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Fragrance

Spring Scent Rotation

May 5, 2015

Today I have a roundup of some of my favorite spring fragrances for right now. I have a mix of newly released fragrances alongside some classic staples. Purchasing fragrance is something I used to be so intimidated by. I found the options overwhelming and didn’t understand notes. When shopping I always used to say, “I prefer something light.” These days I’m not as timid in trying fragrances although I do prefer scent that are on the light fresh and floral side, sometimes with a bit of spice or amber mixed in. I think the best way to shop with fragrance is with a friend so they can give you a second opinion on the spot. It’s something that can take time – if you’re like me your nose can probably only take so many sniffs in one session. I like to browse reviews or new releases online and often make a smell list and take it to the counters with me. What I’m loving right now listed below. 

Diptyque Florabellio Eau de Toilette is a mix of apple blossom, sea salt, fennel, apricot-scented osmanthus mist and a hint of coffee. It’s a sweet floral with a very slight musk feel. I like that it’s light and refreshing and sweet but not too sweet. The coffee and sea salt give this one a bit of a more complex feel and prevents it from being too floral. Full review here.

Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum is the latest from Tom Ford and is new for summer. I have been a huge fan of the Mandarino di Almalfi for a bright citrus. I have a small decant of the first one released Neroli Portofino which is a stronger and deeper version. All three have a very similar vibe. The Mandarino is the brightest and most citrus. Neroli has more musk making it more unisex. The latest Fleur de Portofino has White Acacia Honey in it which gives it a more feminine feel and makes it less citrusy (but the citrus is still noticeable).

L’Occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de Toilette is the latest addition to the La Collection de Grasse line. It’s described as a velvety iris and has a mix of both blue and white iris. This one is predominantly floral and is very sweet. Lasting power and strength seems to be much stronger than the other fragrances from the line. It’s a fragrance that feels like pure spring. It’s also available in some cute sets like the Mini Fragrance Set, Iris Bleu and Blanc Duo, and the Iris Bleu and Blanc Collection Set.

Chanel Beige Les Exclusifs de Chanel is my husband’s current favorite on me. It took me forever to splurge on a bottle and I can see myself wearing this one for many years to come. It’s described as having “Hawthorn, Freesia and Frangipani, with shimmering hints of honey” and I can’t think of better words to describe it. It’s the perfect floral and honey mix. The honey isn’t overpowering so it’s not overly powdery or sweet. Full review here.

L’Artisan Mûre Et Musc is my husband’s second favorite and one of my top picks in terms of fragrance. I bought this based on the recommendation of one of my long-time friends Laura. She’s a fragrance aficionada and my go-to when it comes to fragrance recommendations. It’s my most repurchased scent. I always try to buy the smaller 50 ml size even though the 100 ml size is a better buy. This is one of the few sweet blackberry scents I can wear without getting a headache or feeling like I am wearing a fruit smoothie. It has a mix of black berries, red berries and musk. The musk is pretty strong in this one it dries down to a soft feel. If you like blackberry scents you might also want to look into Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay. I prefer the L’Artisan because it’s not as sharp or sweet.

Tom Ford Shimmering Body Oil isn’t a traditional fragrance but I’m completely in love with this one. I don’t typically like shimmer or glitters but this body oil smells so incredible I am doing everything I can to make it work. This sprays a fine mist of tiny glitter particles but it’s not overly glitzy. The body oil has a mix of white florals and amber sandalwood which I love in scents. My husband prefers florals on me rather than sandalwood or amber and this is the first scented product I’ve found that he approves of on me. It smells like summer in a bottle.

Byredo Black Saffron is another fragrance that has been on my wish list for ages. I bought this at Neiman Marcus Fashion Island which has the best Byredo counter I’ve been to. They are super friendly, patient and don’t pressure you to buy anything. I like that they take the time to walk you through the fragrance options. Black Saffron is another berry scent that I can wear. The notes in this one are complex with the top notes: Pomelo, saffron, juniper berr, heart notes: Black violet, accord cuir, cristal rose
and base notes: Blond woods, raspberry, vetiver. I have the travel size vials on my wish list.

