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Beauty Favorites Fragrance Holiday Gift Guide

Best Holiday Luxury Candles

November 30, 2022

Best Holiday Candles Diptyque Sapin

I love candles year-round but especially love holiday scents! A great cozy scent can set the mood and make things feel more festive. There are so many great options this year my wishlist is so incredibly long. My usual go-to’s are Diptyque Sapin, Vanille, Santal, Amber, Nest Holiday and Byredo Woods. I’ve tried a few new ones this year I think are worth checking out. Here are my favorites so far.

Diptyque Holiday

Diptyque Sapin Candle Holiday 2022

You girls know how much I love Diptyque. I order their holiday candles almost every year and I think they make the best pine scents. This year their holiday candles ($48 – $84) also glow in the dark (the box does too!). Sapin (Pine Tree) is a classic and I love the packaging design this year.

Etincelles (Spark) is described as a mix of wood fire, coffee and chocolate but to me it smells more like a woody spice.

Diptyque Etincelles Candle Holiday 2022

Neige (Snow) is a white powdery musk that does indeed remind me of snow. I love these so much and think the Holiday Trio (with small size) would make an absolutely stunning gift.

Diptyque Neige Candle Holiday 2022

I’ve splurged on so many of their home décor pieces and love every single one. This year the Diptyque team gifted me their Constellation Candle Holder which is gorgeous! If it’s in your budget I think it’s definitely worth a splurge.

Diptyque Constellation Candle Holiday 2022

From their regular lineup there are so many great scents. I love Santal, Ambre, Feu de Bois and Vanille this time of year. Their larger 3-wick candles are stunning too and have stronger throw than their regular standard candles.

Byredo

Byredo Symphonique Candle Holiday 2022

I tried the new Byredo Symphonique candle this year and thing it is beautiful. It has a mix of bitter orange and anise with ginger and cedarwood mixed in. It smells like a smokey spiced orange. Diptyque’s Oranger by comparison has a softer more powdery vibe.

Creed

Creed Vanisia Candles Holiday 2022

Creed candles are the best of the best in luxury. Vanisia is a soft powdery vanilla and amber mix. I splurged on the 7.7 oz variation ($115) which I’ve been burning at home because I love their Vanisia Room Spray. This holiday the Creed team generously gifted me the 3-wick Leather Candle. It’s available in 2 sizes and comes with their limited-edition bright blue leather holder. It’s stunning!

Creed Vanisia Leather Candle Holiday 2022

Overose

Overose launched delicious candles this year in a number of pastry inspired scents. They smell just like the real thing. I am still working my way through trying the ones I ordered. I really love Croissant Aux Amandes ($58) which buttery sweet but not too sweet. Definitely check out their new options this year – they have Pain Au Chocolat, Croissant, Cinnamon Roll and Macaron Pistache.

Overose Croissant Aux Amandes

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Maison Francis Kurkdjian has three holiday scents this year. I must admit this is a brand I try not to look at because of the high price points, I don’t want to be tempted! My bestie gifted me the Pain d’Spices Candle ($75) and it’s decadent! It has a mix of orange, honey and cinnamon. So good I want to eat it. It has very good throw too.

Masion Francis Kurkdjian Pain d'Spices

Phlur

Phlur launched two holiday candles this year and they do not disappoint. Sweet Smoke ($45) is one of the most amazing smoky candles I’ve ever burned. It’s hard to envision what sweet smoke smells like but they nailed it. It’s a creamy sweet firewood kind of scent. Wild Balsam was a sweet surprise too and I think it just might be the best pine and juniper candle I have ever burned. I’ve already finished one up entirely. I am debating whether to order a couple more because Andrew was really impressed by it too. Love the colored wax with these!

Phlur Holiday Candles Sweet Smoke and Wild Balsam

Mizensir

Last but not least I love Mizensir candles. I loved their Bois Ardent from last year as a really nice smoky woody scent.

Mizensir Bois Ardent Candle

This year the team sent over Sapin de Noel which smells just like Christmas! It’s available in a standard size, 3-wick size and colored glass version. You can use code SABRINA15 to save 15% off your order from their website.

