Dona massage candle - body massage candle discontinued by System JO - review by lilly555

The DONA Massage Candle is a product that intended for couples use but one can use this to massage their muscles by themselves should they chose to do so. For those of you who are worried about potentially dangerous chemicals this candle is free from parabens, glycerin, and petro-derivatives. This does not mean one should use this candle for anything other than massages. As noted on the warning label at the bottom of the packaging do NOT use this as a personal lubricant, edible substance, or place near your eyes. Do use this to give your honey a much needed rub down that you both will enjoy.
If I had to recommend this product to anyone I sincerely think that this is great for everyone who loves massage candles and those who are new to the concept. Actually I would especially recommend this to someone who has never tried a massage candle but is interested in something new. DONA does not only deliver with this quality product but does so at a very affordable price. Given the size, price, and quality of the product I think this is great for first timers who are unsure if they prefer candles to oils or vice versa. Give it a go and find your preference.

As this is a soy based candle, it melts at lower temperatures turning into a luxurious oil that absorbs into the skin. There is no real texture to this but it is a bit greasy before it absorbs into the skin. Yes, I know it is an oil. I just mean that it does leave a sheen that makes you feel in need of a shower for a minute. Luckily this absorbs so quickly one doesn’t have too much time to notice. Now this product does not contain a means of pouring the oil onto your selected area. Because of this it’s more of a do-it-yourself project. Given the low viscosity of the product it barely dribbled down my arm before snuggling into my skin, so you can probably pour straight from the source. This doesn’t mean flip the whole tin over. Merely tip it over to pour, chances are some might end up staying behind to harden on the sides of the tin but hey what can ya do. You should be able to pour low dosages of it without causing too much of a mess given its thickness and low viscosity. Don’t fret and think this means it’s too thick and likely to turn into gunk. It melts so easily this will not harden but absorb where you want it to.

This massage candle comes in a variety of aphrodisiac based properties: Blue Lotus, Acai, Camu Camu, Goji Berry, Mangosteen, and my own Pomegranate. When melting inside the tin the scent is fairly light. One would have to be less than an arm’s length away to smell this. Unfortunately for those of you who enjoy light fragrances that does not mean this fragrance stays light. Once the oil is applied to the skin it becomes stronger. As for the aroma itself the Pomegranate is not guaranteed to smell like the fruit. As previously stated the DONA ‘scents’ do not stand for a particular fragrance so much as the aphrodisiac properties they contain. This smells sweet and floral but not too much, it’s a sweet smell that reminds me of Spring when the flowers are just blooming. If you sniff closely enough while it's warming there is a hint of a fruity (Pomegranate?) fragrance to be found. This becomes even more apparent once you massage it on to the skin.

While this is a romantic smell I wouldn’t say it’s seductive. To me seductive smells are richer and muskier. This is an everyday scent, lovely to come across and something you want to smell like all day every day, but not a special occasion aroma. If you’re looking to set the mood for a special night this might not be the scent to go with. If you’re looking to stock up on massage candles because you love using them all the time this is a great fragrance.

According to the instructions located at the bottom of the tin to best use this product, “Light candle. When ready to use the candle’s sensual oil, extinguish flame and let cool for 30 seconds. Pour oil onto hands and massage into skin.” Simple directions for a simple product. As you might have noticed from the pictures it takes about 30 minutes to gather enough oil for a suitable massage. Luckily I will testify that this was true for my first lighting of this candle (pictured here) the DONA Massage Candle melts faster with each use. When used again the Pomegranate melted enough oil to the 45 minute mark pictured within 20 minutes during its second lighting. This is great for those of you who might worry that massage candles take too long to melt. If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of your oil I would suggest burning this before you intend to use it so that when the time comes to really fire it up you won’t have to wait as long for the oil.
Luckily the soy based oil of this candle absorbs into the skin within a minute of being rubbed on. This means one should not have to wash it off since it does not become tacky or sticky once applied. After this is applied the fruity fragrance will linger while softening the skin. Unfortunately this does not do as good of a job as some others at softening the skin since it leaves a light oily undertone rather than a conditioning feeling. It’s not too bad and doesn’t both me much since it could be worse but you should be aware of this. I would also recommend not dropping this oil onto your sheets, I have yet to do so but wouldn’t want to chance any possible stains.

System JO has provided the DONA line with very tasteful packaging. This massage oil comes in a metal tin that is surrounded with a faux purple lace sticker. Unless someone is really studying this tin and the words written discreetly on it, this is unlikely to cause much attention if left out in your bedroom. Since the sticker goes around the tin the ‘front’ portion contains the faux lace with the ‘back’ contains the ingredients. One should note that since this is a tin container there is a chance that the massage candle can become hot. I did not have any problems picking it up myself but I recommend that users be careful when handling this themselves. Furthermore since this does not have any extra device i.e. spout or spoon to help pour the oil you want to be careful to extinguish the flame before pouring.
Below you will find a picture of the DONA Massage Candle placed next to the Kama Sutra Massage Candle this is for comparative purposes. The DONA is 4oz while the Kama Sutra is 6.5oz and this difference does show in the picture. I would like to point out, however, that there is a noticeable price difference between the two. They are both quality products so I would say that when choosing a massage candle it’s about personal preferences: pricing, brand, scent, etc. This is merely here to give you a realistic size comparison.

Ingredients
Glycine Soja Wax, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Oil, Laminaria Digitata (Algae) Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Fruit Powder, Fragrance
About Pomegranate
Like all of the other selected ‘scents’ in the DONA line Pomegranate has aphrodisiac properties. According to GreenProphet.com Pomegranate, a native fruit of the Middle East, has fertility benefits while a woman is with child. This is due to the healthy amount of Vitamin C the fruit contains. Also the magnesium in this fruit helps to ease premenstrual indicators along with the fruits properties to help strengthen heart health. GreenProphet suggests that the overall health benefits provided by pomegranate lead to health and the body along with potential sexual health.

After using this product I noticed that the scent can be somewhat strong when applied to the skin. This scent even has a fair amount of lasting power, I used it at night and the next afternoon I could still detect the Pomegranates aroma on my skin. This might not be for everyone but I particularly enjoy it. Another issue that some may face that didn’t really bother me is how fast this oil absorbs into the skin. I didn’t mind this feature since I didn’t really like the feel of this fresh from the tin but I imagine most people might want something less absorbent. Mostly because it means you will have to reapply more often than you might like. But do keep in mind that for the price you’re still getting a great deal.