I'll start off by saying that this line of candles is very intriguing. How can a 6.5 ounce candle cost $50.00? Are these candles magical? Is a genie going to pop out and grant me 3 wishes if I rub the glass? It should for that price don't you think?! These candles are extremely expensive but according to Adriana Carlucci, the owner of Ancienne Ambiance, her candles are priced in line with other candle companies of high end "luxury" caliber.

There are 6 fragrances in this candle line, two of which I test burned, Romana & Persia. All 6 candles have very cool names and the whole concept of her candle line is very interesting, especially if you love ancient Middle Eastern history.

Every candle is hand crafted with fragrances imported from a French parfumeur (ooh la la). Each fragrance is formulated from an ancient recipe from a specific time period and culture (some dating as far back as 3000 BC), so in essence, you could very well be burning a candle fragrance that Cleopatra burned in her time. That is very cool! So you are, in a round-a-bout way, experiencing a small piece of the ancient past. Is it worth 50 dollars? That's totally up to you, but it sure is intriguing,¦ wouldn't you say?

What Do My 6.5 ounce Romana & Persia Candles Look Like?

The candles are in a clear fine French glass with real gold leafing of the Ancienne Ambiance logo in the glass. Each candle comes in its own elegant black & purple box. Each candle also comes with an authentic hand made & hand printed papyrus insert. (The papyrus insert gives a brief description of company and candle background) I suppose that signifies the shiny red bow to complete the ancient theme package. (Note, you can also get this same candle without the fancy box for less)

How Did My Romana & Persia Candles Smell?

Romana:

I burned Romana first and it's a nice candle to burn in a bathroom. It has a light powdery scent that is very fresh. My bathroom is huge and the scent fragranced the entire room. According to a portion of the scent description, this fragrance was an ancient Roman favorite. Ambergris resin (which is what this candle is fragranced from) was rare and costly and could only be found along the seashore. It was used with indulgence by Roman Emperors and people.

How did I personally like the fragrance? It was nice. I think because of the price, I expected the fragrance to be striking. I thought I would ooh & ah over it and if I'm being honest, it was nice but not anything extraordinary. I think the ancient theme and background description with the fragrance made it special.

Persia:

Persia was the second candle I tried and it's much stronger than Romana. This candle is the most flowery candle I've ever burned and had it not been sent to me to try, I would have never picked it. I do appreciate the quality and scent throw of this candle, it's a small candle that packs a mighty powerful punch. The fragrance is much too heavy for me but I did burn it every day for a few days to get a good feel for the scent. If I liked a floral fragrance, this would be a beautiful candle. The scent description on this fragrance is:

"Red rose and jasmine, two of the most prized florals of the ancient world have been blended for this candle. The Persians had an extravagant taste for fragrance, with many Persian kings sharing it amongst their court and concubines. It was said that King Darius III kept hidden chests filled with these fine scents."

Rose or Jasmine lovers who don't mind spending fifty bucks on a small candle, this candle has your name written on it. To me, this candle personifies floral and since floral is not my favorite, especially really strong ones like Persia… I personally didn't like it. Loved the name but not the fragrance.

I'm not finished burning both candles but they are half gone and so far, are burning evenly with no waste.

Overall Opinion of My Luxury Candles and Ancienne Ambiance:

The whole idea behind this candle line is fascinating but how many will really take the time to appreciate it? If you're going to buy any of these candles, you really should take the time to appreciate the entire packaging and background because in my honest opinion, that's what you're spending the money on rather than the actual fragrance. The detail and background attached to each fragrance puts these candles in a different league from the candles you and I are used to. If your only interest is the fragrance alone, then I personally don't think these candles are the best choice, unless of course, you don't care about the price. A majority of the cost has got to be packaging. The glass is French (CHA-CHING), fragrances imported from France (CHA-CHING), real gold leafing & papyrus inserts (CHA-CHING).

Would I ever buy these candles? Unlikely. Although these candles are of the highest quality and considered luxurious, they are way too rich for my blood. I'll just have to savor the two I have and be satisfied with that. If anyone out there wants to try one just for the ancient or historical experience, go for it. This is a line of candles that Zeus himself probably burns on Mount Olympus. :-)

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