If you have followed me for a while, you probably noticed that I prefer my mornings to be slow: for me, it’s the best way to start the day. And when coffee is brewing and music is playing, the next thing I do is light up some candles, including usually a scented one. It sets the mood and turns a room into a nice-smelling, comfortable, cosy place. They have also become a home accessory, used as bookends, shelf decorations or on tables and desks beside vases and decorative bowls.
The right scent can help you to relax, calm you down or stimulate your senses depending on the essential oils used. For example, lavender oil can reduce stress and help with deeper sleep afterwards, rose oil eases tension and jasmine oil reduces symptoms of anxiety.
But sometimes it’s really not only about essential oils, is it? While it should fit into its environment, it’s primarily a matter of your preference. And that’s how it is for me. I do have my favourites which I prefer to burn in my apartment, but I like to try new ones and, by doing so, change a little the mood of the room.
With that in mind, I made a list of those I tried and enjoyed the most during the last couple of months.
Jo Malone London Pomegranate Noir
Crafted in the British countryside in a signature glass design, Jo Malone’s scented candles are strong and incredibly unique. This scent brings together rich juices of pomegranate, raspberry and plum, sparked with pink pepper and Casablanca lily before revealing smoky guaiac wood and patchouli. It is so good that many brands tried to replicate it – of course without success.
Boy Smells Hinoki Fantôme
Mellow, with a clean, earthy tang, the smooth smoky scent of Japanese cypress, hinoki – a vibrant timber – with warm amber, sweet vanilla, and just a bit of mossy freshness and florals, this scented candle provides an elegant, aromatic backdrop for any occasion. Especially good for relaxing or a day spent just reading.
Aesop Aganice
This Aesop candle with vegan-friendly ingredients has been created to transport your senses to Tangier. Spiced cardamom pairs with fresh mimosa, whisking you on an olfactive adventure to the sea breeze-spiked air of the Mediterranean, while hints of tobacco emerge, adding a heady depth and individuality to the fragrance. If you are familiar with the smell of Aesop products, you’ll love this candle.
Verden Herbanum
If you feel like burning a candle that smells like fresh herbs and wild grasses, this candle is what you’re looking for. The Herbanum by Verden, formulated with rapeseed and coconut wax, is a candle that will fill your space with a purifying and botanical light aroma, great especially for free weekend afternoons.
comfort zone Tranquillity
This is probably the most relaxing scent in a candle I’ve tried lately. I burned it especially when journaling, meditating or just taking my time doing nothing while listening to music. The initial floral bouquet, combined with orange notes and cedar wood, creates a bitter-sweet aroma that is simultaneously uplifting and soothing.
Tom Ford Rose Prick
Inspired by Tom Ford’s private rose garden, this spicier floral scent is a wild bouquet of roses such as rose de Mai, and Bulgarian rose, combined with Sichuan pepper. A great spring scent with a complex aroma that is both warm and spicy.
Some tips:
Remember to light up your candle for a couple of hours for the first time (if it’s a bigger candle then about 3 hours). It helps to prevent the wax from ‘tunnelling’.
Also, it might be worth investing in a wick trimmer to keep candles in optimal condition and help to have smoke-free burning.
Lastly, don’t leave the lid off when not in use. And if dust has settled, use a cotton pad to remove it from the top of the wax.
