There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

My fascination for candles and fragrance oils can be traced back to my college days. As a pharmacy major, one of the subjects i enjoyed studying then was pharmacognosy and plant chemistry. One particular chapter we had to learn about was on volatile oils or essential oils, to which I have come to extremely love.

Since then, I started to collect essential oils in small bottles, those that one puts on oil diffusers, where one lights a candle to allow the diffusion of their aroma. Eventually it evolved into collecting candles from small to big ones, from those single, regular scents to mixed fragrances.

This fascination over candles got me thinking why I exactly love scented candles. Well aside from the fact that they impart good smell, I love that each unique scent I get to smell takes me back to some beautiful memories and evokes certain emotions that make me feel good.

It is believed that particular scents can evoke certain memories and emotions, that transport us back in time to a particular moment or place. Science will tell us that this is attributed to the olfactory receptors, which are responsible for our sense of smell, and is directly connected to a certain system in our brain cold limbic system (also thought to be the most primitive part of our brain). And this system is responsible for emotions and memories.

Amazing right? There is this term that hasn’t left my thought when I learned it in our Anatomy Physiology class back then called “Proust Effect”. This is a curious phenomenon of a memory triggered not only by a smell, but also by taste, or even a sound. It is said that senses can be powerful triggers for memories of our past, eliciting a range of both positive and negative emotions. The smell or taste of a long forgotten sweet can stimulate a rich emotional response connected to our childhood or ant time from our past. As for me, the smell of crayons bring back a lot of school memories, the aft r rain scent reminds me so much of Baguio, a place so dear to me, and the smell of old books are reminiscent of th times I have spent with my grandparents.

In addition to being the sense most closely related to memory, smell is also highly emotive. That is why the perfume industry is built around this connection, wherein perfume creators develop fragrances that seek to convey a wide array of emotions and feelings; from relaxation, desire, vitality and even power. I have noticed that in recent times, even the candle making industry is now capitalizing on this idea.

In a nutshell, scented candles make feel happy, puts my mood in a more optimistic vibe and relaxes my mind. Thanks to the oils that can enhance mood and feelings of happiness or relaxation — loke lavender (known to reduce anxiety and increase relaxation), and citrus notes like lemon, orange, and grapefruit (that can help us feel energized and refreshed).

I don’t know where this fascination and collection of candles will lead me. I just started making my own candles and who knows, maybe i’ll put up a candle shop in the future. But for now, I’ll just enjoy lighting up or warming them up to keep me sane. Take it easy.

Featured candles from my collection photographed for this write up are from the following:

@johnandjancandleco @somewherecandleco @wickedcandlesph @webakecandleph @thegoodwickcandleph Scent101 and Body and Bath Works candle.