(Instagram/JG Online)
Stress.
A very prevalent phenomenon pre-pandemic, and much more so a year into it. For most, de-stressing could be hanging out or eating with friends and loved ones, comfortably studying and cramming in the comfort of everyone else cramming with you, hugging or showing physical affection towards others, staring out into the empty space of the vast world beyond us. But as the world compromises due to the coronavirus, so do our de-stressing methods.
Some have found alternative comfort in video games, hanging out in the kitchen to cook or bake, traversing their gardens or balcony to take care of their plants, zoom-ing with friends, collecting games or K-pop merchandises, availing the monthly sale on different e-commerce platforms, and lastly, aromatherapy.
On one of the most “tita-est” things you can do this pandemic, collecting candle and scent, aside from raising plants and succulents, may be one of them. Candles containing natural ingredients such as beeswax and soy added with essential oils are clinically proven to have physical and psychological benefits, one of which is relieving stress.
Here’s a tip: before going out on an adventure on collecting scents, first of all, you need to know what kind of scents you like and dislike. Are you into floral scents? Fruity? Fresh laundry? Rainy? Musky? Muscular scents? Because unlike perfumes, these candles come from natural sources and have limited variations.
So, off to look for a little beam to turn that gloom to gleam? Here are some of our top picks for soy candles, wax burners, diffusers and other aromatherapy essentials:
(Disclaimer: This article is not sponsored by any of the shops mentioned)
1. JG Online’s Soy Candle Collection In dire need of a spa day? JG Online’s got the scents to transport you there. These soy candles have adorable jars and white ceramics as vessels. Its design is homey and simple enough to complement and liven your room’s design — whether rustic or modern. They also come in pouches you can tighten at the candle’s waist.
This minimalist aesthetic is a perfect fit for any profile. JG Online’s lush collection will remind you of your last visit to the spa.
Their scented soy candles give off a cleaner burn for that perfectly warm, cozy vibe to fight off stress and anxiety. If you're looking to uplift your mood with the essentials, JG Online’s six basics are lavender, peppermint, vanilla, bamboo, nectarine, and rose. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, you have to gift yourself these carefully formulated blends that have gorgeous dried blooms on the surface: lavender-eucalyptus, rose-vanilla, peppermint-eucalyptus, and lemon-citronella.
I wager you won’t find anything more soothing than its bestseller, lavender-eucalyptus. Its strong throw will wrap you in a rejuvenating aura as its aroma and minty undertones linger for long hours. If you need to unwind after a long day’s work, these soy candles are your best pals.
You’ll find 50ml refreshing diffusers in their catalogue as well and they spell wellness: lavender, peppermint, vanilla, velvet rose and oud, fresh bamboo, and nectarine honey and blossom. Fresh Bamboo is definitely a fave.
These tranquil finds will help you achieve that incandescent ambience for the caverns you call home.
2. Yoke Candle Co. It’s 100% vegan and 100% phthalate free, Yoke Candle’s latest batches have longer lifespans and are crafted from vegetable waxes and high-class fragrance oils. Set the mood with their best sellers “Lovers In Japan” and “English Breakfast.” “Lovers In Japan” gives a whiff of distinctly calming fragrance resembling fresh jasmine — just what you need for ultimate zen. Its tea scent makes you want to book your next flight to Japan. “English Breakfast” is the perfect choice if milk tea is your daily pick-me-up or if you’re looking for a cozy, sweet scent to leave you daydreaming about England all morning long.
Yoke Candles diffuse its light, luxe aroma and its accent is just the right amount of strong. What's most special about their collection is the wick. Yoke Candle’s wooden wick is more sustainable than your average cotton wick, burning slower and relatively evenly. They even crackle - that’s a plus for ambiance.
They can be found on Instagram as well as Shopee!
3. Soya Scents
Unlike the previously mentioned products, this shop offers not only candles, but wax melts and wax burners as well.
These little wax melts come in four different scents that are also available in candle-size. It’s a great way for starting your way into the candle collection. Their wax melts come in Himalyan Salts Lavender, Himalyan Salts Peppermint and Lemon, Classic Soy Sea Cotton and Classic Soy Shangrila. For their teacup candles they have additional scents such as Bamboo, White Tea and Ginger, Lemongrass and Peppermint, and French Vanilla. Don’t let its tiny sizes fool you because it comes with bold cold throws (scent before it’s melted) but a very light cozy hot throw (scent when it’s melting).
Their scents are as upfront as it can be. "Himalayan Salts Lavender" is, well, lavender-scented, but the additional Himalayan salts soothes and dampens the lavender’s usual strong and upfront scent. The same could be said with their "Himalayan Peppermint and Lemon." It’s usual tropical and citrus scent could easily bring summer earlier than expected.
On the other hand, "Sea Cotton" and Shangrila are one for the books. If you know Bath and Body Works’ Sea Island Cotton perfume, you could easily imagine that they have the exact same scent. Heavenly. For those who don’t, it smells of fresh, homey laundry you would want to come home to after a tiring day. "Shangrila" is of the same soft-scent variant but in a more grand scent. It smells of expensive hotel rooms and fresh dry-cleaning services.
Surprisingly, the smell doesn’t end on the first melt, but could last for three days and approximately 10 hours of melting.
Another tip: to change or clean off the burner and change the wax, grab a cotton ball or round cottons (yes, the ones used for removing make up), and let it soak the melted wax. You may also get another cotton to fully clean off the top of the burner.
Soya scents is on Instagram, catch them here.
I hope this helps you find a new way to relax and relieve stress despite the current situation. Aromatherapy, after all, is one of the more passive ways of relieving stress and tension. Additionally, contrary to common belief, it’s more than just burning incense and turning on diffusers, aromatherapy can also be achieved through using aromatic spritzers, inhalers, bathing salt, body oils, creams, or lotions for massage or topical application, facial steamers, hot and cold compresses, or clay masks.
Join us, candle enthusiasts, in our “tita” phase (or simply our new-found obsession) of hoarding these fragrant, flickering beauties. If this guide helped you, tag @thelumiergazette in your latest candle finds and budding aromatherapeutic collection.
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