I have already presented a selection of beautiful scented candles from Carrière Frères in my last article (read here). Today we are talking about diffusers, room sprays and the so-called Botanical Palets, waxy plates for hanging, which are scented differently. The Cupressus and Lycopersicon Esculentum diffusers make the beginning, followed by the room spray Lavandula Angustifolia and the wax platelets Cedrus Atlantica.
I would like to remind you once again that the Carrière Frères brand is closely interwoven with the traditional French company Trudon and that the room fragrances are also manufactured in their manufactory in Normandy. Trudon already looked back on almost 250 years of company history when the candle makers, who had meanwhile been ennobled as the Royal Wax Manufactory, were taken over by the Carrière brothers. With their in-depth expertise in the field of candle making, the brothers wanted to put their own individual and innovative ideas into practice and founded the Carrière Frères brand in 1884.
Diffusers by Carrière Frères
Cupressus – Lycopersicon Esculentum
The diffusers by Carrière Frères already perfectly reflect the nostalgic style of the brand purely visually. The octagon seems to have a special meaning for the label, because the shape can be found in many ways on the products. Not only do the labels have eight corners, but also the diffuser bottles and the Botanical Palets have this cross-section. The diffusers are visually reminiscent of those old vials that used to be used in pharmacies, for example.
The glass has a fine green-blue touch and is closed with a sturdy cork. Of course, the glass bottles can be recycled and they also come from such glass. I have already mentioned that Carrière Frères attaches great importance to sustainability and resource conservation, which means that the glass bottles of the diffusers fit perfectly into the concept. The rattan sticks are also natural, corks and glass can be recycled and the alcohol used comes from beetroot from France.
I now have two different diffusers here in front of me for testing. I would like to introduce Cupressus first. The cypress is the source of inspiration or main fragrance note of the diffuser. Cypresses are conifers found in the Northern Hemisphere in climatically warmer regions. Particularly well-known are the columnar, tall Mediterranean cypresses, which can be found in many places in Italy. The essential oil of cypress is obtained from the tips of the scaled leaves. Among other things, it is intended to have a harmonizing and invigorating effect. I’m curious!
Cupressus first exudes an aromatic-green and fresh scent when uncorking, in which I make out delicate citrus notes. The situation is similar after inserting the ten rattan sticks. However, I perceive a stronger softwood smell, which carries mentholy features and a citric freshness. A rather cool room fragrance that looks powerful, dynamic and striking.
I had already reviewed Lycopersicon Esculentum in my last post as a scented candle in the botanical set by Carrière Frère. Let’s see if the diffuser is olfactory identical to the waxy candle sibling … Yes, I would say so. Of course, the fragrance intensity of the diffuser is much higher, at least if the rattan sticks have not been in the liquid for too long. But the fine fruity-green tomato scent with delicate leaf hints can also be found in the diffuser.
A few words about the intensity. Placed in a smaller room, a strong scent such as cypressus mentioned above can become a little too much. I had first set it up in our mini bathroom, which has a size of about 4 square meters incl. sloping roof. In the large bathroom, the fragrance now comes into its own much better. For smaller rooms such as our guest bathroom, I would tend to prefer a lighter variant – such as one of the beautiful rose scents – or pick a scented candle, which is lighter and less lush overall.
Room spray by Carrière Frères
Lavandula Angustifolia
The room spray with the fragrance Lavandula Angustifolia is currently not yet available at Aus Liebe zum Duft, but as a diffuser, scented candle and botanical palet, the lavender can already be found in the shop. In order to bring you closer to the look and presentation of the room spray and my impression of the lavender fragrance itself, I have decided to let this scent atomizer still flow into the review.
The room spray – like the diffusers and scented candles – looks extremely valuable, stable and classic. The bottle is also made of this blue-greenish glass, which was also used in the diffusers. I had already mentioned that recycled glass was used for the bottles. The feel of the glass is not completely smooth with the room fragrance and the diffusers. The surface has minimal unevenness, here and there a small air confinement can be found.
This beautifully reflects the vintage character that Carrière Frères seems to breathe from every pore with his room scents. The bottles of diffusers and room sprays are reminiscent of old apothecary bottles and the look and feel of the glass bottles also exude a certain nostalgia, which is also reflected in the botanically illustrated labels including outer packaging.
The lavender scent of Lavandula Angustifolia is beautiful, authentic and exudes an invigorating and herbaceous freshness with a Mediterranean character. In my mind’s eye, the lavender fields of Provence flash and the lavender bushes in my garden, which smell intense, but unfortunately do not bloom as lushly as the Provencal counterparts. The room fragrance Lavandula Angustifolia now brings this summery mood of southern France into the house.
Aromatherapeutically, the essential oil is considered soothing, sleep-inducing, balancing and beneficial for body and mind, which is why I can imagine that the bedroom in particular would be an excellent place for a scented candle or diffuser in the lavender variety. But Lavandula Angustifolia by Carrière Frères also seems quite suitable for the living room, kitchen and bathroom. By the way, in the shop you will find room spray in the varieties Santalum Album / Sandalwood and Lycopersicon Esculentum / Tomato.
Botanical Platelets by Carrière Frères
Cedrus Atlantica
Let’s get to our last room fragrance category, the Botanical Palets. These waxy, octagonal tiles are ideal for those who want to scent their wardrobe – walk-in or conventional – drawers or chests. They are therefore more suitable for smaller premises. One must not be deceived by the concept of platelets. The Botanical Palets are of course not huge, but also not tiny, as the term “platelets” might suggest.
I have briefly swung the ruler and can tell you that the octagons have a thickness of 1 cm and a width of almost 9 cm. Since liquid wax is poured into a mold for the Botanical Palet, one side is naturally completely smooth and subtly shiny. On this there is a decorative groove and the embossing “Carrière Frères 1884”.
The other side is roughened, as the dried plant components were sprinkled here. In my case – the variant Cedrus Atlantica – they are pieces of wood of the Atlas cedar, in the shop there are also wax plates with rose and pepper as well as lavender flowers. Each wax plate is provided with a hole and a dark green ribbon about 20 cm long. So you have enough leeway to connect.
The scent of the wax plate Cedrus Atlantica is – freshly taken from the box – very intense. Aromatic, fresh and dry cedar wood notes smell towards me, very comfortable, soothing and carrying a certain warmth in them. A fragrance that looks clean, strong and exudes a typical resinous wood character with softwood accents. In my opinion, the fragrance is ideal for laundry, as it has both fresh and clean hints. In addition, the cedar scent is said to be effective against moths, which is another plus. 🙂
Who of you has fallen for the room scents of Carrière Frères as much as we have? Do you have a personal favorite?
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