What’s the weather like where you are?
If it’s cooling down and rain is becoming more common than not, why not make the most of being indoors by creating a cosy, welcoming environment. Whether you’re hunkering down under a soft rug with a good book or inviting friends into your home for a casual dinner or get-together, lighting a scented candle can be a great way to further enhance the mood.
Scent memory is a powerful thing, and many candle makers play on it, designing fragrances that capture or recreate some of our favorite moments, things or edible elements. Winter’s best candles often have richer, deeper notes, touches of soft woods or smoky elements, even delicious spices.
With that in mind here are five of the best candles to burn right now:
Glasshouse Fragrances Fireside in Queenstown
Many of us fancy a winter getaway to Queenstown to enjoy some snow fun, scenic vistas and a glass of the area’s best red. If you can’t swing it this year or want to recall your favourite moments in the alpine haven, evocative candle brand Glasshouse Fragrances has just released its limited edition ode to the Otago hotspot. Decadent and grounding, warm and enveloping, Fireside In Queenstown burns with notes of smouldering woods and cinnamon, clove, sandalwood, orris and guaiac wood. Previously the brand’s fastest selling and most popular limited-edition item, for the first time this year it’s available throughout both Australia and New Zealand.
Rose is sometimes considered an old-fashioned scent, but the bloom has been reinvigorated by perfumers in recent years by combining it with unexpected and more deep, masculine notes. Here the soft, spicy and unisex scent, also an Eau De Parfum by Dior, makes the perfect home scent in the cooler months.
“The idea was to create a sensual Rose by combining it with Ambergris, two of the most emblematic ingredients used by perfumers. This accord was particularly important to me. I worked on it for many years before successfully creating Ambre Nuit,” says François Demachy, Dior Perfumer-Creator, who created the scent.
Ecoya Honeycomb & Cassis candle
For something a touch sweeter, check out Ecoya’s limited edition for winter. Though the brand has also released Bergamot & Basil for the cooler months (notes of grapefruit, sage and sea salt intertwine a bouquet of rose and jasmine) it’s the delectable mix included in the new Honeycomb & Cassis candle that really caught our attention. ‘Sugary accords of cassis cream, blackberries and honeycomb meet gentle notes of frangipani. A smooth base of sandalwood, vanilla and white musk perfect this sweet, velvety scent’. The combination sounds intense but it’s more delicate than you would expect and the perfect unexpected, yet comforting scent to burn right now.
Maison Margiela By the Fireplace Candle
Margiela’s Replica fragrance line is designed to be just that, a replica of familiar and favoured scents captured in perfume or candle form. So if you aren’t able to have an open fireplace in your home, or you’d simply love the smell to linger, the incredibly accurate woody ember scent this emanates is quite amazing. Inspired by a smoky fire, this warm, familiar scent combines notes of chestnut accord, red berries, clove oil and cashmeran.
CIRCA Vanilla Bean & Allspice candle
This fragrance brings all the comfort of a hug to your home, says Circa. Say no more. If you find the scent of vanilla evocative of happy memories and delicious treats, you’ll love this candle, but pleasingly, it’s not sickly or cloying. The fresh top notes and softer middle that make it perfectly balanced and appealing to most people. It has opening notes of bergamot, orange, lemon and caraway, a heart of jasmine, rose and green muguet and a base of sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla.
Image (top): @Circafragrances
