Monday 28 November 2022

My Top Five Candles For Christmas 2022

Top Five Christmas Candles for 2022
Christmas is just around the corner and the tinsel is about to be cajoled into yet another outing, but that also means it’s time for a little bit of scented seasonal celebration. Every household has their own set of traditions that mark the month-long festivities, and one of mine is my annual recommendation of which piece of flickering magic to have as pride of place in your home this year. We always have our personal favourites, but I’m going to try and get you to try something new. This year sees us travel from Paris to Bonnyrigg via Dorset, so the time has finally arrived to reveal my Top Five Candles for Christmas.

In fifth place we’re heading up to Scotland to discover the signature scent from the Snowdrop Candle Company. Founded back in 2017 by Lisa Stewart and Diane Clarke, this delicate snowdrop fragrance features freesia, bergamot and green notes to conjure up the delicate white flower and sappy stem. The addition of juniper and sweetened musk, alongside a crackling wooden wick, adds a warm crispness that hints at sunlight on freshly fallen snow, so it’s perfect for those that like a floral backdrop to their festivities. Snowdrop is available from the Snowdrop Candle Company website and is priced at £20 for 200g.

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's Sapin Enchanteur candle
Fourth place sees the welcome appearance of the only Christmas candle in the line-up this year. Maître Parfumeur et Gantier was founded in 1988 by perfumer Jean-François Laporte and is based in Paris. Their beautiful Sapin Enchanteur candle, in a wonderfully festive red jar, is the perfect way to boost the scent of a real Christmas tree, or compensate for an artificial one, thanks to its blend of pine and fir notes. However, the inclusion of incense and moss, along with a clementine and cedar pairing, makes this irresistible. Sapin Enchanteur is available from the Fiole website and is priced at £49 for 180g.

Moving on to third place sees an unusual addition to the festive line-up, an aquatic candle. Undo is a new company that launched this year, and their Ocean fragrance has been created by the talented Harry Sherwood. It combines a selection of citruses alongside an inspired pairing of ambergris and vetiver, so you get a wonderfully expansive effect, and this salty, slightly stone-like quality makes you think of walks by the winter sea. With the aromatic floral hinting at the last of the cliffside colour, this is the perfect candle if you’re longing for some sea this season. Ocean is available from the Undo Candles website and is priced at £42 for 200g.

Synchronicity Scents' Love candle
That brings us to second place and the uplifting Love candle from Synchronicity Scents. Founded by Annick Knutsen, the company promotes relaxation through scent, and this candle cannot help but make you feel contented. It expertly blends sweet orange with an edgy clove, but lays these over an earthy and frankincense-imbued geranium. This gives you the church-like festive aromas, but the addition of patchouli and vanilla adds a grounded quality that is both beautiful and reflective. Get ready to feel the tensions disappear. Love is available from the Synchronicity Scents website and is priced at £45 for 220g.

So, we’ve reached the top spot for 2022 and it takes us to Careys Secret Garden, the home of ånd Fragrance, and their outstanding Påtch candle. This company is only two years old, but its environmental and ethical ethos has gathered loyal followers. Påtch showcases Sumatran patchouli but pairs it with piercing galbanum and aromatic coriander, before revealing a peppered rose and apricot-like osmanthus. With a background of oakmoss and tonka bean, this has to be the best candle I have ever had the pleasure to smell, and I've smelled a lot. Påtch is available from the ånd fragrance website and is priced at £55 for 200g.

Whichever candle you go for this year, please remember to observe the instructions and NEVER leave a burning candle unattended! To read my candle recommendations from previous years you can click on the images below. [Samples provided by the companies]

  

No comments:

Post a Comment