Thursday 5 December 2019

My Top Three Diffusers For Christmas 2019

Christmas has always focussed on candles to provide the homely scented warmth that, for many, typifies the festive season. However, the fashion for diffusers is now starting to take a real chunk out of the candle market as customers turn to a more constant way to scent their tree-dominated rooms. The advantage of diffusers is that you don’t need to worry about blowing them out and, once Christmas is over, they can even be packed away with the decorations. With the hundreds out there to choose from I thought that it would be fun to pick my favourites in my first ever Top Three Diffusers For Christmas.

Everyone is familiar by now with the idea of popping reeds into a bottle to release the awaiting aroma but we often forget that this scented phenomenon only actually dates back to 1990. The accolade of “inventor” goes to Alessandro Agrati of Culti Milano with his accidental discovery that rattan would hold onto scent. He revolutionised the way we fragranced our homes and there would be, and continue to be, many pretenders to his crown. Diffusers, like candles, are numerous but the quality can vary dramatically in terms of performance. Also-rans seem to dominate but there are diamonds out there waiting to be discovered.

When Jonathan Ward re-entered the world of candles in 2018 he caused a stir that hadn’t been seen in the industry for many years. He topped my list of Christmas candles in his first year with the magnificent Roscuro and, in this season's accompanying diffusers, it’s just become even more irresistible. Jonathan has opted for a non-alcohol base for his range and Roscuro's combination of amber, honey notes, and oud are wonderfully sensual. Touches of iris and prune help to add decadence to a scent that is as rich as velvet. Roscuro is available from the Jonathan Ward website priced at £55 for 200ml.

Prosody London is well respected for their candles and fragrances but they’ve just launched a new natural diffuser range. It also doesn’t use an alcohol base but still has an outstanding throw of scent. There are five fragrances to choose from in Keshen Teo's collection but Fougère Fauve is the star for me. This forest-like scent is stunningly bright with a huge dose of piercing galbanum, which blends gloriously with cedarwood and an ice-touched spruce. It’s perfect for those that like a snowy-crispness from their scent. Fougére Fauve is available exclusively from the Prosody London website priced at £75 for 140ml.

My final choice is from an exciting new company based in Leeds. Osmic was founded by Scott Gordon at the end of last year and, in true artisan style, everything is produced by hand in small batches. This year he decided to produce a limited edition diffuser and his non-alcohol Orange, Cinnamon and Clove was the result. The zesty, spice and clove-studded citrus is tangy without being sour and, with a throw that is embracing rather than strident, a hint of dry nutmeg and warming vanilla adds a childhood familiarity that is priceless. Orange, Cinnamon and Clove is available from the Osmic website priced at £27 for 150ml.

The fragrances that surround you during the Christmas period can really add to the holiday and, whether you use candles or diffusers, those scented memories will last a lifetime. [Samples provided by the companies]

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