Guide to buying right candles for your home

by Radhika Arora on May 18, 2022

Guide to buying the right candle for Home

Apart from adorning your living space with a delectable aroma, a candle has grown to be an indispensable part of home décor today. It has evolved in its packaging, display methods and of course in the arena of unimaginably diverse range of fragrances. This allows us to blend them and elevate our homes into aesthetically pleasing pieces of fragrant personal paradise. They are responsible for creating the vibe of your haven and hence it is important to know the candle for you. Here are 5 points you should consider before choosing the one.

Choosing the right fragrance

Scented candles are a perfect way for evoking memories and creating a multi - sensory experience. All of us have some scents that overwhelm us while some tug at our heart with the strings of nostalgia. They not only bring a soft glow to the room but also give it a new and personal identity. That being said, fragrances are very subjective to each person’s liking. Some might like sweet and floral scents like jasmine, while others might like a more aquatic and fresh fragrance. The choice of candle can also change according to the space you wish to place it in.

For the kitchen, I suggest using citric scented candles like orange or lemon that would make your kitchen feel fresh, energetic and cover any unwanted odor.
Oriental scents like vanilla and lavender can be used in bedrooms as they are sensual, relaxing and help in having a quality sleep.
The bathrooms can be adorned with a twinkle of floral scents like rose or lily to create a pleasing atmosphere.
For your work tables, strong and woody scents like coffee, cinnamon work best as they increase your focus and keep you from slacking off.

Choosing the type of decorative candle

Different sizes of candles offer different opportunities to play with the proportions and textures of the room decor in a way that speaks to your personal aesthetic. The market is filled with endless options for types of candles. They can help raise the aesthetic quotient of your décor and bring in a shape and style to the space.

Pillar Candles - They come in a variety of colors and options and can burn free - standing. You can keep them on your bookshelves or side tables as accent pieces and play around with their colors and sizes to bring in a more modern yet playful look to your space.
Tapered Candles - You can put them on candle stands, decorate around with some flower vases and create a gorgeous table setting with it. These candles are usually tall and sleek which will help bring in some dimension and sophistication to your table setting.
Container/Jar Candles - As the name suggests, these candles come in beautiful jars and containers, some are adorned with pearls, some have interesting labels on them, some even have many color options which make them versatile for almost every space. You can place them on your vanity table, workstation or on a bedside table to make a cozy corner. They can also be very well used as an accent piece for your decor.
Votive Candles - These candles are small and ideal for adding a small dose of candlelight to bathroom units or shelves or to be even scattered throughout the house to create a soothing aura.

Given the ongoing season, you can checkout Rad Living’s Summer Edit for some great candle options.

Choosing the type of wax

There are broadly 3 types of wax: Paraffin, Beeswax and Soy wax. Out of these 3, I’d recommend you to always go for soy wax or perhaps any other vegetable wax, considering they are a more sustainable option. Also, soy wax is more long lasting as it burns slower and fragrance is released gradually giving a clean burn. Check out the candles available at Rad Living - all of them are made from natural soy wax blend.

Choosing the no. of wicks

A candle can have more than one wick depending on its size. A candle with multiple wicks, say 3-7 wick, creates larger pools of liquid wax, releasing a more intense fragrance along with creating a more vibrant glow courtesy of multiple flames which makes them a go to choice for a living room, master bedroom or any other larger area. But this doesn’t mean that candles with 1-2 wicks are any less effective. They have a simple but equally enchanting look and can be a sweet option for decorating your bedrooms, bathrooms and vanity tables. Rad Living has some wonderful choices for all types of candles which have 100% cotton wicks.

Understanding the burn time of your candle

The burn time of a candle depends on its size and quality. Long burn times are a signifier of superior quality candles, and you can increase burn time by caring for candles correctly. For your first burn, let the wax melt and reach the container’s edge to prevent it from tunneling. It is recommended to not let a candle burn for more than 4 hours at a time to maintain its quality. Also, remember not to blow on a candle instead use a snuffer, dipper or a candle lid to extinguish it. All the Rad living candles come with a lid or a coaster that can be easily used to extinguish the candle.