Mizensir Sapin de Noel

I have so many others on my list but there is not enough time to try them all. I am really curious about the Nest Crystallized Ginger and Vanilla Bean (which I am picking up soon). Jo Malone always has fun options this time of year. Boy Smells has some really nice options too.

If you had your eye on any of these I hope this roundup is helpful! What are your favorites this time of year?

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Gifted items include the Diptyque Constellation Candle Holder, Creed Vanisa Leather Candle, Phlur Candles and Mizensir Sapin de Noel.

Fragrance Holiday Gift Guide Home / Interiors

Best Holiday Candles + Scents For the Home This Season

December 14, 2020

Best Luxury Christmas Candles Byredo, Diptyque, Cire Trudon | The Beauty Lookbook

I’m wrapping up my holiday gift guides with a few more roundups! Today I’m sharing my favorite luxury candles for the holidays. If you’re looking to splurge on something nice for the home or as a gift here are my favorites.

Best Holiday Candles Diptyque, Byredo, Maison Francis Kurkdjian | The Beauty Lookbook

DIPTYQUE

Diptyque Best of Baies Set | The Beauty Look book

Baies is my favorite of all the Diptyque scents, it’s great for holiday because it’s a unique mix of roses and blackcurrant. It’s a green and berry mix which I think is interesting and perfect year round. I’ve bought this in multiple sizes and adore the Baies Room Spray. Available in multiple sizes. In case you are not a fan of blackcurrant or rose, I’ve included a few others.

Best Diptyque Candles for Christmas Amber, Santal, Vanille, Feu de Bois

Vanille is a unique vanilla in the sense that it’s a smoky leathery one with a hint of spice. It’s not sweet like other vanilla candles.

Ambre is one of the prettiest holiday scents to me. It’s a warm mix of amber and musk giving it a cozy feel.

Feu de Bois is the best firewood scent in candle form. It has a smoky earthy kind of wood smell.

Santal is one of the softest sandalwood scents I’ve tried. Sometimes sandalwood can be a bit strong in other candles, this has good throw but has a well-rounded feel. It has a bit of a velvety feel to it.

A few other fun things to check out:

BYREDO

Byredo Tree House Room Spray Mini Bibliothque Candle | The Beauty Lookbook

Tree House is one of my favorite woodsy kind of candles, this year I opted to buy the Tree House Room Spray and am so impressed. It has the longest lasting power of all the room sprays I’ve tried. It smells just like the candle and is quite potent. It has a mix of pimento, bamboo, cedarwood, guaiac wood, sandalwood and leather. The Room Spray comes at quite a steep price but it is cased in a large glass spray bottle and I feel it will last a long time.

Bibliotheque is one of my favorites for the holiday, it has a really unique mix, almost like a more intense less sweet version of their Bal D’Afrique perfume. Bibliotheque notes are peach, plum, peony, violet, leather patchouli and vanilla. It is available in the standard 8.5 oz size and also in the mini 2.5 oz (shown here). Minis are harder to find sometimes as they sell out, but you can find them at Byredo, Violet Grey, Lucky Scent, Space NK.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Candle

The Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Candle was a gift from my bestie and it is AMAZING! I just bought the perfume and fell in love with it. The candle smells exactly like the perfume – woody, amber, floral and sweet with extremely good throw. It is quite a splurge but I would not hesitate to buy on my own. She bought it from Saks.

CIRE TRUDON

Cire Trudon Ernesto Candles | The Beauty Lookbook

There are so many things I want to try from Cire Trudon but I keep going back to my one favorite, Ernesto. Cire Trudon makes the best of the best in terms of how elegant and unique their candles are. They have the strongest throw out of the ones I have tried. I fell in love with Ernesto thanks to one of my readers who kept nudging me to try (she even offered to buy me one if I didn’t order one lol!). I eventually splurged and have never looked back. This year they launched Ernesto in a beautiful Alabaster vessel with a lid. It’s truly glorious. I ordered it over Cyber Week for some savings. It is like a beautiful work of art.

For Christmas, I have also tried Gabriel, Nazareth and Fir – all are truly lovely for the holiday season.

