening, I'm being confused by D.L. & Co's Modern Alchemy: Tincture of Winchester.



In theory, this is supposed to smell like an antique gun, a mix of burnished wood, metal, gunpowder, and smoke. To my nose, it's a confusing sort of bright pseudo-citrus, with a sweet sort of chemical metal smell in there. I have no idea what gunpowder smells like - maybe that's what this is. I can detect a pinch of woody amber (which smells more like chlorine or hot metal than wood or amber), as well as what I think is probably Iso E Super. But the star of the show is that mix of fake citrus and mystery chemical.

It's actually pretty nice, as candles go, but it has almost no throw compared to the others I've burned lately, so I doubt I'll pick up another one of these (I actually only bought this thanks to an after-Christmas 75%-off sale at a local fancy store). That being said, with a better name and a big-label push behind it, this could make a really interesting mens designer fragrance release...

[Reminiscent]

Cire Trudon Abd El Kader

A wind of freedom coming all at once from the Mascara coast and down from the mountains bringing in its foolish race the green scents of fresh mint, the rashness of fights, the hot and peppered air of ginger and the perfume of tea and tobacco from the Ouled Nail tribe...

Spearmint, lemon-yellow, blackcurrant bud, apple, ginger, clove, jasmine, vanilla.

[Klaire]

Right now I'm loving the L'OCCITANE 'AMBRE' Its a very sensuous scent. A voluptuous blend of Oriental scents, vanilla, spices, incense, myrrh and labdanum.

[rogalal]

Chassagne Montrachet, I'm jealous of your Cire Trudon! I like many of the scents, but I haven't bought one yet, partly because they're kind of expensive, and also because they're so big that I always wonder if they ever really melt all the way across (I have a Tom Ford that has this problem).

Today, I'm enjoying Diptyque Miel de Callune.



I have to admit that I only bought this because it was a Christmas special, very deeply discounted long after Christmas a year or so ago. However, despite my lack of excitement, this has turned out to be one of my favorites.

Miel de Callune is a honey scent, lightly woody and somewhat gourmand. If you can imagine a mix that's about 70% woodsy honey and 30% Guerlain's Spirituese Double Vanile, that should give you a good idea of how this smells. The throw is good (like pretty much all the Diptyques I've tried). But the thing that made me fall for it was consistently leaving and returning to the room where it was burning, and subconsciously thinking "wow - someone's baking something delicious... Oh, wait. It's that candle."

It was officially a limited edition, but these still turn up around town. Even if it's not love at first sniff, do think about picking one up if you see it, especially if it's discounted. You can thank me later...

[rogalal]

Today I'm using a Kale & Watercress candle from MOR Cosmetics.



It's pretty much as advertised - green, leafy, and vegetal, but with a definite sweet aspect to it, too. If this were a Diptyque, it would have that astringent waxy bitterness you get from kale, but it's a MOR, who are less artsy and more crowd-pleasing, so it's perfectly happy as a sweet leafy green grassy mixture that smells great on a hot day.

[rogalal]

Today, thanks to a rather nice clearance sale at Neimans, I'm enjoying a new Belle Fleur Kyara Clove candle.



This one's interesting. It's a mixture of cloves and oud over sandalwood. I've never smelled a mix quite like this, but it's quite effective. I'd be curious to try a perfume with this combination. Oddly though, when it's burning, a really deep, dark chocolate comes through, overtaking the sandalwood but still playing against the oud and clove. It's nice and weirdly gourmand, but with that intoxicating meditational effect you get from oud, all spiced up with the cloves. It's a nice one, but probably not for everyone (hence my being able to find it on clearance...)

Sad side-note: The wick seems to be mismatched with the wide width of the candle. The first time I burned it, it took a good 8 hours (no kidding) to finally liquify all the way across. Tonight is my second time trying it, and the flame is so low that it's never going to melt all the way across. It's a pity when companies put so much work into their scents and their packaging but then screw it all up by cheaping out on the wick.

[Nausicaä]

Muji Fig

A green and fresh fig scent, that fills our small bedroom even when not lit (esp. when the sun shines on it an melts the wax). I love its sleek and clean design made from recycled glass.
I would buy it again, or in another scent from muji, had it not been that we bought this at the local stores closing down sale.

