A fir and grapefruit candle sounds like two seasons in one jar, and that is how our reviewer sees the Barr-Co. version. Here is a look at what the scent offers, the size of the candle and ways to reuse the jar when it is empty.
With the holidays just, a short way off in the future, they’ll be here before we know it. Sometimes it makes my head spin how quickly everything comes and goes, but one way to slow it all down and take it all in, is to light up my favorite candle and give myself a moment to reflect.
I love this time of year, the shift from warm days and nights to when that first chill in the air seems to come out of nowhere. The air feels different, smells different and reminds us that change is once again coming.
I love the Barr-Co. Fir & Grapefruit for this time of year because it has the brightness of the grapefruit zest, and then introduces the woodsy notes of fir oils. It’s like having one foot still in summer and the other moving forward into the festive holiday season.
The best part is it smells incredible, don’t let the Fir throw you, this is a great year-round candle but oh so apropos to this time of year!
The vessel is a nice heavy glass tumbler and it’s a full 20 oz size. It’s unique, not just your basic straight sided candle glass. It looks great in the kitchen, but honestly, the simplicity of it would work great just about anywhere.
I plan to use it for make-up brushes on my bathroom vanity once the candle is gone. But until then, this is one candle I’m going to thoroughly enjoy! The cold throw is excellent, just sitting unlit gives a nice scent to my small bedroom. The warm throw is superb, I love how it fills my entire space.
Hand poured in small batches with a 100% natural soy and vegetable blend. Manufacturer stated burn time: 120 hours.
Why a fir and grapefruit candle suits the changing season
The reviewer says it has the brightness of grapefruit zest and then introduces the woodsy notes of fir oils, like having one foot in summer and the other in the holiday season. That is a good way to think about it.
If you are not ready for heavy vanilla or spice candles, a scent that sits between citrus and wood is a gentle way to move into cooler months. She also says it works all year, so the fir should not put you off.
The reviewer also loves the time of year. The first chill in the air, she says, seems to come out of nowhere, and lighting a favorite candle is a way to slow down and reflect before the holidays arrive.
That is a nice reason to pick a fir and grapefruit candle: it works as a small ritual at the turn of the season, and its mix of citrus and wood suits both the kitchen and the bedroom.
Fir and grapefruit is an easy pairing to understand: citrus on top, wood underneath.
Size, wax and burn time
The candle is a full 20 oz in a heavy glass tumbler. It is hand poured in small batches, with a blend of 100% natural soy and vegetable wax, and the manufacturer states a burn time of 120 hours.
Stated burn times are measured under ideal conditions, so your own result will depend on the wick, drafts and how long each burn lasts. For the best result, burn for a few hours at a time and trim the wick before each use.
The reviewer says the cold throw, the scent of the unlit candle, is excellent in her small bedroom, and the warm throw fills her entire space. Those two points tell you the candle is fragrant even before you light it, and that it can cover a good-sized area once it is burning.
Because the tumbler is wide, let the candle burn long enough for the top layer to melt all the way to the edge each time. That keeps the surface even and helps this fir and grapefruit candle last as long as the maker intended.
A fir and grapefruit scent does not demand a special room.
Plenty of readers search for a fir and grapefruit candle when the weather turns.
Giving the jar a second life
The reviewer plans to use the tumbler for makeup brushes on her bathroom vanity when the candle is finished. Once the wax is cool and hard, remove what is left and wash the glass, and it is ready for a new job.
For more citrus candles, see Our Favorite Citrus Candles, and for more woodsy picks, Tree Scented Candles for the Holidays. If you pick up this fir and grapefruit candle, it should fit in the kitchen or bedroom equally well, as the reviewer found.
Grapefruit and fir are both easy to find in other forms. The grapefruit and fir articles on Wikipedia explain where each comes from, though the best test of a candle is simply to light it and see how it feels in your home.
To sum up, this fir and grapefruit candle by Barr-Co. is a good pick for anyone who wants a scent between summer and winter. A fir and grapefruit blend pairs a bright citrus top with a woodsy base, and a candle this size will keep you going for many evenings.
Header photo: Citrus_paradisi_(Grapefruit,_pink).jpg: א (Aleph) derivative work: — raeky, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5).