ACCESSORIES

Diptyque Photophore Glass

Crate and Barrel Glass Cloche Candle Cover

Glass Match Cloche Twist Skeem Design | The Beauty Lookbook

Wick Trimmers Diptyque and Lumira

A few accessories I love:

That wraps up my holiday candle favorites! I hope you enjoyed the roundup!

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I’m hosting a giveaway! I’m giving away one $100 eGift Card to Nordstrom. ONE person will be selected at random to win and contacted by email from me ([email protected]). All you have to do is follow the steps in the widget below. The more steps you complete the more entries you receive. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Not sponsored or affiliated. Runs through 12/21/2020 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be selected by 12/22 and will need to respond to my email within 3 days to claim prize or another winner will be selected in their place.

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Fragrance Home / Interiors

Favorite Home Scents for Spring

March 25, 2020

Favorite Home Candles and Room Sprays

Sending everyone my best wishes right now! I hope you are all staying safe. We have been doing well here and doing more organizing/spring cleaning. If you’re looking for a way to spruce up your home with a good scent I have a roundup with some current favorites. I love good smelling candles or sprays to help lift the mood. We like to rotate through a lot of different scents. Here are some of my favorites right now.

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Diptyque

Favorite Diptyque Scents and Candles

Diptyque is my favorite candle brand of all time. The candles are quite the splurge but there’s nothing quite like the ones they have. I’ve tried so many different scents and have loved every single one. My favorite is Baies for year round which has a mix of roses and blackcurrant leaves. It’s fruity but not too sweet. For spring I also love Mimosa which is shown in the mini below. It’s a powdery floral with honey mix.

If you can’t burn candles in your home I highly recommend their room sprays. We love Figuier (sweet fig, and the best fig in my opinion) and Baies.

Diptyque also has a collection of City Candles which are typically only available in their respective city boutiques. Occasionally they will have them available online to purchase. My favorites are Paris, New York and Miami (reviewed here).

You can find Diptyque at a wide range of retailers although their boutiques and website will have the largest selection (they carry some exclusives).

My top five for spring include: Baies, Figuier, Mimosa, Aubepine and Santal.

How to clean out the wax to recycle candles in this post here.

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Lumira

Lumira Tahitian Coconut and Arabian Oud

Lumira is an Australian brand I discovered several years ago. Their Tahitian Coconut is the best sweet coconut candle I’ve ever tried and I have a stock pile at my home so I don’t run out. Notes include frangipani, jasmine, coconut, orange flower, mandarin, white musk and vanilla. Right now they have one Room Spray in Arabian Oud which is lovely if you like spicy scents with a mix of oud, rose, sandalwood, bergamot and amber. They have a lovely selection of Accessories as well and I love their Wick Trimmer.

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Aesop Hand Wash + Room Sprays

Aesop Skincare Room Sprays

Aesop Hand Wash and Room Spray

For the best relaxing and calming room sprays both Andrew and I love Aesop. They launched three Room Sprays and each one is amazing. Andrew loves Olous the best while my favorite is Istros. Over the holiday they launched a mini trio which I think is super cute. You can still find it online at Aesop. The sprays have good through and lasting power is ok. It’s not going to last anywhere near as long as a candle or diffuser will but we still love them.

Scents include:

  • Olous notes are Galbanum, Grapefruit, Jasmine
  • Cythera notes are Geranium, Incense, Patchouli
  • Istros notes include Pink Pepper, Lavender, Tobacco

We also love their hand and body care products. While not really a home scent the hand washes add a nice touch to the home. The one I always repurchase is the Resurrection Hand Wash. They have some nice sets and we just bought the Melodist Home Set which has a full sized Olous spray.

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Otherland

Otherland Candles 90s

Otherland is a new brand I discovered recently. They have super cute packaging and unique scent options. They sent over their recent Carefree 90s candle launch and it really does take me back to my high school days! These are more affordably priced than luxury candles like Diptyque, Jo Malone or Cire Trudon and have very good throw.

