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Post by AF Beauty

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As we head towards the festive season, or if you’re in the northern hemisphere, you’re probably over the festive period already – it’s easy to get caught up in the stresses and pressures of the season. There are expectations, promises, family and friends, presents and no presents (!) and inevitably, something’s been forgotten.

For these days, rather than frown and develop those fine lines, you need serenity! And I’m here to suggest that glorious smells are a good way to start you down this road. I have been testing a number of candles – less so in smell – because, as you sophisticated perfumistas will surely know – smell is so very much a personal thing, I’ve been considering the rest of the package, including, unsurprisingly, the packaging, the burn, the wick and the smokiness.

Beauty Is About Serenity: Part 1

Candles

The first candle I’ve used this season is from the Ecoya range. This is an Australian brand of soy wax candles – I’ve tried the jar in fragrance, Wild Frangipani. Typically, since I’ve tried this fragrance, they’ve discontinued it! But the range is wide as you can see at the Ecoya Website. The packaging on this candle is great, a very solid glass jar, comparable to this alternative fragrance, comforting in it’s heaviness. The candle burns well, evenly so you’re not left with half the candle up the sides and smokiness is minimal. The wick is reliable and strong and doesn’t burn off so you’re left with a stub, that’s just irritating. I regularly rebuy this range as it’s so reliable.

The second candle I’ve tried is from the MOR Voluspa range. This is a range developed in California and, if you ask me, slightly oversells their product range by talking up the range being used by the Hollywood elite. To quote Shanian Twain, that don’t impress me much! However the candle isn’t bad. I have been testing fragrance Crane Flower in a large base candle with three wicks. This is an interesting smell in my opinion, but the thing I like most is that the candle burns incredibly evenly with no smokiness at all, which I really like. The container is beautiful, but metallic and I am worried about it causing a burn on the bookcase as it starts to reduce. Best of all it’s only $20 online at Voluspa.

Lastly I’ve tried the Woodwick candle range by Virginia Candles, another US brand. The selling point of this candle is that the wick burns and crackles like a fire. This is particularly tempting during winter where the sounds of a wood fire would be endearing. But this candle is very disappointing. I was so keen that this would be lovely, that I’ve tried two different versions. Both let me down. The crackle *is* pleasant, but let’s face it, unless you’re sitting in absolute silence, it’s almost impossible to hear. Add to this, the wick itself sometimes burns too low and then is difficult to relight. But the worst thing about this candle is the smokiness, it’s far too much in my opinion. So much so that I had to burn this candle on the balcony as I was so worried about smoke damage to my walls! Currently on sale at Woolworths

Do you have a particular favourite candle range? Do you favour particular smells, or do you look for the way it burns? Or are you obsessed with smokiness, like me?!
AF Beauty