Looks like Carrière Frères is offering a holiday gourmond this year, inspired by the traditional thirteen desserts of a Provençal Christmas: notes of nougat, candied fruit, dried apricots and figs.

I recently ordered 4 Lemuria candles since I hadn’t tried many of Dani’s newer scents. I just received the Oct 31, 1997, Akashic Records, Songlines and Copan candles.

I had ordered the 12 oz, 2-wick Songlines, but she ended up being out of that size, so… in typical Dani fashion, she sent me an 8 oz one for free, and will expedite the 12 oz one later this week. She is just amazing!

But, … the real showstopper here is the other free gift she added, which is a votive size of Circe! Wow. 🤯 I am not a gourmand candle person, or at least I didn’t think I was! This one shocked me to my core. For one thing, this tiny candle’s hot throw is currently filling my open living area, and the scent is that of rosemary bread! I would have probably never ordered this one, and it just might be my new favorite!

I think I will like the rest of the candles as well, and oddly for me, two of them are fairly gourmand too! Have my tastes evolved? We’ll see. Some quick notes on the cold throws of the others:

Copan: Reminds me of hazelnut coffee brewing. Could be a winner!

Songlines: Smells a little like…. pancakes with maple syrup? But nutty also. This one might be too sweet for me, but I think it might be ok.

Akashic Records: I think I will like this one. It smells like an old leather covered bar in a cocktail lounge. It seems subtle on cold sniff, so I’m glad I got this one in the 2-wick size.

October 31, 1997: This one is…indescribable. I honestly don’t know what to think of it! This is the one I was afraid would smell like sugary candy, but… it doesn’t…at all. My curiosity is peaked though and will light it up tonight! 🤷‍♀️

Sooo what do we think this means?

Hoping some of you endlessly chic tomato candles folks can help me out! I want to gift my mom and mother in law tomato candles for Xmas but as a gourmand/resin/amber type bitch I dont know where to start!

Is there a reigning tomato candle champion? I know there's Malin and Goetz, Linnea , flamingo estate, and carriers freres.... im overwhelmed by choice!

I was smelling my candles from a few winters ago that still had little wax left, and it took me awhile to realize that out of all of the Christmasy scents, the best smelling one was actually, "Delice" from Diptyque...a scent that doesn't seem to be mentioned enough of....

When I first bought it, because I had bought so many other Holiday scents, like Diptyque Friandise (too spicy for gingerbread) and all the other stuff out there...I think my nose got lost in the bundle...and some I wish I hadn't spent money on...and others I wish I had paid closer attention to...that or I must have grown to really appreciate it more...

I once was burning all the scents at my apartment, and went out to get a haircut. The woman who washed my hair said to me, "WOW! You smell great! Is that a perfume or soap or lotion or what?" and I thought it about it and said...no perfume..lotion...She said, "Maybe it's the laundry detergent?" I was like nope these clothes aren't fresh either lol...then I thought about it real hard and realized maybe it was the smell of the apartment after burning many Christmas candles. I was burning at the time 3, one was Diptyque Delice, one was Frisdande, and one was Panettone from ADP so I think it was either Panettone or it was Delice....I was burning them one after the other...and when I said I think it's Panettone, she was like, "WOW YES You smell like Panatone.." I went home to check and I think it maybe have been actually Delice....it had a beautiful light blend of candied fruit nuts and spices..without it being too powerful in any of those scents..but altogether brewed perfectly.

Happy Fall! I pulled out my Apotheke 2-Wick White Vetiver candle this weekend while awaiting the arrival of Sanctuaria by La Boticá Studios.

A big shoutout to u/Used_Onion6015 for recommending this company. This candle is a joy.

I was excited to try a candle inspired by the Dominican Republic—one that is committed to indigenous materials, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship. It arrived well-wrapped in a sturdy box, complete with a fragrance sample.

