Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain: I fear I understand her now
I’ve been into luxury candles for a few years, and Diptyque was never the brand that immediately grabbed me. I respected it, obviously, but I was never stockpiling it the way I would if I found Trudon on sale somewhere (the kind of sale that makes you briefly understand looting).
One of my first Diptyque purchases was Tubéreuse, which made sense because I love a strong, slightly cloying white floral. I’ve repurchased it in different sizes over the years, but overall, Diptyque was never my main obsession.
Then I picked up Paris last year and loved the scent, though the throw was pretty soft for me. To be fair, my house is old and always cold inside. It’s basically insulated like a Yeti cooler thanks to multiple generations of renovations— brick, plaster, Sheetrock, and spray foam. I’ve learned that ambient temperature, humidity, ceiling height, and room size all seem to have a huge impact on candle performance, so I try not to judge too harshly based on how something performs in my house.
Anyway, I had smelled 34 Boulevard Saint Germain in fragrance form before (both the EDT and EDP) and neither worked for me. Though the EDT is lighter, they are both very heavy. The openings felt very green, herbaceous, almost medicinal, and then it became a little too floral-vanilla for my taste. I don’t really do vanilla fragrances. I have a vanilla-candle-loving aunt who says “uh-oh, somebody’s in trouble” when a police car drives by and treats Kohl’s Cash like legal tender, so vanilla has always been complicated for me emotionally.
But apparently Bluemercury selling my data is worth 15% off, because I am sadly a complete slut for a coupon. So I picked up 34 in the new medium vessel.
First of all: the vessel is a major upgrade. I had Tubéreuse in the older medium size years ago, and while the fragrance was beautiful, the vessel itself felt a little underwhelming. This new one feels much more considered. More substantial. More curated. More worthy of the price.
As for the scent, I needed a minute with it.
Before buying, I read every possible description: “luxe,” “beautiful,” “indulgent,” “smells like a Diptyque boutique,” “an Indian market with spices and flowers.” Naturally, I had no idea what the hell to expect.
My first impression is that it is definitely floral, so if you hate florals, this may not be your girl… but maybe it is? Because it’s not a simple floral. It’s sophisticated. It’s not a sweet, or cloying floral, and while it has a certain lightness, it’s very stuffy. And I mean that as a compliment.
If Baies is gateway Diptyque, 34 is generational wealth with fresh hydrangeas, suspiciously good lamps, and a housekeeper who knows where the bodies are buried. It’s what I envision Nancy Meyers burning in every room of her house. Which, to be clear, is not my actual life, but I’m happy for my bathroom to smell like it while I continue finding candy wrappers in coat pockets I forgot I owned.
There’s spice here, but not gourmand spice. It reads more herbal and dry. The perfume version of 34 has a licorice note that can lean medicinal to my nose, but I don’t get that from the candle. There’s something almost tea-like about it. Not Earl Grey or black tea, exactly, but maybe a fruity herbal tea when you first open the tin.
There’s also a potpourri quality, but in a chic, expensive way, not the “growing up in the 1990s with a woven basket of potpourri behind the toilet, held stiffly together by several layers of dust and hairspray” way. On one sniff, I’m tempted to lazily call it “old lady,” which is both unfair and meaningless. On the next sniff, I think it smells incredibly elegant.
She has a secret or two.
Overall, I’m thrilled with it. It feels floral, dry, herbal, polished, and very Diptyque. I don’t think this would be my go-to in peak Florida heat or the dead of winter, but for spring or fall? Gorgeous.
And unfortunately for my bank account, I am now emotionally preparing myself for the 1500g version (by which I mean performing my nightly do-si-do of adding it to cart, then removing it from cart).