5 Best Florals for the End of Summer

Recently MindBodyGreen wrote a blog post about the 5 best floral scents to enjoy before the end of summer. August marks the beginning of the end of summer and soon we'll be into warm, cozy and spicy fragrances. Before that season starts, let's take some time to stop and smell the flowers.

The 5 florals they suggest are rose, geranium, tuberose, neroli and jasmine. I scanned our entire store and selected candles that I thought not only best represented those notes but that also worked well during this hot and steamy month. The following candles are bright, vibrant and fabulous.

For rose I selected one of my favorite fragrances by Lafco. Music Room (Fleurs de Baies) is a peppy rose with black currant that gives it a great punch. The touch of raspberry keeps this fragrance youthful and cheery. I love the color on the keepsake, hand-blown glass vessel as well. It's beautiful burning and lasts about 100 hours.

The geranium candle I selected is Aura Clairvoyant which has yuzu grapefruit, cassis, orange and rose geranium. I can really pick up the geranium in this scent which is probably why I love it so much! Rose geranium happens to be one of my favorite fragrances. This uber clean citrus scent is perfect anytime you want to clean the air or wake up.

A while back I tested all the tuberose candles in the store to see how they compare and to find the one that best represents the flower. I absolutely adored the Voluspa Tuberosa di Notte candle. It make the whole house feel open and bright without being heavy or overdone. I appreciated the softest hint of agave to add a touch of sweetness. I really like the 12oz jar in the Maison Noir collection. The Voluspa tin candles are great for travel or gifts, but I prefer a translucent vessel.

Neroli is a powerful scent and we love what Votivo created with their new Jasmine Neroli fragrance. It's warm and honeyed with touches of fruit and vanilla. With jasmine, tuberose and neroli it's surprisingly not overly floral. We recommend this scent if you're looking for something with a little more depth and warmth. 

For jasmine we have to go with Nest Bamboo. It's a classic and icon in the candle instrustry stemming from the ultra-popular Slatkin Bamboo Jasmine (no longer available). The Nest Bamboo candle by Laura Slatkin fills your home with bold jasmine and fresh green accords. Customers love this fragrance when they open their summer homes for the first time to clear out the stuffy air in an instant. If you're looking for strong candles, be sure to try Nest Fragrances. The votive candle is better for smaller spaces, like powder rooms, or if you don't want to be overwhelmed with scent. The 8oz size is great for average to large rooms. Go for the 3-wick size if you have a very large space or love to be smothered in scent. Plus, the vessel is gorgeous and makes a great candy dish when the candle is done.

We hope you take time to stop and smell the flowers before summer is over and we dive into warmer fragrances. There are so many beautiful florals! 

What are your favorite florals in the summertime? Comment below. We love to hear from you.

10 Ways to Rock a Room Spray

Is it just me or is room spray an unappreciated commodity? Do we take it for granted? Not utilizing all of its qualities? I feel room sprays tend to sit, sad and unloved, on shelves to collect dust or hidden away in cabinets like a taboo bathroom product. No more, I say! No more.

Room sprays have beautiful features such as providing instant, safe and effective fragrance. Like a burst of sunshine, a room mist can change a room from doom to gloom faster than you can unlike a song on Pandora.

To make sure that you are getting the most of your home fragrance mist, I asked our fragrance experts (yes, you, Candles Off Main Facebook Fans) to give us your most creative way to use a spray. Your ideas are revolutionary!

Here are a few of our favorites:

1. I like to spray my pillows during the daytime, so when bedtime arrives there is just a hint of fragrance when you lay your head down. - Caitlin C.
   
   
2. I like to spray room spray into my vacuum filter and every time I give my carpet a cleaning it fills the room with the scent. Quick and refreshed carpet without having to buy that nasty carpet powder. - Ryan K.
   
   
3. I often spray room freshener on curtains; some fragrances/brands last a good while and you catch a whiff of the scent when there's a breeze.  - Joan G.
   
   
4. I like to spray the inside of a trash can before I put a new trash bag in. It smells nice every time you throw something away. - Dave A.
   
   
5. I like to spray inside my dresser drawers & in my closet! -Angela D.
   
   
6. Sometimes I spray my favorite fragrance on towels I store for longer periods of time. - Diego B.
   
   
7. I spray the inside of my suitcase before I pack. It keeps my clothes from smelling stuffy when I arrive at my new destination. - John B.
   
