Author Topic: Scented candles, incense, oils (Read 2355 times)

njsquarebear · « **on:** May 04, 2016, 10:32:36 am »

So... I have a question regarding scented candles, essential oils, and incense. Which is, I just in general, apart from my spiritual work, go through a lot these three things. I just need certain scents to calm me down, make me alert, or create a certain atmosphere. I wonder if folks here have an economical place where they purchase such things (perhaps in quantity if they have a favorite scent, or their God(dess) does)? Also is it more economical to purchase just plain candles - like votives and tea-lights - and just rely on incense and oil-infusers to scent the air, do you find?

Noctua · « **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2016, 01:47:42 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

If I'm just using the candle for scent/ambiance and not for specific workings then I like to use the scented jar candles from Michael's arts and crafts. They tend to stock a pretty wide variety of scents that they change out seasonally, and will frequently go on sale 3/$10. One jar candle usually lasts me a few weeks at least (if not longer) lighting it a couple times a week for an hour or two each time. When the candle burns down low enough I'll take the remaining wax out of it and I then repurpose the jars for herb storage. I've saved all the wax scraps as well, and I'm going to try making new votive candles out of the remaining scraps.

Oh! Hey before I posted this I went and checked and Michaels has them on sale 4/$10 this week. I'm going to go stock up. :p

edited to add: obviously Michaels is only in US and Canada, which works out well for you in NJ but my info is less than helpful for anyone outside those two countries who may be reading.

Soletaken · « **Reply #2 on:** May 04, 2016, 02:08:33 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

I like plain tea light candles for pretty much everything. They're cheap, easy to find, and easy to store. I use incense for scenting the air. I'm lucky enough to have a shop near me that carries tons of different Incenses at great prices.

(4 for $10 jar candles?!? I don't use jar candles that often, but it's hard to ignore a deal like that. I'm sensing a trip to Michael's in my near future lol.)

Jenett · « **Reply #3 on:** May 04, 2016, 02:13:46 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

My preference is unscented candles and using incense, oil infusers, or perfume for scent, for a couple of reasons, in no particular order.

1) A lot of scented candles use artificial scents, which my lungs sometimes react to, and which in general I like less than more natural ones.

2) If you have scent on the candle, that's the only scent you can do with that candle. (And if you want to do magical workings that involve that candle, and magical oils, they may clash very weirdly.) This can also apply if you have several different candles going (say candles for different deities or elements.)

3) I prefer beeswax candles to other kinds, and they tend not to come scented or only in very limited scent options. (I also just like the natural smell of beeswax!)

4) If you're working with other people, they may have allergies that make some scents a problem. (Ditto if you live with people who will be around the space you do ritual afterwards, or pets). Scent from other sources than the candle gives you more options for amount, type, etc.

5) You can get a much wider and more personalised range of scents if you do them separate from the candles, in general, including making your own blends.

6) Incense, oil burners, or scented oils that go on you all are easier to control if they start to be overwhelming in the space (with a candle, you either have the candle lit or not, which is tricky if you want less scent but still candle.)

I use either incense sticks (from a couple of small cottage industry sellers, usually) or I do a lot of scent on myself: my preferred source for that is Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs. They have a separate magical line, but I use a lot of the BPAL scents for ritual purposes, on me, in a scent locket, or you can put a little in an oil burner.

One nice thing about that is you can get small amounts (they call them imps) inexpensively (about $4-5 an imp, depending), lots of people swap them, and a little goes a long way. (That amount will cover 'putting on me for ritual' for about 20 rituals, maybe half that if it's in an oil burner)

If I'm using essential oils, I like the Mountain Rose Herbs line for a combination of quality, reasonable price, and not overblown information.

Morag · « **Reply #4 on:** May 04, 2016, 05:27:48 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

I've been mainly doing scented candles since moving in with my husband, as he tends to be less sensitive to something that smells like vanilla cookies (whereas my incense will likely give him a headache).

I usually pick them up at the Great Canadian Dollar Store that's nearby -- they usually have a few different scents that are nice, and for reasonable prices. I'm currently using a small pillar candle that smells like cookies for my flamekeeping candle.

(Though personally I am limited in what scented candles I can pick up, as I find a lot of the fruitier ones tend to give me a massive headache and also smell nothing like what they say they smell like. The candles that smell like baked goods are pretty safe, though, and have the added benefit of acting like an offering of pastry when you light them. I also like ones that smell like trees such as cedar, or pine, but those I usually have to get more expensively as the cheaper ones are more likely to a) not smell like what they say they do and b) give me a headache.)

Scales · « **Reply #5 on:** May 04, 2016, 07:13:41 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

Dollar stores and walmart have plenty, especially as far as scented candles and incense. Little shops that sell bath bombs etc often also carry candles. Online is also a good bet, it's too expensive to ship to Canada now but a few etsy shops (I wanna say divinescentsations?) are good for it. There's bed bath and beyond, when they have sales.

Essential oils... it has varied for me between new age shops, health food stores, soap stores, etc as far as both price and quality. Best deals by far came from a farmer's market in my home town, and they were pretty good quality.

