P.F. Candle Co.'s New Book And DIY Kit Might Be The Best Thing For Candle Superfans

If the sheer amount of amber jar candles, incense packs, and room sprays I have hoarded in my apartment are any indication, by all accounts, I'm probably a P.F. Candle Co. superfan. I've been collecting the brand's iconic scents (think: the notorious Teakwood and Tobacco) and the newer ones (like the perfectly crisp Cedar and Sagebrush I just got my hands on) for years. I even recycled the jar from the first P.F. product I ever bought and kept it for miscellaneous bathroom necessities. So when I learned that Kristen Pumphrey and Thomas Neuberger — the brand's owners — were working on a book discussing everything related to home fragrance, I was fairly intrigued. When I discovered that the duo was also releasing a DIY kit that would allow candle lovers to create their very own P.F.-approved scents ​at home​, I was completely hooked.

I got the opportunity to both read the book and try the home fragrance set in advance of the March launch, and I couldn't believe my luck. The chance to learn more about the candle-making process and little-known company tidbits (such as the fact that P.F. stands for ​Pommes Frites​, aka French fries, and is a play on Kristen's last name) was the bonus I didn't know I needed.

P.F. Candle Co.

Other notable things I learned about the brand's founders while testing out my new goods? The team believes that "interior design and fragrance go hand-in-hand." This makes sense when you notice how almost every beautifully-styled home on social media seems to feature a selection of P.F Candle Co. products, whether it's a reed diffuser or two, incense cones, or a variety of the classic candles. In fact, Kristen noted that "your surroundings have a big impact on your mood, and that extends to fragrance ... [It] adds scent to your life, but it also brings ambiance, comfort, and intention." Tom went on to add that, "because we lack a good grasp on the vocabulary of scent, fragrance becomes an afterthought in people's lives ... [but once] we do gain that vocabulary ... we can start seeing how we can add scent in the right ways to improve [our home] design."

Filled with gorgeous images snapped by Grant Puckett, the ​At Home with Fragrance​ book retails for $24.99. It's not just a pretty coffee table addition, though. Instead, Kristen and Tom's first written work combines DIY projects and home decor tips in a way that feels super relevant right now. For example, Kristen mentioned that she's burned so many more candles since the pandemic started. And the reason for her uptick? Lighting a wick and filling your room with scent helps form "a cozy space [that] brings comfort and calm into a crazy world."

The book also includes ​so many​ projects. And they work for those who love to get their hands dirty and those who prefer to keep the crafting to a minimum. I fall somewhere in the middle, but I found the Rolled Beeswax Candle and Simmer Pot DIYs most intriguing. The majority of the recommended ingredients are fairly easy to come by, too — so I didn't feel the need to buy more things to complete my DIY. If you get this book, however, be prepared to obsess over every scent-related activity mentioned. There's even a step-by-step guide for an incense blend that smells (and looks!) like matcha.

Did I need the six curated fragrance oils, four candle jars, four packages of soy wax pellets, a wax thermometer, and an aluminum pouring pitcher that comes in the P.F. Candle Co. DIY kit? Absolutely I did, yes. The collection, which retails for $60, is an amazing value if you're a candle lover (a standard P.F. candle goes for $20). The instructions note that you can even create over 100 scent combinations with the included products, but you're not limited to only using the jars in the set.

After you fill the first four, you can turn to any durable glass container or wax mold to hold your creations. Plus, the fragrance oils (Kristen and Tom suggest using only three at a time) are all super potent — I only needed a few teaspoons for my first DIY candle, and I went with the musk, sandalwood, and rose oils, which combined to smell heavenly.

Update: The kit completely sold out in only a few hours (which is a true testament to P.F.'s cult status), and for now the restock date is TBD.

Both the ​At Home with Fragrance​ book and the Scent Blending and Candle Pouring Kit are pretty amazing. Even if you're new to the P.F. Candle Co. brand, you'll love the aesthetics as well as the potency and throw of the fragrances. Plus, I think they'd make great gifts for moms (especially on Mother's Day), BFFs, or significant others. And the best part is you can read the DIY guide and create custom scents ​with​ your loved ones. This is an activity that's better when shared.