light my fire
If there's one candle that I'd like to melt and rub all over my body, it would have to be Diptyque's 'Essence of John Galliano', named after a collaboration with the avant-garde designer himself. I discovered it yesterday during my outing to Notting Hill. Diptyque make gorgeous candles, and I had popped into their shop on Westbourne Grove to pick up 'Baies' (blackcurrant leaves and Bulgarian roses) to replace my beloved L'Occitane Honey candle. Call me fickle but when I stumbled accidentally across 'Essence', it bowled me over.It's a strange mix, a dark blend of leather, dried leaves, iris, vanilla, and intense musk. It needs to be smelled to be understood, as the unconventional blend of notes is a shock upon first sniff. When burning, it releases a scent that's strangely ecclesiastical, warmly soothing, but very sexy, feminine and masculine all at once. What I love about the blend of notes is the contrast the scent imparts - it feels comforting, but also spooky; it smells woodsy, church-like even, but also kinky. All of this in a little glass jar, God bless its soul.
L'Esthete @ 18:56