  • Glosspop is a sweet scent described as a mix of strawberry gloss, hard candy and frosted rose – it’s sweet and fruity
  • Blue Jean Baby is a super fun mix of white musk and mimosa flower
  • Dreamlight is very nostalgic for me and I can’t quite put my finger on what makes me think of the 90s, but this one has a mix of freesia, plumeria and tangerine

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Cire Trudon, Sisley and Byredo

Cire Trudon Petite, Sisley Campagne and Byredo Bibliotheque

Ending my round up with the ultimate in luxury for the home. Candles from Cire Trudon, Sisley and Byredo are quite the splurge. It took me a long time before I could talk myself into trying these in past years and once I did I saw for myself they 100% lived up to the hype.

I think Cire Trudon is the ultimate fragrance brand when it comes to candles. Ernesto is the best one with a mix of leather and tobacco. I usually buy their the holiday version every year (they come in special colored glass jars). I also love Positano for spring and for holiday Gabriel is beautiful!

They recently launched La Petite Bougie which is a mini 70 g version, available in six scents. It’s still very pricey at $42 but they’re super cute. They sent over the scent in Cyrnos which smells like a mix of lavender, thyme and cedarwood. It’s lovely! Full notes include lemon, myrtle, thyme, black fig, cedarwood, lavender, pink, cashmere wood, musk and patchouli.

Sisley fragrances don’t get enough love in my opinion. The Sisley Campagne Candle is one of the cleanest green scents I’ve tried and smells like the fresh outdoors. These are quite the splurge but the throw is quite incredible and I feel like they are very unique. Andrew loves this one because it smells fresh and clean. Notes include bergamot, lemon, basil, green tomato leaves, jasmine, plum, oak moss, patchouli, vetiver. I’ve tried minis of the body wash and body lotion in the same fragrance line and absolutely love it.

Byredo is also another amazing line. Bibliotheque is really unique for year round. It’s the only one I have left right now that hasn’t been used up. They have full sizes and minis. This one is a woody mix with patchouli and vanilla but also has noticeable fruity notes with peach to me. Notes include peach, plum, peony, violet, leather, patchouli and vanilla. For a couple lighter soft fresh options I think Cotton Poplin and Fleur Fantome are really nice florals that aren’t too powdery or too floral.

Best Home Scents Cire Trudon, Diptyque, Aesop

I know it’s challenging to purchase scents without smelling them in person. Even with lots of research on notes and comparisons there isn’t really anything that compares to experiencing scent in person. I hope this provides you with a helpful guide for my personal favorites. It’s been a while since I have bought a perfume without smelling it first, but I’m more likely to buy a candle sight unseen even though it is a bit risky.

What are you favorite home scents? Anything you love for spring or for year round?

 

 

Cire Trudon Petite Candle and Lumira scents provided for review/feature. All others purchased by me.

Diptyque Holiday Gift Guide Home / Interiors

Favorite Fancy Candles for the Holidays

December 18, 2019

Best Fancy Candles from Diptyque, Cire Trudon and Byredo

There’s nothing quite like a good bougie candle to make your home feel extra fancy, warm and cozy all at the same time. By popular request I have an updated favorites roundup for the holiday season! My tried and true favorites remain the same with my top three favorite brands being Diptyque, Byredo and Cire Trudon. Many of these I started burning in late fall and will continue using many of these through early spring.

Diptyque

Best Diptyque Candles

1. Diptyque Baies is in my top three favorites and this one is my most burned, repurchased and recommended candle ever! It has notes of rose and blackcurrant, it smells like berries and rose to me. I’ve bought this in almost all the different sizes. If you are new to Diptyque this is the one I recommend to everyone.

2. Diptyque Feu de Bois is one of the best firewood smokey scents. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it always feels like Christmas to me! It smells warm and cozy.

3. Diptyque Vanille is a smokey vanilla. It’s not your typical sweet gourmand vanilla. It’s almost like a leather smokey kind of vanilla that has a warm vibe.

4. Diptyque Ambre is my favorite amber scent. It has the perfect mix of wood, vetiver and patchouli with a hint of spice. It’s another warm one – I bought the large colored glass version a few years ago and found it a lot more potent than the standard size (which is still very good).

