Votivo Joie de Noel is a holiday candle that our reviewer forgot she had lit, until the smell made her stop working. Here is what the brand says is in it, why it works beyond December and what to do with the glass afterward.
I lit this candle in the kitchen and sat down to work. Thirty minutes later, wrapped up in work projects, I had completely forgotten it was lit, when I said to myself what smells so good? Ohhhhh it’s the Votivo candle I’m writing about later today!
This candle fragrance is really amazing, there is a sultriness to it that really pulls you in. The name Joie de Noel is Joy of Christmas in French, and while it is a beautiful holiday candle fragrance, it is something I wouldn’t limit to just the holiday season.
It’s unique, sophisticated, sexy and rich, not your typical holiday fragrance and exactly the type of fragrance I love! It has an old-world vibe to it. The description provided speaks of a centuries old tradition, darkened hearty cut spices, woody strands of aged rosemary, fragrant spruce and delicate hemlock boughs all mulled with herbs and thickened with honey combs in a blackened coper kettle over an open cherry wood flame, and it really paints a picture of what this candle is all about.
Joie de Noel is packaged in an elegant box and is in a pretty silver glass (another makeup brush holder, perhaps a pencil cup, or even a toothbrush holder, you get the idea it’s really lovely.) A perfect hostess gift for the holiday party season but frankly, I’m keeping mine!
There is something about this candle that keeps pulling my attention from my work, makes me stop, pause and take it in. Something we all need to do sometimes.
Joie de Noel is also available in a room spray and diffuser.
Lynette Reed, Fragrance fanatic, founder of Illume Candles, Izzy Sayan Perfume, Fluid Fragrances, and creative consultant to many high-end fragrance brands.
The story behind Votivo Joie de Noel
The name means joy of Christmas in French, and the brand’s description reads like a recipe. It mentions a centuries-old tradition, dark cut spices, aged rosemary, spruce and hemlock boughs, all mulled with herbs and thickened with honeycomb, in a blackened copper kettle over a cherry wood flame.
That is a lot of imagery, and it explains the old-world feel the reviewer describes. A description like this is meant to paint a picture, so treat it as a mood rather than a precise list of ingredients.
For readers who like to know what they are buying, votivo joie de noel is a good example of a candle sold on atmosphere. The words in the description are a guide to the mood, and the review confirms that the mood comes through in real life.
The reviewer says she lit it in the kitchen and sat down to work, then forgot about it for thirty minutes until the smell caught her attention. That is the kind of slow, background scent that many people want from a candle at home or in the office.
Votivo Joie de Noel is written up here as a holiday candle, but its pull has little to do with the calendar.
A holiday candle you can burn all year
The review says this is not something to limit to the holiday season, and that it is sultry, rich and not a typical holiday fragrance. That matters if you are weighing the cost. A candle you can enjoy in January is better value than one that only fits one month.
Our advice for scents that feel dense is to start with shorter burns, and let your nose adjust. If votivo joie de noel feels strong after an hour, you can leave it for the evening, and trim the wick before the next burn.
The reviewer calls it unique, sophisticated, sexy and rich, and says it has an old-world vibe. If those words match your taste, the Votivo Joie de Noel candle is a good pick for a living room or a dinner table, but it may be more than you want in a tiny bathroom.
Reusing the glass and exploring more Votivo
The silver glass is attractive enough that the reviewer suggests turning it into a holder for makeup brushes, a pencil cup or a toothbrush holder. Once the wax has fully cooled and hardened, scrape out the leftover wax and wash the glass with warm soapy water.
If you want to know more about the brand, read How Votivo Candles are Made, or try Votivo Gingersnap Candle for another spicy option. The Joie de Noel scent is also sold as a room spray and a diffuser.
The silver glass comes in an elegant box, so the candle also works as a hostess gift for the holiday party season. The reviewer, though, is keeping hers.
To sum up, the Votivo Joie de Noel candle is rich, old-world and good enough to interrupt a work day. If you want a holiday candle with some mystery, Votivo Joie de Noel is a good place to start, and the Votivo Joie de Noel room spray or diffuser can carry the scent into other rooms.
Header photo: LoMit, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
