Every year when the holiday season rolls around, I get that same feeling I did before our very first launch—equal parts excitement, nerves, and disbelief that the little brand we started five years ago has become this.

This year’s launch feels especially meaningful—not just because it marks our fifth holiday season, but because of the incredible women who brought our campaign to life. You may have noticed them gracing our Instagram feed and popping up in your inbox as the stars of this year’s holiday campaign.

I had been wanting to do a shoot featuring women of a certain age for a while, and this campaign finally felt like the right moment to do it. The fragrances themselves were inspired by old New York—that unapologetically elegant, slightly mysterious energy you get from women who have taste in their DNA. Casting women who actually embodied that sophistication just made the whole story feel real.

When we began casting, we quickly discovered something surprising: there were no modeling agencies in New York representing women over 80. Not one. So we took matters into our own hands and put out an open casting call within our community.

A few days later, our inbox was overflowing with submissions from grandmothers, great-aunts, and family matriarchs, and one was more fabulous than the next. From that call, we found our three stars: Paula, Renée, and Marge—each effortlessly fabulous in her own way.You’ll be seeing more of them on social and in your inbox over the next few weeks, but I can tell you this much: their humor, poise, and energy lit up the set. Watching them pose, laugh, and command the room was one of those moments that felt bigger than a product launch.

This campaign was also inspired by the matriarchs in our own lives—especially my grandmother, who taught me the importance of tradition, family, and spending holidays surrounded by those you love. Like me, she had a keen eye for detail. I know she'd be really proud of the brand I've built, and I bet she'd love the way each HLC box feels like a gift.

Now, let’s talk about the collection itself.

HOLIDAY IN NEW YORK

Our classic New York candle has always been a bestseller—rich, velvety, a little smoky, and perfectly sophisticated.

When we started working on our holiday collection, we wanted to give it a seasonal twist—something that felt festive without being overtly "Christmas."

Holiday in New York introduces clove and ripe fig—two notes that add warmth and depth while keeping that same “luxury hotel in December” energy. It’s the scent of a grand Manhattan lobby filled with evergreen garlands, sparkling chandeliers, and the faint hum of a jazz piano.

The addition of fig is particularly nostalgic for me. Years ago, the iconic Henri Bendel boutique carried a fig candle that I adored—I used to buy it every December. When the store closed, I swore I’d one day create something that captured that same spirit. This is my little love letter to that memory.

And because it’s the holidays, Holiday in New York is dressed for the occasion in an elegant gold label—available only for the season.

FIFTH AVENUE

I always say it’s impossible to choose a favorite candle—but if I had to… Fifth Avenue might be the one.

The scent was inspired by the refined glamour of old New York—and the fabulous ladies of the Upper East Side. When developing it, I imagined her: a woman waltzing along Fifth Avenue on a cold winter afternoon, oversized Bergdorf’s shopping bags draped on each arm. She’s heading to the St. Regis to escape the chill (and to enjoy a stiff martini at the King Cole Bar, of course).

The fragrance she’s wearing? That’s the scent of Fifth Avenue.

With notes of oud, sheer smoke, cherry blossom, and caramelized praline, Fifth Avenue is unlike anything we’ve ever created. And I know what you’re thinking—the combination sounds hard to wrap your head around. But trust me: when you smell it, you’ll understand.

It’s rich, cozy, and quietly seductive—the olfactory equivalent of a cashmere wrap with the lingering scent of a chic woman’s perfume. Every time I walk by it, I think: I want to bathe in this and wear it as my signature scent.

INTRODUCING: HOLIDAY DIFFUSERS

For the first time ever, our cult-favorite Holiday candle is now available as a reed diffuser—perfect for those moments when you want your home to smell luxurious, no lighter required.

Pair a diffuser with a Holiday candle, and you may not even need a real tree this year. (They genuinely smell like a natural, freshly-cut tree that you just hauled into the house from the farm.)

Looking back on these five holiday seasons, I can honestly say this one feels like the most special yet.

Xx,
Lindsay

P.S. I’ll be burning Fifth Avenue all season long—but if you’re more of a Holiday in New York person, I fully support your choice. (Just don’t wait too long… these won’t stick around.)