[lsp_NY]

Is anyone familiar with the candles that the Le Labo guys made for Le Meridien? I am dying to smell it.

Here's a description:

Le Méridien invites you to personally experience LM01, a custom scent developed for Le Méridien by Fabrice Penot and Edouard Roschi, members of our creative community, LM100™, scent visionaries, and founders of Le Labo.

LM01 Scent blends fragrances of frankincense, iris absolute, musk - while earthy notes vibrate around the central theme of cedar wood to create a round and enveloping scent that embodies the spirit of Le Méridien.

[Doc Elly]

I'm probably in the minority, but I don't like scented candles very much. I think I've cleaned up too many wax spills in my lifetime, and I really don't like the smell of melting/burning wax. I'd much rather burn some good incense.

[BooRad859]

Woodwick ~ Twilight

[rogalal]

It's been a little while, but yesterday I burned D.L. & Co. Thorn Apple.



This is basically as advertised, a very realistic green, tart, sweet pink apple. It's very much the smell of the real thing. When it's burning, there's a deeper creamy gourmand aspect in the background, which might actually be the smell of the wax itself - I'm not sure...

Sadly though, It simply refuses to burn all the way across. I actually have the smaller size of this (not the big 3-wick one in the photo). Another nice candle ruined by technical inadequacy. Thank goodness I got this at a 1/2-off sale...

[Lift]

Old favorite: Votivo - Red Currant

[Haunani]

Welcome to Basenotes, Lift!

I burned my L'Occitane Verveine candle for a while today. Very nice and summery!

[rogalal]

Welcome Lift!

I like the Votivo Deep Clover, which I think actually smells more like oranges than clover...

Today I'm using a mini Bond No. 9 The Scent Of Peace candle.



This is my first try of a Bond No. 9 candle. It's just a votive size, but it's concentrated enough to fill my large room with scent.

The smell is pretty much a perfect match for the topnotes of The Scent Of Peace perfume. It's officially grapefruit mixed with cassis, but it comes off kind of grapey, like a more modern take on Dior's famous Poison. The cassis has that slight dark grossness that it can have sometimes, but they play that up against violet leaf, which gives the whole thing a feel similar to what you'd get if you put Poison's grape soda topnote over the heart of Green Irish Tweed.

I can't imagine paying full price for a regular-sized one of these, but I'll enjoy the votive when I'm craving something easy and fruity.

[DavidBond007]

I got to smell cocktail of peonies by Creed and i have to say it smells sooooooooooo gooood. It has to be the best candle I have ever smelled, it has a sweet floral smell to it. I might have to get it later on ,I have silver mountain water candle which is wonderful as well.

[rogalal]

Today at work, my co-worker and I have been enjoying Mariage Frères Thè Dansant.



I and many of my coworkers are utterly hooked on Mariage Frères' excellent perfumed teas (they have quite the cult following in the SF foodie scene) and we were excited when I finally ran across their candles while on vacation. The one I bought for myself (and, by extension, the office) was Thè Dansant, based on green tea and fruit.

It pretty much fits it's description, smelling like a mix of green tea, lemon (maybe verbena), and fruity coriander. The scent it throws around the room is more orangey than lemon, paired with the berry-ish coriander. It's by no means the most intricate scent I've smelled, but it's very pleasant and the folks in the office like it.

[rogalal]

Today I'm using Delirium & Co. Sweet Tobacco.



I don't really smell any tobacco in here. Instead it's a sort of green smell with an almost citric brightness. There's a hint of woodiness in the background, but it's really more sweet and bright than green and woody. It's nice, but similar to other candles I've smelled. It doesn't really have the haute parfmery depth you get from Diptyque or some of the more "artsy" brands, but it works well for just making the room smell good.

[BooRad859]

Yankee Candle Beanswax ~ Sun Ripened Honeydew

[BooRad859]

Palm Creations ~ Birds of Paradise

[pcrisp]

Typically, I HATE Yankee Candles for their sweet, fake food smells...... or their overly tart "fresh" scents. However, several years ago we just happened to come across a great scent that struck gold with us. Of course.... then it was discontinued. Well, it is now back for a limited time. The name is Autumn Lodge.

