I’m taking some time off for the holidays. It isn’t as fun as it sounds. It’s mainly me catching up on things that should have been done months ago. I’m also cleaning/purging and well, just that overall “nesting” that should have happened before winter started.
While I’m in this nesting mood, I thought it would be a good time to cover some home fragrance products on EauMG. It’s cold and gross and it’s only going to get colder and grosser. I may as well surround myself with things of comfort – plush throws, cozy slippers and ambient fragrances.
Alora Ambiance is a line of Italian inspired home fragrances founded by two sisters back in 2000. The line consists of reed diffusers and candles.
Here’s my quick impressions in alphabetical order:
Arancia
Arancia is a juicy orange that’s energetic. It has some white florals; however, orange is the most prominent note. Overall, it’s a zesty, tangy orange floral that is doing jumping jacks in the living room. I don’t mind this, but I wouldn’t want it in my bedroom!
Give it a try if you’d like your house to smell like perfumes like Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine or Tocca Stella.
Bella
Bella smells like ginger and tropical florals. There’s a vintage Avon perfume called Hawaiian White Ginger that I’m obsessed with (for nostalgic reasons). Bella is like a posh home fragrance version of that perfume. It’s like a heady jasmine with ginger spice. This is totally the sort of scent I want in a bathroom or a dressing room but that’s because it reminds me of grandma and how she put Avon Hawaiian White Ginger soaps out for guests.
Bimbi
Bimbi is a delicate lavender. It’s like a lavender lemon with chamomile tea. Bimbi has a brightness but it’s also incredibly chill. It’s a soothing scent that would be great in a bedroom. I imagine it’s for a nursery because of the name. I guess it’s for anyone that wants to sleep like a baby.
Due
Due is big ‘ole white floral with jasmine and tuberose. It has some greens (a leafy basil). Overall, it’s like a romantic floral, something stereotypical “white wedding dress” and I’m not mad about that.
Give Due a try if you like the thought of a house smelling something like Amouage Figment Woman or Heeley Ophelia.
Isola
Isola is a “green” white floral. It’s gardenia with some green leaves. It morphs into some sort of creamy gardenia-tuberose. My closest comparison is Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia except Isola is more “creamy green” with fig leaves and something that reminds me of coconut. It’s pretty.
Toscana
Toscana is one of those scents that I want my house to smell like…so, it’s my favorite. Toscana is green and fresh, reminding me of summer. There’s an incredibly realistic Granny Smith apple thing going on. I know green apple sounds like something tween and cheap, but this smells like a fresh apple slice. Then it’s green grass and a green fig. AND THEN it’s bitter green tomato leaves. It dries into a warm vetiver and dry moss. Gah, I miss summer.
The brand recommend this scent for the kitchen but I think it works for any space.
Tre
Tre is probably my least favorite out of the line. It’s like a sulfuric grapefruit and orange peel with an amber that sort of smells like root beer. There’s also orange blossom and a vanilla sweetness. The deal is that I don’t dislike the fragrance, I just don’t want my space to smell like this.
Uno
Uno smells like spring. It’s a crisp, dewy lily of the valley glimmering in sunshine. There’s some bright citrus and fresh greens. Sometimes it reminds me of a lemon-y magnolia and musk. But, it always reminds me of spring.
Give it a try if you want your home to smell like spring florals or something like Penhaligon’s Lily of the Valley.
Vaniglia
Vanilla in home fragrance usually doesn’t appeal to me because let’s face it, “cheap vanilla candle” is one of the worst scents in the world. Now, let me talk about Vaniglia. This is a boozy vanilla that smells like a really exceptional vanilla extract. There’s a lift from jasmine petals. Basically, Vaniglia is a less obnoxious LUSH Vanillary. It’s a great choice for anyone that likes gourmands.
Verde
Verde smells like musk melon/cantaloupe with moss. It eventually turns into a fresh green grass with a clean, soapy jasmine. This is totally one of those scents I wouldn’t want as a personal fragrance but I really like it for the home. It reminds me of an idealized summer picnic – it’s not too hot, there’s no ants, there’s no wasps – everything is perfect.
My final thoughts – I really like the brand. They aren’t overly simplified nor are they overly complex. It’s difficult to design home fragrances because they’re ambient. And what people prefer on themselves is not what they want for a space. I feel like Alora Ambiance “gets it”. If you like green scents or florals or fragrance diffusers, this is a brand worth checking out.
Reed diffusers retail from $60 to $90. Candles retail for $50 at Alora Ambiance and Beautyhabit. Samples are also available for purchase.
*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. I have reviewed the fragrance from diffusers. Candles may smell different because of their wax base. Product pics from the brand. Beautyhabit, Macy’s and Modcloth are affiliate links. Thanks!
Thank you for these reviews! I am drowning in scented candles but I adore them so I’m going to put some of these on my to-try list anyway, especially Toscana. I love tomato leaf. Every time I find a scent that uses it prominently I get excited. I wish it were more popular in perfumes, but I guess not a lot of people want to smell like a vegetable garden. 😉
I am still on a candle no-buy. I’ve done a great job sticking with it despite how difficult it is for me. I really love scented candles. I’m trying to get through things and then only have 5 at once. These are my goals. Saying that, Toscana is on my to-buy list when I get myself to a more edited “scented candle wardrobe”.
I love anything tomato leaf scented and it’s hard to find! I’ve noticed too that it always seems to be the scent that is discontinued first, even in home fragrance lines. I guess we’re in the minority of people that want to smell like summer.