A mini Eau D’Hadrien candle came with my purchase of Le Chèvrefeuille a couple of years ago and it was my first introduction to the Annick Goutal candle range. I have since tried several different scents, from the lromantic La Rose to the mysterious Boîte à Epices, from the opulent Ambre to the nostalgic Le Sac de ma Mère. Each and every scent has been wonderful, but Eau D’Hadrien is the candle I reach for when I need a boost. Its bright, effervescent citrus fragrance speaks to me of lands where lemons bloom in the winter, of sunshine on warm sand, of tall cypresses rocking gently against blue skies. It somehow does not matter that it is raining today and that my pile of work is only growing larger. As I inhale the scent around me, it feels as if I am sitting in the sunshine, enjoying the sea breeze…
Those familiar with the niche favorite Eau d’Hadrien, will recognize its fragrance very clearly in the candle, but with a stronger orange blossom accent. It is a very natural, crisp and elegant scent, suitable for perfuming any room in the house, especially the kitchen after cooking. The citrus top notes of the perfume are likewise brilliant in the candle, and with the strong aromatic herbal notes supporting them, the citrus appears very bright and sparkling. In my experience, strong citrus notes are tricky in candle form because as the candle burns, they sometimes give off a somewhat unpleasant, scorched scent. Not so with the Eau d’Hadrien candle, which burns cleanly.
It has a very good throw and even a mini candle is able to easily fill a room with the citrusy-aromatic fragrance of Eau d’Hadrien. I do recommend trimming the wick on a regular basis, because the oil residue tends to collect on it and burn. Also, be sure to purchase a candle from the fresh stock and keep it covered, because in my experience, Eau d’Hadrien tends to air out quicker than other Goutal candles. It is available from Annick Goutal boutiques, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks5thAvenue ($57 for a large size, $29 for a set of 3 minis.)
25 Comments
hongkongmom: I have used and loved the eau de hadrian candle twice…and need another round. Perhaps at the end of the winter, when I start longing for summer, and the changes it brings. January 19, 2011 at 6:15am
Isa: I don’t dare to buy candles because my experience so far hasn’t been very good.
I have a woody-green scented candle by the italian line Millefiori and it smells a lot while it’s not burning, but once I light it, I only smell it if I’m very close to it.
Another candle I have tried is a soapy scented candle-jar by Colonial, and I have the same problem.
These lines are not cheap but the results weren’t good for me.
Maybe a should try Annick Goutal or Diptyque candles. Thanks for this review! January 19, 2011 at 6:48am
Carrie Meredith: I have my eye on several Annick Goutal candles, especially Cedre and Fleur de Tiare. For me, candles are almost more dangerous than perfumes in terms of what tempts me. January 19, 2011 at 2:03am
Olfactoria: Goutal candles are lovely. I love the glass they come in as well, I have thing for stripes 🙂 My favorite is Noel – year-round 😉 January 19, 2011 at 3:21am
Suzanna: The Noel candle is a treat at Christmas. It seems to give off a breeze of cool air that carries with it the scent of pine boughs. January 19, 2011 at 9:38am
carmencanada: I’ve got the Encens Flamboyant candle, and I find it extremely true to the fragrance (as is the shower gel). Now that I know how hard it is to match fragrances in different bases, especially candles not only because of the heat but because of the different regulations, I’m even more impressed by the feat! January 19, 2011 at 5:17am
sweetlife: So glad to see this review, as I bought some of these for my mother a few years ago without testing them first. (I think they may have been wasted anyway, as it turns out she much prefers sweet, foody scents, but ah well…)
It took me a long time to be interested in candles. But recently I found one from the Skeem line, Cypress, that smells so exactly like CDG Sequoia it must use some of the same aromamaterials. (And it’s $14 instead of $50.) On the other end of the price scale, I was surprised to find myself very tempted by the Frederic Malle candles when I sniffed them this past fall. The scents were so true, with no hint of that chemical undertone that so many candles have. Curious what you think of them, V. January 19, 2011 at 12:06pm
Marina: Want! Eau d’Hadrien is one of my firsts, first “niche” loves I mean. I had no idea there was a candle. Speaking of candles, what rose cadle would you recommend? Something that does not smell too fresh or off tea roses. Still can’t stomach those kinds of roses. January 19, 2011 at 8:44am
Victoria: I have not tried it, but I am very curious to try Noel. Your description is so wonderful! January 19, 2011 at 9:58am
Victoria: Mine too! This must be my first niche favorite. Annick Goutal line in general wa the first artisanal line I have tried, so I still have a very strong sentimental attachment to it. January 19, 2011 at 10:00am
Victoria: Sorry, missed your question about rose candles. Definitely not Goutal and L'Artisan! I believe that there is one in Cire Trudon line. Diptyque Rose is not bad, but its throw is poor. I will check at Aedes for you. January 19, 2011 at 10:03am
Victoria: I tend to burn it whenever I long for sunshine and a feeling of being on vacation. Eau d'Hadrien in general is a very uplifting scent. January 19, 2011 at 10:05am
Susan Webster Adams: I’m so anxious to try Annick Goutal candles. They sound and look so wonderful. I lover her perfume.