5. Diptyque Santal is the best sandalwood candle. It’s not too strong or spicy and is perfect year round.

I bought the Mini Carousel Set and standard size Lucky Charm carousels last year and love them! They usually have them out only during the holiday season. Both are still available right now at Nordstrom.

Cire Trudon

Cire Trudon Christmas

6. Cire Trudon Ernesto is the best candle of all time to me. It’s a magical mix of leather and tobacco – but I find it hard to describe. I have yet to try all the Cire Trudon candles (I have also tried minis of Positano and Rose Poivree which were lovely!). They’re the most expensive candle splurge I’ve made for the home in past years. Every Christmas they launch special edition packaging for a selection of scents. The Cire Trudon team was generous enough to send this year’s for review and it’s GLORIOUS! I have the Classic size but it also comes in two larger options.

7 / 8 / 9 Cire Trudon Gabriel, Nazareth and Fir have been on my radar for years but every time I’ve decided to buy one I always go back to Ernesto. They have a beautiful Odeurs D’Hiver Christmas Trio which is boxed in the most beautiful packaging I have ever seen. Every candle in the box is carefully packed with inserts around the edges and also in the top to protect the wick/wax. Gabriel is glorious mix of leather, chestnut and wood. Nazareth is a mix of clove, oranges and cinnamon (smells like Christmas!). I’ve always been more of a pine lover for Christmas scents but Cire Trudon Fir is so unique and sweet while still being very green.

Byredo

Best Byredo Candles

10. Byredo Tree House is my favorite one from the line. When I first smelled it years ago I actually did not like the way it smelled straight out of the jar. It wasn’t until I smelled it burning in their New York store that I decided to give it a try. It has the most amazing mix of cedar, bamboo, sandalwood, guaiac wood, hay, spice, myrrh and labdanum. It’s warm and cozy with wood and spice mix.

11. Byredo Bibliotheque is almost like a smoky candle version of Bal D’Afrique perfume to me. It’s not as sweet but to me it has a similar vibe that is so unique and unlike anything else I’ve tried. Even the little one has amazing throw.

Room Sprays

Aesop Room Spray Trio Set

12. Aesop Room Sprays – For those who cannot burn candles room sprays are a great alternative. I’m completely obsessed with all the Aesop Room Sprays and was thrilled to find they launched a mini trio this holiday! I’ve also loved Diptyque Baies and 34 Boulevard St. Germain sprays as well for our home. I’ve been dying to try one from Byredo but haven’t yet.

Best Christmas Candles

How I recycle and clean out wax to recycle/repurpose candles in this post here. What are your favorite home scents for the holiday season?

 

 

Cire Trudon candles gifted. All others purchased by me.

Beauty Favorites Fragrance Home / Interiors Lifestyle

Loving Right Now: Spring Scents

April 10, 2017

Scents of Spring Cire Trudon, Antica Farmacista, Diptyque, Tom Ford and Jo Malone | The Beauty Look Book

Right now I’m obsessed with all kinds of scents that smell like spring. Since moving to Florida I’ve more into scents than I’ve ever been, but there’s something about warm sunny weather that makes me crave something that smells like a tropical vacation. I have a mix of home scents and perfumes I’ve been loving. Some are new launches others have been around for years. I did my spring transition scent post last month and loved hearing about your favorites. Over the years I’ve found a lot of scents I love for spring so this is by no means comprehensive of the best ones out there, but here’s a small selection of what I’ve been loving right now.

For the home I discovered Antica Farmacista last year thanks to the recommendation of Edward Bess. He knew I loved Diptyque and said that Antica Farmacista was a beautiful line with gorgeous diffusers and candles. I fell in love at first sniff and even though I had seen the line for years at Nordstrom I never really paid much attention. I stocked up on a lot of diffusers during the Nordstrom anniversary sale and over the holiday bought a lot of sets as gifts. The line is truly exquisite! Since diffusers do last a lot longer than a candle I’m slowly working my way through trying new scents.