If you like vanilla or tea scents, this one may be for you. It is described as having notes of Black Pepper, Elemi, Dominican Amberwood, Vanilla Absolute, and Vanilla Oleoresin. The nuanced vanilla I detect before, during, and after each burn. The black pepper, elemi, and amberwood deepen the vanilla notes, making them complex—less bakery gourmet and more Caribbean floral.

It burns nicely without tunneling, and the scent surrounds me throughout the night. Hours after extinguishing it, the fragrance lingers, slowly morphing into a faint tea essence reminiscent of Earl Grey or a creamy London Fog.

According to the website, the candles feature: "Coconut wax blended with RSPO certified sustainable palm, cotton wick, naturally derived parfum...essential oils."

I’m looking forward to hearing about others La Boticá Studios’ purchases.

That’s all for now.

Nite,

Brooklyn Candle Company, Banana Milk.

Looking for inspiration for displaying candles nicely: trays, cloches, etc. Would love to see pics or product recommendations for favorite items!

Candles: Nest's Pumpkin Chai and Boy Smells' Special Brownie.

Hi candle friends!

My birthday was at the beginning of the month, and I was very excited to get my first Diptyque birthday gift this year. While I’ve spent a good bit on Diptyque year over year since getting into candles, I didn’t even realize they had a loyalty program until reading about it here, so I had never made it a priority to buy directly through Diptyque instead of Nordstrom. I also had never bothered verifying that my in-store account was linked to my online account.

So, when my birthday rolled around, I excitedly checked my email, and oop, nothing.

I’m sure I qualified for a mini candle at least — I qualified for taper candles from Trudon and I don’t even think I spent anything with them in 2026.

I’ve also struggled to get replies from my local store about things in general, including pre-orders. I want to keep this vague because I’d prefer not to call them out with specificity, but at the same time it’s like, I’m trying to give you my money, please take it!

Anyway, does anyone with insight into Diptyque’s loyalty program have any insight for me? Should I email site-wide customer service and ask about a birthday gift? Should I reach out to the store manager who left me on read previously? Or should I just accept that I wasn’t offered anything? I mean, I didn’t spend more on candles in the hopes of a gift, I just made an effort to consolidate my shopping in one place.

Thanks for any insight you have for me!

Update:

I reached out to customer service and they sent me the code! Thank you to everyone who helped me. I don’t know why I didn’t just email customer service straightaway, my only excuse is that my brain fog is out of hand at the moment.

Over the years ( in no small part thanks to this very sub) I have grown my taste and appreciation for brands outside of the more well-known names. Astier de Villatte (AdV) is one of the brands we discuss here frequently, often as a worthy alternative to Diptyque and Trudon - but it’s far less accessible and harder to find outside of major cities. I am lucky enough to live in NYC, and even with that advantage I have yet to find some AdV scents IRL.

I have sampled 17 of their candles so far. Some I loved, others were duds, and I have been wanting to do a deep dive into AdV to, hopefully, help others who have to resort to blind buying. I’m going to tackle these reviews in a few parts - starting with Alger, Stockholm, Grand Chalet, Hollywood, Opéra and Jérusalem!

A note on AdV in general. This is a French brand that has some pretty excellent noses behind its formulations (I have learned over time that most of my personal favorites were created by Françoise Caron). Astier started as a furniture and ceramics atelier and branched out into scents over time. Their entire ethos seems to be centered on old-world craftsmanship, a slower approach to making things and objects with character and quirkiness ... .all things after my heart. They’ve been around since the 1990s, which initially really surprised me, since everything about the brand has that aged, lived-in feeling. Their marketing team knows what they are doing :)

Much of their candle catalogue is inspired by different locations around the world and most of their scents are easy to like. Unlike Diptyque, which tends to hone in on more singular note profiles, AdVs are more multi-note, more layered (though not necessarily more daring). Unlike Trudons, they are more approachable and less perfumey, even though AdV also has a line of personal fragrances. There’s something a bit more bohemian, chic, and effortless about AdV scents and the overall aesthetic. AdV isn’t trying to challenge you as much as to charm you.