Do you have a go-to scent this spring? I’d love to hear about your tried-and-true staples or any new discoveries. I’m always looking for recommendations!

The L’Occitane and Diptyque scents were provided as courtesy press samples for review consideration. All others purchased by me.

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Diptyque Fragrance

Diptyque Florabellio Eau de Toilette

April 21, 2015

Florabellio Eau de Toilette is the latest perfume launch from Diptyque this spring. I’ve was able to get a sneak preview of this a month ago at the boutique and smelled a sample they had on site. I fell in love immediately with this fresh lightweight mix of sweet and floral. It has the scent of apple blossoms mixed with apricot and fennel. The description also says this has sea salt, coffee and toasted sesame – all of which are mixed in a way that is subtle and barely detectable to my nose but it does seem to prevent this scent from being overly floral or sweet. It adds a complex undertone giving it a very slight musky feel which I really like because I can rarely tolerate anything overly fruity or sweet on my skin. The Eau de Toilette comes in two sizes, 1.7 oz for $90 and 2.4 oz for $125. I have the smaller one featured in this post. The official Florabellio description from Diptyque:

Although I’m a huge fan of Diptyque, this is my first full-sized Eau de Toilette from the line. I have a few of the Solid Perfumes (Eau Duelle, Essences Insensées and L’Ombre Dans L’Eau) and Roll-Ons (Geranium and Lavender) which I really like. The perfume bottles are quite stunning but I’ve accumulated quite a few deluxe-sized samples from various gift with purchase promos which have lasted me a very long time. The bottles are quite stunning with a rounded sturdy glass jar and black cap spritzer. They look quite stunning on the counter top or dresser. Just looking at it makes me happy.

The smaller size for me is ideal even though larger bottles are often the better buy. It takes me forever to use up perfumes and I like the look of smaller bottles because they take up less counter space.

Bottom line a winner, especially for spring to summer. It has a lightweight airy quality with the perfect mix of fruit and floral to brighten the mood. In addition it also has an aquatic feel with the sea salt and fennel. It’s something I find unexpected from Diptyque because of the lightness but I really like it. Lasting power is medium on my skin. It’s not as strong as Frederic Malle or L’Artisan on my skin, but I would say it lasts about the same on me as Jo Malone or Tom Ford. It stays on for a few hours and fades nicely as the day progresses. I can still smell it on me by late afternoon but I have a very sensitive nose. I love that it’s a sweet floral without being too floral or too sweet. It’s difficult to describe but very lovely.

You can find Diptyque Florabellio now in stores at Diptyque retailers and online at Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Space NK, Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue and Diptyqueparis.com. Available in two sizes 1.7 oz for $90 and 2.4 oz for $125.



Here is the current list of Diptyque boutiques in the US:
Atlanta, Buckhead Atlanta, 3035 Peachtree Road NE 
Beverly Hills, 312 North Beverly Drive 
Chicago, 1645 North Damen Avenue 
Costa Mesa, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol Street 
Los Angeles, 202 North Larchmont Boulevard 
New York, 377 Bleecker Street 
New York, Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle 
New York, 971 Madison Avenue 
New York, Nolita, 242 Mott Street 
San Francisco, 171 Maiden Lane 
Westport, 47 Main Street 

P.S. The Space NK Discover promotion happening now which allows you to save $20 off any $75+ order online, it’s going on through April 26th. Details and code here (US Only).

Have you tried Diptyque Florabellio yet? What did you think? Do you have a current spring-time favorite fragrance right now?

Diptyque Florabellio in this post was a press sample sent for review consideration.

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Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Room Sprays in Baies and Figuier

April 10, 2015

Diptyque is my all time favorite for home fragrance. They are quite a splurge but once I tried one, nothing else seemed quite as good. I have quite a few loves from other lines including Henri Bendel, Jo Malone, Byredo and Cire Trudon, but my heart belongs to Diptyque. In addition to the candles, there are a number of other ways to enjoy Diptyque scents. I’ve been enamored with their room sprays which come in a selection of fragrances. Right now I have the Room Sprays ($65 each for 150 ml / 5.1 fl oz) in Baies and Figuier in rotation.

