A Relaxing Evening With Pied À Terre*

Recently, the lovely people at House of Fraser were kind enough to send me a little treat from Pied À Terre to help me get some all-important relaxation time; with modern life becoming increasingly hectic, it's vital to take some time out for ourselves to de-stress and unwind. Everyone is different and we all like to kick back in our own way, but for me, nothing beats curling up in bed with a face mask on, complete with a hot chocolate, a good book or magazine, and a gorgeous candle burning.
I was very kindly sent a set of Three Mini Votive Candles (RRP £20, currently £14) and Three Mini Reed Diffusers (RRP £25, currently £17.50); each set features three beautiful-sounding scents: Iris & Vetiver, Plum & Black Amber, and Fig Leaf & Cassis. The mini votives are presented in lovely little glass jars, whilst the diffuser bottles themselves are really pretty, and both sets come housed in gorgeous black and grey gift boxes with a floral design and a ribbon round them, making them the perfect gift - maybe for a housewarming?
I am truly hopeless at describing scents of any kind, so the following descriptions are taken word-for-word from House of Fraser's site! Iris & Vetiver is described as "A classic feminine floriental with a heart of iris, rose and jasmine, highlighted by top notes of bergamot and pink pepper. A sensual base of moss, vetiver and sweet amber completes the fragrance." I found this one to be quite a sweet floral scent, which I'd consider very summery. Plum & Black Amber is, apparently, "A heavenly fruity rich plum laced with sensual black amber and dark musk accords."Again, I think the description given is pretty spot-on; this is a fruity fragrance with a definite deeper, darker heart to it which I love, this would be my choice for a candle-lit bath or a summer evening. Finally, Fig Leaf & Cassis is described as, "Green leafy fig accords entwine with fruity cassis and redcurrant. A base of white cedar and a hint of creamy coconut adds depth." For me, this is the least strongly-scented of the three; I love coconut scents and was really looking forward to that but unfortunately I can't personally smell any coconut in there. Nonetheless, it is a nice fresh scent and is by no means unpleasant, just not quite as lovely as I was hoping.
The candles claim to have a burn time of up to fifteen hours each, giving you a total of 45 hours from this set, which I don't think is bad value even at the full RRP; I've not burnt one fully yet but can confirm that an hour's burning has barely left a dent in the Plum & Black Amber I decided to start with, and the candle gives off a reasonable amount of fragrance. The scent isn't as strong as the diffusers and doesn't quite fill a room, but when it's on the side next to me as I read, it's the perfect level of fragrance and really adds a little something else to my evening of relaxation!
Meanwhile, the diffusers claim to last up to two months which, again, isn't bad going, especially as they're the mini versions! Obviously I can't yet comment on how long they last, but the one I've started with (Fig Leaf & Cassis) quickly filled my living room (and, indeed, the kitchen too!) with a beautiful scent, not too strong but enough that you notice it as you walk into the house.
All in all, I think both the Mini Votives and the Mini Reed Diffusers are gorgeous sets, with a lovely mixture of fragrances and a reasonable price point for a good-quality product. I'd definitely consider buying these as a gift, maybe as part of a pamper package! How do you like to unwind after a stressful day? What's your favourite type of scent for a candle or diffuser?

xo
[*Please note the Pied À Terre candles and reed diffusers were gifted to me by PR; as always, this does not influence my opinions and I will always be 100% honest!]