“Women with candles have replaced women with cats as the new sad thing.”

-Samantha Jones, Sex and the City

Oh Samantha, I have a confession to make. I am that girl, the sad candle hoarder. But not just any ol’ crappy candles–I am a luxe candle collector. The kind that have scents that linger in the air long after they have been blown out.

Without a doubt, my very favorite candle is Voluspa Crisp Champagne. The “Maison Noir” series has a darker and vampier look than the regular line and come in either an opaque onyx glass, or a chic tin.

I have been buying these handcrafted candles for the past ten years, over and over. Now, it just smells like home to me. Kinda spendy? Yes. Worth every penny? Yes.

But this isn’t your run-of-the-mill generic candle. It doesn’t knock you over the head and scream CLEAN COTTON or SWEET PEA!!! This is more sophisticated and understated. It just smells, well, AMAZING.

Nordy’s says it is “sparkling brut champagne mingles with hints of vanilla and barrel oak.” Whatever that means, right? To me, it’s the perfect balance of  warm and clean, not fruity and not too musky. Just right. I keep the tiny glass votive on my nightstand and its scent lasts forever, even when it’s not lit.

I know they are available in all different sizes, but this one is the best value. And the awesome thing about Nordstrom is that if you hate it, you can return it. So there. If you agree with Sam, or prefer to collect (or even marry) cats, feel free to disregard this post. If you have a favorite candle, what is it?