We live in hectic times, and it’s only natural to want to pack up your life and set off somewhere, anywhere else. Scent has the unique power to transport, if only mentally, and Diptyque candles, with their distinctive scents often based in the natural world, offer a wealth of opportunities for armchair travel. Are you dreaming of spending your summers in the shade of a French chateau? Maybe you’re just hoping to cool off by the lake? Either way, we’ve done some very scientific research (smell-testing) and we’ve identified six Diptyque candles that transport us to some of our favorite places.
Dreaming of Nights by the Lake? Pick Feu de Bois.
Somewhere out there, there’s a rope swing to be swung, a moose to be spotted, and a s’more to be toasted. Campgrounds from Maine to the Redwoods carry the aroma of smoke and evergreen pine needles. With a hint of musk and charcoal, Diptyque’s Feu de Bois (Woodfire) is just the ticket.
Pairing Suggestion: Mousses (Moss) combined with Feu de Bois is like a clear, rain-drenched morning in the Adirondacks. Get cozy and grab a mystery novel.
Make any house a French chateau with Feuille de Lavande.
A chateau is way of life more than a house, a bit more rustic than Marie Antoinette but twice as romantic. This restored 16th-century marvel, owned by the former president of the International Falconry Association, makes us think of fields of French lavender, the top note in the Feuille de Lavande Candle. Macarons, anyone?
Pairing Suggestion: When paired with Roses, Feuille de Lavande transforms into a bouquet of French summer flowers.
Dreaming of the seaside? Gardenia brings the beach to you.
Sandy beaches and ankle-nipping tides are made all the more lovely by tropical floral scents wafting across the sea air. Likewise, a beach house, full of wicker and overused L.L. Bean tote bags should have a clean, sweet, floral scent to bring in some dimension and stave off any mildew or fishy scents. Gardenia, then, is a perfect match, which complements feminine floral top notes with spicy woody base notes for complexity.
Pairing Suggestion: Choisya (Mexican Orange) drifts sweet citrus over Gardenia’s floral notes, making a beach getaway truly elegant.
Ambre will give you the apres-ski vibe you’ve been craving.
Are you dreaming of snowy peaks and alpine climes? Or maybe you’re just ready for fondue and red wine. Well, somewhere in the Swiss Alps there’s a brown log cabin with red-and-white checkered curtains nestled in a hillside blanketed with fresh powder. The only thing left to add is the Ambre candle: as warm and spicy as hot cider, and as sweet and relaxing as its vanilla base notes.
Pairing Suggestion: “Pomander” (Apple-Amber) smells like a clove-studded orange hung on a Christmas tree in the bleak midwinter. Burned with Ambre, the resulting scent is deep, woodsy, and warm.
Tilleuil will transform a cramped apartment into a Connecticut farm house.
Everywhere from Connecticut to Virginia, a classic white-shingled farmhouse is enchanting; all it takes is a bit of mud on the front porch to set the stage. If you’re dreaming of leaving it all behind for a rural farmhouse, Tilleul, with top notes of linden tree (sweet and balsamic-y) and base notes of cut grass is just what you have been searching for.
Pairing Suggestion: Baies (Berries), the choice for cool-girl candle aficionados since 1983, is often associated with Parisian city living. When combined with Tilleul, though, it smells just like a New England summer.
Santal is a One-Way Ticket to a Riad in Morocco.
The woody, spicy scent of Santal will take you to your very own Riad. With sand and cypress trees outside (and in the top notes of the candle), and a combination of spices and cut wood inside (the base notes), Santal will take you right into a delicately overgrown courtyard or right over a clear blue pool.
Pairing Suggestion: Combine with the Verveine (Lemon Verbena) fragrance to usher in a citrus summer scent.
Dorothy Scarborough (she/her) is the assistant to the Editor in Chief of Town & Country and Elle Decor.
