Eeeny Meeny Miney Moe

I am addicted to candles for their ambiance and I love when a home either smells really clean & fresh or warm & inviting. 

Sugary or citrus/fruity scents for the kitchen (like tarts or baked goods) and clean laundry or soapy scents for the living/bedroom area. I like candles that hold true to their described scent. I'm definitely not a fan of "perfume-y" smells. Basically, any candle scents that smell like perfume or colognes. If I'm playing toys with my son on the living room floor, I don't exactly want to smell the scent of sickly sweet potpourri lingering in the air. Any kind of strong "fake" floral fragrance sorta make me nauseous. Don't get me wrong. I love floral scented perfume on my wrists when it's date night with my guy and I certainly don't mind my man smelling like cologne...but I don't wanna be surrounded by furniture that's drowned in it. There's a big difference between wearing it lightly and breathing it in on a daily basis. With that said, I have tried just about every candle out there and am always on the search for 1) long-lasting scent 2) clean-burning 3) friendly-on-my-wallet candles. The following brands I list below were ones have either bought regularly or have tried a few times. There are thousands of different companies out there that promise the best candles in the world. I have tried many and some I still find delightful, but just until recently I found what I'd like to call...The Perfect Candle. :) Hopefully, you too will find one that meets your needs. There are plenty out there that's for sure! Good luck! xoxoxo



Yankee Candle

 I use to be a fan of Yankee Candles because of their pretty jars and well...their brand. I look back now and realize that YC's are just overpriced for being regular candles with scents you can find just about anywhere. It's all about marketing and their successful branding which is why people continue to buy them. For their name. I was always fond of their Baked Apple Pie and Holiday line, but they would smoke badly and leave soot all around the jar when I put them out. Then their prices were getting ridiculous. The only way to find a good deal was either online (which I don't know about you, but I don't think the online "scent option" has been made available yet) or via their outlet stores. They're not the most environmentally friendly candles either as they contain mostly paraffin, a petroleum by product. Recently, Yankee did come up with a soy candle line called "Beanswax" which is still a bit pricey for my taste and the scents were not strong whatsoever. As a mom on a budget, but still desiring simple pleasures, I browsed elsewhere.

Walmart "Mainstay"

As much I prefer to shop elsewhere, my wallet enjoyed the break from the YC splurging. For awhile there my favorite kitchen candle was Walmart's Mainstay Three-Wick Candle in Mulled Cider for less than $5.00. Oh, does it ever smell good! The price was right too, but sometimes you get what you pay for. These candles burned evenly (sometimes), but smoked far worse than the Yankee ones. These were actually the candles I used in my apartment when I first met Jason. I had them lit in little conspicuous places around the living room and dining area before he came over. Loved it!

"Febreze Home Collection"

I personally love Febreze products as they work wonders on diaper pails, the cushion seats in my Jeep, little boy's bedrooms and clothes, closets, etc... So when I saw that they came out with their candle trio collections, I was thrilled. The scents are not too overwhelming which is good if you're looking for something more subtle, but I personally prefer a stronger candle. They did however burn cleanly which is a plus. Only downfall, the collection only carries limited scents and aren't made with pure soy so the blend is not as "healthy" as some of the more expensive brands out there. Still enjoyed their aromas though and the price was reasonable.

Scentsy

Wick-free so more expensive than regular candles, but safer. However, I wasn't impressed with their line of scents. The "cleanest" scent I was going for was more powdery than anything. Also, not a big fan of any business that's over saturated with reps. I live in a city where a Scentsy rep on every other street is pretty common. Ok, I'm exaggerating, but if the price was right and the scent selection had a larger variety, I'd have probably had a better review for them. My first impression was not a favorable one so unfortunately the search continued...

And the winner is...

 

Pure Integrity Candles

http://www.pureintegrity.com/

Soy candles burn longer, cleaner and are made from a renewable resource. They're reasonably priced and smell good even when they aren't lit! Best of all (which I only discovered after the fact), the owners are Christians and their kindness is reflected in their very customer-friendly business. I support small businesses like that 100%! I've only purchased one scent from them so far,  Fresh Linen Soy Candle,  and I L-O-V-E. :) Can't wait to try some of their other ones!