Rigaud Candles

I was reading the life of late Diana Vreeland, who was a legendary fashion editor for magazines Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. While I was reading something caught my eye, a brand which I had not heard of before, Rigaud Candles. Vreeland's husband Thomas Reed Vreeland was working in banking but also for Rigaud Candles.

Apparently, Parfums Rigaud is one of the oldest perfumers and dates back to the early 19th century. What's so special about Rigaud is that the candle is hand-poured, which insures a premium quality as opposed to being machine-made. The candle burns evenly, doesn't leave any residue unlike hard wax candles. I think the biggest advantage is that Rigaud Candles last very long- the Standard burns upto 50 hours and the Mini burns for 12 hours. The success starts by King Louis XVIII of France giving the sole rights to the Rigaud family for the manufacturing of a scented Macassar oil. The candles were created in 1950 by Madame Rigaud. What's more interesting is that Rigaud Candles were recalled in the 1990 because of the problem in the combustion but thankfully no deaths or injuries were reported!

The candles are being sold again, check out their website http://www.rigaud-paris.com/

Enjoy!

Carthusia Profumi

Legend has it that in 1380 the father prior of the Carthusian Monastery of St. Giacomo made a flower arrangement to Queen Giovanna D'Angio' s arrival to Capri , Italy with the most beautiful flowers available. After three days, while throwing the flowers away, the prior noticed that the water had a distinct smell to it. That smell or the water then became the 1st perfume of Capri. The tradition is now being continued and the limited production means being able to use the same methods as the Carthusian monks. The essence derived from rosemary picked on Monte Solaro is used in men's products, while the essence of Capri wild carnation is used in women's fragrances. All the preparations are made from genuine products of high quality where even the end product is hand-wrapped. 

Antica Farmacista - luxury fragrances

Antica Farmacista captures old-world European charm and mystery with its collection of unique signature scents of the Mediteranean Sea and Tuscany. Each fragrance is formulated with only the world's finest essential oils and natural ingredients, and every product is meticulously produced and presented in an antique inspired apothecary bottle. Antica Farmacista's standard are unmatched and represent luxury fragrance at its best.

D.R. Harris & Co - the British court's chemists and perfumers

D.R. Harris&Co is one of London's oldest pharmacies, which has been in London's James street for over 200 years. They are renowned for their high quality products, soaps, colognes, skin care and oils. Still being packaged exquisitely in their London premises, products are being crafted by traditional methods, hand-made. The pharmacy has been serving the Queen of England and the British court since their foundation.

Potter & Moore of England

John Potter and William Moore founded Potter&Moore in 1749. They were known at that time as physic gardeners where their daily tasks included cultivation of herbs and flowers. Taking their knowledge and expertise in working with natural ingredients they apply it to creating fine bath, body and beauty products. 

Francis Kurkdjian - créateur parfumeur

Being one of the the bests in bespoke parfumery, Francis Kurkdjian is recognized for his true talent in his great works like the perfume MA Sillage de la Reine, which is a re-creation of French Queen Marie Antoinette's perfume. Kurkdjian's latest masterpiece is the Indult perfume being presented in three different smells; Isvaraya, Manakara and Tihota. Indult , from Medieval Latin indultum means a special privilege granted by a high ranking Catholic Church authority or a King. Each of these fragrances is limited production of only 999 bottles and comes in a beautiful palissander wood box. 

Dyptique's 40th anniversary of L'eau

Founded in 1961, Dyptique has followed its mission to produce goods like candles, soaps and fragrances based on their ancient recipes. As part of the 40th anniversary of L'eau, the first collection of eau-de-toilette is being released in May. Three perfumes will be produced, L'eau de l'eau, L'eau de Néroli and L'eau des Hesperides, each having a different, mesmerizing scent.

Les Parfums de Rosine

Established in 1991, Les Parfums de Rosine is a niche perfume house located at the Palais Royal in Paris. The philosophy of the parfumerie is to combine the magical smell of the flower rose with the art of perfume making where an infinite variety of perfumes have been crafted. Presentation and using only the natural essences are the two main concerns of the parfumerie. All bottles are beautifully wrapped in colored tissue paper and each bottle is decorated with a silky tassel around it, which makes it hard to throw away the bottle because its so chic!

Must visit, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier

In the 17th century, the golden age of perfume profession, there were 250 perfumers and glove-makers in Paris. They worked according to a charter granted to them by the Sun King Louis XIV. In their shops, they sold perfumed gloves, supreme elegance of that era, perfumes, hair powder and make-up. Their shops, essentially located in the center of Paris, were richly decorated: elegant furniture and armchairs, Spanish leather-covered walls, marble floors decorated ceilings and soft lighting. When clients came to buy their perfumes, they would stay on for awhile in the boutique and chat while the perfumer prepared their order. This setting has inspired Jean F. Laporte to create the Parisian shop Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier. He has chosen to recreate the particular style of a 17th century 'perfume cabinet' where gold, grayish green and raspberry red dominate in a luxurious atmosphere. A definite must visit to understand the art of perfume making. Location is 5 rue de Capucines and 84 bis rue de Grenelle, Paris.

Les Bains du Marais - 1000 years of tradition

Le Bains du Marais is a Parisian line born from Moroccon-style hammam located in the old street of the Marais. Each product of the line revels in luxury and is crafted in honor of old traditions of steam, exfoliation, moisturization and gentle fragrance waters. The products are produced in small limited amounts and are made with pure ingredients. The rich and elegant surroundings of Les Bains du Marais spa in the historical Marais district make it a favorite Paris address for those who appreciate genuine artisanal luxury.

Santa Maria Novella, a living historical pharmacy

Established by the Dominican Fathers shortly after 1221, Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world. The essences as well as the famous perfumes are still prepared following the formulas studies in 1500 for Caterina De' Medici. Besides the beautiful perfumes, there are pharmaceutical products that were being produced, such as the acqua di rose (rose water) an excellent refreshing tonic for red eyes, which was available for sale in the second half of the 14th century. The production is limited and is meticulously controlled where only the highest quality natural ingredients are used and the procedures are the same ones by the pharmacy's founding fathers. 

Trudon, the candle of Versailles still lights today

Founded in 1643, the chandler Maison de Cire Trudon is the oldest wax-producing factory worldwide. Trudon candles have lit many rooms, religious ceremonies, special occasions, French churches, aristocratic spaces most importantly Trudon has furnished Louis XIV' s Versailles. The magic of the royal balls held in Versailles were illuminated by Trudon. This 17th century candle, which is paraffin-free and made with 100 percent vegetable wax, can still be found today at the company's store in Paris' rue Saint-Honore and special retailers like Barney's in Manhattan New York.