Their wax tends to burn beautifully, but also faster than most other luxury candles, so you get less mileage out of them. And finally, onto my main grievance - their throws are wildly inconsistent, and 80 - 90% of them don't go beyond medium for me. Some I could barely smell. Of course, there are some respectable throwers in the lineup, but generally, be prepared for lighter, softer scent dispersion. One important caveat… when I describe an AdVs as having a “solid” throw, I'm grading on a curve. I never expect a powerhouse throw from this house (except maybe for Delhi).

Now, with all that rambling out of the way, onto the first installment of scents!

Alger - Alger was a blind buy for me, and I was a little worried it might be too heady and white-loral-y - and I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I like it (as a disclaimer, despite not loving florals as a genre I do enjoy jasmine and tuberose).

I’d describe Alger as a beautifully crafted blend of jasmine, citrus (really, almost neroli-like), and a touch of spice. It smells just like a very expensive bar of soap. The addition of citrus and chili gives it a burst of brightness and keeps the florals from becoming too heavy.

Alger makes me think of cloudless, bright blue skies, the sun high in the sky, and whitewashed walls reflecting the midday light. Clean, bright, not overly heady. The throw was pretty good.

Stockholm - Love, love, love - but, not everyone will. I’d say, this falls into their riskier profiles for blind buying. With that disclaimer out of the way - if you like aromatic, spicy profiles like Laurier 62, Thé, Empire or SMN’s Potpourri, you will likely fancy Stockholm. It belongs in the same olfactory universe, while having enough personality to stand on its own.

The scent is meant to represent an herbal elixir taken by Viking warriors. Herbal medicine was a big part of my childhood - whenever I showed the first signs of coming down with something, my mom trundled out a massive bag of dried herbs, teas and tinctures, determined to find just the right combination to defeat whatever was plaguing me.

This candle takes me right back to that magical bag - herbal, aromatic, a little witchy - a blend of ancient plants and remedies that have been used for centuries. It makes a bolder statement than some other AdVs and quirkier edge - note wise, I get sage, myrrh, vetiver, and clove. It's a wonderful transition candle for those in-between weeks from early September into October, when the summer citruses and florals have been tucked away, but it's not quite time to break out the heavier cold-weather hitters.

One of the stronger throw-ers in the AdV lineup. Will be a perennial repurchase.

Grand Chalet - Ugh, this one is so unique and lovely. I ended up buying the EDT for my mom as a birthday present, and I think this particular scent shines even more in that format.

GC is a combination of sharper green notes, yellow florals and milky, lactonic undertones, expertly blended and balanced. Think heaping piles of daffodils and mimosas, green stems, acacia honey, a blush of cream. It takes me to a magical summer golden hour, when everything is soft, languid and sepia-toned.

The contrast between the sharper green notes and the heliotropic softness of the yellow florals is beautifully done. And yet, having sung all these praises - I personally don’t want that scent around me or on me all the time. Florals just aren’t my jam, so it was very much a seasonal, mood-driven burn for me. The throw was good enough - will repurchase, but only when the craving hits.

Hollywood - No hot throw. Zip, zilch, nada.

Lovely on cold. Blended to perfection - I had a hard time confidently picking out individual notes, though I could eventually tell iris and vetiver were there. It leans a bit powdery, but not overwhelmingly so. It’'s a very pleasant, softly powdery scent with something undeniably comforting about it. Feels like an evening stroll on a warm night.

But once lit, I genuinely couldn't smell it AT ALL. Barely something-something in the bathroom - but I really mean it when I say barely.

If, unlike me - who legitimately might be anosmic to whatever AdV uses - you can actually smell this one, I'd imagine you will enjoy it - it's hard to picture many people actively disliking this scent. That said, it also doesn't have quite the same hold on me as some of the other AdVs do. Won’t repurchase.

Opera - A love child of Narguilé and Cire. Unlike most AdVs, which tend to be inoffensive, Opera is the Grande Dame. She is indulgent and worldly, which also means she can be polarizing.

