Concrete & Wax - The Modular Collection: Tealight Trio in All Sage

It’s nearing to the end of August and we can feel that slight autumnal bite in the air. Shorter days and longer nights are not far away and the candle season is almost upon us. This is why at The Amazing Blog we thought we’d introduce you to one of our first #amazingfinds for the autumn. Meet the contemporary styled and hand-poured candle company Concrete & Wax with their versatile Tealight Trio in All Sage from The Modular Collection which are stackable tea lights where you can build them vertically or burn each one independently. 

They were founded in 2018 by Alex Sommer and Laura Keller (AKA Mr. Concrete and Mrs. Wax) who among many other things, are also expert trend forecasters in the fashion industry. They came up with this conceptual brand, which offers the consumer a variety of design choices with mix and match concrete modular and interchangeable candleholders, together with uniquely fragranced soy wax candles. The holders are available in six plain colours and three unique camouflage designs. They’re cleverly adaptable and fit into almost any interior style whether it’s a minimalist contemporary penthouse or rambling country cottage. At each stage of brand development Concrete & Wax, wanted to make sure that they kept their sourcing of materials and suppliers as sustainable as possible. And as a true testament to artisan craftsmanship, they produce all products in their Suffolk workshop where everything is hand-poured, finished and packaged. They say: “When it comes to the finishing touches, we scour the local market to source as much as we possibly can - our aim is to support local business and to keep our footprint as small as possible.” The general perception of concrete is a rough, heavy industrial material; however, here we see it being used as a smooth material taking on streamline and stylishly statuesque shapes. They produce a selection of reed diffusers, in black bottles with concrete tops that double up as a tealight holder. Also not forgetting the recent addition of coasters in all the different colourways including a new splatter design.

Concrete & Wax very kindly sent us the Tealight Trio in Sage these are three hand-poured sage green concrete tealight holders in varying heights. As mentioned, they can burn independently or be stacked to make one tall tower. Each of these concrete holders has natural cork feet making them appear as if they’re slightly floating, plus the cork offers protection for heat-sensitive or polished surfaces.  We preferred to arrange these all nestling together for an extra twinkly effect. All candles (including tealights) are made of 100% vegan blended soy wax with a choice of fragrance. We’re fans of soy wax as it’s clean-burning and tends to hold scent longer than other varieties of wax due to the slow burn which releases the scented oils gradually.

There are four candle fragrances. The Lime, Basil & Mandarin is a citrusy fragrance that is relaxing and energising all at once. Lime is known to help clear the mind, the basil is thought to boost mood, and the mandarin soothes tensions. Secondly, we have Tobacco & Oak, this is considered as a very earthy aroma with smoky tobacco and dark oak mixed with leather, spice and musk. It’s very masculine, but not overpowering. This autumnal scent makes you want to hunker down and snuggle up in the warmth. The musk here will also help elevate your mood and give a general feeling of wellbeing. Thirdly, Sandalwood & Black Pepper, which according to Concrete & Wax, this scented candle is the most luxurious in the collection. Sandalwood is believed to be beneficial in treating anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia and the warming scent of black pepper will help relieve stress. Last but not least, Amber Noir, is the latest addition to the collection and is warming, intoxicating and mysterious. Tropical and exotic, burning this candle will spirit you off to far and distant climes … Top tip: These tealight candles will also fit into the Slim Holders. We love the pick ‘n ‘mix and the interchangeable aspect, which allows us to swap fragrance, colour or style of container all on a whim to fit our mood!  To see the full range from Concrete & Wax see here starting from £22.