Both come in a sleek and sturdy glass jar with a black spray top. The scents are almost identical to the candle versions. The room spray version of Figuier is a bit more green compared to the candle and a bit stronger in scent. I find this one perfect year round but especially love it for spring. It lifts the mood and makes the entire room smell like lush sweet figs with just one spray. It’s very strong so you only need two spritzes.

The room spray version of Baies is slightly sharper and sweeter compared to the candle but still also very strong (in my experience it’s stronger than the candle). This one is more feminine to my nose but is still neutral enough that I can spray this without having to feel like it’s too girly. This one is has a more afternoon or evening feel. It’s not deep or dark, but it’s not quite as light as Figuier. I love this one and am on my third bottle.

The Diptyque Room Sprays are both strong in scent. The fragrance won’t last as long as burning a candle but the sprays will fill the entire room with just one spritz for a quick refresher and in my home I find the scent will linger and last for a few hours. Right now being a Diptyque fan, I can’t pick between the sprays or the candle, they are both quite beautiful. I do think the scent of a burning candle will last longer but the sprays are quite strong so they do last surprisingly well.

For those new to Diptyque, many have asked what my favorites are. My top picks for Diptyque rotate on an ongoing basis. Figuier remains at the top of my list almost always, but right now I’m also loving the Tomas Maier + Diptyque Palm Beach (review here), Cuir (boutique exclusive, reviewed here) and the classic Baies.

There are a number of different places to buy Diptyque. I purchase mine from several different stores depending on promos, gift with purchases or availability of special edition releases. My top picks to shop Diptyque are Nordstrom (for quick and reliable shipping) and also any of the Diptyque Boutiques because the staff at the stores I’ve visited are really helpful and know the line well. The customer service at the boutiques is truly phenomenal. They are always patient, very friendly and can answer any questions you have. Features on a few stores I’ve visited linked for Maiden Lane, South Coast Plaza (my favorite) and Larchmont. Each time I visit a store I always discover new things. I like that they don’t pressure you to purchase anything (although I always manage to leave with a purchase) and everyone is always pleasant to chat with.

If you’re a Diptyque fan I think you will really like the Room Sprays. I hope that Diptyque will carry more scents eventually, I know they did a long time ago. Right now you can find the room sprays in Baies, Figuier, Amber and 34. Available at Diptyque Boutiques and Diptyqueparis.com and Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Space NK.

What’s your favorite home fragrance right now?

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Fragrance

Les Exclusifs de Chanel in Beige

April 1, 2015

My latest in fragrance is the Les Exclusifs de Chanel in Beige ($160 for 2.5 fl oz). There’s nothing quite like a bottle of Chanel fragrance, I’ve been rationing a couple deluxe-sized samples I’ve acquired for quite some time and decided it was time to splurge on a full-sized bottle. I had narrowed down my picks to Beige, Gardenia and No. 22, I decided on Beige. There are three different sizes for most of the Les Exclusifs de Chanel, I purchased the smallest option because it usually takes me forever to go through a perfume, although now that I’ve been spritzing this for a few days now, I think I should have purchased the larger 6.8 fl oz size as I know for sure that I will run through this one.

Beige is a lightweight natural sweet floral. According to Chanel named “beige” because it’s “an elusive colour with infinite variations, beige may seem quite ordinary. And yet, behind this apparent simplicity, it hides a discreet sensuality that builds slowly before revealing itself fully. This sensual outburst is interpreted by Jacques Polge through a bouquet of Hawthorn, Freesia and Frangipani, with shimmering hints of honey. A stunning blend of white petals and yellow gold…in other words, a breath of beige.”

I couldn’t find a better way to describe it. Beige does seems like it could be very ordinary but I like soft scents that seem to meld with the scent of natural clean skin. Beige is a white floral but the mix of honey makes it sweet and not too cloying so it’s not overly floral. The power is quite strong and it’s one of those that doesn’t fade within an hour, it remains noticeable on me for several hours with just 2 spritzes (I do recommend 3 to 4 though, as I do with most fragrances).

The packaging and bottle design are stunning. There is a classic simplicity in the sharp clean lines of a simple glass bottle that make the Les Exclusifs de Chanel stand out. It looks beautiful on my dresser or bathroom counter and it makes me really happy when I wear this.

