Scent has the power to transform a room, and soft, soothing fragrances might just provide the perfect dose of escapism during the strict coronavirus lockdown.
Scented candles can help to energise a remote working space, or hold off lighting one until the end of the working day when you want to reclaim your living space with a relaxing scent.
When it comes to choosing the right fragrance, a good rule of thumb is to go with citrus for kitchens and open-plan living areas, which cuts through cooking smells without being too overpowering.
Create a soothing oasis of calm in bedrooms with warm vanillas or relaxing lavenders, or try something fresh and classic in hallways and the spaces you’re spending the most time in during the day.
Here are some of our favourite scents from our testing sessions.
1. Spice things up
Indulge in the spicy ginger and black rose fragrance of Baobab’s Black Pearls candle, priced £202.
Baobab’s Black Pearls candle, £202, is available at Harrods
2. That’s amore
The limited-edition Tribute to Amore diffuser by specialist Italian environment perfumer Culti Milano has invigorating pink pepper and minty eucalyptus notes.
Place it in a hallway and anyone who walks past it will be enveloped in this soothing fragrance. Priced £113.
Culti Milano’s Tribute to Amore diffuser, £113
3. Floral fantasy
The mix of peonies and roses results in a light, delicate fragrance in the Peony and Blush Suede candle range by Jo Malone London, priced from £48 to £300.
Jo Malone’s Peony and Blush Suede candle range, from £48 to £300
4. Rock the rose
With a subtle hint of rose and Tuscan black pepper, French candlemaker Cire Trudon’s Rose Poivrée is a soft and sweet home fragrance. Priced £79.95.
Rose Poivrée, £79.95, with notes of rose and Tuscan black pepper
How to care for your candle
When you light your candle for the first time, burn it for around two hours until the whole surface becomes liquid. This allows it to burn evenly and avoids any hollowing.
Always trim the charred part of the wick to around five millimetres before relighting, to reduce sooty residue.
Snuff out the flame rather than blowing it out. Many candles come with a lid you can use to extinguish the flame.