If you are by chance a fan of Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille.... this is IT!!!

Basically the smells of an old log cabin, complete with leather, tobacco pipe, vanilla & a fireplace.

For only $25 on the large jar, it is good to go! A great winter scent, however since we have missed it for so long we are testing it out again in the AC with the 90 degree temps outside.

[chengfun]

I finished burning my Nest Moroccan Amber candle yesterday. It's really rich, warming, and delicious, containing notes of sweet patchouli, heliotrope, bergamot, with a hint of eucalyptus. It ultimately got me interested in amber fragrances.

[BooRad859]

Slatkin ~ Lotus Flower

[BooRad859]

Slatkin ~ Seaside Escape

[mr. reasonable]

My candle of the day is Avignon from Commes de Garcons.

Yesterday it was Opopanax from Diptique. (For fans of Eau Lente)

The day before it was Bougie No.3 Toumbac from A.P.C (For fans of Yerbamate - at a stretch).

First time trying Nazareth from Cire Trvdon. (Quite exotic sweet slightly oriental vibe - this one is lovely - notes of clove, cinnamon, orange, olibanum apparently.)

Next up is Cuir de Pleine Fleur from Heeley.

This constitutes my current Candle Wardrobe

And when I grow up I want Saint de Saint from Frederic Malle's new line - nice stuff but a bit pricey. I am placing bets that Saint de Saint may be developed into a perfume, Malle's first oriental, as he said he is working with it's creator Carlos Benaim on 'something'. Pure speculation but you heard it here first

Nice thread idea, thanks - I'm really just beginning to delve into the candle area with my new office so will revisit. I'm also quite keen on checking out the John Galliano Diptyque based on comments I have seen nearby.

Cheers

[Arlick]

I am using Marriage Frères Thè Dansant.

[Klaire]

A dear friend gave this to me, its Jonathan Adler 'Muse Noir' Notes include Bergamot, black plum, amber, vetiver. A very lovely and sensuous scent.

[Kalynne]

My candle for most days that I cook is Fresh Wave. I know, it's not sexy, but I hate cooking smells and I burn it until I go to bed. It has aniseed, pine, clove, cedar, and lime. It's natural and it helps. I do have other candles, but I enjoy them without burning for up to a year. They're in addition to my diffusers to set a mood in each area, but they work together. Ok, I'm single, so it works for me (all that matters)!

[BooRad859]

Village Candle ~ Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

[BooRad859]

Slatkin ~ Strawberry Patch

[BooRad859]

Illumina ~ Sage. It smells very nice, but it doesnt smell like sage.

[BooRad859]

Stella Mare ~ Pumpkin Spice. Perfect for cool autumn evenings.

[Kevin Guyer]

One of my all-time favorites from Diptyque.

[oliverandco]

Ambarina

http://jcapotecari.com/main_pags/pro..._producte=2805

One of the best Amber smells

Amber of Marroc, Bergamote, Fresh white Pine

[Kevin Guyer]

Today I received two Carrière Frères Industrie candles: Agar Wood and Ebony. They're manufactured by the same company that makes Cire Trudon, but are only $30 rather than $75. The fragrances of these are botanically based and much less heavy going than the Baroque scents of Cire Trudon.
I've been burning the Agar (oud) Wood candle all evening and it is lovely. The predominant notes are oud, cedar, coffee, cacao, lavender, rose and vanilla. I'm a happy man.
The line is available from Luckyscent as well as at the Cire Trudon boutique in NYC.

[candlesoffmain]

Pardon my newbie errors - this is in response to the Kilian Cruel Intentions post. I thought my reply would post under that...

I have this candle, too. I love Kilian and the simplicity and sleek styling of the packaging for their candles. The candle burned beautifully, but I wasn't a huge fan of the fragrance. It seemed off to me. Perhaps it's the civet you mentioned. My favorite Kilian fragrance is Straight to Heaven. I'm hoping to try that candle soon. One of my favorite candles is the Diptyque Feu de Bois you mentioned. I'm crazy about that one! I also love the Alexa Rodulfo brown candle (I think it's Bois Sauvage). It reminds me a lot of Diptyque Feu de Bois.