On the nails Chanel Desirio

If you’re a fan of Frederic Malle Carnal Flower I think you will like Chanel Beige. The two are quite different from each other, but both have this smooth floral dry down that gives these a soft well rounded and mellow feel. Carnal Flower is more complex with strong tuberose while Beige is sweeter and lighter with freesia and honey. I don’t typically find myself drawn to florals because I find they pull powdery on my skin. These two are the exception.

Bottom line perfect for right now as we transition into warmer weather. It’s a lightweight sweet floral that brightens my mood and something my husband really likes on me (huge plus). You can find the Les Exclusifs de Chanel fragrances at Chanel Boutiques and stores with Chanel Beaute Studios (like Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills or Bloomingdales South Coast Plaza). Also online at Chanel.com.

Have you tried any of the Les Exclusifs de Chanel? What are your favorite ones? If not, what’s your favorite fragrance for right now?
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Fragrance Home / Interiors

Cire Trudon Odalisque

March 18, 2015

I purchased my first Cire Trudon candle a few weeks ago at Barneys in Beverly Hills. I have @wendyg_nyc to blame for this splurge (or rather thank) as she has been pleading that I check out Cire Trudon for months. I don’t have close access to the brand and although it’s been on my list for quite some time, every time I stopped by Barneys all the distractions on the beauty floor prevented me from looking into these candles.

If you’ve seen Cire Trudon candles in person at Barneys you will see they are all displayed on the counter covered with a glass dome to help retain the scent. These are the strongest candles I’ve ever smelled or burned and seeing all the options was quite overwhelming. Thanks to Wendy I had a list of three to narrow down my first purchase and I picked out Odalisque ($95 for 270 g / 9.5 oz).

Cire Trudon candles are made of vegetable-based wax. They come in several sizes, the Classic Size is a large brown-tinted class jar. The one I picked out has a mix of orange blossom and cinnamon. It’s quite complex and is extremely rich. It smells so rich it almost smells holy, like it belongs in a cathedral.The official description of Odalisque is:

“Enclosed in citrus and wood bark, the orange blossom weaves a painter’s dream from which escapes the pale volute of smoke from a narghile. As an orientalist painting, furiously romantic, the vigorous scent of the case, and solar splinter of citrus fruits, come out as a thin blade in the silky shadow of vanilla. Top notes of lemon and orange, heart notes of orange blossom, and base notes are cade and vanilla.”

top note : lemon, orange / middle : orange blossom / base : wild juniper, vanilla

The candles have a small label on the back:

Odalisque is a classic orange blossom scent amped up with spice and wood. I find traditional orange blossom candles to be very light and airy, there is a hint of citrus but there is a good mix of florals to prevent it from smelling too fruity. Odalisque is a unique orange blossom because the mix of wood bark and juniper add depth to it that is hard to describe but makes it complex.


This is my first time burning something from Cire Trudon and it’s pure love. Odalisque proved to be one of the strongest home scents I’ve burned, the scent fills the entire room within a few minutes and the scent lingers for a while even after you blow out the flame. It is a luxurious splurge so if you’re unsure about ordering sight unseen at all I highly recommend you try to visit a store first (locator by region here).

I bought mine at Barneys New York. Cire Trudon is also available online at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beautyhabit, Net-A-Porter, Lucky Scent and Ciretrudon.com.

Have you tried Cire Trudon yet? What are your favorites? Do I need the fancy scented matches?

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Fragrance Skincare

Byredo Bal d’Afrique L’Huile Parfum Oil Roll-On and Blanche Hand Cream

February 10, 2015

I stopped by Fashion Island a few weekends ago with Beauty Professor for lunch and beauty shopping. One counter we stopped at was the Byredo counter at Neiman Marcus where I fell in love with their new Blanche Hand Cream ($35 for 30 ml/1 oz, made in France) and Bal d’Afrique L’Huile Parfum Oil Roll-On ($78 for 7.5 ml).

