NEST Fragrances Candles: Peony Blanche and Blue Garden

Luxury candles are my best friends. They often act as my lifeline, equal to oxygen in providing me with sustenance and fortitude to handle all of life's ups and downs. The little droplet of fire in the center tends to center me, no matter what thoughts or emotions are swirling around inside me. Over the past couple of days, I've blissfully been burning away at my new NEST candles. Presented with a lovely array of fragrances, I've chosen Peony Blanche and Blue Garden as my two favorites.

Peony Blanche is not normally a candle I would choose for myself based on the scent elements alone, but I'm so happy I have it in my candle arsenal right now, especially with hot weather dashing in and out between thunderstorms. The notes include peony blossoms, watery nuances, jasmine, magnolia and lily. Most of you know I am somewhat of a floral-phobe, especially of the Big White variety, but somehow, this candle has captured my heart. First of all, the etched, striped glass vessel is really pretty, but the slightly translucent pale pink wax reminds me of my favorite lip gloss. Besides the beautiful scent, that is ultimately the clincher. I love a candle that offers tempting visual as well as olfactory aesthetics. Peony Blanche is a luxurious, ultra-femme, fresh and delicate floral scent that is not overpowering, but instead, is totally happiness-inducing. It's the equivalent of being handed a perfect cupcake with pink buttercream frosting. A giggle waiting to happen,  forged in soft wax.

Blue Garden is a different kind of floral animal. Its notes include blue hydrangea, honeysuckle, hyacinth, forget-me-nots, fresh green notes, dew drop accord, oak moss, sandalwood and cotton flower. What I smell is predominantly lilac, and I'm not sure if that's just the overall effect of the notes, or if there's actually lilac in there. Either way, I adore lilac and am charmed by the scent. It's considerably more intense than Peony Blanche, so I find that I don't need to keep it lit for more than an hour at a time to scent my entire apartment. It reminds me of the flower garden I used to enjoy as a child and the surrounding lilac bushes, and that's a scent memory worth holding onto. Once again, I love the chic visual appeal- in this case it's a black vessel with semi-translucent white wax. Blue Garden is really a perfect candle for Spring and Summer, and I look forward to having the scent wafting through my space all Summer long. NEST donates the  proceeds from Blue Garden to Autism Speaks, which is an excellent cause. 

The bottom line: NEST uses an unbelievably high concentration of fragrance in their candles. The company says that it's more than any other scented candle on the market, and I would tend to believe that. In terms of visual beauty, quality, even burning and gorgeous fragrances, it's tough to do better than NEST. 

For more reviews of NEST Peony Blanche and Blue Garden, visit EauMG.net HERE & HERE. 

My very favorite candle shop is Candles Off Main, and they carry a wide array of NEST candles and diffusers. The 8.1 oz size goes for $32 and has a 50-60 hour burn time. NEST candles are also available at Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus and other retailers. 

[candles were provided by the company for consideration. My opinion is solely my own and I have received no financial compensation for it]