Talk some sense into me: candles

[MangosteenSoda]

I, until recently, had an (ir)rational hatred of candles. If there was a thread about stuff people like that you hate, for me it would be candles (and massages and musicals.. but I digress. Just the concept of tea lights would make my eye twitch.

I had a few candles in my house gathering dust because they are the kind of thing that people gift. I don’t know what possessed me, but towards the end of last year, I lit one, an it smelled glorious. It looked pretty too. Anyway, I’ve ended up burning my way through the previously discarded candles - my fireplace looks like a shrine at Lourdes. My home smells divine. I have used several boxes of matches. I fear I am addicted.

I just went to replace the first candle (the gateway drug of candles) and I discovered it costs £15. And after a bit of googling, discovered that’s not even considered expensive in the candle-verse.

What advice do you have? Any recommendations for lovely smelling and pocket friendly candles? I can spend 15 quid on one, but at my burn rate that’s going to get pretty costly. Aibu to just crack on and burn, or should I extinguish my new found habit?

Buy them from Aldi or Ikea, they smell nice and cost less. Wax melts are also surprisingly nice!

Extra kudos for “candleverse”!
St Eval are good and sometimes available in TK Maxx.
DD counted 34 candlesticks/chandeliers in my living room, obviously not scented 😳

I’ve never heard of a wax melt. Off down that rabbit hole…

Saint Eval Winter Thyme was where it all started. I now realise that’s not that pricey.

No scent?! Are you just in it for the pyromania? Do you have electricity?

I like the tomato one from Habitat, and there are other scents from there that actually smell nice. I also like TKMaxx for candles - reasonable and usually do make the room smell nice

Well if you are not gasping for air through all the soot and VOCs released crack on.

They probably really aren't that good for you but neither is chocolate, alcohol and crisps.

Make sure your smoke alarms are fully functioning.

I buy wax melts - much, much cheaper and last longer too IMO.

As a recent convert to wax melts, I can recommend Home Bargains for cheap and cheerful scentage.

I live in an old stone farmhouse in the French countryside, the candles help keep it warm and I just love the ambiance. I have a woodburner, gas and electricity, plus a large stash of wine.

The Yorkshire Candle Company have some lovely ones! And affordable.

Oh yes! B and M too.

Just spotted that St Eval are having a sale…..

Pecksniffs in TK Maxx

Sometimes I like the flicker and can't cope with competing scents so the unscented ones get to join one scented. I have a log burner and live in the middle of a small village where fireplaces and backboilers are still the norm so the bit of soot from my candles is just a drop in a very sooty ocean!

TK Maxx and Homesense are your friends here.
Have a look at the sale ones first.

I also like the tiny jar candles from home bargains. 79p or something daft?

Switch to tea lights. You still get a nice twinkly glow and you get loads for only a few quid.
I think it's crazy to spend a lot of money on something you're just going to burn.

The devonwick candles smell gorgeous and are not expensive. I am also new to burning candles and have burnt through most of mine in the past two months! Wax melts seem to be a more economical option if you have a burner.

This seems a good moment to remind everyone to test their smoke alarms...

I’m not into chocolate, but I bloody love wine and crisps. Now candles make up the trifecta of my vices.

I do have a smoke alarm that’s pretty sensitive. That’s one of the reasons I’ve never cared for candles. I once dated a man who would light up his entire home with candles and tea lights whenever I went round. I’d literally be eyeing up an escape route mid romp. He lived in a hutong though and there was wood everywhere. It was a conflagration waiting to happen.

Northern Soul wax melts are divine, and very cheap

I get a stash of beeswax melts and candles from our local fairs. Handmade and smell lovely with no weird scents or other weird additives!

A friend used to make candles from scratch in various fragrances. She said people were very particular about the ingredients due to the risk from cheaper ones. My brother used to have them all the the time, till he noticed a grey/black soot mark forming up wall and on the ceiling above. I never use them.

Have you tried the Gwyneth Paltrow one that came out a few years ago?

I spend a lot of money on candles, I spent about 300 quid on candles for myself just before christmas. Im now banned. No more candles.

The problem with wax melts just to say is that after a couple of burns they have an off smell so you have to fiddle about getting the wax out of the bowl. I find that too much hard work (not much work really) so although they smell really good and are cheaper, I prefer a candle.

Candle warmer lamp. Game changer. No soot, no fire risk and candles last twice as long.

I always have a sniff at the candles in Sainsbuy's (Habitat?) when I'm in, they change frequently. They had a whole new bunch in today, I was quite taken by one that said it was Hyacinth & White Birch. Pretty glass container, 2 wicks, £12.