   
8. I use it before I have guests over. It gives the room a nice freshly cleaned feeling. - Lili Lee
   
   
9. I like to spray the cloth lining inside my laundry basket to keep things smelling fresh until laundry day. - Jenna V.
   
   
10. I like to spray the carpets in our car before we leave on a road trip. Makes for a lovely drive! - Sue A.
    

photo from www.mademan.com

Always test a room spray on fabric in a subtle spot in case there is a reaction. Thymes home fragrance mist is and aerosol and works well on fabrics. Room sprays by Votivo and Trapp are in decorative bottles that are good looking enough to be left out where you'll be more likely to use it. The room sprays by Voluspa are cosmetic grade, so if you really love it, go ahead and spray yourself as well! Some people only use the Voluspa sprays as a body spray. Suede Blanc and Apricot & Aprilia can be worn beautifully.

So go ahead! Break out your spray. Get crazy and creative with it and then share your most creative uses by commenting below. Spray away I say!

Use Lampe Berger to Remove Odors

Lampe Berger is our #1 tool for removing odors of all kinds such as cooking odors, pet odors and cigarette odor.

Lampe Berger was designed over 100 years ago by French pharmacist, Maurice Berger, to purify the air in hospitals.  These lamps also fragrance the air, and there are over 40 different fragrances available as well as many lamp styles.

Here is your Ultimate How to Use Lampe Berger Guide:

How to set up a Lampe Berger lamp:

1. Fill the lamp 2/3 full with Lampe Berger fragrance oil. 
2. Insert the wick firmly into the lamp pressing down on the metal ring. If the wick is completely dry, let the lamp sit with the cap on for 20 minutes so the wick can soak up the oil. 
3. Light the Lampe Berger wick burner. The flame will be large but there is no smoke or soot. After 2 minutes and blow out the flame. 
4. Put the vented cap on the lamp. Now the lamp is working and there is no smoke or flame. You know it’s working if you feel a little heat coming off the top of the lamp and you can smell the fragrance in the air. 
5. After 20 minutes carefully remove the vented cap (it can get hot) and put the solid cap on to stop the lamp. The fragrance will continue to linger for a few more hours. Only let the Lampe Berger to burn for 20 minutes.

Burning tips on how to get the most of your Lampe Berger:

• Be careful to not fill the lamp more than 2/3 full. It needs air to work. 
• While the lamp is working, it will continue to burn through the oil until you put the solid cap on. If you want to extend the life of your oil, simply put the cap on earlier. If you forget to put the solid cap on, the lamp will continue to burn until it runs out of oil and then stop. 
• Only use Lampe Berger oil in your lamp. Anything else can clog and damage your wick or be a potential fire hazard. 
• Be sure to completely blow out the flame before you put the vented cap on. Never put the vented cap on top of a flame. It will melt and damage your lamp. 
• Never disassemble the wick/burner. Lampe Berger wicks are meant to be one piece with a wick connected to the ceramic top by metal. Light the ceramic stone top, not the cotton wick. 

Fragrance tips on how to get the most of Lampe Berger:

• If you find your Lampe Berger fragrance to be too strong, you can dilute it with Neutral fragrance oil. You can use as much Neutral oil as you like to soften any scent. Even a lamp full with Neutral oil and just a tablespoon of scented oil can be enough sometimes. Neutral oil on it's own can smell too sterile, though, like a hospital.
• Lampe Berger fragrance oil is a much better value in the 1-Liter size. You get twice as much fragrance oil for only about 50% more in cost. Once you know you like a fragrance, be sure to buy it in the large bottle. Not all fragrances are available in the larger size.  
• Ocean Breeze, Orange Cinnamon and Winterwood are the best selling Lampe Berger fragrances if you're not sure what to try.
• Summer Night fragrance oil is a bug repellant to keep mosquitoes away. This scented oil can only be used outside. I have a lamp dedicated to this one scent for that reason. It's been incredibly handy and I highly recommend it!