Cochine: Tuberose and Wild Fig Reed Diffuser

Still feeling a bit housebound? Then what a better way to enhance your mood than by an uplifting fragrant reed diffuser and we at The Amazing Blog can guarantee that you’ll love this one! We’ve been itching to try the reed diffusers from Cochine since we first discovered the brand as winners on global The Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Cochine is a luxurious and sustainable brand, launched in 2008. Its founder Kate Crofton-Atkins, took her inspiration to create her range of special fragrances from the charming hidden Saigon streets, overflowing with jasmine against the stylish backdrop of French architecture, that she encountered on her move there. The name of the brand is derived from La Cochinchine, the name given to Southern Vietnam by the French. In the beginning, Kate spent a year working with essential oils, and then partnered with a New York-based fragrance house to launch Cochine in Hong Kong. Today there is a range of over ten different fragranced perfumes, reed diffusers, candles and skincare products for bath and body. This brand has now found global recognition and is in select boutique and five-star hotels around the world. These high-end products reflect elegance from the actual scents through to the beautiful presentation and packaging.  Today we’re excited to be reviewing one of their unique reed diffusers that have been filling the office here with it’s intoxicating scent, Tuberose & Wild Fig, Kate said: “It’s inspired by my favourite time of day in Saigon -dusk - where the warm air carries the really rich and romantic scent of jasmine and tuberose, and that’s what I wanted to bottle.”

With this Tuberose and Wild Fig reed diffuser, let’s talk about the key scent notes found here. The tuberose, unlike the name suggests, is not a rose. It is, in fact, a member of the agave family (which gives us tequila!) it provides a powerful floral and heady nose with an olfactive spectrum, the smell of tuberose is like an explosive bouquet of white flowers.  Studies have shown that the tuberose scent when inhaled can help reduce stress, and help fight insomnia The inclusion of the warm night-flower jasmine is known to improve balance, restore, and revitalise energy giving an uplifting feeling of joy and relaxation. The ripe, fruity and earthy wild fig lingers here as the base note, cocooning and embracing with its softness. Finally, there also gentle burst of freshness from the citrusy bergamot.  What we love about reed diffusers is that they can be left unattended or you can remove the reeds and replace the stopper for occasional use. Also Inverting the reeds or increasing the number of reeds will strengthen the fragrance. You can find the reed diffuser here for £60.

Universal Soul Company - Positive Energy STILL Candle

Right now at The Amazing Blog, we think it's essential to take time out each day for meditation and relaxation removing ourselves from the worries of this global pandemic! Put on a little relaxing music and take advantage of a mindful moment. For our regular readers, you’ll probably remember reading about our suggestions of the Aromatherapy Eye Pillow from Sanda and the De-Stress Drop from Absolute Health. To complement all of these, today we want to introduce you to one of our other #amazingfinds the Positive Energy Candle STILL from Universal Soul Company.

Actress and wellness expert Sara Griffiths recently founded this luxury lifestyle brand. Her wish is to create products that are both aesthetically pleasing and provide wellbeing. All her products are vegan, chemical-free, environmentally friendly and even have Braille writing on the packaging to make them accessible to everyone. The Universal Soul Company specialises in candles and mists. Again, dear readers may remember reading about their award-winning 3-in-1 Still Soul Mist here. This recently won Best Aromatherapy Self Care Mood Enhancing Products in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards. Well, we were ‘won over’ then (excuse the pun) and even more so now with their candle. The company focuses on ‘profit for purpose’ and donates a portion of its revenue to different charitable causes - which we love.

At this moment of uncertainty, this wellbeing candle could not be more appropriate. The Positive Energy Candle STILL does what it says – it’s gloriously uplifting and grounding. It offers you calm and tranquillity with its delicious combination of patchouli and lavender scents that will help to transport you into a harmonious state.  Made from a soy-based wax, it’s a vegan candle that burns clean (no black smoke) with a long-lasting burn time of approximately 50 hours. We will admit to lighting this candle numerous times particularly during moments of anxiety – even in the middle of the night! It truly does soothe and helped us to focus on a more positive mindset. Oh and we nearly forgot to mention that this candle is also an Editor’s Choice winner in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards too. This is wonderful for you or makes the perfect gift to help bring positivity to others. You can purchase your 210g Positive Energy Candle STILL here for £30.

Elm Rd - Amira Studio Reed Diffuser

This week’s post comes to you hotfoot from the striking opulence and intricate palatial architecture of the Middle East, and the arid desert landscapes … at The Amazing Blog are immersing ourselves in the sultry, smoky enclaves of heat, perhaps with some billowing linen providing a breath of air in the background, amidst all the grandeur, both faded and vibrant, but always intoxicating. Are we going overboard with the visuals here, or are we simply buying into the founding ethos behind Elm Rd.’s   fragrance range of candles and reed diffusers wholeheartedly? 

