How to choose the perfect Aja Botanicals fragrance for a thoughtful and uplifting Christmas gift
The winter months are undoubtedly the time of year when bringing light and scent into the home can be especially beneficial, which is why scented candles and room diffusers make for much-loved and well-received presents during the season of giving.
Each of Aja Botanicals’ four evocative fragrances offers a perfect therapeutic boost in its own unique way, making it a soulful present that will encourage its recipient to slow down a little, take a deep breath of the high-quality essential oils and admire the craftsmanship that goes into each and every vessel.
But which of the four fragrances to opt for? Founder Tilly Wood studied natural perfumery in order to combine her passions for scent, the British countryside and beautiful interiors in the Aja Botanicals range, giving each of the blends different depths and character.
For a little guidance on which scent will be best suited to the loved ones in your life, here are some tips on how to choose…
For the nature-lover: Into the Mystic
Have a friend or family member who’s always keen to go on a long walk? Someone who loves roaming the countryside, perhaps with a dog by their side, eager to get some fresh air? Into the Mystic is the one to opt for – Tilly created it to evoke ‘walking through a forest, with the sunlight coming in through the lovely old oak trees’. They will love the warm cedarwood, the resinous galbanum, the earthy oakmoss, and fresh, herbal bursts of lavender that all have a moment to shine in this scent. Tilly says of this one that she aimed for it to make the owner feel ‘energised, balanced and revived’.
Know someone who shops in vintage stores, who adores their tables covered with old lace, who has a sense of the ethereal about them? You’ll most likely find this loved one living in a house with some history, beams exposed, brickwork storied. Gift them something from the Dreams range and let them fill their space and spirit with the mind-clearing and invigorating mix of angelica, spikenard, fir needle and fragonia. Tilly’s vision for Dreams was that it would transport whoever burns it to ‘a place of clarity and serenity’.
For your party-loving pal: Walk on the Wild Side
Gift this characterful scent to someone who is the life and soul of the party, someone with a larger-than-life energy. They probably have some very eclectic clothes in their wardrobe, maybe some avant-garde art on the wall and they absolutely need a little bit of an edge to the things they own. This will be right up their alley – it’s all leather and smoke and earthy musk, with just a hint of sweetness – completely evocative and, in Tilly’s words, ‘it has a nonchalance to it that makes it just that extra bit cool, but still fun’.
For the passionate romantic: Hello, I Love You
The friend who falls in love easily, the sister who watched Pride & Prejudice on repeat to admire the dashing Mr Darcy, the mum who has showered you with affection your entire life, this is who should own Hello, I Love You. It’s emotion-inducing, but also a little nostalgic, mixing bergamot, jasmine and geranium, along with some frankincense and cedarwood to warm, soften and conjure up a sense of story in among the floral. Tilly’s take on this particular scent is that ‘its heady blooms will fill your space with an uplifting ambience and positive vibes’.
Once you’ve settled on the perfect fragrance for your lucky recipient, all you have to do is choose which scented product to present them with – the reed diffuser, one of three sizes of candle (votive, single-wick or three-wick), or perhaps a gift set containing the whole collection.
And, finally, you have a choice of either black or white glass for the candle jar or diffuser bottle. Crafted to complement a variety of interiors, thanks to their simple, chic and timeless design, the hand-blown glass vessels – which are the only item sourced outside of the UK, coming from Istanbul, where there is a long history of glass-blowing mastery – can be refilled, or reused to house flowers, plants, make-up brushes or pens.
You can buy Aja Botanicals’ fragranced products online or from the London store, and gift cards are available, should you prefer to give your loved one the opportunity to choose their own scent from the range.
Madeleine Spencer is a journalist and broadcaster who has contributed to titles including Grazia, Glamour, InStyle, The Independent, The Evening Standard and Stylist, as well as offering commentary for the BBC, Sky News and ITV. She enjoys exploring the significance beauty rituals, products, and memories have for people from different walks of life, and enters into conversation on the topic with guests on her podcast, Beauty Full Lives.
Discover the Aja Botanicals range of natural home fragrances here.