How to change fragrance in a Lampe Berger:

• When you transition from one fragrance to the next, the old scent is still in the wick and will contaminate the new fragrance you add. Floral and citrus fragrances typically transition very well from one scent to another and the blend can sometimes be more enjoyable than the singular scent. If you don't want the fragrances to blend when you transition use Neutral fragrance oil in the lamp between scents to remove the old scent before you move on to the next.
• If you don't mind a small bit of blending, add just a little bit of the new oil to the lamp and burn that off and then add more. That way, only a small of oil is contaminated and each subsequent time you add oil the scent from the previous fragrance will diminish. 
• Some fragrances don't blend well at all. If you switch from one type of fragrance to another frequently, you might want to have 2 wicks - one for citrus fragrances and one for florals (for example). The next step is to just get 2 or more lamps - one for citrus and one for florals (for example). In our house I have a lamp in my kitchen for citrus scents to make it smell clean, florals in our living room for a more elegant effect, and woody fragrances upstairs for a more cozy atmosphere. 

Tips for Lampe Berger wick problems:

• If your Lampe Berger wick won't light it may be too dry. Let the wick soak in the lamp with the solid cap on for 20 minutes before trying to light.
• Is it wet with water? The only liquid that can come in contact with any part of the wick is Lampe Berger oil. If the wick was wet with water, simply let it dry completely and then let it soak in the lamp as noted above before trying to light again.
• Essential oils or other scented lamp oils can damage the wick. If the lamp wick came into contact with any liquid other than Lampe Berger oil you will likely need a Lampe Berger wick replacement (at your expense - they aren't too terribly expensive).
• Lampe Berger wicks typically last a year with average use (about 250 uses). If you have been using your wick frequently or for a long time, it may be time to replace the  wick.    
• If your wick is clogged, Lampe Berger wick cleaning is easy with Neutral fragrance oil. Simple fill your lamp with only Neutral oil and let it burn with just that until the wick unclogs. It's good practice to use a little bit of Neutral between fragrances to keep your burner working efficiently.
• Your Lampe Berger stone does not need cleaning. It gets darker with use and that's normal. Never use soap or other cleaning products on your wick or the ceramic stone burner.
• The wick needs air to work and sometimes gets too bunched up where it pinches together to fit through the metal ring. To let more air through the wick, unfold a paper clip and stick it up the wick, between the two pieces of cotton cord. Do this carefully to not damage the wick. There doesn't need to be a big gap, just enough space for air to get through to the hole in the stone top. Never disassemble the wick/burner.

If your Lampe Berger won't stay hot, it's due to one of these reasons:

• There is too much oil in the lamp (it can't be more than 2/3 full with oil).
• The wick is old and needs to be replaced (see notes above about the wick).
• The wick needs air to work (see notes above about the wick).
• There is, or was, something other than Lampe Berger oil in the lamp (see notes above about fragrance oil).

Tips for Lampe Berger cleaning:

• If you have an absolute need to clean your lamp, wash it out with a touch of mild soap and lots of water. Make sure you rinse the lamp completely and let it dry completely before adding any scented oil. 
• Only rinse the wick with water and nothing else. Make sure it dries completely before putting it back in your lamp. You can soak it in Neutral fragrance oil, if you must, to try and get rid of an unpleasant scent. 

If you have any questions or need additional Lampe Berger instructions, please leave a comment below.  We hope this Lampe Berger How To Use Guide was helpful and that you enjoy your new fragrance lamp!

Linnea's Light Candles - Behind the Brand

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Laura Cler, Co-Founder of Linnea's Lights, an all-natural, hand-crafted candle line from the Midwest. We always love the story behind the brand, so here are some insights into Linnea's Lights exclusively for you! 


1. What inspired you to create a candle line?
My mother, Lynn Manley, was the creator of Linnea’s Lights. Her inspiration was to create something of beauty, quality and simple elegance that everyone could enjoy and appreciate. She has always been a huge admirer of perfume and home fragrance so it was a natural fit. It’s amazing how scent evokes different memories for different people. We truly believe Linnea's Lights should be an experience all on its own….from the first impression of how the product looks to the lasting impression once the candle has been illuminated and enjoyed.

2. What is the most challenging aspect of your home fragrance business? 
The most challenging aspect of our business is keeping the line and fragrances relevant to our fans, and keeping our brand unique. We’ve seen new candle companies emerge over the last few years with our double wick system and similar packaging. This can be very frustrating, but our customers know our brand well and have been incredibly loyal and supportive, so we are grateful.

