Style & Taste

Candles

Everything we have written about scented candles: how soy wax burns, why the first burn decides the life of the candle, and how scent throw behaves in a cooled room where the air is constantly moving.

A candle is one of the few objects that is used up, so the details matter more than they first appear. These pieces cover choosing a fragrance that suits the room rather than the shop, reading burn times honestly, keeping a clean and even melt pool, and knowing when a candle is finished. If you are buying a scented candle in Dubai and want one worth living with rather than one that sits unlit, start here.

Woven cotton baskets holding linen-wrapped parcels beside a lit amber soy candle and a eucalyptus wreath for a quiet Christmas

Latest

Candles

Christmas Gift Ideas in Dubai That Survive January

Christmas gifts for her, for him, for the family who hosts and for Secret Santa: candles, baskets and canister sets that are still in use in March, delivered across the UAE.

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A Diwali gift hamper in a small woven cotton basket holding a blush soy candle and a cream tea canister with marigold petals and a brass dish of sweets
Candles

Diwali Gift Ideas in Dubai That Outlast the Sweets

Diwali gifts for the home instead of another box of mithai: candles for the festival of light, a hamper you build yourself, and canister sets for the family kitchen.

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Two lit soy candles in amber and blush glass among brass diyas and a marigold garland on an oak console for Diwali
Candles

Diwali Decoration Ideas at Home: Light First, Everything Else Second

Diwali decoration ideas for Dubai apartments: clear the surfaces, cluster candles and diyas at low height, marigolds in one colour, and a table set for sweets.

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The Golden Hour soy candle in its frosted amber glass vessel with a bamboo lid, resting on linen beside a knitted throw and dried eucalyptus
candles

How to Fix Candle Tunnelling - and Stop It Coming Back

A candle that burns down the middle and leaves a wall of wax is tunnelling. Why it happens, how to rescue one that has already done it, and the single habit that prevents it.

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The Nocturne soy candle in its soft pink frosted vessel with a bamboo lid
candles

Why Is My Candle Smoking, Sweating or Leaving Soot?

Black smoke, soot on the glass, beads of oil on the surface. Four common candle complaints, what each one is telling you, and how to put it right.

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The Quiet Hours lavender soy candle in its ceramic vessel with a bamboo lid
buying guide

Do Candle Warmers Actually Make Candles Last Longer?

Warmer lamps promise a flameless candle that lasts far longer. Whether that is true, what you give up in scent throw, and the cheaper habits that add more hours.

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The Bloom pomegranate and pink pepper soy candle in its ceramic vessel with a bamboo lid
candles

How to Make Your Home Smell Good - Without Plug-Ins or Synthetic Sprays

Air freshener masks. A well-scented home does something quieter. How to build layers of natural fragrance that last all day, starting with the smells you remove.

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The Soft Existence woven cotton basket set in cream and natural jute, the larger and smaller sizes together
buying guide

Housewarming Gifts for a New Home: 12 Ideas That Actually Get Used

Most housewarming gifts end up in a cupboard. A guide to the ones that survive the first year, what to spend, and how to give something useful without giving something dull.

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The Soft Existence woven cotton rope basket in cream and natural jute with its leather label
candles

Eid Gift Ideas for the Home

Gifts for the house rather than the person. What to give at Eid for friends, family, colleagues and hosts, with notes on presentation and on what to spend.

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A lit Soft Existence amber glass soy candle with a clean even melt pool and bamboo lid on a travertine ledge
buying guide

Soy Wax, Explained: Why It Burns Cleaner, Slower and Truer

What soy wax actually is, how it differs from paraffin, and why it matters in a warm, air conditioned home. Plus how to read a candle label honestly.

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A Soft Existence woven cotton basket wrapped as a house gift with a white ceramic flower candle, linen ribbon and eucalyptus
candles

The Considered Gift: What to Bring When You Are Invited Home

A short guide to house gifts that are actually used. What to bring to a first invitation, a housewarming or an iftar, and how to put together a gift basket that does not look like a hamper.

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Amber and blush pink Soft Existence scented candles lit on a travertine ledge in a Dubai apartment with lattice window light
buying guide

Scented Candles in Dubai: How to Choose One Worth Living With

Heat and air conditioning change the way fragrance behaves. A practical guide to choosing scented candles in Dubai, from wax and wick to the right scent for each room.

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