Whether it’s a part of your #selfcare routine or you’re looking to spruce up your home, scented candles have long been an essential for creating special memories and relaxation. Since last year, it has even become a staple in staying home and staying sane. From the ritual of dimming the lights and lighting the candle, to enjoying the gentle sparks and crackling of the ignited wick, scented candles are no doubt one of the easiest ways to unwind and mentally escape.
And while we do love our luxury candles, we’re getting into the spirit of #SupportLocal by sniffing out locally-made ones that are just as refined and elegant. From unique candles that look good enough to eat, to ones made from used cooking oil, here are our top ten picks of Malaysian-owned scented candle brands.
Lilin+Co
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Co-founded by Julie Yim and her partner, Lilin+Co has been a popular go-to to get minimal yet beautifully scented candles since 2016. Their 100% premium soy wax candles are lovingly made and hand-poured in small batches to ensure that you only get the best. If you’re not sure where to start, you can purchase a small set that comes with three 65g scents. You can even get the candles personalised with your name or someone else’s as a gift. W lilinandco.com
Kandle Kandle
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This Penang-based candle brand doesn’t just offer affordable scented candles, they also sell room sprays and essential oils if you’re looking for more ways to perfume your home. Their scent blends are heavily inspired by nature, which will definitely appeal to those who love the great outdoors. Definitely check out their unique scents such as No. 2 (Ambrette, Sea Salt, Wood Sage), No. 5 (Goji, Mango, Tarocco Orange), and No. 10 (Clove, Rose, Agarwood). W shopee.com.my/kandlekandle
Håndlavet
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Named after the Danish word for “handmade”, Håndlavet brings the hygge lifestyle to your home with their 100% natural soy wax candles featuring scents inspired by memories and nature. For a pick-me-up early in the morning (particulary handy for lockdowns), try the No. 8 Mocha. If you favour the outdoors, the No.19 Raspberry & Sandalwood and No.18 Iris & Rose will make you feel like you’re taking a picnic in a lush garden. W handlavetcandle.com
Borneo Candle Studio
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Founded in 2018 by a Sarawakian and Bruneian duo, Borneo Candle Studio offers high quality, eco-friendly, and toxic-free candles with an accessible price tag. Here you can find scent blends ranging from zesty to floral, as well as more locally-inspired scents such as the Santan Cabin (Coconut, Vanilla, Musk), and Borneo Oudh (Agarwood, Elemi, Leather). Wborneocandlestudio.com
ANBO
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If you’ve got a thing for handcrafted pieces, you’ll find your match with ANBO, where delicately scented beeswax candles meet handmade concrete vessels rather than glass jars. ANBO’s Concrete Series of candles feature luxurious scents housed inside of unique concrete “jars” that can be used as home décor or storage after you’ve finished burning them. Then there’s the Concrete Block Candles, a reinvention of the aforementioned series that fuses the candle with the concrete block for a more aesthetically pleasing burn. I @anbo_my
Little MooMoo Craft
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Founded in 2019, this KL-based candle brand does more than just offering creative scented candles – but also products, materials, and tools to those interested in picking up the candlemaking craft at home. Their usual scents include lily of the valley, pink peony, and blackberry, and if you’re looking for something with more body (literally), their Sweet Dream candles feature a careful blend of maple, apple, cinnamon, orange, bourbon, and vanilla. If you’re someone who can’t keep an eye on the flame, you can even opt for their aromatherapy car clips of fragranced wax sachets. W littlemoomoocraft.com
Candle Lab+Co
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The incredibly creative Korean-inspired candles from Candle Lab+Co are certainly not your usual burners, breaking out of the usual glass or amber jars to take the form of delectable desserts, elegant mini sculptures, and adorable characters. The candles are crafted so beautifully that some almost look good enough to eat! So if you’re all about candles that look and smell delicious, you’ll want to take note of this one. I @candlelabco_my
OiLilin
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So you’ve heard of paraffin and soy wax candles – but what about scented candles made from cooking oil? In the spirit of sustainability and creating environmentally-friendly products, OiLilin recycles used cooking oil to craft their scented candles. And before you assume you’re going to get a whiff of Knife cooking oil, the candles actually come in luscious scents ranging from jasmine and fig milk, to blueberry and mojito. W oililin.com
Nudecco
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Another candle brand hailing from Penang is the aesthetically pleasing Nudecco, which offers 100% natural scented candles made from soy wax and beeswax. These minimalist candles come in a vintage amber jars featuring romantic scents such as 1990 Wild Willow (Calendula, Willow Leaves, Rosemary), 1891 J’Pierre Portrait (Roses, Red Berries, Musk), and 1893 Le Parisien (Vanilla Flower, Coconut, Sea Breeze). W nudecco.com
Ohlilin
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Looking for an escape from the everyday mundane and hectic? Let the gorgeous blends of Ohlilin candles whisk you away to quiet forests, a quaint European countryside or the glamorous city of Paris. The candles are made from 100% palm wax, and handpoured into vintage-style amber glass jars. Aside from wanderlust blends such as Parisian (Leather, Raspberry, Osmanthus) and British Rose (Roses, Patchouli, Musk, Agarwood), Ohlilin also does singular scents like White Freesia and Oh Peony for those who love the simpler things in life. W shopee.com.my