3. What fragrance has been your favorite to create? 
Sea Salt by far has been my favorite. It evokes wonderful memories of my family’s experience on the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France a few summers ago.

4. What has been the most challenging fragrance to create? 
Cashmere (one of my favorite blends!), because it has a high concentration of Patchouli which can be tricky.

5. If you could start all over from the beginning, would you do anything differently?
Absolutely nothing. We have been extremely careful to grow our business & brand slowly. Our goal is not to be on every shelf, but to be in select retail stores in the best areas. As a result, we’ve been very fortunate and honored to have wonderful retail partners all over the US, Canada + the UK. Our business has truly grown organically due to features in magazines, blogs and, our favorite, word of mouth! We stand behind our Linnea's Lights candles 100% and want each and every experience to be a memorable one.

6. If you could design a home fragrance for any brand or person, what/who would you pick and what would you use to create the look and fragrance? 
Honestly, there isn’t one person or brand that I have in mind to work with. We have been fortunate to work with a few brands/retailers/persons on private label projects and each experience has been interesting, informative and challenging. That’s honestly how we approach creating our special programs…making them personal and relevant to the client we are working with at the time and trying our best to capture the essence of the client in fragrance and in packaging.

7. What can we expect from Linnea's Lights in the future? 
We are looking to continue to bring freshness to our core line with new fragrances & sizes as well as new line extensions.

Now it's your turn. What would you love to see from Linnea's Lights?

Linnea's Lights Spring & Summer Candles

 

If you haven't tried (or even heard of) Linnea's Lights yet, don't dismiss this micro-chandler from the Midwest. Mother-daughter team Lynn Manley and Laura Cler turned their candle-making hobby into a business based on their passion for fine fragrances and luxury items.

The name comes from the Swedish origin of Lynn's name, Linnea, to honor their family lineage. Linnea's Lights is an environmentally mindful company utilizing soy wax, lead-free cotton wicks and recycled or recyclable materials.

They offer a wide range of fragrances to last through the year. Here are a few of our favorite spring and summer candles from Linnea's Lights:

Grapefruit Candle
Refreshing pink grapefruit perfectly balanced with a touch of ginger and oak.
This isn't a sweet pink grapefruit. It's more of a clean, zesty white grapefruit with a touch of sugar. It's lovely with its simplicity.

Sweetgrass Candle
Sweetgrass is a soft, fresh blend of fresh cut grass and sweet violets.
This is one of the original and top-selling scents by Linnea's Lights. It smells just like soft, baby grass sprinkled with early morning dew.

Wild Fern Candle
Crisp & fresh leafy greens, stems and herbs blended with sheers woods.
This is a great blend of clean clean greens and herbal notes.

Peony Candle
Timeless, lush & creamy peony blooms, green stems & wildflowers.
This is definitely a creamy peony. Not overly heady or watery.

Magnolia Candle
Charming and beautiful magnolia blossoms with a hint of southern peach.
This is another graceful floral with just a hint of sweetness from the peach.

Ocean Candle
Calming citrus & breezy sea air with lush green florals and sea moss.
This is a great ocean blend with lots of character incorporating all aspects of the ocean.

Sea Salt Candle
Turquoise waters enveloped by the smell of salty air and infused in coastal delicacies.
Sea Salt is a relatively new fragrance by Linnea's Lights and is really taking off. This is more simplistic than the Ocean candle, focusing more on the salty aspect of the ocean. This simple nature of this fragrance lends perfectly to blending it with other candles such as  Tuberose or Nest Bamboo.

White Coral Candle
Captivating with notes of mandarin and neroli on a creamy base of woods.
This is the most complex of all the water/ocean oriented fragrances by Linnea's Lights. It comes across almost like a cologne. If you like a summery scent that is more obscure and mysterious, be sure to give this one a try.

Linnea's Lights candles burn evenly and cleanly with double wicks creating an enchanting atmosphere. The candles are wrapped in tissue and come complete with matches in a recyclable tube making them a delightful, earth-friendly gift.

If you're one of the many loyal fans of Linnea's Lights, what fragrance  of theirs do you enjoy most in the spring and summer months? Post a comment below and let us know!