Not Too Christmassy Candles

[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I’ve just been introduced to Nishane, a niche fragrance brand hailing from Istanbul. If you are interested in niche fragrances, this is one to sit up and take notice of because there is a great deal of depth to this brand and its excellence in story telling that goes well beyond the usual that I see from other brands (‘inspired by strong independent woman with the sensuality of a lioness’ – eyeroll please). As an example, the Shadow Play Trilogy is inspired by traditional shadow play (known as Karagöz & Hacivat) which I’ve never seen used as inspiration before but the one that really grabbed me is the Collection Imaginative inspired by The Little Prince. How delightful.

I’ve got the Ginger & Cinnamon Candle here and it’s just scented to that perfect point that tells you season without necessarily telling you it’s Christmas. It’s spicy and sharp with a vein of sweetness – I’m tempted to say mulled wine-ish but it’s probably more upmarket than that because it is a reflection of Asian architecture and art and it does have that mysterious element that you can’t quite put your finger on. Ginger & Cinnamon is a properly perfumed candle with a generous throw that I could detect and appreciate beyond this wretched cold. It’s pricy at £85 HERE but for anyone who prefers not to go all in on obvious seasonal scents, it’s a winner.

I noticed that there’s a fragrance sampler set which I know is a popular thing amongst our fragrance lovers – it’s £120 HERE for 21 vials in a beautiful box. If you love the thrill of discovery this is literally days of delight from a brand that’s quite exceptional. I’m listing the fragrances because they’re so interesting:

Similar to this

M&S Festive Candles

Bonafide Globe Candles

Wulóng Chá a unisex Citrus-Green-Musk extrait de parfum
Ambra Calabria a unisex Citrus-Floral-Amber extrait de parfum
Sultan Vetiver a unisex Aromatic-Woody-Ambery extrait de parfum
Tuberoza a unisex Floral-Ambery extrait de parfum
Pachuli Kozha a unisex Aromatic-Woody-Leathery extrait de parfum
Afrika Olifant a unisex Ambery-Animalic-Musky extrait de parfum
Fan Your Flames a unisex Oriental-Gourmand-Woody extrait de parfum
Hundred Silent Ways a unisex Floral-Gourmand-Musky extrait de parfum
Hacivat a unisex Citrus-Chypre-Woody extrait de parfum
Colognisé a unisex Citrus-Floral-Musky extrait de cologne
Karagoz a unisex Fruity-Green-Woody extrait de parfum
Ani a unisex extrait de parfum
Zenne a unisex Floral-Fruity-Musky extrait de parfum
B-612 a unisex Aromatic-Balsamic-Fougere extrait de parfum
Vain & Naive a unisex Balsamic-Floral extrait de parfum
Safran Colognisé a unisex extrait de cologne
Ege a unisex eau de parfum
Nefs a unisex riental extrait de parfum
Shem a unisex Floral-Ambery-Leathery extrait de parfum
Unutamam a unisex extrait de parfum

Lovely Ishga never disappoints – Sonas is their limited edition seasonal candle in a blend of orange, frankincense, Scots pine, cedarwood and cinnamon with the over-riding note being pine. I loved the freshness of this – the way it’s like outdoor pine rather than indoor Christmas tree.

Sonas in Gaelic means good fortune, prosperity and happiness (wow, imagine having just one word for those things instead of three) which kind of sums up hospitality and good will. It’s perfect and better still has 20% off until the end of today (I’m trying to get a code to give subscribers a bit more time… bear with…) making it £35.20 HERE. UPDATE! You can use BBB20 across the site on any individual products (excluding gift sets and gift cards, valid until 31.01.24).

If you want all of the ambience and glow but none of the festive (it’s not a festive time for everyone) then look no further than Malin + Goetz’s take on Strawberry which is the least strawberry smelling thing you can imagine and yet, something about the way the green notes trail around will leave you with a strawberry impression. To my nose, it’s more green than juicy being a blend of strawberry, bergamot, pink pepper, milk, jasmine, musk, orris, cedar and oakmoss. Those bottom notes are what gives it an earthy element, the milk note is what makes it creamy and the added ‘green notes’ are what take you to the garden, not the fruit bowl. It’s £50 at SpaceNK HERE.