I’m addicted to scented candles and I always like to try out new ones (although I tend to go back to my old favourites in the end). Since there is a real sense of autumn in the air, I feel like lighting a candle in every room in the house in the evenings. My bath candles smell very different to the ones in the lounge or dining room. I also feel it’s particularly nice to have one in the hall so that people smell the scent the minute they walk in. As much as I like to recommend candles, it’s all down to personal taste really. Here’s few hits and misses that I recently discovered.
DIPTYQUE BAIES
I have been dying to get my hands on these iconic candles. They have been featured in many blogs and magazines and I just had to see what the fuss was about. Diptyque candles remind me of my favourite brand Jo Malone. They smell luxurious and the packaging is simple and elegant (which really appeals to me). I decided to get one of their more popular scents Baies which is actually a pretty light, feminine scent (think of roses and blackcurrant leaves).
Baies is a very subtle, beautiful scent but in our open-plan dining room/kitchen/lounge combo, I felt like it got lost a little bit. I hoped that it would be a bit more fragrant than it was in reality. Maybe I should have gone for the bigger size, who knows? However, this scented candle is perfect for our living room and bedroom but I certainly wouldn’t use it in a large open plan area. It also took a long time for the wax to melt (over 3 hours) and I could see some tunnelling which thankfully disappeared after it was lit up for the second time.
Also, my husband found the scent too feminine so I’d say it’s more suitable for women. If you are curious to try these out, it might be better to get the travel size (90 g) candle first.
NEOM TIME TO UNWIND
NEOM is a firm bath time favourite of mine. The smell of essential oils make you feel like you’re in a spa getting a massage and in fact many luxury spas use Neom products. The candles not only smell nice, but have therapeutic well being benefits as well. Time To Unwind has a soft, calming fragrance of bluebell, guaiac wood and rose that will help you to destress and regain focus. It is the ultimate spa candle and I like to pair it with the bath foam. The good thing about Neom is that they have sales online and I’ve also seen their products in TKMaxx and Achica. They are excellent value and you can also collect points with every purchase which is nice.
JO MALONE
Jo Malone has been my favourite for many years now. Their scents are strong and you only need to burn the candle for a short time and the scent lingers for hours. I am using two candles at the moment. Pomegranate Noir is my favourite scented candle of all times and if I could only buy one candle it would be this. The scent is fruity with a hint of spice. It’s sophisticated, understated and elegant. I find this candle ideal for dinner parties or when you want to unwind. Jo Malone candles are definitely a luxury but because they usually last ages (at least 4 months) I can just about justify this obsession of mine.
We are currently using a 3 wick candle in our lounge which is ideal for a large open-plan area or a room with high ceilings. I usually place the candle on the dining room table and it definitely fills up all three spaces. I also find that 3 wick candles burn more evenly than 1 wick candles but with Jo Malone that is usually not a problem. Also, don’t forget that just like Jo Malone fragrances, the candles can be mixed (by burning them at the same time) to create unique scents that complement each other.
Last year Jo Malone launched their new home candle collection by fashion editor and stylist Charlotte Stockdale. It features 4 new home scents that will help you to relax and unwind: Lavender & Lovage, Green Tomato Leaf, Sweet Almond & Macaroon and Incense & Embers. We are using the Lavender & Lovage home candle in our living room at the moment. I love the clean, crisp lavender but the aromatic rosemary and thyme are a bit too much for me. My husband really likes this candle so I have a feeling we will get another one very soon but personally I’m more curious to try the Sweet Almond & Macaroon scented candle as I love the smell of creamy coconut and vanilla.
LALIQUE FIGUIER
Lalique’s Figuier Amalfi was a present from my sister a while ago and the first thing that came to my mind was their stunning crystal decorations. I had no idea they also do candles but I was positively surprised. I could smell the scent in our hall before I even managed to light the candle. This scent really makes you feel like you are in the coast of Italy rather than in your living room in England. The citrus flowers and fresh and dried figs give this candle a bit of ‘oomph’. I would say this is a unisex scent. I mean who doesn’t like the smell of sea breeze?! It is ideal for summer/spring as it’s quite light and fresh but I suppose it’s down to your personal taste.
I also adore the black glass case and I have no doubt I will be holding onto it even once this candle is finished. The scent might not be ideal for a large open-plan area but it’s perfect for medium/small size room. I also noticed that the smell got stronger towards the end which was interesting. I do think this is one of my pre-holiday must-haves now.
BOTANICS SUMMER PICNIC BY HEAL’S (* gifted)
Heal’s started their own Botanicals range last year and I received one of these candles in their press show. Heals Botanicals Summer Picnic features mandarin, basil and lime bringing the essence of a parkland picnic to your home. It is definitely a scent for the summer and much fresher/lighter than Lalique’s Figuer. I’m not sure if anyone else has noticed this but most pillar candles don’t seem to give as much fragrance as the ones in containers? The worst thing is they all seem to tunnel which is annoying/difficult to fix. I know pillar and poured candles are best for long burning sessions and I do think that you need to burn them for a long time to get enough fragrance to fill a room.
There is definitely room in the market for mid range candles that are good value for money and luxurious at the same time. Unfortunately, the Summer Picnic scent wasn’t strong enough for my liking. I would be tempted to try Woodnotes mini candles in stead as they are supposed to give more fragrance than the British Botanics range.
SAINSBURY’S FIG & OLIVE OIL TEALIGHTS
Finally, I had to try some supermarket tea lights even though they seem to disappoint me most of the time. These smelt amazing in the shop but once I was burning them I could hardly smell the fragrance. I adore the smell of fig but I would have to say that the Fresh Fig Signature Candle from The White Company is a lot better value for money. I find the travel size good enough especially when you light 3-4 at the same time.
Does anyone have any good recommendations? Now that Christmas is around the corner, I am considering some new candles to test out. You can also read my last years Christmas Candle Review here.
Tip!
Some candles have great cold throw (scent when the candle is not lit) but this doesn’t actually mean that you can smell the fragrance when burning them. I’ve found that candles that are oily to touch, tend to give more fragrance. So rather than just smelling the candles, try touching them as well to see what the texture is like.
