Anyone who’s truly on top of their self-care game knows the value of a little fragrance in life. In fact, the human sense of smell is said to be the most sensitive and powerful of all five senses! Just a whiff can instantly bring back memories, set the mood for a special date, or help decompress after a long day. Yet, sadly, most of us still think of fragrance as a “luxury” non-essential item, making it highly underrated in these increasingly stressful times. Candles and incense are easy ways to uplift the emotions and elevate your home space. But what gives the best feel-good vibes, is knowing that your fragrance brand is playing its part in helping make this planet a happier place.
That’s why we’re in love with Japanese hand-crafted fragrance brand APFR. Based in Chiba, the entire production line from blending to shipping stays in the hands of its artisans. They even apply their brand seals and pack the product boxes themselves (to make things more adorable). The idea for APFR was born while founder Keita Sugasawa was traveling the world, and discovered the wide variety of scented oils and incense available in different countries. Impressed by this diversity, Sugasawa felt that Japan should also be home to high-quality fragrances. Fast forward ten years, and the brand carries scents from four different continents, namely Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, ranging from oriental, citrus, and woody notes to the aromatic, floral, and fruity.
Check out our top APFR product picks to help you unwind all season long.
1. Fragrance Glass Candle – White Tea
This APFR Fragrance Glass Candle in the brand’s highly popular white tea scent takes us straight to a getaway resort spa, with its sweet blend of fresh mandarin citrus, bergamot, spicy ginger, earthy sandalwood, and floral notes of jasmine and ylang-ylang. Not to mention, the candle is made of eco-friendly soy wax that melts cleanly without excess soot. It has an impressive 45+ hour burn time, though it’s also available in their travel size APFR Travel Tin Candle.
SHOP: APFR Fragrance Glass Candle - White Tea
2. Reed Diffuser – White Tea
Another white tea favorite, the aromatic reed diffusers disperse a warm fragrance throughout the room. If you’re a fan of the hand-crafted touch, know that the diffuser’s wax-sealed bottle and craft box are also handmade by the APFR brand’s artisans, making it truly a one-of-a-kind gift.
SHOP: APFR Reed Diffuser - White Tea
3. Incense – 24K Rose
One of most aphrodisiac scents in their incense collection, the 24K Rose sets the tone for a romantic dinner for two with its floral blend of lavender, lily, rose, and marigold mixed with fresh young oakmoss leaves. Perfect the vibe with the brand’s gorgeous APFR Brass Incense Stand.
SHOP: APFR Incense - 24K Rose
4. Incense – Oakmoss & Amber
If you’re a fan of woody musk scents, you’ll love this relaxing aroma that’s great for unwinding on a cold autumn or winter night. This bamboo incense is earthy yet slightly sweet with a blend of oakmoss, amber, and sage, punctuated with notes of rose, orange, grapefruit, lavender, herb, and tonka beans. Pair with the brand’s elegant APFR Brass Incense Stand for the full experience.
SHOP: APFR Incense - Oakmoss & Amber
5. Brass Incense Stand
This hand-made pure brass stand gets more beautiful with time, as the brass tint darkens little by little with each use. It’s specifically made to pair with bamboo-type incense, so it’s the perfect accompaniment to APFR’s original incense sticks, like the APFR 24K Rose Incense and APFR Oakmoss & Amber Incense varieties. Originally designed by sculpture Emiko Makino, each stand continues to be handcrafted by the brand’s local artisans.
SHOP: APFR Brass Incense Stand
6. Incense – Fig
Another hand-crafted bamboo incense that pairs beautifully with the APFR collection’s Brass Incense Stand, the APFR Fig incense has an aphrodisiac fruity scent that is both intriguing yet warm and inviting, with notes of cedarwood, davana, fig, grapefruit, marigold, orange, and patchouli.
SHOP: APFR Incense - Fig
7. Incense – White Tea
If you’re a fan of APFR white tea products, you’ll want to check out their incense available in the same scent. The White Tea Incense is the perfect complement to the brand’s signature glass candle, travel tin candle, and reed diffuser. With a classic oriental fragrance inspired by the resort spas of Southeast Asia, the incense is made with a patchouli base and carries notes of bergamot, jasmine, ylang-ylang, thyme and nutmeg.
SHOP: APFR Incense - White tea
8. Incense – New Day
True to its name, the APFR New Day incense sets the vibe of a fresh new start with its clean citrusy aroma. Its base is woody and floral, punctuated with notes of green pepper, ginger spice, petitgrain, bergamot, and lavender. As with all incense varieties in the APFR collection, each incense stick is 13 inches long and has an estimated burn time of 100 minutes.
SHOP: APFR Incense - New Day