Setting the mood with romantic candles

When romance is the order of the day, the first item on your list should be candles. The great thing about candles is that they are not room specific, and can be used to create a very romantic setting anywhere in the home.

Candles have a unique ability to create a moody and romantic ambiance wherever they are placed.

Did you know that candle colours have different meanings?

• White candles are believed to signify truth and spiritual strength. When they are combined with red candles, they create a very special and romantic setting.
• Pink candles are the introduction to red. They are used to win affection and love, to signify attraction and tend work really well at the beginning of a relationship.
• Red candles signify vigour, health and life. More importantly they clearly indicate romantic attraction and love. When you are ready to take your relationship to the next level. The most romantic candle to light is a red one.

The scent sets the scene

Try not to overthink the scent of your candle, as the ambiance of a burning candle will generally do the trick. However, there are a number of beautiful scents that can accompany your romantic candle setting perfectly.

• Vanilla is comforting and soothing, with a gentle aroma.
• Lavender is often used for releasing muscle tension, and will bring a relaxing atmosphere to your candle-lit romantic setting.
• Ylang Ylang is a scent that has been used for many years as an aphrodisiac. It has wonderful mood-lifting effects which can ignite romance in a unique way.
• Jasmine provides an old-fashioned romantic setting that the right candle setting will result in a relaxed and romantic atmosphere

The Calming Charm And Sense Of Scented Candlelight

"How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world." said William Shakespeare. Nice sentiment to the humble candle indeed, especially as science backs up its powerful calming effect on humans.

Via the remarkable 'camera-like' lens of our eyes, light reaches the brain where it's used for far more than just enabling our vision. A string of non-visual functions require light, even if it's just the ambient calm of candlelight. Our biological clock and cognitive brain function literally go haywire in the absence of light.

What's the bet most of us work all day in ghastly artificial light and worse, in front of a computer screen too! Little hope of changing that but what you can do is use the calming light candles at home when the sun has set.

The influence of fragrances on human mood and behavior is well documented, so add the scent of natural oils to candles and let the magic begin. "The absorption of essential oils by the nose is as fast as an intravenous injection," maintains Gerhard Buchbauer, a professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at Austria's University of Vienna.

Here's what essential oils combined with candlelight's calm can alleviate for us:

• Orange Blossom or Lavender for reducing anxiety, depression and insomnia.
• Rosemary for clarity of thought.
• Jasmine for calming tension and activating the immune system.
• Basil for a positive outlook, better digestion and for calming our nerves.

So, as we 'hold the candle' to its potently calming effects, let it do its job in your home, in your life and in your heart.

Spectacular as a crowd pleaser and invaluable for a romantic setting for two, the power of the lighted candle will even work its magic when you're alone. As Georg C. Lichtenberg put it:

"Man loves company - even if it is only that of a small candle."