We’re all spending a considerable amount of time at home these days and one of the most important parts of building the atmosphere of my home is candles. Over the years, I have discovered what I have dubbed my “signature” scents – that is, the candles I love the most and have burning in my home almost constantly. Not at the same time, of course. But I definitely go through this exact rotation and have mastered which ones smell great together to have burning in different rooms.

Scent can evoke such a strong emotional response. Just catching a whiff of something nostalgic can have the ability to take us back to another time; remind us of somewhere we’ve been, of home, or of someone we love. Having signature scents in your home instead of constantly switching out smells can have a profound effect on positive emotions and can create a profile of smells that attach themselves to memories.

My husband and I don’t have children as of right now, but when that time comes, I want our home to always create a calming and cozy atmosphere for them. And scents, especially these softer ones in the candles I love, do so much for that. Perhaps their memories will be tied to beautiful and warming scents. My mother has never ever been much of a candle burner. She’d refute this and tell you that she loves candles, but she doesn’t. She puts them around her house, but never actually burns them. Send in a squad to investigate and you will find perfectly new wicks that have never seen the sulfuric tip of a match I guarantee you that. The only exception is when I’m in her house and take it upon myself to go around lighting candles – or on occasion, bringing my own candles to light LOL! My memories of home are tied to other smells: homemade biscuits fresh out of the oven, my dad’s Big Red gum habit, the pages of old books…and a huge one for me is cedar wood. I grew up in a house made completely of cedar, inside and out, and cedar allllways takes me back to my childhood. It’s one of my favorite smells. Maybe that’s why my candle profile tends to lean more woodsy?

Here are my top ten most loved candles. This COVID-19 quarantine gives us a unique opportunity to spend more time making our houses into homes. Hopefully these candles can do just that for you!

XOXO, Thessali

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