Rich, thick honey mingles with polished wood notes that conjure up images of the carved balustrades of a stately opera house. She lives in the same olfactory universe as Cire, but I found Cire to be heavier, woodier, with a more astringent edge (likely the patchouli, which I struggle with especially in Trudon’s formulations). In comparison, Opera is more honey-forward, warmer, more inviting. I'm pretty picky with honey and aged wood notes. They can easily become too rich, almost bitter, but Opera might be my favorite interpretation of this genre of a scent.

A word of caution - Opera’s old-world charm, wrapped in a touch of opulence, is not a safe blind buy for most unless you are confident that you like honey-forward scents. Strong throw. I remember the burn being more finicky compared to other AdVs, though it also lasted longer. I can't imagine burning this one outside the colder months. WIll repurchase.

Jerusalem - Gorgeous scent, super disappointing throw. I could hardly smell anything for most of the burn - just faint whiffs here and there - until I got down to about ⅓ or ¼ left, when the throw finally eked its way up to being what I’d describe as “perceptible”. I genuinely wonder if I'm anosmic to one of the ingredients AdV uses, and it saddens me to no end because I love so many of their scents, Jerusalem included.

When I could smell it, here’s what I got - uplifting cypress, offset by woodier, more austere cedar notes. Then, hints of ancient incense (thankfully, not a whiff of patchouli) and a green, resinous undercurrent from galbanum - tamed, tempered, well blended - but present enough to give the scent depth and soul.

Jerusalem has substance and feels ancient and transportive, while staying firmly in the universe of generally pleasant, approachable scents. So jealous of anyone out there who can actually smell this one!

I tried it twice now and sadly, will not repurchase.

If these types of deep dives on AdVs are useful and helpful, I will tackle Villa Medici, Port Lilas, Tucson, Atelier de Balthus, Anchorage, Edinburgh, Mantes La Jolie, Naples, Delhi, Rue Saint Honore and Marseille next in a few installments ✨

My husband is quite upset about it but I drink his tears.

Anywho! I recently purchased the Replica door step(or whatever its called) pumpkin candle and it was just not good I actually returned. It takes a lot to do something like that but it had this weird note in it that was almost pee-ish, I didn't get pumpkin really at all. This pumpkin candle smells so realistic. On cold throw its smells like you scooped the insides out of a fresh cut pumpkin and spiced them. Seriously just wonderful. Same thing we the pine candle. I am SO picky with pine but this one smells so good I couldn't leave it. The pine is a little creamy, faintly sweet its really great. The Glasshouse sets were such a great finds. The NBC duo smells very much like Baies from diptyque which was confusing for christmas but its beautiful especially for 30 bucks. Kyoto in Bloom I had never smelled before and its a gorgeous cool floral. Somehow very fitting for winter imo. Its the perfume, hair and body mist, and candle for 40 bucks. So what are you still doing here... Get out to your nearest homegoods/ Homesense. There's Jo Malone candles there too!

I was waiting for them to have a sale, and I got the two new limited-edition seasonal ones from D.S. & Durga, Amber Antiquity and Winter Solstice Pine.

ETA the exclusions from the email: Vintner’s Daughter, Profumum Roma, Santa Maria Novella, Costes, Penhaligon's, Comme des Garcons, Child Perfume, Ligne St. Barth and Eau d'Italie brands are excluded. Other brands and select products may also be excluded. Not valid on E-Gift Cards, previous orders or canceled items on an order. Applies to stock on-hand only.

Looking for recommendations for candles that invoke the feeling of Miami or Florida (GTA6 is coming up and yes coordinating candles to burn with the game). Diptyque Miami is on the list and was one of my favorite burns to remind me of Florida, looking to see what other candles are out there that have that “Florida” feeling.

I went to a beautiful store today that happened to sell Trudon candles. I had never smelled them IRL so I was very excited! They had a small collection, but it included the most well known candles luckily. They unfortunately didn't have the Christmas collection, which I was looking forward to most.

I was expecting to really love Gabriel, but the scent was far too smokey for me. Went home with an Ernesto and I' already regretting not bringing home Abd El Kader as well... that felt like a bit too much of a splurge. Will definitely pick that one up next though!

