When I first found the Bois d'Alexa candle waiting in my postbox (way back in early 2009), I was moving house and thus not lighting any candles in the vicinity of my growing newspaper mountain (the best paper with which to wrap kitchenwares). My flat resembled a large tinder box and open flame was the last ingredient I wanted to be responsible for supplying. However, I was curious... I peeked under the weighty pewter lid of the candle sent over by the famed Alexa Rodulfo herself so I could at the very least get a feel for the scent. It weighed heavy in my hand since the candle, made in historic perfume center Grasse, comes encased in opaque black French glass. It feels as luxurious as it smells; this product has a presence. Simply put, it's sensory decadence that won't leave you feeling woozy as is so often the case with pungent products, superbly rich puds and other slightly nefarious implements of decadence. You won't dry heave at the thought of using Bois d'Alexa after overdoing it the night before because, frankly, there's no overdoing it with this candle.
For those of you who aren't familiar with Alexa, she is the go-to makeup and hair stylist for the social set of this world, making up the likes of fashonistocrat Margherita Missoni and media royalty Wendi Murdoch.
Description
Bois d'Alexa is a unisex-scented candle that comes in a black French glass container with a lead-free Pewter lid encased in a velvet pouch. The wax is black, the wick is made from 100 per cent cotton and the candle is made in Grasse, France.
The fragrance include notes of orange, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon blossom, cedar, vetiver, guaiac wood, white musk, oak moss, leather and hints of vanilla.
The Good
The musky, wooden scent. It is absolutely pervasive. When it's sitting sans pewter lid on my coffee table, the entire living room is redolent of soft cedar, slightly green and gently musky. It's a candle a man would't be embarassed to have sitting out in his flat (let alone next to his bed). It's not too metro and it doesn't reek of a Little Tree care freshener. It is, in my estimation, one of the best scented candles on the market.
Plus, each candle is handcrafted and comes in a velvet pouch... all made in Grasse. This stuff is good,
The Bad
As with so many things, the price is a bit steep. $68 for a candle is hard to justify for some, but it does burn for 50 hours.
Buy Bois d'Alexa at Aedes de Venustas and Colette.
I was just pinged with an email about the fact that Alexa is releasing three more candle scents, soon (hopefully) to be followed by other products.
The three scents are: BOIS BLANC, BOIS SAUVAGE, BOIS D’AMOUR.”
Alexa says: “I wanted to create something beautiful. Once you become captivated by a scent, it will remind you of and take you to places that you have been before: you may not quite know where, but you know it’s a place of calm and pleasure.”
About the scents
BOIS BLANC: The base notes are Violet Leaf with Bergamot and Grapefruit; additional spicy accents are added with Nutmeg, Cloves and dry notes of Cedar wood, though the overall affect is anchored with woody facets of Vetiver and Sandalwood. The finishing touch is a note of White Musk.
BOIS SAUVAGE: The perfect blend of acidic citrus fruit and the base perfume of woods, BOIS SAUVAGE is like a walk through the wilderness. Lemon and oranges mingle with rum vapors, moss facets and the warm aroma of crisp trees. Still familiar with its musk powder and hints of old leather, this is an entirely new, unique creation.
BOIS D’AMOUR: Familiar, inspiring and full of love – this scent is built around a mix of red thyme and nutmeg, with a strong overtone of the calming, invigorating green mint. The green tea marries a patchouli bouquet, with the slightest taste of cannabis accord. The endnote is the harvested familiar banquet of gaiac wood, cedar wood and oak.
The three candles are available exclusively from Colette from tonight and then globally from November 2009.
Hunting the endless game grounds of the internet, I came across a wicked product today (and one that most certainly appeals to people like me with a penchant for two day-old hair). 
America, 
Jessica Teas (née Gearhart)
