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Fall Scents for The Home

October 19, 2023 / HOME & GARDEN / 0 comments

Happy Fall, everyone! Sweater Weather is here, and I could not be more excited to share the scents, candles, and diffusers I am loving this Fall.

Fall is always a very special season for me. It marks new beginnings, hope, and bittersweet endings. There is something beautiful, cozy, and nostalgic about this season. I guess that is the essence of Fall for all of us ‑ the beauty of a restart, a reinvention, a chance for something new and different.

Speaking of something new and different. I have something new and different to share with you in this post. It’s all about the products you may want to explore to amplify the coziness in your home. Fall is the best time to experiment and try different scents. This is also the time that we enjoy lounging more at home since the weather calls for us to chill. Imagine sitting by the fireplace with your favorite warm drink and trying to relax. Imagine matching that relaxing vibe with an equally cozy scent. What scent would you choose?

Here are my recs:

Replica Autumn Vibes Diffuser by Maison Margiela – MM’s Replica has recently released their swoon-worthy Fall-ready diffuser. The name is “Autumn Vibes”. The diffuser truly, hands down, captured the true meaning of Autumn vibes because the entire scent and aesthetic of the diffuser spells “Fall memories in a bottle.” If you could contain your favorite memories of Fall and put it in a bottle, well, this is what you get. A nostalgia-inducing diffuser designed to fill a whole room with the warm and earthy fragrance reminiscent of a stroll with fallen leaves swirling around.

Vitruvi Diffuser and Essential Oils – Vitruvi is known for their beautiful and sleek ceramic/stone diffusers that not only function as a high-quality diffuser/aromatherapy but also have a charming design worthy of being a must-have for any home décor. The diffusers are on the pricey side, but you can get them at discounted prices on their site or at Amazon. One of the best things about having a Vitruvi diffuser is how it throws a slow, dreamy steam that will put you in a dream-like mood.

Do you also know that Vitruvi makes fabulous essential oils? The secret to making their diffuser work so well is to use it with their high-quality essential oils. Their essential oils are very concentrated and can last a long time. I am talking about days of longevity in terms of scent-lasting power. If you are new to Vitruvi, I recommend you try their “Essential Oils” kit for starters and focus on the “Spruce” scent to give you that ultimate Fall vibe. I also recommend their “Signature” kit and try their “Legacy” and “Pacific” essential oils for Fall/Winter type scents.

A more in-depth review of the Vitruvi diffuser, including its features, will be posted here in the blog.

Illume Candles: This brand is my latest discovery. I was swooned over when I saw their ceramic and glass candles shaped like pumpkins and apples that smell and look so Fall-perfect. I am not much of a fan of pumpkin scents, but I was so surprised that Illume’s pumpkin ceramic candle’s scent is pleasing and not overwhelming. Another thing I love about the brand is its affordability. Their candles are not pricey, and the quality is superb. Not to mention, they have one of the cutest packaging I have ever seen. So, if you are looking for a perfect candle to decorate your home this Fall that is within budget, grab one of these now.

Heirloom Pumpkin Ceramic Candle – Mild pumpkin spice scent.

Tried & True Ceramic Candle – Apple cider scent

Mercury Leaves Glass Candle in Pumpkin Woodfire – Earthy woody scent

This review will not be complete without our favorite Diptyque candles. There are two Diptyque candles I recommend this Fall. These two are the ones I keep purchasing and reaching for because of the coziness of the scents.

Feu de Bois (Fire Wood) – The scent of this candle captures the smell of burning wood. Imagine the scent of your fireplace eternally burning while the autumn leaves are falling or when snowflakes hit your window, and you feel the need to snuggle your pet or watch a lighthearted show on Netflix. That is what this candle is all about.

Tubereuse (Tuberose) – If you prefer a heavy floral scent for Fall or even Winter, this beautiful musky floral candle gives a feminine vibe while highlighting the coziness of the coming chilly seasons. This candle has an alluring and smoldering vibe fitting for any vanity of a woman who knows who she is and what she wants.

These comprise my recommendations for Fall or even Winter scents for the home. What candles/diffusers/scents are you using, planning to use, or recommending this Fall/Winter?

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Saint Candles Review

September 28, 2023 / HOME & GARDEN / Comments Off

A candle with a purpose is one thing that comes to my mind when I think about Saint Candles by Ira Dewitt. Ira first started this brand of candles during one of her friend’s trying times. Nowadays, Saint Candles has become a unique philanthropic candle that supports St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Each saint candle comes in two sizes: the regular 11 oz, which costs 65 USD, and the mini 2.5 oz, which costs 25 USD. Also, each candle comes with a prayer coin to the patron saint, which is advised to be read out loud before you light the candle’s wick. The prayer coin can be kept in the wallet, purse, car or buried in your yard to bless your entire household or family.

Saint Candles come in different unique scents with varying names of saints. I can say that each candle’s fragrance is nothing like I have ever experienced or sensed before. They never smelled like any other candle brands or any candles I have sniffed at my local candle stores. Therefore, this brand of candles is news to me and a breath of fresh air due to the uniqueness of the fragrances and way of use, not to mention the intention and purpose behind each candle that corresponds to each patron saint’s name.

My favorite Saint candles are the following:

Saint Dymphna: Saint of Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health – An Irish saint known to comfort and cure the ones afflicted with nervous disorders. She is the saint of mental illness and has miraculously cured people afflicted with such health issues at her burial site in Gheel.

This candle has a top note of cherries and a base note of amber. The middle note is vanilla. The candle overall has a perfect blend of cherry and vanilla that seems sweet at first but then dissipates into a powdery amber scent as it burns halfway. I would not call this a strong scent, but more of a moderate one—a great transitional scent between Summer and Fall.