Elm Road is a company with their manufacturing base in Kent, and is the brainchild of Miguel Ángel, who had been living the corporate life of imbalance whilst working as a shoe designer when he had a moment of clarity in a San Franciscan park. Exhausted from the rigours of his busy schedule, the aromas of the eucalyptus, pine and cypress trees enveloped him and transported him to another time and place - one where memories and reminiscences helped to restore and heal, ultimately enabling him to make the huge decision to overhaul his life completely. Happily for Miguel - and indeed for us all - this turning point marked the beginning of Elm Rd, and his new venture of creating extraordinarily effective triggers to help us all slowdown and indulge a slower pace for however long we can all allow ourselves to escape.

We are focusing on Elm Rd.’s Amira Studio Reed Diffuser here, but there are a whole host of similarly indulgent concoctions to check out too. Amira Studio though is a heady blend of pure essential oils of mandarin, oud and geranium, conjuring up the ambiance of Arabian Night-like tales of romance and intrigue; combining the sumptuous aromas of frankincense with citrus and floral undertones. Whilst this fragrance has a strength to it from those base notes, it is not overpowering, but the ensuing subtle botanical aroma is just enough to sustain our journey of recollection back.

This stylish Amira Studio reed diffuser comes in 100ml, which is priced at £38 from here. All the ingredients are plant-based, paraben-free, and vegan-friendly with an eco-friendly diffuser base. The 100ml option should last between 3 and 4 months depending on the season and of course room temperature. Go on spoil yourself and be transported to more exotic climes with this intoxicating aroma.

Jonathan Ward – Roscuro Candle

We don’t know about you, but when we eventually flop down on our sofa after work, we think that there’s nothing better than relaxing, watching a flickering candle flame and surrounding ourselves with a gorgeous fragrance. And as regular readers will know, at The Amazing Blog we’re big fans of candles! As the nights draw in with this unpleasant dank autumnal weather, it’s speeded up our search to find exotic scented candles to uplift our flagging spirits. Today we wanted to share with you one of our latest #amazingfinds and candle discoveries with ‘Roscuro’ from Jonathan Ward.

Jonathan Ward is a British home fragrance producer, who makes hand-poured candles using organic coconut oil, bees and vegetable waxes. They are all about clean-burning. These candles are certified organic by the Soil Association and the brand has fast become something of a pioneer in the world of home fragrances. Jonathan Ward made his foray into fragrance back in 1979 developing his first-ever perfume. Fast forward into 2018, where together with his European partners in Greece and London he developed his first candle collection ‘Scent of Time’.

This collection is a combination of thirteen candles all inspired by historical figures and their legacies, but in a rather unique way represented through fragrance. We were very kindly sent ‘Roscuro’ to try. This is candle is inspired by the artist Caravaggio, where ‘chiaroscuro’ defines his painting technique of creating ‘light and shade’. For those not familiar with Caravaggio, let us explain, he is probably best known for his painting ‘The Calling of Saint Matthew’ where he uses a painting technique bringing people and objects from the shadows into the light. Talking of light, we lit this candle last night and can happily confirm that it gave a glorious aroma with a heart-warming fragrance blending base notes of Bailloni wood and amber; hints of iris, honey, and hay giving it a delicacy, and shots of prune and patchouli as top notes. Particularly now with the sun so low in the sky creating dramatic shadows as the days shorten, this candle’s fragrance takes us seamlessly through a journey from autumn to winter. Best of all, its hypnotic aroma fills the room without being overpowering.

This elegant candle is contained in a glamorous double old fashioned style whisky glass which is perfect for repurposing for a second life. We also love their use of the traditional GF Smith British papers used for the stylish boxes and labels. Not forgetting to mention their double cotton wick which allows the candle to burn cleanly for up to 45 hours. Jonathan describes this candle as ‘warm nostalgia’, and we couldn’t agree more. He has an excellent nose for an enticing fragrance and now we’ve experienced the mesmerising Roscuro - we’ll certainly be returning to try more. These candles are available exclusively online here for £40 (240 mg); or at one of their eight partner shops here in London, Los Angeles, Hove, Stockport or Fife.