Aromatherapy Associates // Relax Candle

It's candle season all year round in my household which has caused me to become a bit of a candle snob. The scent is super important, I can't tolerate overly synthetic scents or ones that dissipate once lit, I really hate when a candle burns with black smoke, the wick mushrooms, the wick burns off centre or the scent is so overpowering that it causes migraines. See... I'm a candle snob and not ashamed of it, I figured that my snobbish tendencies would ensure you get the best review and opinion. I was recently given the option of trying out one of Aromatherapy Associates candles, I'm a huge fan of the brand already having reviewed a few of their products previously.

The brand has an awesome philosophy and feel passionate about providing their customers with products that will therapeutically soothe the mind, body and soul with essential oils and botanicals. As a trained herbalist, this is a huge tick in my opinion - Geraldine and Sue created the brand in 1985 although trained for many years in aromatherapy. I love that they have really established their craft because aromatherapy used correctly can ail so many issues and really heal a huge list of health issues. Aromatherapy used incorrectly, however, can do far more damage. Don't worry though because Aromatherapy Associates do it exceptionally well and also work to ensure their products are free from harsh chemicals and synthetic nasties.

Each candle has the typical branding of gold lettering and their logo of three golden flowers, I adore the packaging design on the box though and although I have been burning this candle daily I have reused the box for my cotton balls but you could put your makeup brushes, loose change, hair grips in them or fill them with Lego's or knick-knacks to keep in the car to keep the kiddies quiet on long journeys.

Each candle is hand-poured into a frosted white glass jar with the golden logo printed all over, the candle is really very pretty and fits in with the current trend of neutrals and mixed metal shades such as rose gold, copper and brass. I love that the design is so simple because it fits in with all room decor easily without looking like an eyesore.

It's advisable to always trim your wick before burning a candle but I didn't because I really didn't feel it was necessary while burning the wax pools really evenly and nicely which ensures that the scent carries throughout all rooms in the house. I found even when the candle wasn't lit my house still smelled really gorgeous. There's been no wick mushrooming which is fantastic because a few other large brands (won't name, names) all mushroom. This is when the tip of the wick has a black sooty ball on the end like the head of a mushroom, it tends to cause lots of smoke and can ruin your candles as the balls fall into the wax becoming a fire hazard.

The fragrance notes in this candle include West Indian bay and myrrh and its aim is to quite clearly relax and soothe for at least 40 hours or as long as you decide to burn this for. While it burns you also don't need to worry about nasty chemicals enveloping your home especially if you have young children - a major selling point is that this is a 100% GMO-free candle!

I had imagined the scent would have been quite Christmas-like, unisex and more natural but it's actually quite feminine, like a typical feminine perfume with a wooded, deep masculine base that shows right at the end of a good burn - it's very pretty and even those who dislike overly feminine scents (such as myself) will really love this.

There are other candles within the same range, if you're not a huge fan of the notes in the Relax candle there's another three to suit those who adore citrus scents, those who prefer a warming unisex scent and those who adore more of a sensual and sexy scent.

Other candles available are:

Revive (left) // Infuse your sense with this citrus blend made from grapefruit and petitgrain. Citrus scents lift you mentally and emotionally as well as setting you up for a good day.

Indulgence (centre) // Euphoric jasmine and geranium boost harmony and sensuality as well as boosting your confidence.

Inner Strength (not pictured) // This candle comes in a beautiful pink box and contains frankincense and cardamom - this candle is next on my list because I adore both notes immensely.

Relax // This is the one that I own.

You can pick these up from Space NK and Cult Beauty for around £35. If you have a candle lover or two among your friends I would absolutely recommend picking these up as gifts to put away for December.

Elyse