If you’ve followed my candle reviews, you know that I gravitate toward sweet scents that remind me of baked goods.
But I do like to explore options, so I welcomed the opportunity to try out a completely different (and much more sophisticated) fragrance.
You may remember that back in October, I tried out another scent (Luxe Linen) from this new-to-me candle brand. While that other scent was nice, I prefer this one.
The AQUIESSE Rioja Candle is the first citrus candle I’ve ever tried, and I like it. Allow me to tell you more.
AQUIESSE Rioja Candle Pictures
Claims: TRUSTED
√ Sophisticated scent
√ Blend of rich red current
√ Citrus
? French oak (Not totally sure what French oak smells like. I can’t really smell any trees, so if it’s there, it’s subtle.)
? Cassis (I’m not sure what this smells like, so I can’t honestly say whether or not I detect it.)
Key Notes
- Name: AQUIESSE Rioja Candle
- Collection: Portfolio Collection
- Amount: 2 oz. (This is the travel tin size. To give you an idea of the size, it’s slightly more than a mini Slatkin & Co. candle, which is 1.6 oz.)
- What I Paid: Nothing! (This was sent to me by PR. I did some research, and it looks like the retail price of the travel tin is around $5 USD.)
- Where to Find Aquiesse Candles: Various retailers nationwide including Ambrosia Candles, Arcadia NYC, Bloomingdale’s, Candle Delirium, Candle Luxury, Candles Off Main, Planet Beauty, Scents and Sprays, Zanadia & ZGO Store (I’ve seen this brand’s candles sometimes sold at Chapters/Indigo.)
- More Information: The official AQUIESSE website is still under construction. I’m not sure if they’ll later offer online shopping.
AQUIESSE Rioja Candle Review
Fragrance
I really enjoyed this scent because it’s smooth and rich, yet somehow is still light because of the citrus. There is a hint of sweetness, but it’s not a candy kind of sweetness – it’s more like the natural sweetness from a tangerine rind.
The Rioja Candle by AQUIESSE is definitely a sophisticated scent that reminds me of a time when I ate a chic restaurant downtown.
This isn’t a citrus candle that’s young and playful. It’s more like the kind of scent you’d use to set the mood for a fancy dinner party…at least for me.
Scent Throw
Unlike the AQUIESSE Luxe Linen Candle I reviewed previously, which had a light scent throw, the AQUIESSE Rioja Candle has a moderate scent throw.
This small travel-tin version is meant to be used in a small room, but I found that the scent was great even in my living room.
It doesn’t hit you in the face when you smell it, but it also doesn’t make you inhale heavily to detect that it’s there. It’s a nice middle-of-the-ground candle that I can’t see being offensive to anyone, unless you have an aversion to citrus scents.
Burning
I was really pleased that the Rioja Candle by AQUIESSE burned cleanly and evenly. There was no tunnelling, which means that you don’t get wax remaining along the edges while the candle just burns downwards in the middle. This means that you can effectively use all the wax and get your money’s worth.
Packaging
I like how simple yet sophisticated the travel tin looks. It looks modern and certainly has a luxurious quality, but without being over-the-top.
The seahorses are really cute on the label, and I like how it adds a little bit of whimsy that you don’t usually see on sophisticated candles.
I also appreciate how the lid screws on securely to the base container. This makes it ideal for travelling with because the lid won’t accidentally pop off when you put it in your suitcase.
Pros
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Cons
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Final Verdict: 7/10
I enjoyed this lively scent, and it was cool to try something different. If you ever get to try out any AQUIESSE candles, I think you should give it a shot. They seem to have a bunch of interesting scents available, so you may find one that suits you.
Do you like citrus-based scents? Have you ever taken a candle with you on vacation?
It’s a very pretty tin, isn’t it.
I love that size for my bathroom, especially since I have a tendency to rely entirely on candles for light on those quiet weekends when it’s rainy outside and all I want to do is hermit out by curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a good book.
Citrus is so good for cutting most every odor. I keep it in the car and here at the house. While I’ve never taken a candle on vacation, I have been known to pack some of those little gel-scent holders (the little ones that go in the clip-on for the car) that you can find at BBW.
Hey karen!
I rarely cook fish, but if I do, I’m going to try lighting this candle to see if it’ll cut the smell. Or maybe I should give it to my mom, since she eats fish a lot more.
How do you like those little car fresheners from Bath & Body Works? Do they last a long time, and is the scent very faint or moderate? Which one(s) have you tried?
My favourite one in the car is eucalyptus mint…it keeps me alert and makes the car smell wonderful. They don’t last as long as I’d like, only about 2 months or so, but that just gives me another reason to go back to the store and look for more goodies. 😀
Two months is still pretty decent, I think. Although, I’ve never tried any car air fresheners before, so I have no idea how long others typically last.
Hehe, but that’s a good excuse you have to go back and “just browse”. 😛
The scent sounds great to me. I never tried this brand but I usually go for the sweet, sugary scents from Bath and Body Works.
Hey maddy!
Hehe, I know we’re like candle twins! 😉 You’d probably like this one a lot!
The tin looks very refined.
I think I just noticed your sweet remodeling here!!! How adorable!!!!
Kimberly recently posted: I Spy….Wet ‘n Wild Skinny Girls Being Chased By Zombies At Walmart
Hey Kimberly!
It’s definitely the most elegant candle I have – more for grown-ups. (Sometimes I forget that I AM one. :P)
You’ll be happy to know that we’ve since purchased 3 huge candles since we last talked about scents. 😉 I was really interested to see this review thinking it was a soy candle. I’m really curious to know what the difference is with the other regular candles (that have paraffin wax, I think? I honestly don’t know). I’ve heard that soy candles are better for your health or something. Would you know? Have you tried any?
I’m really not big on citrus scents so I might pass on this. Plus the price is a lot off putting for cheapo me. 😉
Carmela recently posted: Color Club Shabby Drab reminds us why cremes will always stay in style.
Hey Carmela!
You know, I remember a while ago, you asked me on Twitter about soy candles, and I said that I didn’t know because I hadn’t tried any. Haha, I totally forgot about Luxe Linen from AQUIESSE – it was also a soy candle. Oops!
Anyway, the only soy candles I’ve tried are the 2 AQUIESSE ones. They’re supposed to be better for your health, but I haven’t seen any conclusive studies showing that.
As for the burn, I found that the 2 soy candles burned just like my other Slatkin & Co. ones from Bath & Body Works, so there was no difference there.
Which 3 candles did you end up buying?
Bought the Aquiesse pomegranate sage candle in a small shop in Blue Ridge, GA. This is the most wonderful smelling candle I have ever had in my life!!!!! Just a subtle rich smelling relaxing scent. Love it, so relieved I can buy more online as I don’t plan on going back to Blue Ridge any time soon.
Hey Donna!
Mmm…SAGE! I don’t think that I’ve ever tried a sage scented candle before, but it sounds lovely. It would remind me of Thanksgiving. (The stuffing was always my favourite part of a Thanksgiving meal. Sorry, turkey…haha!)
I’ll keep my eyes peeled like a banana for that one. Thanks for letting me know about it!