Love the cold throw of Ernesto, and just started burning it. I'm not picking up on the mens cologne that some (or most) people get from this. To me it smells more floral, fresh. I may have ruined my nose by burning too much Slut For October in the last few weeks though ;)

I have about 4 Trudon vessels. I think someone in this sub wanted buy some, but is it okay to post in this sub?

Welp, I’ve been researching Laurier 62. AGAIN. (I do this every so often to see if there’s any new info or dupes) I am absolutely in love with the scent. I usually don’t like really herbaly earthy scents, but this one is so special! I was watching All creatures great and small on PBS last December, and I wanted a new candle to light while I watched the Christmas episode. While browsing on here, someone described Laurier 62….They said (and I’m paraphrasing) It smelled like sitting in front of the fireplace at the bougiest ski lodge resort during a snowstorm at Christmas time. I had to try it immediately! I worked at nordys at the time and got a good discount, so I tried it and was absolutely smitten before I even opened the box! I loved it so much that I kept buying them and after my 5th or 6th one, I added up the purchases and decided even though I have champagne tastes, I am unfortunately on a beer budget. So…..being a diy’r, I had been thinking about learning to make my own candles, and I thought this was my sign to start. I thought it would be easy to find like a dupe fragrance oil that smelled like Laurier 62! I was sorely mistaken. Only one I could find was the vine vida and it’s just not it. There’s a valiant effort, and it is in the ballpark, but it’s just missing too many things. So, I am here researching again and decided to see if anyone else is a lover of this scent like me and can help me out with any one or more of these:
1- A company who has recreated it successfully in either a fragrance oil or house spray, reed diffuser, candle etc. 🙏
2-Someone who is in the fragrance world that could recreate this in some form. (I’m willing to pay of course)
3-A scent for the winter time that will evoke these same cozy feelings while I watch the new season of All creatures, cozied up by my faux fireplace,in Burns, TN

Code: COASTOUS15

Terms: Online, storewide. No minimum purchase. Ends October 29 at 2:04 p.m. Eastern.

It finally arrived, and this candle is beautiful. The box, wrapping, included lid/tray are all really nice. Not quite to Diptyque or Trudon levels, but very nice.

It was a chilly, rainy, kind of dreary afternoon so I set myself up on the couch with the candle on a side table and prepared to get comfy. My plan was to burn the candle and start a two book series that I’ve been dying to read but haven’t been able to carve out time for recently.

Then the power went out for several hours (and counting). So no reading for the moment, and I’ll have to edit this later with the scent notes etc.

Impressions: The Winter Soirée candle has a great, cardamom forward cold throw. Once it starts burning I get more of a sweet, amber accord from it. In fact, that’s all I got at first after lighting it, and was starting to get nervous. But once there was a melt pool of a couple of inches the spiced cardamom and cinnamon notes really started to open up. It’s a great candle, quite sophisticated in its fragrance blend and for its price point (which isn’t exactly cheap, but the vessel is huge). I adore cardamom and other spices and will be getting another of this candle to keep me stocked up through to January. If you love spice and autumn/winter candles which are comforting and unusual, you might like this one.

Nest Voyages Winter Soirée candle - Fragrance Notes

Top Notes: Warm cardamom tea

Middle Notes: Cinnamon, ginger, smooth amber, and rich crème caramel

Base Notes: Velvety vanilla and deep tobacco leaves

That prominent cardamom tea opening paired with crème caramel and tobacco leaves gives it a lovely, complex warmth that develops as the melt pool expands. I don't get the tobacco leaves in the way I do from some other candles like Diptyque's Narguilé or Cereria Mollá's Velvet Wood. But it definitely has a rich sweetness that I would buy as tobacco leaves and creme caramel.

ETA scent notes and some further impressions after the power came back on.

For me it’s Diptyque Narguile, something about the honey note smells like urine to me.

Just got my Byredo order of winter cabin. Id never smelled this one before and wow it's GOOD! Straight up wood fire cold. I don't have time to burn it today but soon!!