It’s usually freezing where I live (Belfast) and I love the heat, but also can’t bear to be too warm (I know!), so in the Summer months I rarely light a candle. They do add a little heat and create a warm, cosy atmosphere, which isn’t my thing when there’s not a breath of air in the room. So I’m declaring September the official start of Candle Season - and have had one lit daily… or usually ‘evening-ly’ to be precise - I always feel very decadent lighting candles during the day. Most candles aren’t cheap, so if you’re on the lookout for a new one, here’s my thoughts on four that I’ve been burning lately…
Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Candle // I adore the bath oils and a couple of body products I’ve tried by this brand, so you can imagine my joy when I heard they’d gone and made my favourite scent into a candle. On first sight, I thought it looked a little Christmassy - the packaging and the little gold ‘A’ design reminded me of trees - it even smelt quite spicy. This didn’t bode well with me, but once lit - oh my, *all* the love for this beautiful blend of frankincense and cardamom. Smooth, warm and comforting - all the same qualities of the bath oil; while you’d get more therapeutic benefits from bathing in the oil, this is such a treat. Imagine both at the same time - swoon! 10% of proceeds will be donated to the charity, Defence Against Cancer.
Janjira Therapy Massage Candle // This has a delicate citrus-yet-smooth, spa-like scent - and you could just let it burn - but it’s designed to be used as a therapeutic treatment once extinguished. Made with soybean and coconut oils, it doesn’t burn as hot as regular candles, nor solidify when poured… you just burn it for a little while, blow out the candle and pour the melted oil into your palm. The warm oil can be used for massage or to treat cuticles and dry skin - a true multi-tasker. Great excuse to buy a gorgeous candle, right?
Rituals Lotus Secret Candle // Well this candle is quite the charmer. Firstly it’s packaged in a box which opens just like the flower when you remove the lid (I tweeted a pic here) and secondly, it has a lovely quote etched into the glass, which isn’t visible until it’s lit. And in fact until it’s been burning for a little while. Add to that the lovely opaque white glass - and of course a great scent - and you’re onto a winner. Ingredients include calming Yi Yi Ren and White Lotus in a fresh, feel-good scent which works well for either day or evening.
Flamingo Candles Earl Grey Tea & Cucumber // A favourite among bloggers, I was curious to find out what the fuss was about with Flamingo - and my biggest challenge was choosing a scent to start with - they have so many! A lot of them are quite sweet, which isn’t my thing, so I opted for a more refreshing Earl Grey Tea & Cucumber option. When I opened the jar it smelt sweeter than expected, but when lit, is a pleasant daytime scent.
My favourite of the four is definitely the Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Candle, a luxurious treat, which I would keep alight all day every day if I had money to burn! (geddit?) The likes of Flamingo seem a smidge synthetic in comparison, but still enjoyable, super cute and pretty affordable. If you’re feeling extremely decadent, one of my favourite candle brands, NEOM, has launched a stunning collaboration with Jenny Packham featuring 18 carat gold designs, which you can see here.
Do you like burning candles at this time of year - or do you wait until the dark nights set in?
