All About Aquiesse

One of the nice things about having weekly giveaways is that we learn all sorts of fun trivia about the candle line we feature. Here are some fun facts we learned about Aquiesse luxury candles:

Aquiesse originated in Santa Barbara CA where Michael Joseph Horn as a young boy began experimenting with fragrance by mixing his mothers fine bottles of perfume. (She didn't much care for that.)

The name Aquiesse is the culmination of 3 words:

• Aqua (water) for his love of coastlines and their array of fragrant elements.
  
• Acquiesce which means to surrender to give in to oneself or to an experience


• Essence suggesting the core quality of something, in this case nature’s aromatic ingredients.

The first product line launched in July of 2005. The first two fragrances created for the Portfolio collection are Luxe Linen and Rioja. Aquiesse designed their own glass using CAD software so you won’t find anything else like it. The lid to the candle can be used as a base while burning, a snuffer to extinguish the candle and a dust cover when not in use. The box is cloth covered and has a button top lid to make it reusable. Aquiesse now has a factory in Simi Valley CA where they manufacture all their candles using a soy blend wax and 100% cotton wicks.

Other interesting Aquiesse quick facts:

• The best selling Portfolio collection fragrance was renamed in 2009 from Egyptian Cotton to Luxe Linen.
  
• Women around the world have asked Aquiesse to developed Pomegranate sage into a fine fragrance for men.
  
• The Cherimoya fragrance uses a fruit that famous American writer Mark Twain stated as being “the most delicious fruit known to men” and “deliciousness itself”.

We hope you enjoy Aquiesse candles as much as we do!

The Slasher List

Spring and Fall are not only good times to clean out your home, they are also good times for candle lines to weed out the weaklings. Here are a few fragrances that didn't make the cut this season:

DayNa Decker Bacara
Votivo Mahogany, Cedar & Sage and Mountain Springwater
K. Hall Grapefruit-Mint, Flax Linen, Fig and Nag Champa
Archipelago Botanicals Cucumber Melon and Jaipur
Tocca Montecristo, Ydra and Positano.

This is a limited list of the items we stock. Stock up soon because these items are going, going, and soon gone.

Aquiesse Sandalwood Vanille Candle

It's been a hectic week and I'm tired and alone. I rummage through my candle cabinet to find just the right scent to comfort me. I quickly settle on Aquiesse Sandalwood Vanille. It's a cozy scent, like a nice, warm blanket. The fragrance is relaxed and casual. It welcomes me like a best friend that lets you cry in your ice cream after your boyfriend dumped you.

The fragrance description lists notes of bergamot, lavender, white vanilla fleur, sandalwood and musk. The lavender is subtle and blends so effortlessly with the other notes that it transforms into something unrecognizable as lavender, though it does lull me to sleep. I want to crawl on the couch and do nothing. I love the vanilla accent. It comes across like vanilla bean - more real and earthy than baking or sweet vanilla. The sandalwood and musk ground the scent but manage to not get too heavy somehow. Perhaps the bergamot helps keeps it from dragging on the floor. Even though bergamot is a citrus scent it works well with the lavender to calm and relax as it has sedative properties.

The scent envelopes me like a thick, insanely soft, sweater. I am comforted and soothed. A perfect ending to an overwhelming week.

Facebook Fan Giveaway

At 10am EST on Friday, August 13th, we're giving away a Paddywax Garden Crush Jasmine tin to one of our lucky Facebook fans.

If you see your photo below, go to our Facebook Fan Page and be the first person to comment on our giveaway post to claim your prize!

Good luck!

Facebook Fan Page giveaway idea inspiration from Boutiquing.com.

Nest Pumpkin Chai Candle

I'm in love with the Nest Pumpkin Chai candle. So in love, I don't know where to start. Right away I'm taken with the packaging. I love the bold orange box. Orange is one of my favorite colors and fall is my favorite season, so we're off to a great start. Only Nest can make orange look so chic. Next up is the vessel. With translucent brown glass, the container perfectly complements the warm scent. The wax when cold is a blush orange color that turns to the most gorgeous autumn red/orange when burning. It couldn't be prettier. (So pretty, I had to take a photo.)

Within minutes of lighting the candle, swirls of spices surround me. I am quickly enveloped in the scent of pumpkin, chai and cinnamon. Make no mistake - this is no Pumpkin Pie candle. Somehow Nest has managed to create a scent so yummy yet not at all sweet. I do want to eat it, though, it's that delicious. The addition of chai spices adds a very sophisticated accent making it less American and more ethnic. I like that twist. Well traveled and comfortable, like a worn pair of jeans. It's definitely not a fresh, fleshy pumpkin scent either. It's more of a baked, warm, pumpkin. So cozy and yet so refined. This is a fragrance that would work in the most casual apartment to the most elegant home.

Nest Pumpkin Chai has given me a welcome reprieve from the sticky heat outside. I'm transported to a crisp fall day. I look forward to when I can return home from an afternoon of apple picking in the cool, fresh air to be embraced by this warm, inviting scent. Well done Nest! I'm gushing.

Burn quality 5/5. Fragrance intensity 4.5/5.

New Coconut Wax for Voluspa Candles

After years of research and development, Voluspa has launched a new wax blend now used for all Voluspa candles. This proprietary wax blend, first used in the Maison collection, is more than 50% natural coconut wax, and contains other naturals such as apricot wax. Voluspa is one of the first candle companies to use coconut wax commercially, and have been working for 2 years on perfecting its use for candles.

Coconut wax is made by first collecting coconuts and then cold pressing the oil out of the meat of the coconut. That coconut oil is then turned in to coconut wax through the process of hydrogenation which is the same process by which soy wax is made.

The Features of this new blend are:

• Extremely clean burning. Independent lab tests show that this new proprietary coconut based wax burns 90% leaner than a 100% soy wax candle of the same size and fragrance.
• Beautiful creamy white look and feel.
• Holds a high volume of fragrance.
• Works well with perfume fragrance. Doesn’t interfere with fragrance or turn rancid like soy wax.
• Ecologically Sound, Pesticide-free manufacturing.

Voluspa candles burn cleanly and easily and have always used gorgeous, silky wax. Now the wax is as contemporary and innovative as the fragrances they release. Go Voluspa!

Archipelago Botanicals Pineapple Ginger Candle

Holy Pineapple Batman!  We tried the Pineapple Ginger candle by Archipelago Botanicals the other night and it was an absolute pineapple explosion in our family room.  Now I understand why people are so drawn to this candle.  If you are looking for a fun, summery and tropical fragrance - this is it!  The ginger helps keep the pineapple fresh and light without getting too sweet.  It's a very well balanced scent and crazy fragrant.  This candle burned very cleanly and evenly.  I'd give it a 4.5/5 for fragrance intensity and 4.5/5 for burning.  

Archipelago Botanicals candles are hand-poured with more than 70% natural soy wax and use lead-free wicks.  The Pineapple Ginger candle is part of the Signature Collection by Archipelago.  Archipelago also features the Excursion Collection, Private Reserve Collection and Boticario de Havana Collection.

What is your favorite tropical candle?