6 Top Tips For Choosing Your Perfect Candle
Here at Sababa, choosing the right candle is a lot more complex than just clicking on a website and buying the first one that catches your eye. From a practical point of view, choosing a candle that fits with the interior of your home is important. If the decor of the room is warm, having a harsh scent might do the opposite of complimenting the ambience.
The emotional experience of buying a candle also plays a significant role. What purpose do you want it to serve? To spark up your senses or to spark up your memories? Whatever the reason, Sababa is here to show you how to choose the perfect candle, and how to do it well.
Scent
What fragrance notes are you attracted to?
Have you ever walked into a shop, chosen a perfume and fallen in love with the scent? Then you spray it on your friend’s wrist and their face grimaces and nose wrinkles? Smell plays a huge role in stimulating often forgotten memories, which could be why our scent preferences differ so dramatically from one another’s. Within a candle, there are three levels: top, middle and base notes. Top notes are the first of the aromas to be smelt; a powerful smell that disappears quite quickly. Central notes are the main body of the candle; the scent straight after the top notes evaporate. Base notes are the last to be smelt; lingering for longer and developing slowly over time. Try to figure out what smells tickle your senses. Take your time with this - and remember, if you’re smelling a load of things at once, make sure to have some coffee at hand to sniff as you can become ‘nose blind’ and start thinking everything smells the same!
Design
What complements your home?
Candles can be a striking addition to your room of choice. Being a quintessential modern-day accessory, the colour of the candle and the style of the holder can add a lot to a room without even a moment’s thought. Does your bedroom feature a more contemporary design? Is your living room minimalistic in detail? Perhaps your bathroom needs a candle that can suit a more bohemian style. Whatever your preference, there’s a candle to enhance every room.
Emotion
Which memories do you wish to evoke?
Scents and smells evoking memories is a fascinating topic. Vivid memories can be triggered simply by smelling something familiar to you of a past event. Certain fragrances can help to enhance those, depending on your preference. Think about whether you prefer a musky aroma, something fresh or an amalgamation of sweet scents to set the mood in the room.
Practicality
How long would you like your candle to burn for?
Typically, a 220g candle should burn from 40-45 hours in one single setting, dependent on external factors like room temperature and draft. If you buy a candle, keeping the wick trim ensures that the flame lasts longer. Shorter wicks - smaller flame and longer lasting candle! Have a read of our candle care guide here.
Material
To upcycle or to recycle?
Whilst we believe in the power of recycling for the planet, we’re passionate about upcycling at Sababa. When you’re choosing a candle, think about what you’d like to do with your candle when it’s lit for the last time and whether the material allows you to do just that. We love our candle holders because once you’re finished with them, they become a handy pot to keep your keys and jewellery safe in whilst adding a sophisticated and stylish addition to your home. Our favourite way to upcycle is by using the jar as a plant pot. We include flower seeds with our candles so you can do just this!
Lifestyle
Can candles complement your lifestyle?
Choosing a candle that complements your lifestyle is actually a lot simpler than you think. Are you an early riser? Lighting a candle with fresh citrus notes would be an ideal start to the day. Do you struggle to sleep? Lighting a candle enriched with chamomile or ylang ylang helps the body to relax before you snooze. Want to set a romantic ambience with a loved one? Find a candle with the scent of vanilla! Vanilla has been considered an aphrodisiac since the 1800s when Dr John King wrote that one should use it to ‘stimulate the sexual propensities’.
Check out Sababa’s personalised quiz to choose your perfect candle.
*Sababa’s Top Tip*
Remember! When buying as a gift, consider the other person’s lifestyle to gain the best experience out of their candle.
Love, Team SABABA x