Ever since Olivia Giacobetti created the intensely green and milky fig accords for her L’Artisan Premier Figuier and Diptyque Philosykos fragrances, there have been more and more variations on this appealing theme, from the green fig branches of Hermès Un Jardin en Méditerranée to the ripe black figs of Thierry Mugler Womanity. It was only a matter of time before these vivid leafy notes trickled down to the home fragrance market. Diptyque Figuier, L’Artisan Parfumeur Interieur Figuier and L’Occitane Feuille de Figuier are my favorite fig home fragrances, both for their quality and the interesting perfumes. They capture the crisp, vibrant scents of crushed green leaves and the milky, pleasantly bitter impression of unripe fruit covered in sap.
Out of the three, Diptyque Figuier (Fig Tree) is my favorite for its vivid, bright aroma. Out of the jar it smells green and minty, but once lit, the illusion of a verdant fig leaf becomes complete. A hint of almond and a woody note of sandalwood and cedar round out the intensity of the fragrance. A subtle yellow plum note is woven through the green, bright scent to suggest the fruity sweetness of fig flesh. While Figuier, like most green fragrance, is not a strong fragrance, it has an excellent diffusion. Even after the candle is snuffed out, the clean, green scent pleasantly lingers in the air. 7 oz. $60
There is not that much difference between Diptyque Figuier and L’Artisan Parfumeur Interieur Figuier—both explore the same green stemmy and milky fruity accord that registers as fig. While I enjoyed Interieur Figuier for its grassy, green scent, I find that between the two, Diptyque’s candle has a richer scent and better diffusion. There is a stronger woody note in Interieur Figuier, which gives the fragrance a sharper quality. In general, the one advantage that L’Artisan candles have over Diptyque is that they retain their freshness much longer. I also prefer L’Artisan’s black glass jar packaging, which looks very elegant. 6.2oz $60
L’Occitane Feuille de Figuier / Fig Leaf makes for a good, lower-priced alternative to both Diptyque and L’Artisan, and for those who love fresh, clean fragrances, it is a good choice. I will not pretend that Feuille de Figuier is a better quality candle; in comparison to the high-end brands, its scent is sharper and thinner. However, the candle has a very appealing fragrance of grass and green almonds and burns cleanly. I like it for its ability to freshen up the space and make it seem cleaner and brighter, even if the fragrance itself is not as strong as that of Diptyque and L’Artisan. I also love the hexagonal metal container with its lid, which is handy for covering up the candle immediately after it is blown out to avoid the pungent scent of smoldering cotton. Before lighting the candle for the first time, I recommend trimming the wick to about ¼”, which will not only prolong candle’s life, but also will prevent smoking. 3.5 oz $18
All three candles would be perfect for freshening up a space, whether it is an office, an apartment or perhaps a kitchen area. For me, there is something very evocative about the scents of green leaves and sticky new buds, especially on a cold winter day. It may be snowing heavily outside, but when I light one of my favorite fig candles, my living room becomes filled with the scent of spring.
Availability: Diptyque candles are sold at Aedes, Barney’s New York, Saks Fifth Avenue as well as online at Beautyhabit, Amazon.com, Luckyscent.com, among others. L’Artisan candles can be found through their website, Barney’s, Aedes. L’Occitane candles are available from their boutiques and online.
Lovely photo of ripening figs from gardenweb.com.
12 Comments
Olivier: Hi Victoria and all,
This is my first comment on your blog, which I follow for some months now.
Talking about fig, I recently discovered a perfume (no candle) around fig from a brand I never heard about before (maybe you did?): “a l’ombre du figuier’ made by ‘bissoumine’.
It is not the mature and sweet fig scent that is more common in perfumes, but something more fresh, young and spicy. Really nice and different. February 6, 2011 at 8:01am
Olfactoria: Today is fig day too at my house! The Diptyque candle is burning and I am wearing Philosykos.
Thank you for your comparison.
If I may pick yoir brain, how would you say Giacobettis fig perfumes Philosykos and Premier Figuier are different? February 6, 2011 at 4:24am
sharyl: Hi Victoria, I have just recently discovered perfume blogs and yours is so lovely. Thank you for all of the interesting and inspiring reflections. I love fig and will definitely check out the Diptyque and the L’Artisan. So far my true fig love is the Le Labo Figue candle. I have never smelled anything at all like it. It is an absolutely beautiful, earthy scent. February 6, 2011 at 1:58pm
sharyl: Oh, I meant to comment a bit on the L’Occitane also. I do enjoy their fig candle and also their fig diffuser oil is very nice. February 6, 2011 at 2:00pm
Victoria: Fantastic! You have your own little Mediterranean paradise, complete with two angels. 🙂
I just tried them both, and for me, L’Artisan is green, sharper, and yet milkier too. It has a very strong sandalwood backdrop, which gives it a milky, heavy quality. I think that it is more innovative and interesting than Philosykos, but I find Philosykos much easier to wear. It is like a breeze, very joyful, happy fragrance for me. February 6, 2011 at 9:26am
Victoria: Olivier, thank you and welcome!
I have not tried Bissoumine fragrances, but I just checked online, and the line looks interesting. Perhaps, something new to explore. February 6, 2011 at 9:29am
sweetlife: Thanks for the candle reviews, V! I like the thought of the L’Occitane. I am often overwhelmed by scented candles, so not having as much of a throw is sometimes an advantage for me. 😉
I tried the Philosykos soap awhile ago and was somewhat disappointed. It melted quickly and the scent was thin. But that is a whole other topic… February 6, 2011 at 11:10am
Victoria: I am not a fan of sweet, gourmand scents in home fragrances, so these green, fresh scents are perfect. I shudder thinking of the candle isle at Duane Reade, where every candle smells either of vanilla or cinnamon.
I was not that impressed with Philosykos shower gel, very thin and harsh. February 6, 2011 at 12:22pm
sharyl: If you liked the L’Occitane room spray, you should definitely try their fig diffuser oil. I don’t use room sprays very often either because the scent dissipates too quickly. But their diffuser oil is very fragrant and will keep a closed room scented beautifully for a week. Also, their glass diffuser for the reeds is lovely. It looks like an old antique ink well. The Le Labo candle is truly an astonishingly beautiful scent and if you like green and earthy, I hope that you have an opportunity to smell this one. It is worth every penny of its pricey cost. February 6, 2011 at 6:13pm
Victoria: Sharyl, thank you for your nice words.
I have not tried any of Le Labo candles, but your description really made me curious. I love green, earthy scents in candles. February 6, 2011 at 4:05pm
Victoria: I also tried their room spray, which was great, even better than the candle (at least on the blotter.) I just do not use sprays that often, so I did not end buying it.
I miss their solid home scents, which they no longer carry in the US. February 6, 2011 at 4:07pm
Victoria: Thank you again, I will definitely look for the oil diffuser. Like you, I find that most room sprays either vanish too quickly or do not diffuse enough.
Le Labo is now on my candle to-try list. Oh boy, it is getting longer and longer! 🙂 February 6, 2011 at 6:26pm