Here’s a sampling of what’s new in luxury home fragrance 2012 as of the summer, from fresh candle collections to bigger diffusers and a new bar soap. Most of these launches arrive by mid-October, so it is a good time to plan your fall and holiday shopping.
Luxury home fragrance 2012: the brand-by-brand list
Thymes launched a new collection, Lotus Santal, featuring sultry floral notes of cocoa orchid and red lotus with layers of exotic plum wood, patchouli, and spicy touches of clove bud.
The Thymes Wildwood Collection was renewed with new packaging and 2 new fragrances: Blue Spruce & Elderberry and Brandied Pumpkin & Chestnut. They also updated their Frasier Fir collection with new packaging design and a few limited edition candles and diffuser.
DayNa Decker launched the new Atelier Collection featuring 6 fragrances in diffusers, candles and bar soap.
Tocca launched a new travel perfume kit and new votive candles.
LAFCO launched new bar soap and large diffusers in hand-blown glass decanters.
AQUIESSE launched the new Black and White Collections featuring 6 fragrances each in candles and diffusers.
NEST Fragrances launched new 3-wick tin candles, body wash and lotion and Body & Soul spray in the core fragrances in their Everyday Collection.
They also launched a new fragrance, Birchwood Pine, as part of their holiday line-up. In October the After Midnight Collection will join their offering.
Rigaud created a new fragrance, Vesuve, with beautiful orange wax and a warm fragrance. The new, grande diffuser will be available mid-October in select fragrances.
Voluspa launched the new Vermeil Collection featuring 6 fragrances in candles and diffusers. This collection includes Makassar Ebony & Peach, French Bourbon Vanille, Clove Pomander, Vermeil Blanche, Champagne Rose and Chestnut & Vetiver.
Votivo launched a new fragrance, Dulce Caramelo, as part of their Holiday Collection. Dulce Caramelo is a rich blend of caramelized sugar droplets, maple syrup, smooth cocoa butter, smokey cedarwood and sticky caramel.
Most of these products will be available by mid-October at www.CandlesOffMain.
What the luxury home fragrance 2012 launches tell us
Read the list as a whole and a few trends stand out. Diffusers are getting bigger, with LAFCO’s large decanters, Rigaud’s grande diffuser and diffusers appearing in the DayNa Decker, AQUIESSE and Voluspa collections. More brands now sell the same scent as a candle, a diffuser and, in some cases, soap or body care.
The other thing you notice is how many launches lean on fall. Wildwood, Birchwood Pine, Dulce Caramelo and the Vermeil Collection all point toward cooler weather and the holidays. The luxury home fragrance 2012 summer sample, in other words, is really a preview of the next season.
That matches how many shoppers behave when luxury home fragrance 2012 launches are announced early. People who like to plan buy a candle early so it is on hand when the first chilly evening arrives. If you are one of them, the mid-October availability date is worth marking on your calendar.
How to shop the luxury home fragrance 2012 releases
With so many collections to choose from, start with the scent family you enjoy. If you gravitate to woods and forest air, the Thymes Wildwood Collection and NEST Birchwood Pine are the obvious places to look. If you prefer sugar and spice, Votivo Dulce Caramelo and the Voluspa Vermeil fragrances such as French Bourbon Vanille and Clove Pomander are the closest matches. For florals, there is Thymes Lotus Santal.
Next, think about format. Candle collections give you a flame and a glow, while diffusers give you a steady background scent. A bar soap such as the new LAFCO one lets you try the fragrance family in the bathroom. We reviewed that soap in Introducing LAFCO Bar Soap if you want a closer look.
Finally, remember that a description on paper is only a starting point. Fragrance is personal, so with luxury home fragrance 2012 or any other year, if you can sample something, or buy a small size or votive first, you will waste less money on a scent that turns out not to suit your home.
Practical notes on buying luxury home fragrance 2012 releases
A launch list is exciting, but a few practical points save headaches with any luxury home fragrance 2012 purchase. Check the availability date first: most of these products are expected by mid-October, and a few, such as the Rigaud grande diffuser, are limited to select fragrances. A fragrance you have your eye on may not be in every format.
Limited edition candles, like the ones mentioned for the Thymes Frasier Fir line, can sell out, so if one is a favorite, buy it when you see it. For everything else, wait until you have tried the scent in person or read a review you trust.
Looking for the next season?
If you enjoy roundups like this luxury home fragrance 2012 one, our What’s New in Luxury Home Fragrance for the 2013 Fall and Holiday Season picks up where this one leaves off, and Voluspa Candles, The Vermeil Collection takes a deeper look at one of the lines mentioned above.
For a general introduction to what makes a fragrance a fragrance, the Wikipedia article on perfume is a good place to read up on notes and families.
Which of these luxury home fragrance 2012 launches are you most curious about? Let us know in the comments, and tell us whether you tend to buy early or wait for the holidays.
