We explore essential oil candles, their benefits and the top 5 oil types….
Essential oil candles with natural, sustainable aromatherapy-based essential oils are an easy way to add scent and mood to any room in your home. Aromatherapy candles also provide a relaxing atmosphere that helps create a peaceful environment. Many essential oils have beneficial properties as they come straight from nature. The benefits largely come from the terpene profile of the plant which the oil is created from.
A fantastic way to experience these aromatherapy benefits of essential oils is by burning a candle that has been created only from these plant-derived essential oils.
Using pure essential oil blends in candles can also help you feel more relaxed by knowing there are no harmful chemicals used to create the candle’s calming, uplifting, or grounding aroma, unlike artificially created fragrance oils widely used in mainstream candles due to its far cheaper cost to produce. Fragrance oils are chemical based, and many can release toxins into the room when burnt. Natural essential oil candles, especially those made in the UK by The London Dispensary, only release natural terpenes and beneficial properties when burnt.
Additionally, aromatherapy and essential oils have been known for some time to help with various issues we can experience as humans. But the data and reports are now overwhelmingly showing in favour of the benefits that essential oil candles and aromatherapy can bring to us all.
Below we cover our top 5 best essential oils for candles, UK blends.
Citrus Essential Oils – Grapefruit, Sweet Orange, & Lemon
Citrus scents are very popular because they smell fresh and clean. As well as helping to create an energising and uplifting effect. Citrus essential oils such as grapefruit and sweet orange are often used as top notes in candle blends. Citrus scents are known to help clear the mind and promote focus, which is done by their crisp aroma giving your internal system a little reboot.
The citrus scent is one of the most popular scents in perfumes and fragrances. It has been used since ancient times to treat various ailments such as colds, coughs, and headaches. In addition, citrus oils are said to be helpful in treating depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and other mental health issues. It is no wonder they are a popular family of essential oils for many home remedies and well-being products.
Sweet orange, lemon and bergamot are all great examples of aromas that blend well together, and all are from the citrus family. As well as working well in combination with each other.
The London Dispensary’s award-winning ‘Grounding‘ essential oil candle blend combines sweet orange and bergamot to create a light and refreshing note before the more earthy and warming notes of frankincense and Indian ginger essential oils captivate the senses and anchor you firmly in your moment.
Lavender Essential Oil – Sleep Like a Dream
If you prefer a more relaxing scent during evening hours, try using lavender oil instead of sweet orange oil. Lavender has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve sleep quality. It also helps with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The benefits of lavender oil are due to its terpene profile, which naturally has been shown to improve elements of sleep.
The best thing about lavender oil? You can use it in many different ways. For instance, you can add a few drops to your bath water to help relax muscles after a long day at work. Or invoke luxury by bathing with an all-natural lavender-scented bath bomb. There is also the option of burning a lavender candle for a calming effect. As well as the growing popularity option of lavender wax melts.
If you like a slightly more complex evening candle aroma, then essential oil blends with eucalyptus, clary sage, and ylang-ylang with lavender are perfect to relieve stress.
Peppermint Essential Oil – Fresh Wellbeing
You might think that peppermint oil would work better than orange oil as an essential oil for candles because it smells fresher and cleaner. However, both oils have similar properties and benefits. They both contain high amounts of antioxidants and vitamin E, which help protect against free radicals. Both oils are also rich in limonene, which is known to relieve pain and promote relaxation.
Those two properties of promoting relaxation and providing a fresh note make peppermint essential oil a fantastic option to pair with breathing work or mindfulness practice.
The best thing about using either orange or peppermint oil in your candle is that they smell amazing. And if you want to create a scent that’s unique to you, try mixing peppermint with a citrus note such as lemongrass. Other great combinations with peppermint essential oil are other fresh and crisp aromas such as tea tree or eucalyptus. Or, for a cooling sensation on the skin, using a balm or cream infused with peppermint oil can enhance the overall beneficial properties of the product.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil – Aromatherapy Heaven
While many essential oils are effective at relieving stress and promoting relaxation, ylang-ylang has a gentle but crisp floral scent; it is unmistakable, and it’s one of our favourites due to its slightly tropical leaning. Ylang-ylang goes beautifully with other top-note floral aromas, and we can’t get enough of it in our essential oil candles.