Antica Farmacista Bergamot and Ocean Aria and Lush Palm | The Beauty Look Book

The latest from their line is Lush Palm which is a green floral with Tahitian Gardenia, banana leaf and palm. Notes include Herbaceous Green Accord, Crisp Apple, Pear, Aloe, Grapefruit, Bergamot, White Pepper, Pine, Tahitian Gardenia, Sambac Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Crisp Water Notes, Cedarwood, Mexican Vanilla, Labdanum, and Sweet Amber. It has a lush green floral feel that has an uplifting cooling and relaxing feel. We’ve been using the large diffuser at home and it fills our living room. The candle has pretty good throw. In their catalog they have scent combinations and one of them is the Bergamot and Ocean Aria. I’ve already burned through two of the candles for that one and adore it. They sent the room spray for me to try and as a bergamot lover it’s really lovely. If you’re looking for a nice mother’s day gift they have a Spring Diffuser Trio with minis of Acqua, Lush Palm and Bergamot Ocean Aria – it’s really perfect. Pair it with a nice bouquet of flowers and I think it would look super cute.

Antica Farmacista Bergamot and Ocean Aria and Lush Palm | The Beauty Look Book

For more in the home scent arena, one of my favorite spring time scents (also good for summer) is the Diptyque Tomas Maier Palm Beach (originally reviewed here). It was a limited-edition scent years ago but they keep restocking and you can find it exclusively at Diptyque stores or online at Diptyque. It has jasmine, iris, lemon, lime, salt and grass. It’s got a lovely lush tropical vibe that isn’t overly sweet. I’ve been exploring more in Cire Trudon. One of the cute stores near us is called the Oxford Exchange and they have a mix of things like a cute restaurant, coffee area, tea bar, Aesop Skincare and a shop with Cire Trudon. I spotted a mini duo called the Giambattista Valli and Cire Trudon Duet which has Positano and Rose Poivree ($105). So far I have not spotted the duo anywhere else online except on Cire Trudon’s website and online at Barneys New York. I’m a sucker for minis and even though this was extremely expensive I could not resist the beautiful design and cute box. Positano is a strong bright white floral with gardenia, orange blossom, jasmine, magnolia, tuberose and lily. Rose Poivree is a strong rose with pepper notes. You can also buy the individual full size at places like Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York or Lucky Scent. Cire Trudon candles are quite the splurge but in my experience the throw and intensity surpasses all other brands.

Cire Trudon Giambattista Valli Duet and Diptyque Tomas Maier Palm Beach | The Beauty Look Book

In perfume long-time readers know I like to switch things up. I finally splurged on a full bottle of the Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt after using up a few minis I had from sets and GWPs. It’s funny because when it first launched I did not like it – but I gave it another chance before I moved and fell in love. I love layering it with the Mimosa and Cardamom and Wild Bluebell both thanks to the rec from one of my favorite Jo Malone reps in San Diego).

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc remains one of my favorites for warm weather but the latest launch Sole Di Positano is just absolutely amazing, especially for bergamot lovers. It an extension of the Neroli Portofino line which gets better with each  new launch. This one has Italian bergamot, petitgrain bigrate, lemon and mandarin and shiso leaf. Sole Di Positano is not as citrus or sweet as the Neroli Portofino (one that I find smells great on others but not for me). It’s happiness in a bottle. The All Over Body Sprays have been around for quite some time but I never looked into them. I saw them in person for the first time (I finally discovered a counter near me) and was really surprised by how big the bottles were. They’re aerosol sprays and I decided to try Fleur de Portofino. I have the perfume version which I love for a more floral version of the Neroli Portofino line. I have mixed feelings about the sprays. When I’m indoors the scent lasts a long time on me with good staying power. However if I spray it on me and am outdoors for an extended period of time I find it fades after a few hours. I absolutely love the scent and am going to try layering the spray with the perfume. More thoughts to come soon – but Fleur de Portofino is another spring time favorite.

Last but not least Creed Virgin Island Water is pure love. It’s more of a summer scent but since it feels like summer where I am this is perfect. I don’t know that I’ve fallen in love with a scent as much as I have this one. I’m trying to ease up on use because I bought the smallest one and an worried I’m going to use it up too fast. I know it’s a silly thing to worry about since perfume is meant to be used – the small bottle was just so expensive!

