I recently attended a candle-making course, and it quietly changed the way I think about scent in the home.

We worked exclusively with soy wax and essential oils – no paraffin, no synthetic fragrance oils, no shortcuts. And the difference was immediate. The scent was softer. Cleaner. Less aggressive. It didn’t cling to the back of your throat or linger in a way that felt overwhelming.

It made me realise how accustomed we’ve become to inhaling things that aren’t particularly kind to us.

Many mass-produced candles are made with paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances, which release volatile organic compounds when burned. We light them to relax, to unwind — yet they often do the opposite on a physiological level.

Making candles this way felt slower, more thoughtful. You’re choosing oils for how they make you feel, not how loudly they announce themselves in a room.

I’m not suggesting everyone throw away every candle they own. But once you experience the difference, it’s hard not to be more discerning.

Like so much of homemaking, this was less about the end product and more about the process – slowing down, understanding what we bring into our homes, and choosing better when we can.