Cotswold Candle Company is an exciting new home fragrance brand, founded by a lovely lady called Polly, who wanted to create a range candles that would be affordable without compromising on scent throw. Sick of being disappointed at many a luxury candle, and literally watching her money go up in smoke, Polly set about making her own. She wanted her candles to be accessible, but still aspirational. At a price of £18 per candle, Cotswold Candle Company shares its market with more luxurious brands rather than being grouped with the typical handmade/Etsy crowd.
Polly developed the range whilst juggling her husband and young children and another job. Funnily enough, one of her son's first words was "candle". Reading things like this warms my heart when considering buying from a small business. It's so lovely to think that rather than simply buying a candle, you are supporting their family.
It wasn't a case of mixing up any old candle wax with a bit of scent and chucking in a jar, oh no... It took a whole year of testing to perfect the formula of wax, wick and fragrance combinations. The end result was a blend of soy and mineral wax, complete with hand-centred wooden wicks. The wax blend maximises the balance between great scent throw and reducing carbon emissions. As much as I love soy wax, I find that a pure soy candle often lacks the scent throw of standard wax.
The name of the company was simple. Dedicated to the beautiful area she calls her home, Polly takes inspiration from the natural beauty of The Cotswolds. The fragrances are quintessentially English, and include Bluebell, Lily of the Valley and White Mulberry, the one I chose. Don't get me wrong, I have no idea what mulberry is meant to smell like, but this is glorious. It is described as “A sophisticated floral aroma that combines this beautiful berry with notes of rose, mimosa, rosemary and jasmine”. White Mulberry* (£18) is a scent so perfectly suited to the season - it completely epitomises spring blooms and brings the magic of the first flowers of the year into the home.
The main selling point of a wooden wick is the fact that they produce a soft "crackling" sound, which adds ambience and is very relaxing. Having never tried a wooden wick before, at first it was slightly alarming to have a larger flame and I felt like I was constantly checking that I wasn't burning the house down, but I soon fell in love. The candles burn for an average of 35 hours, and thanks for the wooden wick, they burn down so evenly. The larger wick promotes faster pooling, so there will be no pesky tunnelling here, and has another advantage in the way it doesn't mushroom in the way cotton wicks usually do.
Cotswold Candle Company has created a beautiful concept that is professional and well-branded yet is completely unpretentious and still retains the charm of a handmade retailer. The quality of the candles is brilliant, and outshines a lot of popular brands in terms of scent and throw without a doubt. The jars are sleek enough to fit into any room, and I'm sure there would be a scent to suit all tastes. If you're looking for a luxury candle for less than £20, Cotswold Candle Company is well worth a look.
The main selling point of a wooden wick is the fact that they produce a soft "crackling" sound, which adds ambience and is very relaxing. Having never tried a wooden wick before, at first it was slightly alarming to have a larger flame and I felt like I was constantly checking that I wasn't burning the house down, but I soon fell in love. The candles burn for an average of 35 hours, and thanks for the wooden wick, they burn down so evenly. The larger wick promotes faster pooling, so there will be no pesky tunnelling here, and has another advantage in the way it doesn't mushroom in the way cotton wicks usually do.
What candle scent have you got on the go?
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