One (very) early morning last week, I hopped into a car to make my way to QVC's studios in West Chester, PA. I was honored and privileged to be asked to spend the day with scent guru Harry Slatkin, as he took to the air with some very special holiday treats from his brand, Slatkin & Co. If Slatkin & Co doesn't sound familiar, you might know it better as the company behind all those home fragrance delights found at Bath & Body Works.
About a month ago, I attended a Bath & Body Works luncheon, where I was first introduced to Harry (the man, as opposed to the brand). I learned so many wonderful tidbits that day, so when I was asked to spend even more time with him (and the brand), I jumped at the chance.
After arriving and saying a quick "Hello!" to Harry, we were whisked on a behind-the-scenes tour that quite literally blew my mind. QVC could be considered a giant working town, with employees, cameras, sets and effortless positivity beyond my wildest imagination. Disney, as the happiest place on earth, doesn't have anything on QVC.
I snapped a lot of behind-the-scenes photos (click through the gallery below for the mind-blowing pics). As Harry readied himself to go on air, his team was filling the entire studio area with the cheerful holiday scents as they prepped the products for airtime. After 19 years in the business, Harry has a thing (or 20) to say about home fragrances. Here are a few things that I learned:
- After burning a candle for 3-4 hours, you should blow it out and/or switch scents. This is the length of time it takes your nose to adjust to the scent to the point that you're no longer able to smell it.
- Have you ever had a Wallflower or Scentport that stopped working and you couldn't figure out why? These products are designed to shut off after a power surge (in my case, an electrical fire) as a safety precaution.
- Speaking of Wallflowers & Scentports - have you ever wondered what the difference is? While they both release scent into a room using fragrance oils, Scenports are designed to fragrance a larger room.
- One more fun fact about Wallflowers- Harry keeps 15 to 16 on the first floor of his Manhattan home alone. He sees scent as telling a story and that is how he designs the fragrance layout of his home. He changes the scent whenever he feels like it, not necessarily according to the product's life.
- As with most things in life, don't be afraid - to mix scents. For the holiday season, some of Harry's favorite scent combinations include mixing Winter and Fresh Balsam.
- For Spring, get excited about fragrances that are reminiscent of tropical beaches and your favorite cocktails. Bonus points if you can find the lychee scented products in the upcoming collection.
Harry's powers of scent are quite extraordinary - but you don't have to take that from me. He has been the candle creator of choice for some of the world's greatest tastemakers - Oprah Winfrey, Elton John and Princess Diana have all turned to him to help set the mood of their homes through fragrance. As a guru to celebrities and real people alike, Harry has a few suggestions If you're looking for fun holiday entertaining or gift ideas, check out the products below.
- Want to give your faux tree an extra dose of real? Try the Evergreen Scentportables that can clip right onto your tree.
- These Ceramic Snowflake Hurricanes make an absolutely perfect hostess gift. They are reusable year round!
- Three words: Christmas Bear Candle. Need I say more?
I'm so grateful to the team at Bath & Body Works, Slatkin & Co and QVC for the opportunity. Home fragrance will never be the same to me again.
What are some of YOUR favorite holiday scents?
