Gwendolyn-Mary Candles & Scents

'Tis The Season. Pretty scents in beautiful packaging, elegant candles, thoughtful little sets-- they all make great gifts. Gwenodlyn-Mary also adds a musical angle, as the company's owner is a classical pianist and found the inspiration for the line in the centuries old Pavane, a dance that became popular during the Renaissance. Perfume notes and musical notes go well together; after all, we talk about composition when discussing both. The black and white ribbons in Gwendolyn-Mary's packaging remind us of that.

There are three Pavane scents in Gwendolyn-Mary's collection, all offered  as a concentrated perfume oil and in soy candles. There are several gift sets combining both in various sizes, again, making great holiday presents. Two of the scents, No.1 and No.2 are safe choices for just about everyone, especially in candle form. The candles are of a great quality, with a good throw and an even burn.

Pavane No.1 is a fresh fruity floral (lychee fruit, fig, orange blossom, fresh cut grass). It's bright, sparkling, and the candle has a sheer and happy feel to it. The orange blossom is quite dominant here preventing the scent from becoming one big fruit salad.
Pavane No.2  (water lily, Moroccan red rose, stargazer lily) is a lush floral. I find it hard to wear as a perfume since lilies are rarely my thing. It works as a candle, though,  especially this time of the year when I crave fresh air, and will please anyone who's into rich florals.
Pavane No.3 (clove, tobacco, cedar, sandalwood, oak moss, Madagascar vanilla) is my favorite. This one is full-bodied woody oriental with a hint of spice. I enjoy it on skin just as much as in the air around me.

While I can't say that any of Gwendolyn-Mary's Pavane scents are truly original, they are thoughtfully blended and very easy to like. The packaging, both outer and inner, gives them a celebratory feel and since the fragrances are so friendly they make great gifts. The Luxury Travel Set is especially ideal because for $25 you get all three mini Pavane candles and a sample set of all three Pavane perfumes. The full size candles (10oz) retail for $60 each, a set of three 6.5 oz candles is priced at $100, the perfumes are $50 each (1/4 oz. perfume oil roller-ball) or $125 for the full set, and there are more options to choose from.

My advice? Stick with the candles unless you already know the recipient is a fan of a specific scent.

Gwendolyn-Mary candles and perfumes are available from gwendolyn-mary.com. The samples and products for this review were sent for my consideration by the company's PR.