Candle & Reeds FAQs

Can fragrance influence mood?

Fragrance is called the invisible influencer. When an occasion is rather stuffy or boring, or the mood in the office is downright depressing, the pleasant aroma of the right Candle or Reed Diffuser can quickly lighten the atmosphere. Human emotional response to smell is very sensitive, strong and subjective. Thus fragrance can both stimulate and soothe, bring relaxation or revitalisation, and add a little happiness to the ambience.

Why do certain fragrances take me back to my childhood?

The sense of smell is the only one of the five senses that immediately registers information in the limbic system, rimming the cortex of the brain. The other senses pass through a relay system before reaching the intellect part of the brain. The psychological effect of a remembered smell is immediately registered and triggers memory. That’s why a particular fragrance can remind you of an experience from your past – even from years before.

How do Fragranced Candles actually work?

It’s a bit technical… Once the wick is lit, the heat of the flame gradually melts the wax close to the wick until a melted pool around 1cm deep sits atop the Candle. The wick absorbs this liquid wax and draws it upwards by capillary action. Vaporised molecules are then drawn into the flame creating heat, light, water vapour and carbon dioxide. At this point, the wick itself isn’t actually burning, rather it is the vaporised gases that are being burned and keeping the flame alight. In fact, the vaporising wax cools the exposed wick and protects it from burning out. The heat radiates in all directions and more wax is melted to repeat the combustion process. The longer the Candle is left to burn, the larger the pool of hot, melted wax rests on top, giving off more delicious fragrance.

Why does it say to discontinue using the candle when 1cm of wax remains?

You must resist the urge to burn your LeRêve Candle all the way down to the bottom of the glass. It’s important to discontinue use when there is 1cm of wax left inside because the glass can get very hot as the flame nears the bottom and may cause heat damage to the surface its placed on. For this reason, it’s a good idea to always use a heat resistant surface such as a tray or coaster to prevent any damage to your precious benchtop or furniture.

How do I prevent black residue in my Candle jar?

Even though LeRêve uses pure cotton wicks to minimise soot, if the wick grows too long while in use, a carbon mushroom will form, emitting a non-harmful, thin black smoke and causing residue around the rim of the jar. To avoid this, simply trim the wick in between burns or every three hours if your Candle has been burning continuously. Using the LeRêve wick trimmer, cut the Candle wick to approximately 6mm from the wax. If you’re too late and there is already some black residue in the jar, simply wipe off with a wet paper towel or cloth.

How can I keep my Candles looking their best?

Stay out of the sun! Candles will discolour or fade when exposed to intense light for extended periods. Furthermore, due to the low melting temperature of soy candles, excessive heat or humidity can cause them to sweat on the surface of the wax. Store your LeRêve Candles in a cool, dry place if not being used immediately, and they will look stunning when you bring them out.

Does LeRêve recycle Candle jars?

Because glass can gradually weaken over time when heated, we do not re-use or recycle our Candle jars. However, there are many ways you can repurpose your LeRêve Candle jars once they’re empty. The first step is to clean the jar thoroughly using warm soapy water, especially if you plan to reuse the jar for food items. The next step is to get creative! Use them to store craft items such as ribbons, glitters, scatters and buttons. Fill a jar with coloured sand and insert your make up brushes and pencils or just fill it with cotton wool. Use jars for food storage such as cinnamon sticks, garlic cloves, vanilla bean, chia seeds, chocolates, marshmallows or lollies. At Christmas time, fill them with homemade sweets or biscuits and tie a ribbon around the centre of the jar for a lovely gift. Kids enjoy helping with this one!  

How do Fragranced Reed Diffusers work?

Unlike Candles, Reed Diffusers are flame-free and do not require any heat.  Natural fibre reeds contain a number of individual cellular sections that run from top to bottom like miniature straws. When these porous reeds are placed inside an appropriate solution, the fragrance is gradually wicked up through these channels to the top surface of the reed and is diffused into the air naturally through evaporation. The reeds become saturated with fragrance oil and remain saturated while providing continuous fragrance diffusion. It’s an ideal ‘set and forget’ fragrance solution.

Why does Reed Diffuser liquid discolour?

You may see some discolouration in your Diffuser liquid over time. This is perfectly normal and does not mean that your Reed Diffuser is faulty. Occasionally, residue from the natural fibre reeds can leech into the liquid. Strong sunlight can also contribute to discolouration or fading, so keep your Diffuser away from direct sunlight.

Help! My LeRêve Reed Diffuser is too strong!

LeRêve Reed Diffusers are formulated to give a strong fragrance throw which can be overpowering in small rooms or for sensitive noses. If you find that the aroma from your Diffuser is too powerful, simply remove some of the reeds from the bottle. Although six sticks are provided with each product, you can experiment using less to find your preferred fragrance level.