Ember - massage candle by Jimmyjane - review by Rayne Millaray

Because Ember is so much bigger than most massage candles, you don't have to be overly concerned with restricting it to massages. It lasts up to 72 hours when burned like a normal candle for its aroma, or you can use it to moisturize your skin.

Before lighting this candle, place the lid under the jar to protect the surface you're burning it on. Trim the wick to a quarter inch every time you light it to prevent ashes and charred remains from falling into the wax. Be sure to remove any charred pieces from the melted wax before it hardens to maintain clean burning and avoid rubbing ashes into your partner's skin. And allow the entire top layer to melt before pouring the wax so the candle will melt evenly.

In the porcelain jar, Ember is stiffer than most massage candles I've tried. You have to apply a considerable amount of pressure to the surface to dent it.

When melted, Ember feels a lot like a warmed mineral oil lotion - like, say, Lubriderm - only slightly thicker. It's not so much greasy or sticky. It doesn't really run unless you pour too much in one spot.

It pours really easy. Perhaps too easy. Or perhaps it was just that I made the mistake of glancing at the clock to see how much time I had before M would insist on sleep. But the first time we used it, I accidentally poured way too much on his back. What's really cool is this massage candle is huge and even with how much excess I used, there's still over half the candle left.

Have you ever walked through a slightly overgrown Louisiana backyard somewhere between late spring and high summer? If so, then you've smelled this candle before. The thick, heady aroma of honeysuckle blending beautifully with the sweet, grassy clover. If it's humid, it's intense and overwhelming, making your eyelids heavy as you mosey over to lay in the hammock.

But Ember doesn't suffocate like that backyard can, and sometimes does. Its aroma, while flowery and thick, is light and breezy in nature. It's strong enough to fill the room if you leave it burning for a while, but light enough that it isn't overpowering for the masseuse or the person they're massaging.

It smells of spring romance and summer flirting. Fresh cut wildflowers or a stroll through a field. Gentle brushes of fingertips along spines and thighs. Tender whispers of lips against collarbones and chins.

There's this line, I've found, with most massage products. It's a very fine line. And it's the difference between "way too much" and "nowhere near enough". If you cross this line with Ember, the product doesn't really absorb well and sort of leaves a waxy feel to the skin.

Other than that, it's long-lasting, smells delicious, moisturizes nicely and feels awesome in use. It reduces friction during massage to almost nothing. It doesn't really feel waxy or greasy when you're finished. And the wax is a snap to clean off the outside of the jar and off your partner's skin, if you feel the need. A warm washcloth works for both.

This candle comes in a black cardboard box with a red band that describes the candle. It's got a white cover with the JimmyJane logo on the front that the black box fits inside. Inside the box, you'll find the porcelain jar and lid, a user manual and thin piece of foam to protect it in transit.

Ember is made of Jojoba, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Soy, Aloe and "other botanicals". Because its base is soy wax, it's paraffin-free and burns clean. The wick is made of natural cotton and is lead free. It burns up to 72 hours. And it comes in a reusable porcelain container with a lid that doubles as a sort of heat-resistant holder.

I am completely in love with this candle. From its light, flowery fragrance, to the beautiful container, to how it performs, I couldn't have asked for a better massage candle.

We also discovered a couple things about massage oils and such with this candle.

I can't afford to waste a drop of any product we use, so I'm usually quite stingy with how much I use. Just enough to ease the sliding of my hands and not leave M's skin feeling "slimy". No more, no less. But I wasn't paying attention when I poured Ember for the first time, and I poured entirely too much onto M's back. I expected him to complain, but instead, he surprised me by saying he actually liked it better that way. Maybe not with *too* much, like the first time we used it. But definitely more than I've been using.

I tend to use a playing card or an old bus pass to clean the outside of the jar. When it dries, I run a playing card up the side and dump that little bit of wax back inside for the next time I use the candle. Or occasionally, I massage it into my hands like I would lotion.