I have to admit, I wasn't always a "candle person." You know — that individual who walks into a room and immediately says on cue, "What are you burning?" Crazy, I know, but I never saw what all the smelly fuss was about. Scented wax just turned me off.
But, fast-forward several years, and I'm now living in a small-space apartment in New York. And, I'm obsessed with lighting up (you know what I mean). In fact, as I'm writing this, one is burning on my desk — fingers crossed HR doesn't pass by. Traversing the New York City subway is a daily assault on the senses. When I get home, lighting a candle is the only way of cleansing my sensory palette. It's also the simplest way to make a cramped space feel homey and instantly put-together.
And, I'm happy to say, I've found the one fall candle that completes me — the La Cour Jardin candle from the new & Other Stories line. Everything about it screams luxe — the white plaster exterior, the twine around it, and the label that reads "Paris Atelier." There are four scents, all lovely in their own subtle ways, but I'm partial to the this one, which has warm notes of gardenia and sandalwood (named after the courtyard garden at the brand's Paris location). Its aroma is warm and fresh, and embodies fall without going so far as to say, "Hey, I'm a festive pumpkin cup of wax."
Now, the catch is, it's about $25, and I'm not going to pretend that's cheap. No doubt about it, you could be spending that money in far better, more humanitarian ways. But, if you're looking for some scented luxury wax (which can easily run upwards of $90), it's actually an affordable option. And, it's truly worth the cash if you want something that's a cut above the offerings at those mall stores you once went to with your mom. I'm buying them as birthday, housewarming, and holiday gifts for all my very favorite people. And, one more for myself, because I've burned through mine already.