If you’ve heard me talk about self-care for well-being and productivity before you’ll have heard me say that self-care is about more than just bubble baths and candles…. Because it is! But…..

It sometimes is absolutely about bubble baths and candles!

I was overjoyed to find out about a new local venture in Newcastle – Hot Wax. So, I hooked up with them to have a look at their candles which are made of soy wax. What’s that you may ask!? All you probably need to know is – as you’d imagine – it’s made from soybean oil. There are ‘green’ benefits to using soy wax. It’s made from plants, it’s a renewable source, it is clean burning so doesn’t release toxins, and soy wax candles burn 40-50% slower than paraffin wax candles so they are good for your finances. Who would have thought!

Hot Wax sent me a Eucalyptus and Rosemary candle to try from their range of hand poured candles in a jar.

Eucalyptus is well known for its health benefits and is a prized fragrance of master perfumers all the world over. It has a fresh clean aroma which is sometimes described as minty, woody or citrusy. What’s not to like! And then you add in Rosemary! Magic. And it is. The candle smells great and fills the room with fragrance.

A study at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok put some science behind the magic when they found that there were benefits to inhaling the gorgeous smell of Rosemary that produced beneficial effects on mood! Northumbria University in the UK found that Rosemary improved contentedness. Being in good mood and content is something we’d all like to strive for as an outcome of our self-care!

So, you see bubble baths and candles do have their place in your strategy! What better thing than on a Friday night lighting a candle, putting some quiet music on, and clearing you head ready for the weekend. (Or any other night, or time of day, for that matter!)

Give Hot Wax a try and indulge in an olfactory experience! Or put another way – light a candle and smell something awesome ….and drift away!