I’ve been a huge fan of Byredo candles, but since I don’t have easy immediate access to the line, it’s a fragrance brand that I tend to overlook because I like to smell things in person before buying. They recently released three hand creams in Blanche, Bal d’Afrique and La Tulipe, all of which have been on my radar for quite some time but I was reluctant to buy because of the packaging. These come in a sleek white squeeze tube similar to the original Stila Lipshines or Aesop Skincare tubes. They don’t keep their shape and seem extremely delicate, but after testing them, I had to give one a try. These are some of the fanciest hand creams I’ve ever seen and the scents are absolutely divine.

On the nails, Louboutin Sweet Charity (review here)

Blanche is a clean lightweight fresh floral with a soft linen feel. The notes include, top notes of White rose, pink pepper, aldehyde, heart notes are Violet, neroli, peony, base notes are Blond woods, sandalwood, musk. The texture is semi thick with an emollient feel and hydrates the hands nicely. The scent is just so luscious and luxurious – I can’t think of a better treat for your hands. That being said, I do think there are hand creams that will do a better job at moisturizing (my favorites here) but the Byredo one is still very good. If the packaging were sturdier I think I could give this a glowing rave review. Due to the delicate nature of this one, it’s not one I can comfortably carry in my purse or makeup bag even though I tend to be very careful with my purse contents.

Bal d’Afrique L’Huile Parfum Oil Roll-On was love at first smell. I opted for the roll on version because I used to use Gypsy Water spray version but found it induced a migraine if I didn’t spray it just right. Bal d’Afrique is a sweet scent that smells slightly fruity with a hint of peach. The notes include top notes of bergamot, lemon, neroli, African marigold, bucchu, heart notes of Violet, Jasmine petals, cyclamen and base notes of Black amber, musk, vetiver, Moroccan cedar wood. My nose doesn’t quite smell all those notes, to me it’s a mix of lemon, neroli and jasmine but the mix is quite unique. I adore this one which really surprises me because it’s on the sweet side and I normally do not like sweet scents on me. This is definitely more of a spring-summer kind of fragrance. I like it right now, but do feel it’s more seasonal rather than year-round. Lasting power is quite good on me, it lasts several hours without fading. I like the convenience of the roll on because it’s easy to apply precisely and also small enough to fit into a clutch or makeup bag.

I received a small sample at the counter of Mojave Ghost and Black Saffron – both of which smell amazing as well and are on my wishlist now.


Do you have any Byredo favorites? If not, what’s your current go-to scent? I’m always looking for recommendations to check out even though I have a super picky nose.

You can find Byredo at select Neiman Marcus stores and online. I’ve also bought items from the line in store at Barneys New York and online from Net-A-Porter.

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Fragrance Home / Interiors

Candle Care Tips

January 20, 2015

 

I’ve received a number of questions on candle care so today I’m sharing some simple tips on how I burn and care for your candles. Once you own a luxury candle you will want to burn it and care for it properly in order to get the most out of it’s life. I’ve burned quite a few candles in the past few years and didn’t realize until recently that I was burning some of my candles incorrectly.
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Question 1: Some of my candles don’t burn evenly and tunnel. How do you prevent this?
 

 

I just recently discovered the phrase “candle tunneling” which refers to an uneven burn where the wax of the candle near the center/wick melts but the edges do not. Some of my candles haven’ burned all the way to the edge for a smooth flat burn while others have – I did not know what caused this. I just found out at a recent trip to a Diptyque store that the first burn is extremely important to prevent tunneling. The reps at the store said that you want to make sure the first time you burn the candle you want to let it burn long enough to melt the entire surface of the candle which can take several hours. Depending on the size of the candle, they recommended about 1 hour per inch in diameter. I thought 30 minutes of burn time would be sufficient to melt the surface of my standard Diptyque candles so I timed it at a few intervals. At 45 minutes the surface was nowhere near being completely melted.

 

 

It took a full three hours for the surface of my standard size Diptyque candle to melt and liquify completely and evenly on the surface for the first burn. Jo Malone 7.0 oz candles and Diptyque 6.5 oz candles are very similar in size, after testing the timing for the initial burn, I found they both took about the same time for the surface to melt. Below is a Jo Malone Candle where the diameter is about 3 inches. So the 1 hour burn time per inch of diameter proved to be pretty accurate.