[candlesoffmain]

Thanks so much for this thread! I'm overwhelmed and so excited. It's amazing to find others that love luxury candles. I'm learning so much from all of you and I've found many candles I'd love to try from this posts.

I have the large size Bond No. 9 Scent of Peace. I found it so overwhelmingly fragrant. A little too over the top for me. I also tried Bond No. 9 Little Italy.

I love the Little Italy perfume so I was anxious to get the candle. I thought the motor in one of the small appliances in or kitchen was burning out. Then I realized it was the candle. Bond candles burn well as far as burning clean and level, but the hot throw on these doesn't work out well for me. Disappointing because I love Bond so much!

[Pour_Monsieur]

My first luxury candle and I love it

[BooRad859]

Slatkin ~ Frosted Tree. Cedar with notes of patchouli and rosemary. Very nice.

[musclegod007]

bougies-parfumees.jpgfleur-mecanique.jpgSaint de Saints by Frederic malle the smell of a Hindu Temple, I burn this when my Fleur Mechanique' is off. Nuit de Gardinia is also awesome, but for 140.00 I prefer the scent for my Fleur M.

[BooRad859]

Bath and Body Works ~ Japanese Cherry Blossom. A bit disappointing.

[castorpollux]

Ralph Lauren Home

Limited Edition Holiday Candle




cheers!

[carrbuck]

I use Yankie Candles at the moment. Today's is Midnight Jasmine.

[Kevin Guyer]

Lafco Chamomile Lavender: A Fougere candle; good throw, interesting painted tin container w/lid that holds a book of matches. Well priced at $20.

[Haunani]

Lafco Chamomile Lavender: A Fougere candle; good throw, interesting painted tin container w/lid that holds a book of matches. Well priced at $20.[/CENTER]

Neat! It sounds like a good one to burn before bedtime.

[rogalal]

I've been criminally neglecting this thread lately, so I should really mention my candle of the day for a cool, drizzly Sunday, Amouage Autumn Leaves.



Oddly, there aren't any leaf smells in here. Instead, it's got a smoky lapsong souchong tea note played against leather, over a pool of that expensive-smelling Amouage frankincense, with a drop of civet adding some creamy funk. Over this, there's a sweet floral that's kind of non-specific but reminds me of roses and cherry blossoms.

Anyone else notice the enormous price differences on Amouage candles on different sites? I got mine in a local store for $60-something, but I've seen them online for $120. Crazy...

[rogalal]

Yesterday, I enjoyed Creed Cocktail de Pivoines.



This was a bit of a splurge at the Creed boutique in NYC last year. For Creed trivia buffs, Cocktail de Pivoines remains the first and only scent created entirely by Erwin Creed without assistance from his father Olivier. It's basically a fruity floral with a really nice peach note, flanked with pineapple and citrus, with a healthy dose of roses and a bit of green lily underneath. This all spreads out over a rich creamy foundation that's basically a candle version of the famous Creed base (vanilla, tonka, ambergris, and most likely a bunch of ambroxan)

Without the base, Cocktail de Pivoines could have come off as kind of cheap, but the inclusion of "basenotes" gave it the richness it needs to justify its silly price tag. That being said, $95 is too much for a candle. Really. But I think of it as a fun souvenir instead of a silly candle and that's enough for me to justify...

[rogalal]

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm actively embarrassed to admit that I bought last year's Fresh limited edition Eat Pray Love candle trio. I'm definitely losing some of my butch guy points here. Then again, I'm reviewing scented candles on a perfume message board, so I'm really not swimming in butch guy points to start with...



Today, I'm burning the Love candle.

It's another fruity floral, but heavier on the floral than the fruit. It's quite heady and flowery. In theory, it's a mix of tiare and jasmine, but it basically just smells like perfumey flowers. There's a fruity sweetness to it that comes from bergamot and cassis (two pretty common fruity floral ingredients). In the background, there's a green leafy note that keeps it from getting too stupid, but this is, all in all, pretty much just a flirty, kicky little fruity floral done as a candle. It's fine for when I'm not craving anything too dark and weird, but not really what I'm into.

[Kevin Guyer]

This one's scent is so close to By Kilian's Straight to Heaven that it seems almost illegal. Great candle, never-the-less.

[BooRad859]

Woodwick ~ Sandalwood Clove