In focus....

Whilst it is true candles are at their core some wax, a wick, a container and more than likely some fragrance, because there are really no regulations governing the quality of the ingredients the end products can vary greatly.

For example to market a candle as "soy wax" did you know that you need only to have 20% of the candle from soy wax the rest can be made up of a combination of paraffin and palm oil? Both of these cheaper alternatives present problems with sustainability, clean burning and longevity not to mention the often "off" smell as it burns.

Thankfully there is an alternative. This month Beautifully Gifted has in focus creator of Loobylou candles Kere M Baker. These candles were created in response to an, at the time, devastating cancer diagnosis. I suspect during treatment the candles available at the time didn't quite match up with Kere's standards and expectations and not very tolerable to a sensitised sense of smell so she went about creating her own. She chose 100% soy wax and 100% lead-free cotton wicks so that during the burning process no harmful chemicals would be released. Any fragrance used had to be either of the highest quality perfume grade or a pure essential oil and were custom blended so as not to assault the senses. Even the containers were chosen with re-use in mind. Thankfully Kere came through that journey and still today produces high quality, hand-poured candles that still strongly reflect those early standards she set for herself.

So if you are looking for a candle with a unique blend of fragrance as a treat for yourself or someone special; or for someone either going through their own health journey or perhaps pregnancy or maybe just generally sensitive to chemicals and fake perfume fragrances take a look at Loobylou you will not be disappointed.