March Madness: Sweet 16

Spring is finally here (I’m sure those of you in the colder parts of the globe are even more excited than I am)! Spring means the beginning of warmer weather and longer days—and the blooming of wonderfully fragrant spring blossoms.

When this time of year rolls around, I usually put together my standard list of “Spring Favorites,” but this year I thought I’d mix things up a bit. My inspiration came from the most unlikely of sources: sports. Anyone close to me will tell you that this is more than a little unusual—I’m not a big sports fan, to say the least. What can I say? I prefer to devote my time and energy to less sweaty activities!

Anyways, last week I was putting together a list of my favorite spring fragrances with the TV running in the background, and a commercial came on for the NCAA tournament—better known as “March Madness.” After watching these talented college basketball stars competing at such high levels, I wanted to bring the same excitement and enthusiasm to the home fragrance industry. I thought to myself, this is the perfect opportunity to make the spring favorites list a little more fun! So I decided to put my own spin on March Madness by creating a little game for my favorite spring fragrances. I’m excited to introduce March Madness, Well Boxed Style!

This epic luxury candle battle will determine the best fragrance for spring. I have chosen 16 of my favorite spring fragrances to include in the bracket (I skipped the first round of 32 to simplify things). All of these candles are floral and/or earthy fragrances that I currently have in my home.

Wait: How does it work exactly?

Okay, so maybe you have no idea what March Madness is—or maybe you just don’t get how it could be applied to candles (What can I say, I like to think outside of the box, pun intended!). Let me break it down for you, step by step…

1. I chose 16 fragrances from my current candle inventory that I believe are good scents for spring, and I randomly paired them against each other to set up the tournament.
2. Each candle matchup will “battle” each other to determine what fragrance captures the essence of spring.
3. I will pick the winner for each matchup based on which scent better embodies the fragrances of spring. Fragrances will be judged based on hot and cold throw and how they capture that “spring feeling” (think flowers blossoming and fresh cut grass). The focus for this tournament is on the fragrances themselves, not the brands.
4. After the first 16 candles battle each other, the next round will be the Elite 8. From these matches, four winners will emerge for the semi-final round.
5. After the Elite 8 comes the Final Four with two highly anticipated candle matchups. The two lucky winners will go to the Finals.
6. From the final battle will emerge the winner: the home fragrance that best captures the essence of spring.

Believe me, this competition is going to be sooooo hard because I love all of these fragrances!

So, without further ado, here’s my Spring Fragrance Sweet 16:

The competition has now commenced! Check back soon for the winners that will go on to the Elite 8. And, if you know any other great floral fragrances not included on my list, please share—they just might end up on next year’s list!

1. White Camellia by Nest
2.  Rose by Diptyque
3. Gardner by Boy Smells
4. Casablanca by Victoria Cator
5. Jasmin De Grasse by Roja
6. Skylight by Kai
7. Paper Pink by Roads
8. Hope for Courage by Agonist
9. Wild Tomato Vine by Kobo
10. Wild Frangipani by Cocolux
11. Balmoral by Cire Trudon
12. Tranquillity by Neom
13. Cactus by Calming Park
14. Samphire by Laboratory Perfumes
15. Harper by Kavaldon
16. Swiss Alps by Estate Collection

Oh and don’t forget to follow my Instagram stories to see my play-by-play of these unprecedented candle battles.