His and hers candle by Illume candles - review by Hannah Savage

This is my second candle from Illume, and I have to say that I love their craftsmanship and product quality. Illume is a company that believes in getting the most from every candle they craft. They use clean-burning wicks made of cotton and their wax is either soy or paraffin-based, blended with essential oils. The term "clean burning" means that the candle won't leave soot on nearby surfaces or emit carcinogens into the air, and generally soy wax burns cleaner than paraffin.

This candle is half of a set called His & Hers (Seduction & Affection). Illume says, "Gorgeously updated and unabashedly seductive, our His & Hers collection ignites passion of all intensities. His & Hers fragrances are specially formulated to burn together, fusing into one luscious, seductive mood". While the His (Seduction) candle has exotic spices and precious woods, layered with rich white musk, the Hers (Affection) candle is a romantic blend of Tahitian vanilla, spun sugar and a hint of coconut cream. Both candles are encased in beautiful smoky glass and come in a very high-quality box. The perfect gift, in my opinion!

This candle has a burn time of 50 hours and weighs almost 10oz. The type of wax is not indicated on the box, but it is very soft and is either paraffin-based or soy. I have noticed that after burning this candle for approximately 5 hours, a crater is created in the center and the wax does not dissipate as quickly as other candles, so the wick only casts a very small flame. If you are a fan of bigger flames, once the candle is done burning you can manipulate the wax further down into the jar to create a smooth surface (as if it were new again). It is very easy to manipulate, and gets extremely soft--like butter--when warm.

The scent reminds me of a warm cupcake, sugary and sweet. It is very, very mild in my opinion. I set this candle next to my computer and light it on some evenings and the strength is enough to only maybe fill a small room, if not just the area immediately surrounding the candle. Of course this opinion varies person to person and their sensitivities to scent. Personally, I'm a vanilla freak!

I am amazed by the quality of Illume candles, both this and the Velas de Casa are wonderful to look at, feel, smell and share with friends. This is the perfect gift, especially as a set, for an anniversary, birthday, wedding, or spur-of-the-moment romantic surprise for your sweetheart.