A GUIDE TO FINDING THE BEST SCENTED CANDLES IN NEW ZEALAND

When trying to find the best scented candles NZ there are a few factors to consider. Is the candle a gift? For your home? Or for the workplace? What one person considers to be the best scented candle NZ, somebody else may not agree. Buying candles and deciding which fragrance to use is very subjective. Here we explore each of the different factors that can influence your decision making.

When buying a candle for the home its typically done with the thought of long relaxing baths in mind. The idea of easing into a hot bath after a hard day's work is incredibly inviting and all the more so with a flickering candle flame to watch.

Factors to consider when buying a candle for your bathroom or indeed any room in your home are:

• Your decor (it's always nice to be matchy matchy)
• What kind of fragrance you would like in that particular room

When buying a candle to suit your decor, there are a wealth of options available to you, from choosing a candle in a clear glass jar to ceramics or even no container at all. Whichever choice you go for you'll find that neutral colours provide the most flexibility. However, if you love a pop of colour then don't be afraid to choose a nice accent colour that compliments your room and accessories.

When considering what fragrance you might like, you might be tempted to choose a sophisticated fragrance that includes vetiver, or a homely vanilla-scented candle or perhaps something relaxing like lavender. Whatever fragrance you choose ultimately comes down to personal preference.

However, if you're buying a scented candle to make a good first impression e.g. dressing your home in preparation for selling it, then you should put some thought into what image you want to portray. If you're selling a family home, you may want something fun, fruity and light. Alternatively, if you want to give off the impression of a modern home you should perhaps consider something more contemporary like woody or herbal fragrances. Whatever your goal, the fragrance wheel in the next section should give you some more useful insights.

With their amazing ability to create ambience there's no surprise that scented candles are used in lots of workplaces. The most popular of which are spas, beauty salons, hairdressers, bars and restaurants. When deciding what impression you would like your business to convey it would be wise to have an understanding of what different fragrance groups there are.

The best guide for understanding the different fragrance groups is Michael Edward's fragrance wheel, used by perfumers around the globe, it was created to help retailers to suggest perfumes to their customers more efficiently.

You can see from the wheel above how fragrances are divided into 4 main groups, each containing 3 or 4 subgroups. Using the above diagram, a bar owner may decide that a woody fragrance is the best-scented candle fragrance for them. Alternatively, a spa owner may prefer a scented candle that falls into the 'fresh' category. The power of fragrance to influence our perceptions is irrefutable and so the type of scented candle you choose to represent your business deserves serious consideration to ensure you get your image right.

Regardless of the style of container or fragrance you choose you can be confident in the knowledge that scented candles are always well-received gifts. Candles are typically an indulgence we don't buy for ourselves, so when we receive them as a gift it's a very nice feeling indeed.

If you're still unsure which fragrance to go for then perhaps consider taking a different approach. Some people love the idea of being mentally transported somewhere like the ocean or smelling something that reminds them of a great holiday. If that's your thing then check out our scented candles inspired by New Zealand.

• Ylang ylang - renowned for its relaxing qualities, it also a mood lifter that can transform a bad mood into a good one, easing tension and reducing feelings of anger.
• Lavender - promotes relaxation. Some of its many uses include treating anxiety, depression and insomnia.
• Bergamot - this powerful little citrus fruit is known to reduce anxiety and fatigue.
• Frankincense - promotes feelings of satisfaction, peace and contentment.
• Jasmine - a known anti-depressant and aphrodisiac. Check out Bird of Juno fragrance products that include jasmine.