Jo Malone Wood Sage Sea Salt, Tom Ford Soleil Blanc, Tom Ford Sole di Positano, Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino, Creed Virgin Island Water | The Beauty Look Book

Scents of Spring Cire Trudon, Antica Farmacista, Diptyque, Tom Ford and Jo Malone | The Beauty Look Book

That rounds up my loving right now spring home and perfume roundup. What are you loving right now? Do you have anything you’ve been obsessed with for the home? This time of year I feel like it’s the best time to makeover one’s home whether it’s updating bedding, home accents or new scents. Since we just moved, we are still in the process of furnishing our home. Going from a small loft to a full size house with a backyard and more bedrooms has been so exciting for us, but our furniture is pretty much swallowed up by the space. The last time we moved it took us about 6 months to fully furnish our loft because we started from scratch. This round I suspect it will also take time to fully furnish the home.

Press samples include Tom Ford Sole di Positano, Antica Farmacista Lush Balm and Bergamot Ocean Aria.

Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Rosa Mundi Candle 2017 Launch

January 18, 2017

Diptyque Rosa Mundi Candle Review | The Beauty Look Book

It’s a tradition for Diptyque to launch a special limited-edition rose-themed candle for Valentine’s Day every year and this year they’ve brought back Rosa Mundi. It comes in a Standard Candle ($68 for 6.5 oz), a Mini Candle ($35 for 2.4 oz) and a Scented Oval ($50). I look forward to each release for the whimsical designs of the jars as they create something beautiful and special every year. Rosa Mundi was last launched in 2014 in a white glass jar and pink tinted wax. This particular year Diptyque partnered with Antoinette Poisson, a creator and restorer of domino paper. The design has a thick label sticker as the exterior. As one who is usually really skeptical about sticker labels in general I have to say that I was pleased with the quality and placement of the labels. They are placed firmly on the jar without any visible bubbles and the paper feels like a high quality thick texture almost like wall paper.

Close up below of the mini versus standard. For those not familiar with Diptyque sizing you can see all the details like burn time and comparison for them in this post here. My personal candle care tips in this post here.

Diptyque Rosa Mundi Candle Review | The Beauty Look Book

Diptyque Rosa Mundi | The Beauty Look Book

For those new to Rosa Mundi, this year’s is similar to previous launches (it has been launched twice before). It has excellent throw and the scent will fill up the rooms in my home within minutes just from opening the box. This one has a mix of damascena, the damask rose, and centifolia, the May rose. Additional notes include currant, bergamot, lychee and geranium. To me it smells like a young bright sweet rose. It’s very girly and I absolutely adore it. I haven’t kept every single used up candle jar I’ve burned although I do try my best to keep the special edition jars. I like to recycle them and keep them to store makeup brushes, pens, flowers, Q-tips, mini perfumes, rollerball perfumes, tiny skincare samples – basically anything. For those who just started getting into or noticing Diptyque, previous Valentine’s Day candles I have reviewed:

  • 2014 Rosa Mundi shown below (reviewed here)
  • 2015 Rosafolia (review here)
  • 2016 Rosaviola (reviewed here)

Diptyque Rosa Mundi 2017 | The Beauty Look Book

Home Decor Details Shown Above

Chloe Attitudes Book, Love x Style x Life by Garance Dore, Capture Your Style by Aimee Song, Large Ceramic Diptyque Figuier Candle recycled. For those who have been asking about our furniture, our couch is the Rochelle Style from Crate and Barrel. Coffee table style is no longer carried but similar ones are the Switch Coffee Table or the Parsons Small Rectangular Coffee Table.

Diptyque Rosa Mundi Candle Review | The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line love. By the time this post is going live I’ve already burned through a mini one. As always with these I recommend going with the bigger one even though they are more expensive. The recycle options are more versatile versus the minis. If you’re looking for a way to treat yourself either of these are great options. For those curious about the scented ovals – I’ve been gifted a few over the past years. They make lovely decorative pieces but the scent doesn’t last quite as long as I had hoped. They are also fragile – we have docile animals and they’ve knocked over quite a few things and the ovals did not survive the fall. If you have carpet they probably won’t break.

