& Scents sensibility
Feeling burnt out? ASHLEIGH COMETTI asks six creatives to share their favourite candles to ignite inspiration
IS LIGHTING A CANDLE the secret to boosting your productivity? Tapping into your creativity? Reducing your stress levels?
Functional fragrance, or the power of scent to activate parts of the brain that release neurochemicals to either trigger memories or impart certain emotions, has us perceiving deskside candles in a fresh light. For some of New Zealand’s top creatives, candles are a powerful means of awakening their senses and igniting inspiration. While some creatives lean in to the escapism scent provides, allowing them to tap into an alternate reality of sitting beneath swaying tomato vines in Puglia, Italy, or relaxing fireside in the “Swiss Alps, for others their scent of choice is woody and grounding — fostering a sense of calm and focus during a busy work day.
From jewellery designers and mixed media artists, to photographers, architects and illustrators, discover their top picks below.
1 Jasmin Sparrow, jewellery designer Aesop Ptolemy Aromatique Candle, $161
Scent profile: Woody, earthy and resinous, with notes of cedar, cypress and vetiver.
Jasmin says: “I truly love Aesop scents; I love layering their moisturiser, deodorant and perfume and walking around smelling like an Aesop store.
“My favourite perfume of theirs is Hwyl
— it’s quite an androgynous scent.
“Their Ptolemy candle was created in inspiration of this scent and is my favourite of the three they offer. I love having candles in our living room, I light them whenever we have friends over, or during a relaxing weekend at home with the family.”
2 Anahita Paul, photographer and mixed media artist
Flamingo Estate Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle, $113
Scent profile: Ripe with notes of juicy heirloom tomatoes, this scent is reminiscent of summer dinner parties spent in Sicilian gardens.
Anahita says: “My central way of sparking creativity is through escapism — being somewhere far away rather than my desk in suburban Auckland and dreaming up some alternate reality that I’m living out there. Scent is one of the strongest ways that I lean into this escapism.
“My current scent of choice is the Roma Heirloom Tomato candle by Flamingo Estate and my current alternate reality is being somewhere in Puglia, Italy, drinking red wine in the sunset and plucking my own tomatoes, prepping fresh panzanella salad. The scent is so vividly green and fresh, you can practically smell the earth it was plucked from.
“It helps get visual references flowing and sends me into a state of calm that I only experience when I’m fully switched off on holiday. It’s quite a potent scent, so I usually burn it in my lounge, right beside my home office.”
3 Milka Zaleska, ceramicist
Pompeii Home Capri Solid Brass Candle, $99
Scent profile: Citrussy bergamot and orange peel combine with neroli, cedar and vanilla to evoke long, summer nights on the Italian coastline.
Milka says: “While I’m not able to burn candles when working at the wheel, most of my ideas come to me during moments of relaxation as I can better focus on my surroundings to draw inspiration from them.
“I think best when all my senses are stimulated; music and a scented candle set the mood perfectly as I flick through art and design albums to find inspiration in shapes, negative space, or design.
“Some favourite scents you’ll find around my house are the woody aromas of Aesop candles and Pompeii Home — held in beautiful brass vessels to complement the experience.”
4Mila Alicia Haszard, jewellery designer
Mae and Co Medium Geo Candle in French Pear, $57
Scent profile: An uplifting blend of juicy lemon and lime, complemented by notes of coconut and fresh florals, set in a vanilla and sandalwood base.
Alicia says: “I am obsessed with New Zealand candle brand Mila Mae and Co, and in particular their scent of French Pear. When I found out it was a small NZ business I wanted to support them, but then became addicted to the smell as it’s just so delicious.
“I have the French Pear candle in multiple places in my office and home. I am always burning it. The scent is inspiring and really helps me when designing my pieces. I find that because I have it at work I associate the smell with working, it’s the scent we have in our office whenever I am in my creative zone. I have it at my desk and our packing table so I can really get into work mode.
“When I’m at home I have another Mila Mae and Co candle in a Gingerbread scent that I love to burn when I clean. I’m really into scent association.”
5 Babiche Martens, photographer Maison Margiela Replica By The Fireplace Candle, $105
Scent profile: Smoky and enveloping, with comforting notes of chestnut accord, red berries, clove oil and cashmeran.
Babiche says: “I love Replica candles which I often light in my office while I work, allowing the perfumed scent to circulate throughout the upstairs of my home. My current favourite scent, By the Fireplace, is a journey of nostalgia for me, whisking me back to my 20s when I lived in the snowy Alps of Switzerland.
”The warm, woody embrace of this scent transports me back to the cosy depths of European winters, nestled by the fireplace, surrounded by the grandeur of the Alps. I tend to lean towards burning specific fragrances that remind me of the various places I’ve lived around the world.”
6glass Kate Mitchell, multi-disciplinary
artist
Aesop Ptolemy Aromatique Candle, $161
Scent profile: Woody, earthy and resinous, with notes of cedar, cypress and vetiver.
Kate says: “Currently, my go-to favourite candle is the Aesop Ptolemy Aromatique Candle.
“I was gifted this candle on my 30th birthday last year and have since repurchased it because I love it so much.
Its real woody and rich aroma creates a warm and grounding atmosphere that’s perfect for my home studio.
“I’ve tried to make this space as homely and welcoming as possible, and this candle adds to that cosiness. The scent makes me want to stay in space and helps me feel grounded while I work.”