Quarantine Candles

With social distancing and spending more time in our homes, it’s natural that we are nesting. Cleaning constantly, rearranging decor, ordering more things from Amazon than usual, and oh yeah, burning candles. Look closely at any Zoom call or social media post, and you’re likely to spot a candle or two burning in the background.

As silly as it sounds, part of the reason that candles are having their moment during quarantine likely stems from our desire to bring positive vibes into our homes. For many of us, including myself, our homes have become our only space for working, socializing (virtually) and relaxing. Doing all of that in our New York City apartment can be challenging. But alternating scents can help me feel like I have a small change in environment each day, and set the tone for what I’m doing throughout the day. Here are are my favorite quarantine candles right now:

So fresh and so clean, clean

If you aren’t vacuuming your apartment at least twice a day, are you even doing this quarantine right? While we are lucky to have a home office that my husband works out of, I have taken over our kitchen table as my remote work station. Because of that, I have developed a new laser vision that is like a magnet for any crumbs left on the floor or counter, and I use cleaning as a quick break throughout my work day.

I light this candle from my favorite cleaning brand, Mrs Meyers, when I want my apartment to smell squeaky clean. A variety of scents are available in the same fresh fragrances as their hand/dish soap, but I prefer Lemon Verbena. These candles are a great deal with two for under $20.

Simple sanctuary

As my close friends and family know, one of my sacred routines is taking an evening bath. When we were looking for an apartment last Spring, I wouldn’t even consider an apartment that didn’t have a tub I could soak in. Especially right now when so much is out of our control and feels unknown , quieting my mind and body with the ritual of relaxing in a hot bubble bath in the evening after dinner calms me.

When I want to build my own bubble of relaxation at home, I love these candles from Apothokeco. A friend of mine sent us their charcoal scented candle as a gift last year, and I became addicted to the clean, smoky scent. Recently, I got their sampler pack of votive candles to try out more of their scents, and now they are all over my house. My favorites are charcoal, white vetiver, and magnolia bouquet, but there isn’t a bad scent in the bunch.

A little more masculine

I have never been one for overly floral or sweet scents, which is why I would never have thought that my favorite candle of all time would come from Bath & Body Works. But I absolutely love some of their aromatherapy candles and more masculine scents that really bring a deep and earthy aroma into any room in your home. My dad always burned the eucalyptus and spearmint candle growing up, and it reminds me of home.

When I got married two years ago, my care packages for each bridesmaid included my own relaxation staples, including my husband and I’s absolute favorite candle for home, Mahogany Teakwood. We keep this candle in our bedroom, and burn the high intensity version whenever we need a refresh.

Shop local

Especially now, I love the idea of supporting small businesses, which is how I found Otherland candles. They are based close to me in Brooklyn, and I was excited to try their sets after hearing great reviews from friends.

I love the smell of Fall- campfires, crunchy leaves, crisp air. That’s my jam. Otherland candles hit the spot, which a few surprises. I decided to go with their set of three candles. During this pandemic, they are offering an additional 10% off, which is donated to New York City food banks (code: SUNSHINE).

I enjoyed these candles so much that I ordered them as Mother’s Day gifts for both my Mom and my Mother-in-law, and they both loved them. Personally, my favorite scent is Kindling, one of their classic scents, but they also introduce seasonal scents throughout the year. I tried their Stone fruit, and it has just the right hint of sweet and sultry.

While they are on the pricier side, the incredible customer service, beautiful packaging (a set of matches included!), and long-lasting burn time, these candles are worth the splurge.

Let me know if you try any of these candles below, or what you’re favorite scents are right now. Looking forward to trying in my newly self-proclaimed role as candle queen.