Dilo's standard Amber Glass Collection is one of our best sellers. Clean design, quality coconut soy wax, scents that fill a room without overwhelming it. The SHADES collection takes four of those scents and puts them in matte black ceramic vessels. Same fragrances. Same wax. Same wicks. Completely different presence on a shelf.
The black vessels are striking. They are the kind of object that looks intentional in any room without trying to match anything. If you have ever wished a candle would lean a little more toward decor and a little less toward "product on a bathroom counter," this is what Dilo built the SHADES line for.
Here are the four scents and what to expect from each.
Amber + Oakmoss
This is Dilo's coziest scent, and the matte black vessel gives it a different visual energy than the amber glass version. Amber + Oakmoss opens with blood orange and settles into warm amber resin over a mossy, green base. It is deeply comfortable and endlessly versatile.
In the SHADES vessel, it reads slightly more moody and intentional. Same scent, different context. The amber glass version feels warm and approachable. The matte black version feels like a deliberate style choice.
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, anywhere you want warmth and atmosphere with a bold visual statement.
Basil Mint + Lavender
This is the freshest scent in the SHADES lineup. Basil and mint provide a bright, herbal opening, and the lavender smooths the whole thing into something calming. It is a lavender that avoids the soap-and-dryer-sheet problem that plagues most lavender candles. The basil gives it something green and alive, and the mint keeps it crisp.
In matte black, this scent reads more sophisticated than you might expect from something with "mint" in the name. The visual weight of the vessel balances the lightness of the fragrance.
Best for: Bathrooms, kitchens, home offices. Anytime you want to feel awake and calm simultaneously.
Coconut + Vetiver
Coconut + Vetiver is the tropical-meets-earthy entry in the lineup. Dried coconut and vetiver at the base, buttered rum and jasmine on top, vanilla and cedarwood in the middle. It sounds complex because it is. But on the nose, it just smells warm, slightly tropical, and grounded.
The matte black vessel pushes this scent away from any beachy associations and into something more sophisticated. If the amber glass version says "coastal retreat," the SHADES version says "someone with interesting taste lives here."
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms. People who want something warm and unusual.
Tobacco + Cedar
The darkest scent in the SHADES collection, and arguably the one the matte black vessel was designed for. Tobacco + Cedar is rich, warm, and dry, with cinnamon and vanilla opening into tobacco leaf over a cedar and patchouli base. It is the scent that gets compared to leather-bound books and wooden study rooms, and in the matte black vessel, it earns every bit of that comparison.
This is the SHADES candle that sells most often as a gift. The combination of the striking vessel and the sophisticated scent makes it feel like you put thought into the choice.
Best for: Home offices, bedrooms, living rooms. Gift-giving. Anyone who already loves tobacco-forward scents.
SHADES vs. Amber Glass: Does the Vessel Matter?
The scent is identical. Same wax, same fragrance oil, same wick, same burn time. What changes is the look and the feeling.
The amber glass vessels feel warm and classic. They look great on a bathroom shelf or a kitchen counter. The matte black ceramic vessels feel modern and bold. They look like design objects. Neither is better. It depends on what you want the candle to do in your space beyond smelling good.
If you care about aesthetics as much as scent, and you lean toward a more minimal, modern look, the SHADES collection was made for you. If you prefer warmth and transparency, the amber glass versions are still excellent.
All four SHADES candles are in stock at our shop on Soquel Ave. Come in, see the matte black vessels in person, and smell all four scents. The visual impact does not translate fully in photos. You need to hold one. Or if you want to explore the full Dilo range across formats, book a free scent flight and we will walk you through everything.