NGL Candles is a new brand of luxury candles from Budapest, Hungary, with a range of artisanal candles to lift your mood – or to set the mood, ah-aa! I’ve tested three, and here are my impressions!
This is the time of the year when I enjoy candles the most – because candlelight is comforting, it gives me tranquility, and I need my candles to smell really, really good, of course. There are a couple of other requirements: they need to look good as decor, have at least 60 hours of burn time, and not cost a fortune. If you’re looking for a nice gift this season, candles are always a chick and sleek present for any lover of fine fragrances.
And there are so many candles to choose from! This year I decided to give a chance to a new brand – NGL Candles. Some years ago I wrote about a selection of Niche and Christmas Candles, so if you would like to read more suggestions, you can take a look at these posts.
What do I look for in a luxury candle? Well, first of all, to match the “luxury” statement, beginning with – the scent. I do prefer candles by niche perfume brands, based on fragrances from their collections – simply because I know what I’m getting, it’s a safe choice. Secondly, if not related to an existing fragrance from a brand, I do fall for scents that match the desired atmosphere and mood. I’m personally not impressed by the kind of wax used, nor do I care for the so-called “clean beauty” approach – all candles hitting the market in the EU have to be tested and approved anyway.
Many waxes can be used for candles, and most luxury candles contain soy, beeswax, coconut wax, or a blend of these ingredients. All are fine with me but provided that paraffin wax is the cheapest and the fastest burning type of a wax, that could be a turn-off.
The other thing is, of course, attention given to all the elements – you’ll know a luxury candle when you see and smell one – and caring about every detail. Refind ingredients all the way, (and not having fragrance oil applied only on the top centimeter or two of the candle, btw.), a higher concentration of oils, complex fragrance profiles, plus the luxury candle vessels, be they minimalistic or elaborate, even gaudy. Whatever makes you happy to look at, matches your aesthetics, or even goes totally against your usual decorating style – why not? Instant and prolonged gratification, that’s also a big part of the candles experience!
I received a package from NGL Candles sometime ago, so let me walk you through and let’s smell the one I chose – Bliss!
NGL Candles arrive in brown paper packaging and come in two sizes. Regular candles are 230 gr/35 EUR, but they also have smaller, discovery collection candles priced at 45 EUR, and you can choose your combination: Romance, Mood, or Function. The wax used is purely botanical (info from the brand), and they have pure cotton wicks. All candles have glass vessels, with a minimalist and sleek design that can easily fit in any decor.
As much as I appreciate pure cotton wicks, these do tend to have a strong smell when you extinguish them but I admit I did a no-no – so, never ever blow them out. The only proper way (reminder to myself) is to use a snuffer or simply dip the wick into the remaining wax.
After the speed smelling of five received, I decided to focus on Bliss. This candle is a part of the NGL Candles Joy Collection with listed notes of Lemon, Lime, Bergamot, Verbena, Cedar, Lavandin, Violet, Rose, White Musks, and Tonka Bean, and 60 hours of burning time. Although the brand suggests that this candle is ideal for daytime, when you want to uplift your mood, I found it calming, relaxing, and soothing. I guess that depends on your idea of Bliss, but this worked out just fine in the evenings for me.
I always smell a candle unlit first, and although you can feel citruses upon first sniff of Bliss, they are not overpowering or tart, just softly present, and more Verbena prominent. A touch of cold rose, a bit of smooth Cedar, and some smooth, soft, gentle, and comforting musks – this was the dominant impression.
When lit, Bliss forms a gentle and fluffy scented atmosphere, brightened by citruses, but in a soft and comfortable way. What I felt the most were musks again, with an underlayer of cedary-lemony-woodsy notes with just a small touch of warm sweetness in the background.
NGL Candles are nice, fairly priced, mood-setting, and atmosphere-enhancing candles for everyday use. I never recommend blind buys, especially not when talking about candles, and this is where mini candles come in handy – NGL Candles minis are a good way to explore the brand. One more tip: please don’t judge a candle by how it smells like when unlit.
Candles need warmth, just like perfume needs our skin, to develop fully.
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2 Comments
Interesting article. Though the candle brands are increasing everywhere with new companies coming with unique scents. I would love to buy NGL Candle. Any information on its availability?
Hello, thank you for stopping by to comment. You can find a direct link to NGL Candles in the article.