“Costco, I love you … but who is buying a $90 candle the size of a trash can?!” the Reddit user titled their post. “Normally even if a product isn’t my vibe, I understand the market. This just seems silly! It was literally the size of a small bathroom trash can, even if I wanted to buy one I have no idea where I’d put it, and the wicks look way too small.”
— Read more in Costco’s $90 Candle Has Shoppers Majorly Divided — and It Sold Out in 3 Days at Apartment Therapy.
From Acqua di Parma, the Chapeau candle(s) in Luce di Colonia: "Inspired by both Acqua di Parma’s famous fragrance bottle and the hats that give the design its name, the Chapeau! candle is a playful, two-in-one creation that offers a new and exciting way to enjoy the brand’s Luce di Colonia scent. Designer Dorothée Meilichzon deploys glazed stoneware and ceramic to sculpt the two unique vessels, leaning into contrast and textural interplay. Enjoy the candles together as a single unit, then arrange them next to each other when lighting them for a celebration of craftsmanship and design." 1.6kg + 330g, £580 at Harrods in the UK.
From Cereria Molla, Basil Mandarin: "Basil & Mandarin is energy and vitality. Its citrus notes of lemon, lime and tangerine bring light to any environment. The predominant touches of ivy and white jasmine make it an essential in special moments." In Room Spray or Diffuser (each 100 ml for $45), Bar Soap ($10), Candles (multiple sizes $20-$700), Incense (20 sticks for $17) and more, at Candle Delirium.
From Apotheke, the Sea Salt Grapefruit 2-Wick candle: "Summer by the sea is always in the air with the bright and citrusy scent of Sea Salt Grapefruit...[it] balances tangy sea salt, black pepper, and ripe grapefruit with sweet tarragon and a fresh dewdrop accord for a bright and citrusy fragrance". $62 for 368g at Apotheke.
Part of how we experience the way something smells has nothing to do with our nose. Meg Michelsen, a professor of marketing at Longwood University, studies how scent affects consumer behavior. For one experiment, she provided the same scent to people, packaged either as “Lavender Bouquet” or “Floral Bouquet,” and asked how likely they were to buy it. The experiment determined that more people wanted to buy the less specific “Floral Bouquet.”
— Read more in How candles got so expensive: Here’s what you’re really paying for when you spend $50 on a jar of scented wax at The Washington Post.