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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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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Rosafolia

January 10, 2015

This spring Diptyque has released a the new rose-themed collection called Rosafolia. It includes three new items including the Rosafolia Candle, Scented Oval and a new perfume called Eau Plurielle. I ordered the candle which comes in a beautiful limited-edition white jar with a lovely rose and ivy design. This year’s special rose scent has a new fresh twist on rose. The best way I can describe it is as a green rose.

Per Diptyque, Rosafolia is “a scented candle whose verdure, enhanced by a touch of galbanum, is gracefully diffused at the heart of Turkish rose absolute, the softness of petals sharpened by the understated vitality from a hint of geranium.” There is a green touch to it which rounds out the floral notes. Compared to last year’s Rosamundi, Rosafloria is clearly more green and with a fresher and slightly sweeter touch. Last year’s Diptyque special rose release was a bit more floral and almost powdery in scent.

Rosafolia is bottom line gorgeous. I highly recommend you check it out. I ordered mine from Diptyque South Coast Plaza. It’s also available now online at Nordstrom and Diptyque.

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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Benjoin and Cuir

January 6, 2015

Beauty Look Book readers know I’m a dedicated fan of Diptyque. So far I’ve loved every candle from the line that I’ve bought or received as a gift. There are some scents that are harder to find because they are either boutique or online exclusives. I have one of each to share with you, one hit and one miss.

Benjoin ($60 for 6.5 oz) is an online exclusive described as “somewhere between vanilla and caramel” with notes of patchouli and Indian cypriol. I had high hopes for this one expecting a well rounded sweet vanilla and caramel candle, something along the lines of Henri Bendel Vanilla Bean (my all time favorite vanilla candle).

When I opened the box I was a bit thrown by the smokey and woody notes that had a slight floral and powdery feel. The good thing about this candle is that it has a very good throw and fills up the room with the scent quickly. In the jar it does smell like a mix of caramel and vanilla, but in a synthetic way that has a plastic feel and the woody notes makes it turn a bit. Since this was an online exclusive, I ordered 2 and burned through an entire candle to test it and see if if would grow on me. My friends really like this one but for me this was a miss – mainly because I was expecting something sweeter and more rounded. I just started to burn my second one to see once again if I could grow to love it, for me all I smell is powder and smokey wood with a very slight hint of vanilla. I think it’s going to be re-gifted very soon.

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Another one I’ve been testing is Cuir ($60 for 6.5 oz) which is a Diptyque Boutique exclusive. It is occasionally listed online but it always seems to be sold out (I’ve bought mine in stores). The description from Diptyque is “this candle evokes the scent of tanned leather with birch bark,
characteristic note of Cuir de Russie.” They say it is “perfect for an
office.”

For me this one has been pure love since the first time I smelled it in store. It does have a leather and birch bark feel but with a very clean feel. It has a freshness that almost reminds me of soap, although the candle isn’t really soapy – it’s hard for me to describe, but if you can visit one of the Diptyque stores, I highly recommend smelling it. It’s very unique and different from most candles. I bought it for my husband’s office, but ended up borrowing it (permanently) from him and have repurchased it twice.

If you haven’t been to a Diptyque store, I highly recommend you put it on your list for the new year. They are beautifully designed with exclusives you can’t find at other retailers. (They have the full range of large and small photophores which are beautiful, one featured here). See my coverage on South Coast Plaza, Maiden Lane and Larchmont.

Have you tried or bought any of the Diptyque online or store exclusives? What are your favorites? If you bought Benjoin online, what did you think?

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Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque x Tomas Maier Collaboration

December 7, 2014

Tomas Maier and Diptyque have partnered on an exclusive collaboration. Their collection features three new candles cased in beautiful matte black glass jars and embossed with white palm trees on the front. The three scents are inspired by places that are meaningful to Tomas Maier which include the barrier island of Palm Beach (PB), a coastal north Atlantic island in Maine, West District Road (WDR), and a bluff top lair at the extreme point of Long Island, Old Montauk Highway (OMH). Each candle retails for $65 and are exclusive to Diptyque Boutiques, Diptyqueparis.com and Tomas Maier stores.

 

I ordered these a few weeks ago and have been burning each one to test them thoroughly. I’m in love with each one, but my favorite is Palm Beach. Unfortunately these have been released in extremely limited quantities, they are currently sold out on Diptyque’s website and I’ve been told stores have limited stock. If you’ve been contemplating these, I suggest you call your local boutique or the Tomas Maier Madison Ave store (212) 988-8686 sooner than later to see if they have any left in stock (or ask to be put on the waiting list for their next shipment). It always pains me a little to write about something after it’s sold out, but in case you’ve been waiting for my review, here it is.

