to think Yankee candles are the work of the devil

[MarieBurnham]

Vile vile stuff that gives me a headache and makes me feel sick. I don't think they contain anything natural like essential oils, just loads of artificial chemicals.

What does M&J stand for?

Finbar not sure - it's just the name. DP got me one for my birthday - you can find them here: www.mj-london.com/

I have a few because I do like some of the scents and they're easy to find/relatively okay priced for the big sizes. However, I have to say I've bought some soy candles that burn so so much cleaner and smell much better. I'm going to try only buy soy from now on because yeah, yankee can give me a headache in some scents.

Yes I like the soya ones too, we like beeswax ones best. They aren't scented, just a sweet gentle smell with a pleasantly warm coloured flame, I sometimes put a drop of essential oil in them.

Horrible things.

They all stink smell the same too, a nasty artificial vanilla or something "spicy".

having said that, I don't like expensive smelly candle either.

I love a Yankee, I get the monthly special offer so they're cheaper, about £17 for a large jar.

We even have wick scissors and an illuma lid.

Every year I hunt down the Christmas Eve one. Christmas is always a Yankee affair.

Well aren't you a clever clogs itsbetterthanabox, I'll give you my oncologist's number and you can inform him that he's got it wrong!! My scent and chemical triggered migraines and headaches are all in my mind!! And here I've been trusting him to treat my cancer for two years! Fuck me!!

Oh, and IMO Yankee candles are overpriced crap.

I don't like them, I'd rather have one, expensive candle that is organic and chemical free than several Yankee candle ones.

what is a chemical free candle?

I like some of them. I like a range of candles tbh and have a few - some Yankee Candle, some others too (some dearer, some cheaper) some totally non branded, etc.

But I am also not a candle snob type person and don't feel the need to pull down other people's choices either for whatever reason.

Yankee have apparently been taken over by Village Candles, the B&M cheap versions of Yankee. But apparently Village Candles are allowed to use the Yankee name for five years. Even though they are now made with the same ingredients etc

At least that's what the wax melt selling lady at the Christmas fete I went to recently said! It must have worked, I bought three bags of melts

I love these threads though when someone tries to suggest an alternative - and the alternative is so much dearer. Its not like for like!

e.g.
Yankee small pillar - just over 198g = £12
Diptyque 190g = £42
Jo Malone 200g = £42

Yes they are more expensive, but that's because the key ingredients are better quality and natural. It's like comparing cashmere and acrylic.
Horses for courses.

That's why I still buy Yankee.
I'm sure I'd love Jo Malone and diptyque, but they are too expensive for me.
I darent give them a sniff, as I'm sure I'd want one and that would be it for my bank balance!

But its not a true alternative is it? Of course a dearer one is more likely to be better quality - its 350% dearer, so it needs to be at least 350% better quality.

Alternatives are fab - but at least they should be a tad closer to the price of the original to be of any benefit!

I'm sure someone else has suggested this upthread but a good and much cheaper alternative is to use a burner with a drop or 2 of the essential oil you like. Buy a good quality one because they last for ages. Lavender is calming and pleasant, not stinky!