Remembering Italy: a candle

top notes || cypress, basil
middle notes || bergmot, vanilla
base notes || incense, almond
 
12oz || 65+ hours || soy wax || clean fragrance oils & essential oil || handpoured
 
It would be impossible to capture all of Italy's beauty and "dolce far niente" spirit in a singular candle. Rather than attempt the impossible, I wanted to formulate a candle that is hyper particular to my own sense of Italy and the role its played in my own life. Italy offered me a warm place of belonging when I needed it more than ever, and that sense of warmth and comfort is what I wanted to communicate most with this candle.
 
The top notes are a blend of cypress and basil—both of which are characteristic of Italian landscape and tablescapes. I'm always in awe of the trees in Italy and the way they add great texture and depth to sprawling vineyands and farmlands. And basil, of course, is a staple of Italian cooking that I particularly enjoy.
 
Whether I'm meandering through the streets of Sicily or strolling across the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, the scents that waft through the air when I brush past perfectly perfumed people are among the best I've smelled. In an attempt to capture this everyday delight of passersby, juicy bergamot and velvety vanilla sit at the middle of this scent. 
 
Lastly, the churches. There are few things I love more than the scent of a church. One of my favorite memories is when I found a coffee bar in Sicily where I would welcome the day with my ritual cappuccino and croissant, savoring each sip and bite while sitting at a tiny table underneath the shadow of a massive centuries-old cathedral (hence the base notes of incense and almond—incensce for the cathedral, almond for the croissant). 
 
While this candle might not smell exactly like Italy, it sure does smell like how Italy made me feel. I hope you likewise can have a window into its warmth!