Palm Beach “PB”  is described as: humid, tropical, breezy, floral, evokes a walled, tropical garden on a southern Florida barrier island featuring scents of jasmine and iris, lemon and lime trees, salt from the sea and fresh cut grass

This is my one favorite of the three and I’ve been burning this one the most. It’s a refreshing mix of citrus and floral, the jasmine and iris are noticeable but the lemon/lime addition dominates it very uplifting. The salt helps balance out the fragrance preventing it from being too sweet or floral. The throw is medium on this one, it’s not super strong or overpowering, but I’ve found it to be just right.

West District Road “WDR”  is described as: dry, northern, still, woods, reminiscent of the scents on a saltwater farm of a Northern Atlantic island plush with ferns, fir and birch trees, hay, wild iris and meadow rose, moss and sea mist

There is something raw, green and very much sea-like about this candle. It’s not quite a pure woodsy fragrance, but it’s has that woodsy feel. It’s an earthy green, you can definitely smell the mix of ferns and fir trees inside. The addition of iris and rose soften it up so it’s not too earthy. It burns with a very clean feel. Throw on this is very strong.

Old Montauk Highway “OMH” is described as: moist, heather dunes, windswept, on a bluff high above the roaring Atlantic Ocean featuring scents of lady slipper orchids, black pine, bayberry, heather misted by the salty ocean breeze

This one has a smokey vibe. It has an interesting hint of heather and orchid, but smells like firewood that is lighter with a hint of salt and florals and green mixed in. I find this one to be the most masculine out of the three, but it burns clean and is still more of a unisex kind of home fragrance. If you like girly scents for the home, this one might not be the one for you. However, if you like scents along the lines of Feu de Bois but want something lighter and not as woodsy, this one is perfect. Throw on this is medium-strong.

I ordered my candles from Diptyque at South Coast Plaza and a few more online at Diptyque for Black Friday. Stores received a very limited amount and the website is currently sold out of all three. You might want to call your local stores sooner than later. If they have a waiting list I highly recommend it.

Also if you’re near a Diptyque store, I’d recommend calling to check out if they are having a holiday event soon. South Coast Plaza has theirs this Thursday December 11th from 6 to 9 PM. Call them at (714) 850-9995 to RSVP, ask for Raven or Noa. (As of yesterday, they were sold out of PB, but still have the others WDR and OMH available.)

Have you checked out the Diptyque + Tomas Maier collection yet? What did you think? Which one is your favorite?
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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

New from Diptyque | Vanille and Le Redouté

October 2, 2014

Above: tray by West Elm and Yves Saint Laurent
Book

Diptyque has released a number of new candles for fall. I picked up Vanille ($60 for 190g/6.5 oz) and Le Redouté ($85 for 220g/7.3 oz) early last month. I’ve been burning each for a few weeks now and have completely fallen in love with both.

Vanille is a smokey vanilla that has a slight wood-like feel. It has a smokey vibe similar to Feu De Bois but not quite as dark. The candle is described by Diptyque as a “vanilla orchid” that “gradually gives way to the intensity of the pod … spices take precedence, blending with sandalwood and elemi to reveal a balsamy Bourbon Vanilla with smooth and woody accents.” When I first opened Vanille, it was primarily smokey, just like firewood, but after letting it breathe for a while it turned into a smooth warm vanilla scent. I’m a huge fan of vanilla scents in general, but finding a good one is difficult. I don’t like the ones that are super sweet. To date, my favorite is Henri Bendel Vanilla Bean because it’s the best smelling warm vanilla. Diptyque’s Vanille is more complex with an obvious firewood mix that makes it very unique. The scent is one of the stronger ones from Diptyque, I find it has a super smooth burn that feels just like fall. I really like Vanille, I think it’s for the vanilla-lover who doesn’t like super sweet vanilla scents.

Le Redouté joins the 34 Collection in two forms. I purchased the marbled porcelain jar version for $85. All of these are hand-crafted using the “terre mêlée” (mixed clay) technique which makes every piece is unique. It also comes in a pillar format which retails for $75 + $150 for a photophore (these are exclusive to the boutiques). Le Redouté is a cinnamon potpourri mix. It’s described as having cinnamon, clove, orange roses, cedar and amber. This one is also quite strong and fills the entire room within seconds. In this one it is primarily cinnamon which I think has more of a holiday feel. In Southern California we usually have sunny weather year-round, right now it hardly feels like fall. I’ve really enjoyed Le Redouté but will probably be burning it later in the season.