Thanks for this post! I love citrus fragrances to make the house fresh and clean and to help wake me up in the morning. I’ll be sure to check this one out. January 19, 2011 at 10:08am
Victoria: Same for me! Whenever I go on Aedes home fragrance section online, I have to restrain my urge to buy them all. The thing is that I do not burn candles as often as I used to, but a really good and fragrant candle is such a great gift. I am not a big fan of Diptyque, because their throw is poor, but I love the scent collection and the candle packaging. So elegant! January 19, 2011 at 10:09am
Victoria: I love the black glass packaging in general, so that candle is on my list to try.
Wax base is not as tricky to work with as some others (fabric softener, detergent, soap, lotion–which come with their own scents,) unless you have a lot of musks in the perfume oil, but it takes some experience to match the scent well. So, I appreciate a nicely made candle whenever I find it. January 19, 2011 at 10:15am
Victoria: I love the packaging too, the golden stripes are so pretty. I love the packaging of the line in general–retro, feminine and very distinctive. January 19, 2011 at 10:16am
Victoria: I love Cedre, and it captures the scent of warm, resinous wood really well. Fleur de Tiare is on my to try list! January 19, 2011 at 10:18am
Victoria: This one definitely does that–uplifts and refreshes. I do not have that many favorite citrus candles, I usually prefer green grassy notes when I want a fresh scent in the house. However, this candle is among my top favorites. January 19, 2011 at 10:21am
Marina: Thank you!! January 19, 2011 at 12:58pm
Victoria: Reporting from the field (Barney's): Malle Rosa Rugosa (but I'm sure you've smelled it; might be a bit too tea rose for you) was my favorite rose. Red Flower Moroccan Rose is the darkest rose and best price at $30. Cire Trudon Pondicherry is not a pure rose, but so rich and opulent, a blend of rose, jasmine, spices to capture the aroma of an Indian flower market. I just stopped by during my lunch break, but I think I managed to smell all of their candle lines! Just for you! 🙂 January 19, 2011 at 3:35pm
Victoria: Skeem seems to be the line to explore. You know, some BBW candles are pretty good too, if you are careful to avoid anything with vanilla, sugar or warm in the name. Today, I also smelled some Red Flower brand candles and liked the scents a lot. I had their jasmine candle years ago, which I enjoyed.
Frederic Malle candles are pretty good, although the prices are much more than what I am willing to pay for a candle. January 19, 2011 at 9:15pm
Marina: Thank you so much!! Pondicherry is calling my name. Maybe Moroccan Rose too… January 20, 2011 at 9:47am
Victoria: In those Red Flower candles, the only thing I do not like is that they include dried flowers on top of wax. The remnants look unsightly to me. However, the scents are very good. I had a jasmine candle, which I really liked. January 20, 2011 at 10:05am
Nora: I enjoyed your review so much. As for AG candles, my absolute favourite is Noel. I lit it during the festive period. Currently I have only a mini one but it is able to fill the whole room with a gorgeous pine scent. January 21, 2011 at 5:40pm
Victoria: Nora, thank you for another vote for (and a lovely description of) Noel candle. I think that it shall be my next candle purchase! January 21, 2011 at 5:50pm