Picture it; you’re having people over…the cheese plate is out, your wine is carefully selected and you’ve got the closest candle lit. Or in my case a candle in nearly every room a guest is likely to stumble into. We all burn candles but do we ever think about what the scents are really saying about our individual spaces? To help us with our scent dilemma, we’ve partnered with our friends, Piece by Paz, to try to use scent to express our individual homes.
Piece by Paz is a Southern California company started by duo Kelsey Paz and JD Snyder. All of their amazing candles come in recycled glass champagne bottles that they collect and recycle from local restaurants and bars. And once you’re done with the candle, the bottle can easily be recycled again or you can send it back to them to refill with your favorite scent. Truly getting rid of waste (and guilt!) at any stage of the process. The dust cover labels even grow wildflowers once planted.
My boyfriend, Tai, and I discovered Piece by Paz for ourselves nearly three years ago at a local craft market and have been hooked ever since. The process to return candles is quick and easy and truly feels better than throwing away empty containers.
And if you’re hesitant to order candles via the internet, they have the perfect solution for you. A sample pack! Now, I love getting mail anyway, but this was a very exciting mail day. The sample pack comes in either five or 14 scents and I ripped into each of them as fast as I could. Plus they come as tea lights so you can test the scents around your house to see what you’re feeling.
To help you—and us—select a candle, we’ve compiled the whole collection into the following categories: Floral, Fresh, Fruit, and Musk. Now for all the chandlers* out there, this is our plebeian attempt to break it down. Forgive us for any technicalities.
*Yes, this is a real word that I googled.
Floral
Coco Petals
When coco meets amber. This scent is sweet sophistication.
Rose scent with a hint of chocolate. Warm smelling and not too sweet; kinda like those boyfriends bringing you Valentine’s candy.
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Secret Garden
A vibrant bouquet of flowers in full bloom. Tangled wisteria vines, rose bushes, and fallen petals all encompass the charm gracing your room.
Sweet and floral but not overpowering. Would be great in a bedroom or bathroom. If you were a Bath and Body Works Sweet Pea lover circa 2002 this is the grown up version you’ve been looking for.
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Relaxation Station
Lavender petals and plum blossom lotion. It will be easy to confuse your bathroom with a luxury spa but don’t worry, tip’s included.
Lavender and relaxation. More clean and bright smelling than sweet but would be great in a bedroom or bathroom; anywhere you want to zen out and forget about real life.
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Fresh
Sappy Holiday*
Winter has come again. A refreshing homey aroma for every month, this candle comes complete with enough holiday cheer to last you for the entire year!
*Seasonal but sold all year. Great for Christmas and the holidays. Really nice pine and balsam scent. This is the closest you’ll get to smelling sap without getting stuck in it.
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Fresh Cut Grass
Ballgames, picnics, and the outdoors all come together in the beautiful scent of mowed fresh cut grass from a perfectly manicured lawn.
Clean and outdoorsy, not too sweet. Good for non-candle people and legit smells exactly like freshly cut grass.
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South Bay
South Bay is the quintessential West Coast beach experience. The ocean breeze blended with a unique hint of coconut.
Reminds us of the best part of summer. Sunscreen + coconut + piña colada in hand.
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Fruit
Orange Creamsicle
Warm Summer Days, Fresh Squeezed Orange, and cooling soft serve ice cream come together. It will bring out all of the best remember-when stories from days gone by.
Strong bright and clean smell while also creamy. Beachy almost and would be great in the kitchen. If you like Creamsicles, Fanta, or Crush this is calling your name.
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Eucalemon
Cheerful notes of eucalyptus and lemon verbena. Take a deep breath in and let it all out. It’s time to kick off your shoes and go to your happy place.
Clean lemon with a hint of eucalyptus. Great for the kitchen with a strong scent to hide the dinner you’ve burnt once again.
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Basically Fig
Get lost in the moments of cooking your favorite recipe and filling the room with crisp, fresh, & bright redolence.
Great kitchen scent of basil and fruit. Clean and warm smelling with a sophisticated scent that will convince your mom you’ve got your shit together.
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Musk
Pumpkin Patch*
Pumpkin carving, Fall days, and festivals all come together in this beautiful scent of Pumpkin Patch.
*Seasonal but sold all year. Mostly spice scented with a touch of pumpkin. Great way to get a jump on all your basic friends and start the pumpkin-everything trend in April.
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Old Money
What draws you in is the smell of success. The enticing scents of leather and cashmere are calling you.
Warm aged leather and wealth. Reminds us of our favorite leather gloves and the dream of recklessly spending our lottery winnings.
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Bad Habit
Notes of sweet tobacco mix with creamy vanilla and amber and fuse with crisp white tea.
Smells like college nostalgia—the good parts. Tobacco and faintly sweet.
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Three Muskytiers
Three complex tiers of Egyptian musk, White musk, and a deep musk come together.
Warm and masculine scent. A favorite everyday candle that man-friends wouldn’t mind finding when you move in your love fern.
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Beach Bungalow
Notes of hawaiian sandalwood, driftwood, and hibiscus bring you to your favorite place every time!
Warm sandalwood and cozy feelings. Reminds us of warm summer nights and drinking on patios with friends.
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Old Money; Robin’s perfect cozy bedroom candle
The warm leather and cashmere scent is perfect for getting cozy with your favorite blanket and makes you feel wealthy just smelling it.
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Relaxation Station; Hannah’s choice for a spa-like bath
This clean lavender and plum blossom scent is perfect for sinking into a tub full of bubbles, glass of wine in hand. It also pairs nicely with a favorite book or podcast.
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Bad Habit; Michelle’s living room fave
As far as bad habits go, this candle is probably the most tame thing to happen in this living room. It smells delicious and pulls the whole house together. Pairs well with kittens, too.
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We unanimously agreed that the candles and scents made a difference in the feel of our spaces and finished off the room. What do you guys think? Do you always have candles around the house or something else? Let us know!