Unsure whether to buy a candle or a diffuser? Can't decide what would be most appreciated as a present? Confused as to what the difference between candles and diffusers is? We break all of this down for you in this article, so keep on reading!

CANDLE VS DIFFUSER - THE BASICS

Putting it very simply, candles are made of wax and often scented oil (fragrance or essential). They use a wick (which can be cotton or wooden) and are mostly contained within a jar (tin, glass, concrete etc) or free standing pillars (modelled into shapes or just plain). They sometimes also contain dye, making the wax a certain colour tone. There are lots of different waxes (soy, which we use, or paraffin, bee, coconut etc) and supplies that can be used, and each brand follows their own values.

For us, what matters is to only buy from British suppliers, where possible use recyclable packaging and products, and all our oils & wax are vegan-friendly & cruelty-free.

Diffusers on the other end, use very little ingredients: 4 in total. It required a base to mix your fragrance with, a jar and reeds to stick it in & diffuse the scent. That's it! But of course, like candles, there are lots of different supplies and values to stick with, like rattan or bamboo reeds (which are 100% natural), fragrance or essential oils, vegan or non-vegan bases, different sizes or colours containers and so on.

Now that we know what's what, let's look at what does what.

CANDLE VS DIFFUSER - WHAT IS BEST

You see, just like everything - we can't tell you what YOU will prefer. However what we CAN do, is explain the mechanic of both so you can make an informed decision.

Indeed, there's a way both candles and diffusers work and that may influence your choice to suit your preferences.

Candles, once lit, will diffuse a constant scent throw, filling the room and sometimes even spreading up to other rooms. Once blown out, the scent will stop to spread and will slowly dissipate.

Diffusers however, will require movement and air flow for the fragrance to be noticed. At times, in small rooms like little toilets, the scent can fill the room without any movement. But mostly, diffusers require to be set in a spot where there's passage, such as an entrance or a bathroom.

Candles, as we all know, need fire to perform - making them a fire hazard, and which is why selling candles isn't an easy process: a lot of security assessments have to be made and checked over. Candles have a burn time measured in hours, on average 30-40h (but can be a lot less or a lot more, check each candle description and volume to know for sure), and for safety reasons, should only be burnt 4h at a time. This means, candles can last as long or as short as you want it to (the less you light it, the longer it will last!).

Diffusers tend to last for 2 or 3 months at a time (but can be a lot less or a lot more, check each candle description and volume to know for sure), as once the reeds are dipping in the solution, the scent will diffuse constantly and evaporate slowly. Some oils may evaporate quicker or slower depending on the temperature (for example, the hotter the room is the quicker it will evaporate), but the temperature in the room that your diffuser is in may also affect the power of the scent released. If you feel like your diffuser doesn't smell much, try two things: first, flip the reeds around. If that doesn't work, try to change the location of your diffuser, put it in a different room in your home as this usually tends to sort things out!

IN SUMMARY

Candles are decorative, luxurious, long-lasting and one can never have too many. They suit all rooms and make everyone happy. The perfect present to all genders, they fill rooms with memories. The dancing flame is also known to be soothing, and therefore can be appreciated as a calming tool too.

Diffusers are decorative, luxurious and very long-lasting. But they also tick the safety box for people who want to avoid fire hazards with children, pets and forgetful brains in mind. They require no effort, and no maintenance. They tend to be cheaper than candles so more fitted to smaller budget.

Now that you have all the information in hand, what will your decision be?

Let us know if you have any questions or other ideas as to why one may be better suited than the other, we would love to hear from you.