Adorn your home with the rich scents of Christmas
With the air getting colder and evenings getting darker the candle is the one proverbial stone that can kill two birds, and – with fragrances able to evoke rich memories – at Christmas a scented candle is even more magical. But where to start? Which scents will create those lasting memories, and when and how should we use them? As winter’s shadows began to draw in, we sought out the candle making founders of Cocofour to shed a little light on the situation.
From the outset, Kelly and Kelly aimed to set their products apart from the 95% of manufactured candles that contain paraffin by vowing to use only soy wax. You may already be well versed in the benefits of soy milk in your morning coffee, but it turns out soy is a blessing for burning candles too. Hand poured in to Cocofour’s gorgeous glass jars, soy wax candles are both better for the environment and provide a longer burn than paraffin.
Carbon footprint taken care of, our noses can now get in on the action. Although Kelly and Kelly like to ensure their core range and signature scents work all year round, they do recommend investing time in finding a seasonal inspired scent that will immediately conjure up festive feelings as it enchants the room. ‘Our current winter scent, Fireside, is the perfect combination of bergamot and warming spices…it works amazingly well on those cold winter evenings’. As flora and fauna re-emerge from their icy hibernation come spring, fresh, floral scents will make a refreshing, uplifting change.
It’s not just the scent that’ll bewitch your senses this Christmas, your choice of candle wick will make a difference too. (No, we didn’t know we had a choice of wick either!) Cocofour’s founders explain that a wood wick like those in the Mason candles provide a gentle and soothing crackling sound. Delicately wrapping a Cocofour candle for a loved one this Christmas will be like gifting them the warmth and sound of a mini wood burning fire.
If you like the sound of that so much that you’d rather be a bit selfish and keep all these sense-stimulating experiences for yourself, there are plenty of ways to adorn your house with candles. Kelly and Kelly enlightened us: ‘candles can become a statement for your home, providing the perfect finishing touch to any fireplace, window ledge or bookcase’, but most importantly make sure the placement of your candles makes sense in your home – there’s no point putting it somewhere it will never be lit.
Always in the living room? Find your signature scent, one that’s warming and inviting without being overpowering. Fancy yourself as a bit of a masterchef? ‘We recommend a strong fragrance that covers up those post cooking smells; try our White Patchouli & Clove’. Love nothing more than a bubble bath and a large glass of wine at the end of the day? Unwind with the Sandalwood Musk range, which not only looks divine but gives off the perfect mixture of sandalwood, patchouli and buttery vanilla pods to calm the most frazzled of minds.
If you’re prepared to spread a little Christmas joy and share the magic of Cocofour’s candles this festive season, focus on creating a centerpiece for a big dinner party. ‘Using a mix of the same range is always a good idea’, Kelly and Kelly advise, ‘as the scents in our two ranges are designed to compliment each other don’t be afraid to layer them!’
These two are full of innovative suggestions as their talents lie not only in candle making but also in sourcing unusual home ware items from antique shops all over the world. ‘Our favourite vintage table piece at the moment has to be a few scattered mason jars – feel free to use different sizes – filled with seasonal flowers’. We also adore their idea of using an old coke or soda crate to bring drinks out to guests at a party. Hostess with the mostess indeed.
Cocofour offer to source unusual items for customers too… we’ll definitely be taking them up on that offer while we relax, red wine in hand, in our glowing candlelit homes this Christmas.
For more information, visit www.cocofour.com.