A quick look at the new fall items from Diptyque at the South Coast Plaza boutique. The three pillars are exclusive to the stores and Diptyqueparis.com, there are three photophores to purchase in addition to the pillars but they didn’t have any on display at the time I went. There is also a larger version of Ambre in the colored glass jar.

Both Vanille and Le Redouté are beautiful home scents for fall. I’m particularly smitten with Vanille and will bring out Le Redouté later in the season. There is another vanilla candle called Benjoin which is an online exclusive, I expect to receive it soon and will make a comparison once it arrives. Do you have any favorite home scents for fall? Have you checked out any of the new offerings from Diptyque?

You can find Vanille online at Diptyque, Nordstrom, Space NK, Neiman Marcus.
Le Redouté is available at Diptyque, Space NK and Neiman Marcus.
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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Oyédo Candle

June 17, 2014

Each time I visit the Diptyque boutique or counter I discover something new. I discovered Diptyque Oyédo Candle ($60 for 6.5 oz) several months ago but just started burning it this past week. Oyédo is a light and citrus scent that smells like a sweet blend of grapefruit and mandarin oranges. It is significantly sweeter and lighter than most Diptyque candles I’ve tested but I like that it’s not too sweet. The scent itself seems on the subtle side once it burns but it is definitely noticeable and has decent throw. There is a refreshing uplifting feel to this one. It’s supposed to have an awakening feel due to the citrus notes, I find that it’s a more subtle citrus making it soothing. It’s very different from other Diptyque candles in the sense there is no earthy, herbal or spicey feel to it. Just straight citrus.

If you like subtle sweeter citrus scents that aren’t overpowering or too
sweet this one is a good one to check out. I’ve been loving it this
week and think it will be perfect for warmer summer weather.
At this time I’m not sure if it’s discontinued or just simply just one of those hard-to-find scents. I saw it several times at local counters but haven’t seen it in a while. It’s currently out of stock on the Diptyque website. I know you can still find it in boutiques and online at Saks, Lucky Scent and SpaceNK (UK).
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Fragrance Home / Interiors

Fresh and Light

April 16, 2014

Right now I’m loving fresh, light and uplifting scents for the home. I always find it interesting how my scent preferences change with the seasons. I usually think I lean towards all-occasion types of fragrances but these days I’m gravitating towards lighter fresher scents. A few favorites right now I find to be unique with good throw:
  • Malin + Goetz Mojito ($52 for 9 oz for 60 hour burn) is a fresh mix of lime, mint, basil and rum. This is my first Malin+Goetz candle and I love how this burns really cleanly, the scent is so unique, I’ve never smelled anything like it before. Mojito has a fresh unique uplifting scent including top notes of lime, rum, mint leaves, peppery basil, middle notes of spearmint and Chinese mint, base notes of white musk. I highly recommend this one for a clean fresh scent.

  • Diptyque Geranium Rosa ($60 for 6.5 oz, 60 hour burn) is one of the Diptyque scents that is harder to find (for me at least), you can find it all Diptyque stores and more retailers are starting to carry it now. This one is a fresh light green floral with a hint of mint (however I think I’m the only one who detects any mint). Geranium Rosa is one of those scents that is extremely green and very floral, if you prefer scents that aren’t quite as green, opt for Roses or Baies which are not quite as sharp. I like this one for the fresh green feel it creates.

  • Byredo Fleur Fantôme ($80 for 10.5 oz, 60 hour burn) is one of the splurgiest candles I’ve ever purchased, it has a highly complex mix of florals. Top notes: Rhubarb, Lemon Petitgrain Leaves, Middle notes: Violet Leaves, Tulip Extract, Base notes: Galbanum, Heliotrope, Suede. It has a refreshing floral mix and for something so complex, it actually has a simple fresh feel. Fleur Fantome has to be one of the most beautiful smelling candle I’ve ever burned, it smells like a beautiful garden.

  • Henri Bendel Beach ($15 for 4 oz travel size or $30 for 9.4 oz size) is another unique fresh scent (it’s one of my most repurchased candles). Beach is like the ultimate vacation scent and the mix is pure genius. There is nothing like it and it smells exactly like a beach vacation. If you’re new to Henri Bendel’s line and are looking for a recommendation to try something new, Beach would be my top pick. Notes include warm white sand and earthly driftwood blend with the summery
    smells of jasmine, white lotus, creamy coconut milk and sweet
    rosewater. I find Henri Bendel to be among the best candles at a decent price
    range. They have a diverse range of amazing scents that aren’t too
    overpowering but still have really good throw.

What home fragrances are you loving right now as we transition into warmer spring weather?

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