Ooh, burn

The ceremonial use of lights is not reserved for religious rites — certain modern rituals call for the same dramatic lighting and mood-appropriate aromas. Forget about unsightly (and slightly creepy) naked wax candles. They are best reserved for power outages and hanging out with the dearly departed. If one is to make a ritual of an everyday activity, it’s best to go all the way and use a candle that is as far from ordinary as possible. Its scent must have the ability to bring positive feelings to the surface and make you all warm and fuzzy inside. It must look magical, even when unlit. Most importantly, it should not make a mess or give you respiratory problems (there is nothing more anticlimactic than wheezing in the middle of a relaxing Sunday night bath).

Diptyque candles are all of the above. The French perfumer has mastered the art of recreating scents from exotic travels and childhood memories with natural ingredients. It uses only a vegetable/paraffin wax mix that is pure and safe. The wick of every candle is made of lead-free cotton. Its iconic, apothecary-chic packaging instantly ups the sophistication of any give space. Lighting one is an experience. It makes one feel like an accomplished adult with a taste for the good things in life, even for just as long as it burns. That’s about 50 to 60 hours of feeling pleased with oneself. Not a bad deal, for a candle that costs only as much as a night of drinking at a superclub — and it doesn’t make you feel guilty, regretful, or sick to your stomach the next morning. It does quite the opposite, in fact. Not quite sure which scent best suits your favorite ritual and personality? Here’s a quick guide — choose wisely and may the Diptyque candles you burn light your way.

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Diptyque body and home fragrances, as well as its holiday 2014 collection, are available at the newly opened Diptyque boutique at the first level of Bonifacio High Street Central Square.

YOUR SCENT: Baies combines the freshness of roses and blackcurrant leaves and the result is fruity, fresh and clean. It smells like summer anywhere in the world — an island in Greece, a farm in New Zealand, a mall in Manila. It’s all good vibes.

YOUR RITUAL: Long, luxurious baths in the morning, at night, on weekdays, weekends, while reading, wearing a facemask and listening to moodlifting music.

YOUR STYLE: Gwyneth Paltrow, Blake Lively, Jessica Alba, and Reese Witherspoon are your heroes — alpha-women homemakers who travel the world, and come home to the kitchen of your dreams. You’ve considered putting up a lifestyle blog yourself — maybe some meditation in the bath would help you with ideas.

YOUR SCENT: Résine, from Diptyque’s 2014 holiday collection, deploys the generous, open and comforting natural scent of pine. It’s the White Christmas you’ve been dreaming of, captured in a pretty jar.

YOUR RITUAL: Looking out the window. You do love your views — whether watching the raindrops race on the glass, or waiting for snow to fall, or daydreaming of the ocean.

YOUR STYLE: Classic and ladylike, you like to feel comfortable. You are sentimental as well, so you keep items that remind you of fun times. That reindeer sweater from the ‘90s? Yup, we know you still have it.

YOUR SCENT: Tubéreuse, a heady floral that’s silky and sensual, very warm and feminine, but far from girly — it’s all woman and may just be what Beyonce’s fermented sweat would smell like. 

YOUR RITUAL: Brushing your long, black hair 100 strokes before going to bed.

YOUR STYLE: You’ve designed your home with an East Asian aesthetic in mind — think red walls, gold accents, Oriental-print upholstery and an intricately carved wooden closet that holds your collection of silk robes.

YOUR SCENT: Épice, from Diptyque’s 2014 holiday collection, is a soft and enchanting blend of cinnamon and the reassuring roundness of plum. It smells like your favorite pie is baking in the oven and it might even make you wish you could eat it (don’t).

YOUR RITUAL: Relaxing with a glass (or two) of wine right before your dinner party guests arrive, and after you’ve done all that cooking, cleaning and decorating. Ah, the calm before the storm.

YOUR STYLE: You’re everyone’s favorite because you like to feed people with your delicious meals. Your house is everyone’s house. It’s not quite as impeccable as you’d like it to be, but that’s why your friends love it so much. You feel like home.

YOUR SCENT: Figuier is a fruity scent that intensifies the qualities of the fig tree — the warmth of the bark, the freshness of the leaves, and milky sap of its fruit. It’s a calming, homey, hypnotic scent, and one of the favorites of the Diptyque founder, According to Estelle Omnès, Diptyque area manager.

YOUR RITUAL: Sitting in front of the record player, listening to your favorite band since you could hear, in the dark of your room. As the Almost Famous line goes, “Listen to Tommy with a candle burning, and you’ll see your entire future.”

YOUR STYLE: Part boho, part punk, part manic-pixie-girl (though you never would admit it). You can’t really decide. Why just be one genre when you can be all?

YOUR SCENT: Hiver, from Diptyque’s 2014 holiday collection, is an icy scent that evokes the cold, biting North, but with a hint of wood fire and roasted chesnuts. I’m thinking it smells like 4 a.m., in front of the catheral right beside a bibingka and castañas stall, during Simbang Gabi.

YOUR RITUAL: Sipping hot chocolate and with your annual re-read of your favorite series (What is it? Harry Potter? Lord of the Rings? Or will you opt for a Home Alone marathon?), wrapped like a burrito in bed.

YOUR STYLE: Super chill, you like to hang out and hang back. For you, the holidays is a time to decompress. You like the cold because it’s a chance to get warm — your layers, tights, cute coats, and boots are ready.