Burn Baby Burn
Today marks the official first day of fall and if you ask me, there's no better way to usher in a new season than with a treat yo-self moment.
In early fall, as the air starts getting cool and crisp, I love to open the windows when I get home from work, light a candle, pour a glass of wine, and go about my evening activities while fresh air and the warm scent of a glowing candle fill my apartment. Whether I'm reading or writing, cooking or cleaning, washing dishes or folding laundry, fueling a creative spark or just lying on the couch watching 30 Rock episodes for the fifth time over, doing so with a luxurious candle burning makes even the most mundane tasks feel pleasant and relaxing.
Not saying I'll ever look forward to scrubbing pots caked with burned-on rice, but having one of these sweet-smelling candles ablaze on the counter beside me might make it a little easier to take a breath and scrub on.
1. Orientalist by Tom Dixon | Crafted to be reminiscent of an Indian wedding, the beauty of this candle's delicate scent--a mix of spice, musk, and floral elements--is matched by its shiny brass and marble container.
2. Feu de Gris by Le Feu de L'eau | This candle is my current obsession. It is sweet, spicy, and smokey and the scent is instantly relaxing. Each candle is moulded by hand under water (still don't really get how that works) resulting in a beautiful variety of shapes and patterns.
3. Paéva by Ladurée | I bought this candle in Paris and managed to make it last for three years before it finally burned down. Once empty, I cleaned out the pretty ceramic vessel and now use it for storing makeup brushes. The sweet lilac smell reminds me of a bubble bath, making it perfect to burn while reading in bed or soaking in the tub.
4. Rosemary by Izola | The fresh herbal scent of this candle makes it perfect for any room and any season. The green, neutral smell--not too flowery and feminine, but not super earthy and woodsy--a definite crowd-pleaser.
5. Feuille de Lavande by Diptyque | Lavender is known for its deeply calming effect, making this candle this candle ideal for unwinding at the end of the day. The sweet smell of lavender flowers is tempered here by the fresh, grassy scent of lavender leaves.
6. Santal 26 by Le Labo | I seriously can't get enough of this scent. I want to wear it, breathe it, live in it. With notes like sandalwood and leather, it is earthy and masculine but also has a soft, velvety quality. The warmth of Santal 26 is the perfect scent to get you through the chilly winter months.
7. Mérida by Cire Truon | This candle, a collaboration between Arquiste Parfumeur and Cire Truon, employs layered scents to recreate a moment in which Empress Carlota of Mexico pauses in a lush garden, surrounded by ripe fruit trees and sweet-smelling foliage, before joining welcoming festivities in Mérida, Yucatan. I'm not so sure about historic preservation via candles, but the mix of woody, floral, and verdant notes here seems intoxicating enough that after burning Merida for a few hours, I might be able to get on board with the whole Mexican Empress thing.
