A recent #lblogger Twitter chat inspired me to publish this post, which has been sat languishing in a drafts folder for months now, and it’s a little different from my usual posts, so bear with me…
As a blogger, particularly one of the ‘FBL’ variety, there are certain cliches that you and I probably fall foul of: spending hours in Zara, having at least one pastel-perfect photo of a macaroon on your Instagram feed, using hashtags to punctuate your make-up routine… do any of these things ring a bell?
I’m all for a spree in Zara, and I’m working on adding some macaroons to my Insta feed, but there is one trend I just can’t get on board with, and that’s scented candles, or more specifically, Yankee Candles.
From Christmas and birthday wishlist posts to monthly favourites videos on YouTube, Yankee Candles have been cropping up on my reading list every week for months. Before I’m banished from the blogging kingdom (when I use words like ‘kingdom’ you can bet I’ve been listening to too much Disney), hear me out. First up, let’s start with the names; ‘Fluffy Towels’, ‘Walk Along The Bay’, ‘A Child’s Wish’… what kind of ludicrous titles are these? And don’t get me started on the aesthetics – dated illustrations stuck across the front of a glass jar that would be better suited to cookies than candles, and this level of ugly doesn’t come cheap.
During the Bristol Blog Meet at the start of the year I decided to check out the Yankee Candle shop in Cabot Circus to see if I was wrong, and that all the blogger hype I’d noticed was actually worth it. Lily and Louisa were entertained by my rants but a tour of the shop did nothing to persuade me to part with my cash. Most of the smells were overly artificial, and any that I didn’t completely dislike had utterly ridiculous names. Don’t get me wrong, I like burning candles as much as the next girl, but I just don’t see the obsession with Yankee Candles.
That’s enough ranting from me, now it’s over to you – am I the only blogger out there that doesn’t feel the Yankee Candle love?
Image by Helen
I don’t get Yankee candles either. I think they smell really artificial, the names don’t bother me but I agree about the labels.
I do like scented candles though. I buy Partylite vanilla candles mostly. I do buy candles for their colour but I don’t burn those ones.
Hahaha!! Oh SJ. There are some YC scents I love and a lot I don’t like. However, the best scented candle I’ve ever owned is the Melita Rose Amaretto candle. It doesn’t smell artificial, it smells delicious!! I definitely recommend checking them out, maybe they will convert you… ;)
I am fine with the cheap candles I can buy in bulk at IKEA, if I got something scented for a gift I would burn it but not throw a party for it!
I’m not a huge fan of the yankee candles either, although I still love other scented candles. I really rate the White Company for their candles – the scents are gorgeous and not artificial at all, and compared to some (ahem! Dyptique) they are more reasonably priced, so it doesnt feel like you are literally burning money!
There’s a few Yankee candles I really love which I buy in Tesco but the prices of them are pretty mental!
Maria xxx
I sometimes feel like i should to get my chromosomes checked because candles do nothing for me! Additionally i am very about judging book by its cover so no way would those candles with their recycled granny christmas gift vibe make it into my home. Yes I join you at risk of blogger banishment.
Yes, yes, yes! You finally published it!
I’m completely with you, they’re so 80s and the names are certainly good for a laugh! :-) x