A strong nose is required to survive the olfactory assault that is West Hollywood's Candle Delirium, where the scent of a thousand perfumed candles commingle. While other stores may carry a closely edited selection of Illume pillars or a safe handful of the most popular Votivos, the everyday Archipelagos, Trapps and Toccas, here, you'll find the rarest of couture candles — Santuario di Bellezza palm oil wax candles in mouth-blown leaded glass crystal; medieval apothecary formula Oculatum in purest virgin wax; and the historic French line Cire Trudon. True, you can buy everything online these days, but (minus Smell-O-Vision) how other than in person can you know which scent speaks to your heart of hearts? Will it be the decadent popcorn essence of Douglas Little's DL&Co Coney Island in an etched frosted-glass cup? Or a tin of supertrendy A Scent of Scandal's suntan lotion-y “The Pool Boy,” with notes of cocoa butter, jasmine and sea salt? When you're paying $50 to $100 for a jar of wax, it's wise to comparison-shop. Otherwise, you might as well just set fire to your cash. 7980 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd. (888) 656-3903, candledelirium.com

—Gendy Alimurung

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