As the holidays approach, here are my top 5 candles that I have loved using over the past few months and that could make a great Christmas gift .. or stocking filler….
1/ Royalty .. by Château de Versailles..
My absolute favourite as they are simply sublime! .. They are entirely hand-made in a traditional fashion. The wax is manually poured and glass cups are made using the blowing technique by expert glass blowers. The object itself is very beautiful, not to mention the lovely packaging.. And I also love the history of these candles ; every one is named after a specific place in the royal castle (the queen’s garden, the Hall of Mirrors, the open-air theater, Royal Opera etc.).
Last spring, I told you about the Boudoir de la reine candle (inspired by Marie-Antoinette, and her light and flowery perfume, consisting of roses, with spicy notes of cinnamon or cumin… a delight). But this time, I wanted something different for the winter season, and it is the sublime “Chappelle Royale ” which currently has pride of place in my lounge.. Once lit its smell evokes mystical scents and melted wax…I love it…
2/Sensuality.. by Adonis..
Change of universe .. Moving on from the atmosphere of the castle to the atmosphere more boudoir, sensual, sophisticated with this magnificent collection of top of the range candles inspired by the Greek legends, Aphrodite and her beautiful lover, Adonis .. Here too there is such a high quality and a knowledge of how to make the candles, that is just irreproachable, from the wax, the balance of smells, the drawings and illustrations, and even the packaging itself. Each candle is poured into an intensely tinted black lacquered glass, which remains translucent, allowing the legs of the drawn goddesses to dance at the same rate as the flame.
The Adonis collection consists of 7 candles in different fragrances, which each represent a mythical Greek goddess: Aphrodite, Athena, Gaïa, Hera, Hestia, Séléné, Thémis .. The scents of these candles are really well realised, moving, precious, enveloping, sensual, almost mystical..I love all of them. Currently I have the Gaia candle in my bedroom…
3/Unavoidable.. by Diptyque..
Regarding candles and home fragrances, the brand and its collection 34 is naturally a must have that you have almost certainly already heard about .. Delicious scents, beautiful objects, unique items, materials and quality designs that I love.. In fact concerning the design, there is something for all tastes because we have candles in simple transparent glasses or traditionally blown, but also ceramic, and lampshade shapes..
My favourite of this collection is the adorable carousel which has another purpose than the traditional candles. The heat animates a gust of air which makes the little bird turn, projecting a shadow onto the wall, it is really pretty, ideal for the holiday season. And speaking of the holidays, each year, Diptyque release a limited edition of mini christmas candles. I havent actually tried them yet, as it is “La redoute” candle with its sweet flowers and spices that perfumes my entrance hall.
4/ Authenticity.. by By the Sea..
Another brand that really merits being known and that I discovered this summer in a jewellery shop in Lacanau. By the sea is the story of Sandra, an artist who has thrown herself into the creation of candles and candle making ( but not only that), made with care, exclusively by hand, and using only natural and recyclable products.
These candles that smell of the ocean, the sun, and warm sand are made in Hossegor, in an artisanal way using essential oils, natural soy wax and recyclable bottles…We can find these 100% natural candles in many different shops in Hossegor, but also in Bordeaux, Biarritz, Andernos, Amsterdam, and Lacanau.. We can also purchase them online (the package is very good and done with care). Do not hesitate to go and take a look at the website, By the Sea, to discover all the creations by this talented artist who also makes pencil cases, bags and jewelry..At the moment, I am using the candles Peace, Surf up and Pine Forest in my bathroom. I love these candles that take me straight away back to the ocean, on holiday, in nature…I don’t know whether it is the essential oils, but they smell so so good.. an absolute must have!!
5/ Eco design : by Muno candela..
Staying with the handmade theme and eco packaging but this time, direction Riga in Lithuania where these 2 artists responsible for this 100% natural brand, originally come from. I discovered Muno Candela (which signifies spiritual candles) in a little shop in Bordeaux, and I love the eco concept of this little handmade brand. There are many different collections of candles at Muno Candela, all of them more beautiful and original than the next. To such a point that we feel obligated to buy everything…and even the eco packaging is nice!!
We don’t know what to choose between the Natural Collection made from flowers, wild herbs picked near the Baltique, the Villa Collection which is made in recyclable bottles, or the Apotheca Collection that I simply love.. these are painted pots, bottles, glass pots that are recycled and used for this collection made from essential oils or bach flowers.. And last but not least the Folklore Collection that is also just beautiful with its little terra-cotta pots that we can use as mugs once we have finished with the candle. On each pot there is an old symbol engraved into it. There are 3 different symbols ( the protection star, the sun for health and strength and the goddess for destiny). In short I looove these candles!! Ah and just one final precision, the brand also makes perfume diffusers and little aromatherapy bags that we can put in the bath or under our pillow…Go and check it out now!! Here <3
*Concerning natural wax, there is of course beeswax but also soy wax. The latter is a vegetable wax made using natural, recyclable and biodegradable resources. After collecting it, the soy beans are cleaned, cracked, seperated and rolled out flat. Oil is then extracted from the beans and hydrogenated. Candles made from soy wax last longer than paraffine candles, and are of a very high quality for diffusing essential oils and perfumes. They do not pollute, and have no black smoke or any other toxic waste. Last advantage: The soy wax is the easiest to clean also…
