Scent is a powerful thing. It can take you back to a specific time or place, and I'm a firm believer of changing my scents with the season, both home and personal fragrance. There are some people that will happily burn Christmas scented candles in July. I'm that person that will only go as far as burning November Rain in November, April Showers in April. Why? Fragrance association. I know, without a doubt that if I went back to smell November Rain, it would remind me of the time I gave it its first burn, sat in my uni room waiting for an early morning parcel. Even if the memories are menial, it still brings a certain nostalgia.
Spring is a time where the frost subsides, to reveal nature's colour again, where the sun shines for the magical first few days of the year, and the flowers emerge from their hiding places. In the grand scheme of things, I'm not a huge lover of floral fragrances, yet in the spring I'm all over those that emulate the first blooms of the year. I've rounded up some new additions and old favourites, those that will forever remind me of spring.
Spring scents conjure up two different types of fragrance for me: fresh and floral. The first floral scent that I truly fell in love with was the sadly discontinued Yankee Candle Loves Me, Loves Me Not, a delicate daisy scent that emulates freshly cut grass. Sadly I only managed to pick up a votive, of which I'm savouring the last few burns, but I was surprised to see similarities in a candle that I reviewed very recently. Cotswold Candle Co. White Mulberry* (£18) has that same true to life floral feel that just screams to spring to me. The quality is fabulous and the wooden wick adds a touch of luxury. You can read my full review here.
A scent that is a very traditional floral is Lotus Flower & Jasmine, in the form of the Stoneglow Modern Classics Reed Diffuser* (£19). As well as lotus and jasmine, it also contains notes of crisp green leaves, with a sophisticated base of soft vanilla and musk. This is well blended, and is more contingent with a luxury perfume rather than a typical home fragrance. Being fresh and clean, with aquatic nuances, this is a scent that would fit seamlessly into any room of the home, it is currently scenting up our hallway and stairs nicely. The Stoneglow reed diffusers are said to last for between 2-4 months, which is amazing compared to the couple of weeks of fragrance that cheaper brands offer.
Peony season is coveted by bloggers in particular (if you haven't instagrammed your peonies in peony season, are you even a blogger?) so it only seemed natural that there was a peony scented candle. Yankee Candle Peony (wax tart £1.49) is a new scent for 2016 (reviewed here). It combines both fresh and sweet peony notes with blonde woods, and it reminds me of something I would wear as a perfume, I think it's gorgeous! It is a sweeter floral that would appeal to those who love rose scents, and I think it would even impress non-floral lovers too!
Fresh scents are something that I think work really well in spring. There's just something refreshing about spring cleaning, opening all the windows and having a candle with a fresh, clean scent. One of the most fresh scents in my candle collection is one I reviewed last month, the William & Joseph Cucumber & Wasabi Mini Jar*. This is a refreshing combo of crisp cucumber, with notes of lime, warmed with a gentle hit of wasabi. Not a blend I would ever thought of trying, but this one is amazing for the kitchen. On the subject of William & Joseph, the guys are currently redesigning their candle range with new packaging, and there's even a Harry Potter candle amid their 'Themes' range!
A scent that I discovered back last year and one that has been a firm favourite ever since, is the L(A)B (Life + Beauty) Rhodedendron & Pine candle*. I think this was a limited edition release for Mother's Day, and I received it alongside their Galvanic device and skincare range which I reviewed here and here. Being an avid pine hater, I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh scent with notes of aloe and geranium. This one has a permanent home in my bathroom as the rustic design goes so well with my marble bath shelf.
Woodwick Lemongrass* (£17.99) is a scent that really surprised me. After trying the Yankee Candle Lemongrass & Ginger scent from the My Serenity collection (review), I expected something zingy and fresh. The Woodwick rendition is a lot different, being a softer take on Lemongrass. To my nose, it is reminiscent of baby powder, spring cleaning and fresh sheets, a comforting note amid the zesty lemon. One of the main selling points of Woodwick candles is exactly what the name suggests, their +Pluswick wooden wick. This produces an indulgent crackling sound, like a real wood fire and gives a really clean burn. The design is really contemporary and would fit seamlessly in any room. I've been burning this in our lounge as it is the perfect crowd-pleaser of a scent.
The final fresh scent in my spring line-up is an old favourite, Lily Flame Mellow Figs & Garden Mint (£8.95). If you're wondering why you can't see it in any of the photos, it's because I actually covered the tin with marble sticky back plastic! This is one the first fig-based scents that I tried, and one of the reasons why I love the note now. This combines creamy fig with fresh mint, making a soft and unique scent for the home. This scent is a little hard to find now, but most of the Lily Flame range is available at Love Aroma, alongside Woodwick, Stoneglow and Yankee Candle.
What's your favourite spring candle?
*This post contains PR samples from Love Aroma, sent for the consideration for this post, as well as others which featured in past reviews.
*This post contains PR samples from Love Aroma, sent for the consideration for this post, as well as others which featured in past reviews.
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