Many essential oils are known to be calming and uplifting, making them excellent choices for diffusing during meditation sessions or a yoga class. However, its always wise to ensure your essential oil candle is not too big for the room or area you wish to use it in, as the aroma could get overpowering. We use a 120ml jar for our essential oil candles, allowing their lids to be screwed back on after each use to preserve the aroma until the next burn.
The best thing about using essential oils in a candle is that you can create custom blends to suit your mood. For example, if you want to diffuse a soothing scent, try blending equal parts of ylang-ylang and lavender. Or, if you want to feel energized, combine equal parts of ylang-ylang and orange. You can also add a few drops of peppermint oil to help clear sinuses.
Nutmeg Essential Oil – Warming Luxury
Another great essential oil to blend for candles. Nutmeg oil brings a warm note to many aromas. A dash is a great addition to lighter floral blends to give them a little earth undertone.
It is great for easing tension in aromatherapy and is thought to help calm restlessness and anxiety, to name a few uses. That is why you will find it used in The London Dispensary Slumber essential oil candle infused with CBD, hand-poured right here in London, United Kingdom.
Essential Oil Candles FAQ
Is it OK to use essential oils in candles?
Absolutely, it s OK to use essential oils in candles, and it is a popular and safe practice. Just be mindful of the amount you use to avoid overpowering scents or to avoid creating a fire hazard. Almost all essential oils can be used in candle or wax melt making. Generally, they are a much more eco-friendly alternative to chemical-based fragrance oils as long as they are from ethical sources. Essential oils, when burnt or heated, produce additional benefits in the surrounding area due to their terpene profiles.
Can I mix different essential oils in a candle?
Yes, you can create custom blends by mixing different essential oils in your candle. It's a great way to create unique scents that suit your mood.
What is the best wax to use with essential oils?
At The London Dispensary, we have found that vegetable wax holds the essential oils best, and it's obviously great for creating vegan-friendly candles, and wax melts that way too.
How much essential oil to put in a candle?
Through trial and testing, we found that to make the best essential oil candles, between 8-10% of oil is required. This is rather high and costly, but we think it is worth it to produce the fantastic aroma throw our candles do. However, it very much will also depend on the wax blend you are using. We use our own blend of coconut, soy, and rapeseed wax, which are all sustainably sourced. It creates a softer wax we find better for holding the oils but allowing them to release. It also has created a very long burn time per jar candle. Generally, 24-28 hours can be produced of burn time from each 120ml jar. But the blend is a secret!
Where can I buy essential oil candles in the UK?
From The London Dispensary. We offer three unique blends of pure, sustainable and ethically farmed essential oil candles with infused CBD. If you haven’t heard of CBD before or if you have but are not entirely sure what it is, we have a blog all about it.
Are essential oil candles better for you?
Yes, essential oil candles are generally considered better for you compared to chemical-based fragrance oils. This is because essential oils are derived from natural sources and contain the aromatic compounds of plants. When these oils are burnt or heated, they release their terpene profiles, which can have additional benefits for your well-being. In contrast, chemical-based fragrance oils may contain synthetic ingredients that can be harsh on your respiratory system or essential oil candles are generally considered better for you compared to chemical-based fragrance oils. They are more eco-friendly and can offer additional benefits due to their terpene profiles when burnt or heated. However, it's important to ensure that the essential oils are from ethical sources.
Wrapping it up
Essential oil candles are the backbone of aromatherapy. They are packed full of helpful natural terpenes that are released into the air when lit. Producing a wide array of beneficial properties. Each grouping or family of aromas has its own properties.
You can find one of 3 perfectly balanced essential oil candles at The London Dispensary. Where all of our products use essential oil as a natural fragrance, our packaging is 100% sustainable and as a small business, we create all of our aromatherapy products in small batches before shipping them directly to you in the United Kingdom.
Enjoy!