I bought mine from Nordstrom. You can also find the Rosa Mundi at Neiman Marcus, Space NK, Barneys New York, Selfridges, and Diptyque. Have you tried this one yet? If not do you have a favorite rose candle?

P.S. I’ve updated the comment system with Disqus so now you don’t have to re-log in each time you visit!

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Fragrance Holiday Gift Guide Home / Interiors

Antica Farmacista Champagne Black Label for Holiday

December 14, 2016

Antica Farmacista Holiday 2016 Champagne Black Label

I discovered Antica Farmacista over the summer thanks to a recommendation from a friend and have been enamored with what I’ve discovered so far. The team sent over a few pieces for holiday and I was so smitten with the Champagne Black Label scent I went ahead and ordered other items such as the candles for the home and for gifts. I included items in my Luxury Candle Holiday Gift Guide and today I have more items to review. Home fragrance comes in a number of options and formats. While I love burning candles for creating the perfect relaxed ambiance, diffusers and room sprays are great alternatives.

What I have tested:

The Champagne Black Label scent is one of the prettiest feminine home scents I’ve ever smelled. It’s sparkling, sweet and has a very fresh feel – reminds me of what a luxury spa smells like. It has Satsuma citrus, muguet, apricot, passionfruit and sugared black currant. The throw of the mini diffuser in the trio set has decent throw that it fills up the entire bathroom (we have a small one). It’s girly but not too girly that it bothers my husband. For the candles I prefer the larger size, the small one is cute and the packaging is adorable but it burned through quickly. Throw and lasting power of the Room Fragrance Spray is good as a refresher and it lingers for at least one hour. If you want something that lasts longer, opt for one of the larger diffusers or candle.

Antica Farmacista Champagne Black Label Diffusers and Room Sprays for holiday

Little details and touches make all the difference and I’m absolutely smitten with the fact that the Champagne Black Label Candle (in the full size) comes with matches inside the lid of the box. I get easily excited about small things like this but I have never bought a candle before like this with such pretty packaging.

Antica Farmacista Champagne Black Label

The diffuser I reviewed back in July is about 75% used up. I bought several other scents during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and gave a few to my husband to put in his office. Several readers who have tried the line commented that some scents have good throw for the reed diffusers while others do not and I agree with their assessment. The ones for holiday have very good throw in my experience – I have both the mini 100 ml size and full size 500 ml size.

Another beautiful limited-edition set is the Home Ambiance Diffuser Trio. My husband has a full-size Manhattan in his office and likes it for a nice subtle warm citrus with spice and pepper. He put it in the restrooms of his office to keep them smelling nice. I’ve have the Champagne Black Label opened in our home. I have not yet tried or smelled the Vanilla, Bourbon and Mandarin and given the fact that these diffusers seem to last a long time it may be a few months before I open it up. The holiday set is beautifully packaged and fairly reasonable at the $64 price point. I think it’s one that can make a great hostess gift and can also work well for co-worker or office gifts. Home scent can be tricky for gifting as fragrance of any kind is personal but I do think these will be suitable for any age or style.

Antica Farmacista Home Ambiance Trio Set

Antica Farmacista Champagne Black Label Room Spray and Diffuser

Tray from West Elm but no longer available, similar style here and here

Overall I’m impressed and everything I’ve tried from Antica Farmacista so far is just exquisite. The scents are strong and long lasting. They add a sophisticated touch to the home and I love that the scents are feminine but not too girly. The Champagne Black Label is limited-edition and if you’re looking for a good holiday scent that won’t leave the home smelling like a Christmas Tree or Pumpkin Spices this is a great one to try this season or gift. All my friends and family say that I’m the hardest to shop for and I always tell them not to stress and if they want to get me something, I’m beyond thrilled with something simple like a Diptyque candle (because I do use them a lot) or candy because I’m the biggest sugar addict. For those who are hard to shop for this line is one line I think you can’t go wrong with.

You can find Antica Farmacista at their website, also available at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

If you’ve tried anything from this line let me know what your favorites are!

Press samples provided including the diffuser, diffuser set, and room spray. Candles purchased by me.

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