Saint Raphael: Saint of Healing – The patron saint of the sick, nurses, doctors, and travelers. Although I love all the saints of the world, Saint Raphael is my favorite and my second-best favorite scent of all the saint candles reviewed in this post. This candle has iris as its top note, bergamot as the middle note, and vanilla as a base. I find this candle to be quite a heavy floral scent. The blend of iris and vanilla makes for that aromatic floral wintry vibe. The dry-down becomes light over time but lasts for days.

Saint Jude: Saint of Impossible Causes – As described, Saint Jude is the patron saint of lost causes and desperate cases. When all things go wrong, choose faith over fear. This candle is for those who remain steadfast despite the impossibilities of their circumstances. As for the scent, this candle is quite similar to Saint Raphael but heavier. The heavy notes of Turkish rose overpower my olfactory senses in a good way. There is also geranium, with a dry down of oud (my brother Allan’s favorite scent :-)). This candle is perfect for the fall and winter.

Saint Padre Pio: Saint of Healing. Italy Special Edition – Padre Pio had the gift of stigmata and bilocation. Yes, you read that right—Stigmata and Bilocation (the ability to teleport). I wish I had those gifts, too. But the closest I can do is daydreaming and wandering :-). Seriously, Padre Pio was also known to cure the sick and make miracles. Thus, he is also a patron saint for the sick and the saint for healing. In other words, he is a rock star in the catholic world.

The scent of this beautifully packaged candle is unique. A powdery-sweet-floral candle that is complex yet surprisingly simple. Complex as it is hard to discern which flower drives the top notes, and simple as it is pleasing to the senses. According to Saint Candles, the top note is gardenia, the mid note is white exotic flowers, and the base note is Rose Absolute. A pretty interesting blend, huh? I suggest you try this candle ASAP. This will be ideal to light in any season.

These are my favorite Saint Candles of the moment. If you have not heard of Saint Candles before, I truly suggest you try this brand. Each candle looks luxurious, smells fabulous, holds a religious value, and has a heart and a purpose. Think about every purchase you make from this brand and its proceeds that will help the children at St. Judes’ who deserve to live a normal life. So, grab yourself a Saint Candles and offer a prayer to them or anyone you know who is suffering, struggling, trying to make it, or barely getting by.

This post is dedicated to Kween Konna. I miss you forever, my friend.

You can shop this candle at https://saintcandles.com

Diptyque Mini Holiday Candles 2021 and FORVR Mood Candles Review

December 31, 2021 / HOME & GARDEN / 0 comments

Hello all! Happy New Year! What a year we’ve had and what a time in our lives! What are you up to this holiday season, and what are your new year resolutions? Before we end this year, let’s end it with a set of holiday candles to review.

I love candles for the holiday season, and I always look for holiday candle releases. For 2021, I have enjoyed two sets of holiday candles from FORVR Mood by Jackie Aina and Diptyque Paris. Here is my review of each candle.

FORVR MOOD:

Grown Folks Business – A complicated scent with a complicated name. What exactly is a “grown folks business?” is it the same as “adulting?” I just can’t even with the terms nowadays :-). I know the two terms are different, and I also know that I need a new dictionary for social media language :-), because my level of comprehension for these words is either 0 or -1. Anyway, this candle smells so lovely, and I can sense a hint of mint, vanilla, patchouli, cedar, something earthy, and lots of sorcery in it! It is indeed a wonderful, complicated scent with a complex meaning for a name. I love it. It’s so me 🙂

Hey Big Head – I want to eat this candle. I repeat, I want to eat this candle. LOL. This candle smells like coffee, toffee, hazelnut, Nutella, vanilla, and everything sweet and yummy in this world. Lighting this candle might raise your A1C, but it’s so totally worth it. Just kidding 🙂

We Not Linkin – This candle deserves to be in every Lizzo music video :-). The strong scent of pumpkin spice symbolically says “kthanxbye” :-), and the scent can be too heady for some. I would say, this candle is more of an “acquired taste” and will make for a great home décor.

Skinny Dipped – What do you get when you combine coconut, apple, hazelnut, and pistachio in a wax? This candle. I love the subtleness of this candle. It’s like the scent “Hey Big Head”, but it does not have a strong heady scent. The throw is good, and the scent is long-lasting. I like the scent a lot because its subtleness is not dull.

DIPTYQUE:

Sapin – A light pine scent, remiscent of the Diptyque Cyprès candle. I love the glass design of this candle. The combination of green and gold creates a festive Christmas tree look. However, when it comes to the scent, I prefer that Cyprès because the Cyprès candle has a stronger throw than this candle.

Biscuit – A sophisticated yet usual scent that I am pretty sure most of us have sniffed at some random stores during our holiday shopping strolls. I like this scent, especially the packaging, but I am not crazy about it. It is more a “food” type of scent, where I can sense a hint of pumpkin, cinnamon, sugar, spice, and everything nice (go Powerpuff girls!) — ingredients in a candle I tend to skip.

Flocon – I thought this would be my least favorite of the three Diptyque holiday candles, and I am quite surprised by my reaction to the scent. There are complicated notes of different florals, like white musks, mimosa, and possibly lavender in it. It may be a subtle scent, but it is something I have never sniffed before. I could not trace its top notes and base notes in my memory. Therefore, it is a new olfactory experience for me. Which means I had to have it in a large size (heart eyes much!).

Those are the candles I’ve loved this busy holiday season. I am back to solving puzzles in my head and will most likely be very busy as always for the year 2022. Let’s hope for the best!

Happy New Year to all of you, my friends in real life, in the blogosphere, and to all my friends on the dark side :-). Wishing you all a fabulous and prosperous new year!

*Jewelry: Frica Jewelry, South Korea – available HERE

* Nail color: Chanel Rouge Brun, listed below

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