Scented candles are one of the most enjoyed home fragrance items at the moment. Ranging from cute travel candle votives to signature luxury candles, they’ve become an essential style statement in 2020. At Nostara we are communicating our own take on luxury home fragrance through our range of carefully created, bespoke fragrances with essential oils.

We don't need candles anymore

Scented candles have been around a long time - nearly as long as candles themselves which are believed to date back to 500 BC. Candles were a necessity before the invention of electric light, but were often made from animal fat which didn't smell great! Many solutions have been created over time to combat the unpleasant odours, including the addition of incense sticks to the wax.

Home fragrance evolution

For thousands of years, candles provided an essential source of light but nearly became nearly obsolete following the invention of gas and kerosene lamps and later the electric light bulb in the nineteenth century. Once no longer needed to light the way home after dark, candles experienced a massive drop in popularity and it wasn’t until the 1980s that the popularity of candles began to rise again. After a lengthy period of obscurity, candles slowly became a luxury item and design-led candles with coloured wax and decorated jars began appearing. Wax blends like paraffin no longer needed scents added to cover up the unpleasant smells of animal fats, however fragranced candles began to appear, offering therapeutic benefits to a more discerning consumer. Scents now exist to help us relax, be uplifted and to create a cosy home environment. Above all, home fragrance evokes such strong emotions that millions of discerning households are now buying luxury scented candles and home fragrance products from artisan manufacturers to create the perfect mood in their home.