MeadowRae · « **Reply #6 on:** May 04, 2016, 08:16:40 pm »

Quote from: Noctua;190724

Also, when shopping at Michaels you should look to see if they have coupons on their website. You can scan it off of your phone, and sometimes they have a coupon for 50% off of any item.

Noctua · « **Reply #7 on:** May 04, 2016, 09:21:32 pm »

Quote from: ViolaRae;190737

Only off regular price though. I know way too much about Michaels, haha.

Emma Eldritch · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2016, 01:28:41 am »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

I admit that whenever someone tells me they're going to IKEA I tag along solely to buy candles. My sister prefers the vanilla ones, while I tend to buy plain because I prefer incense and oils for scent.

Incense I find I'd rather spring for the decent stuff since the cheap dollar store sticks tend to smell a bit funky and annoy my allergies. I've had good luck finding decently priced incenses at world music stores and smaller independent weirdo bookstores.

I also ponied up the cash for one of those oil nebulizer things - I find I can use a lot less oil than I did when I was just heating it, and get hours of scent out of what I do use.

Sobekemiti · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2016, 07:17:35 am »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

I don't usually use scented candles because I hate the way they smell most of the time. There's an exception for two that I use in my daily rites because they a) don't smell terrible, and b) they're only $2 from the Red Dot store (it's like a dollar store, I think). So I can buy a lot of them at once and keep them at hand. But I buy them for the colour, not the scent.

The taper candles are always more expensive, but I mostly use gold and silver, and whatever else I need I get from ebay or wherever else I can get them cheapest. I also get my tealights from IKEA.

I would probably use plain candles all the time if I could find them. I use incense for scent, so the scent of the candle doesn't matter to me.

Incense I buy in bulk every four months or so. I use Japanese incense, and I get it from an online store based interstate from me, so the shipping is cheaper too. I usually buy 2 or 3 boxes of each at the same time, and that keeps me going so I don't need to worry about it running out. The only incense I use I can't get there is Morning Star, but it's much easier to find that, and I can get a buy 3 get one free deal at a shop on ebay, so I buy them there. But this is for the incense I use in my morning and evening devotions, and I go through that a LOT.

The only Indian-style incense I buy is from a local company, and that's so I can have frankincense, rosemary, and myrrh incense on hand for the moments where I need them. They're not as cheap as the cheap Indian incense you get from dollar stores and other places, but they don't give me migraines, so they're worth the price.

The thing I spend the most on is frankincense essential oil, which I use to wipe down my shrines when I'm redoing them, and to anoint myself and my statues and my tools. It's the one thing I won't compromise on, or do without. I have a couple of favourite brands I like, so I buy them when I have the money for them so I've always got a bottle or two on hand. I do use other oils, but it's only a handful of scents, and I don't use them very often, so that keeps the costs down in terms of how much I use and how often I need to replace them.

Dynes Hysbys · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2016, 02:36:50 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

I always buy plain unscented candles ( and seeing the research that is now being done on the potential carcinogenic effects of scented candles I'm glad I do!). I burn incense or use an oil diffuser if I want scent.

missgraceless · « **Reply #11 on:** May 28, 2016, 04:54:14 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

I personally like scented candles for my shrine to Quan Yin, and She seems to like the "iced raspberry sangria" tealights I found at Walmart. I also very occasionally light Nag Champa incense I'd gotten online. I bought a box of 100 sticks probably 7 years ago now, and I'm barely a quarter of the way through it. (does incense go bad?) I don't light it often anymore because it gives my fiancé a headache even if it's been out for hours, but he likes the little tealights I mentioned.

Freesia · « **Reply #12 on:** May 28, 2016, 08:02:25 pm »

Quote from: njsquarebear;190720

I'm trying to be more of a DIY kitchen witch and use what I have around me. The woman who lived in my house before me planted 15 rose bushes. I have no idea what they all are, but the big red ones smell like heaven. I made rosewater for the first time and use it in a spray bottle and in my oil burner. It smells like a garden.

I'm planning on making rose oil as soon as I get a new bottle of carrier oil and tincture with vodka. I started making creams and lotions; they are so easy to mix up and are way better then the store bought stuff.

I made mint infused oil last year and had to throw it out when it got moldy. Next time I will make a way smaller batch, use it quickly, and store it in the fridge.

My essential oils are from Bramble Berry. I ordered them when I bought the beeswax, cocoa butter, and shea butter for the creams. I used the olive oil, almond oil, and coconut oil from the grocery store.

I also plan on making incense, but I do prefer the oil burner. Incense always set off the smoke alarm in my old place. I plan on expanding the garden beyond roses, but my dog digs up every new plant.

My candles are tea lights and plain saint candles. I live in New Mexico so they are super easy to find.

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Author Topic: Scented candles, incense, oils (Read 2355 times)

njsquarebear

Scented candles, incense, oils

Noctua

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Soletaken

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Jenett

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Morag

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Scales

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MeadowRae

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Noctua

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