 

 

So what do you do if you burned the candle incorrectly the first couple of times? There are a lot of other resources online on how to fix it, but this depends on how deep the tunnel is. If the tunneling is minor I’ve been able to fix some of mine by burning for a few hours and scooping out the hard unmelted wax around the edges to even out the surface. Other recommendations on Scent Snob and Nouvelle Daily.

 

In addition to the first burn, to make sure you candle burns evenly, you also need to make sure the wick stays centered. It can migrate sometimes or burn at an angle. Use a sturdy object to re-center or straighten the wick – I’ve done this while the candle is burning with a small butter knife although I recommend you do this with caution to avoid burning yourself or anything else. It’s better to re-center the wick after you’ve blown out or snuffed the flame. Sometimes I’ll push the wick with the tip of scissors. Whatever you use, if you dip it in melted liquified wax, you’ll have to clean the item.
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Question 2: Why invest in a wick trimmer? Can I just use my regular scissors?

 

 

Trimming the candle wick after they burn is important to prevent them from smoking on the next burn or from burning the sides of the glass. It’s commonly recommended that you trim them as short as possible without cutting them too short. I trim mine after they’ve cooled just in case I don’t catch the end of the trimmed wick. Sometimes I accidentally drop it into the candle and it ends up getting the melted wax very messy or sinks to the bottom of the liquified portion.On wick trimmers vs scissors, I find they both work, but it is nice to have a dedicated tool just for trimming wicks. It took me a long time before I splurged on a Diptyque wick trimmer but I’ve found it well worth the investment and I use it all the time. Now I no longer have to worry about getting my scissors dirty. They also double as a decorative accessory. Wick trimmers are more aesthetically pleasing than basic scissors and I can leave them laying on the coffee table or desk. Also because of the beveled tip it cuts the wick straight versus scissors which will cut the wick at a slant if you have to insert it into the jar and a angled cut wick won’t burn straight.

 

 

Most wick trimmers have a beveled tip which makes it easy to catch the trimmed wick. This is perfect for people like me who find it difficult to balance tiny things on small surfaces.

 

 

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Question 3: Are accessories like lids or photophores really useful? Or worth it in general? What about candle snuffers?

 

 

Some candles come with their own lids. Henri Bendel Travel Candles and full-sized Jo Malone Candles come with lids. Diptyque carries candle lids you can purchase separately. I’ve received a couple Diptyque lids as gift with purchases before and also purchased several. I find that they work to keep out dust and debris and really help to keep the surfaces clean. Some have asked if it keeps the scent in the candle from fading – if you have input on this I’d be really happy to hear your thoughts. I have had several candles that I left open or in a box over 6 months and found they retained their scent and strength without a lid. With the lids that come from Diptyque, Jo Malone or Henri Bendel, they sit on top of the candle but it won’t seal them shut completely so air can still get in and out. I like my lids mainly to keep them clean and dust-free.

 

Photophores are decorative accents for me. They can be on the pricey side but I do think if you are willing to splurge on something to decorate your home these are very beautiful. I received one from Diptyque as a gift from my husband and really love it. Below is the Large Full Twist option.

 

One of the candle accessories I don’t own yet is a candle snuffer. I’ve looked at them numerous times at the stores but haven’t splurged yet.
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Question 4: How do you clean out the wax from the interior to recycle your candles?

 

 

If you google how to recycle or clean out candles, you will find a number of different methods. I’ve shared my personal candle recycling tips before. I don’t always get a completely clean burn and there is often remnants of wax on the sides so the freezer method doesn’t work for me. I don’t like using really hot water because it can impact the stickers on the sides of the jars. I like to use the warm water + dish soap with paper towels or a sponge to soften the wax and clean the interior.

 

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Question 5: What are your all time favorite candles?
I’ve purchased quite a few different candles, each time I go to a Diptyque store or visit Henri Bendel I discover something new. Personal favorites change depending on time of year. My most frequently repurchased candles include:

 

I also really like Frederic Malle, Byredo and Lumira candles as well, but for me they are harder to find so I don’t purchase them as frequently as I would like to.
I hope you found this candle care post helpful! If you have any tips you’d like to share please do so in the comments! What are your favorite candles or scents?
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