Published 27 September 2022

There are so many ways to utilize plants for your benefit. They are used in nearly everything! We eat them, wear them, sleep on them, and so much more. It’s no surprise that they provide an insane amount of benefits. Everything from seeing, touching, and smelling plants causes a physical reaction in the human body. There’s a reason people go to the hills to relax and find rest from the business of every day. But, not everybody can take a nice relaxing vacation. For those who just need a small break to destress, candles are a great option. Candles can allow you to bring the scent of your ideal relaxation location into your home.

The unique scents around the world come from the combination of natural components found in plants, air, soils, and animals. These scents interact with our brains to cause specific reactions as a particular scent is attached to our memories and emotions. This is why we can utilize candles to energize, calm, focus, and more. If you have ever smelled a pine tree and thought, “it smells like Christmas,” you have experienced this reaction. Christmas doesn’t actually have a smell. It is an event, a holiday, a period of time. Instead, you associated the role pine trees, apples, oranges, cranberries, and temperature play with traditions, emotions, and memories created at Christmas time. A familiar scent can transport you to a memory in an instant.

Knowing how different scents affect your body can allow you to relax or energize when you need to. In college, I would often study with a candle burning as it would help me to focus on my school work when I was tired from working nights. If you have a hard time sleeping, you may find it helpful to burn a lavender, jasmine, chamomile, or vanilla candle while winding down with a good book before sleeping. Creating this type of habit will allow your brain to associate the scent of the candle while relaxing with a book as a cue for bedtime.

If you tend to be picky about the scents in your home, try making your own candles. They are extremely simple to make. The best thing about making your own candles is you get to control how strong they are. For a personal touch, we suggest adding a few dried flowers from your garden. Add them to your wax for a burst of floral aroma, or strategically place them around the edge where they will add a beautiful addition to your home decor.

How To Make DIY Floral Candles in 8 Easy Steps

Supplies: Glass or ceramic containers such as mason jars, soy or organic wax, candle wick, skewer, essential oils, dried flowers.

• Step 1: Wash your containers well if they are transparent to prevent visible smudges in your finished product.
• Step 2: Melt your wax. You will want to do this slowly for it to cool quickly and set in your container. Low heat will also prevent your dried flowers from being damaged.
• Step 3: Add your dried flowers to your container. Stick them to the side for a more decorated look. You can also add more flowers as the wax is poured.
• Step 4: Pour the wax into your containers. Use a skewer to mix and push your flowers into the wax.

• Step 5: Add essential oils for a personalized scent. Allow your wax to cool slightly to prevent the oils from smoking. Strong scents will only need a couple of drops while more subtle ones may need 20 or more for a strong presence. Gently mix the oils throughout the wax.
• Step 6: Place a wick in the center of your candle for even burning.
• Step 7: Secure your wick while the wax cools in place. Make sure your wick has rested on the bottom of your container. Then use a skewer, dowel, or clip to secure the top of the wick above the wax until it is set.
• Step 8: Allow your candle to solidify over 24 hours in a cool, dry location. Moving your candle during this time may cause your wick to migrate out of place.

Enjoy your new creation for yourself, or share it with a friend.