Parfum d'Empire • Lantana Camara

The grapefruit and lime opening is so zesty it instantly wakes up the room, and that quince note underneath keeps it from being just another citrus candle. It burns evenly and the scent lingers nicely for hours after I blow it out.

The citrus top notes hit bright and sharp when lit, but the quince and resin warmth sneaks in after about twenty minutes, making the whole room feel sun-baked. Burned it during a rainy afternoon and it genuinely lifted the mood.

The resinous base really anchors those bright citrus notes, so the quince comes through warm rather than sharp on the burn. I lit it in the kitchen and the whole room smelled like a Mediterranean garden for hours.