How candles, crystals and aromatherapy became the winners of the pandemic

Call it the placebo effect or sensorial therapy, but the candle wave is here to stay

At some point in 2021, when we had dealt with two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and were still unsure of what was to come, I found myself lost. Any motivation to get work done or meet deadlines was lost, and the burnout was real. As someone who believes in the power of vibrations, I found myself placing an order for a pack of rose quartz tealights in the middle of the night from The Lilith Store, a brand specialising in alternate healing products. Call it the placebo effect or genuine sensorial therapy, but every time I lit a tealight, I could focus better. I was able to knock multiple things off my checklist, and even once the candle burnt out, I didn’t care to check, because I was in tune with my work. As someone who deals with anxiety, I found myself lighting a tealight on nights I couldn’t sleep, and that’s all I needed to calm myself down. Everywhere I asked—or spotted on my Instagram stories—people seemed to be lighting candles for exactly that sense of calm.

We’ve all been using candles in our homes for generations, but what has made them hot property in the pandemic? I spoke to brand owners, aromatherapists and experts to find out.

The spike in candle sales

The pandemic forced us to look around us, literally, and reevaluate our surroundings. Setting up a home office, or even finding a spot on your dining table to create a sound work environment was a task for most. Doing so doesn’t end at a table and chair that works for your posture; it also extends to what’s around you, to put you in the right headspace and to ease the stress, uncertainty and anxiety that the pandemic brought on. GemTherapy by Rosado, a brand specialising in products with crystals introduced candles after the first wave, noticing an increase in demand. “Our core has always been about calming home rituals, and candles epitomise that,” says Sonali Dhandia, founder of the brand. The pandemic pushed people to discover the significance of self care. Building the right ambience, when you’re spending 24 hours at home, took precedence. Astha Suri, founder and creative director, NASO Profumi, credits this to “the understanding of the importance of self-healing and the right ambience to work or live around.”

Aromatherapy for the win

“Your instant mood elevation, the richness in your atmosphere and the impact aromatherapy makes on you is immeasurable,” says Suri, who launched her fragrance brand right before the pandemic hit. “The most important thing about the candle is its aroma. One must mindfully choose what they want their surroundings to smell of as it has a direct link to one's ethos.”

“The aroma of candles have the power to interact with your hormones and enzymes to cause changes in various body functions through our senses,” explains Dr. Blossom Kochhar, pioneer aromatherapist and chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies. “Aromas stimulate the olfactory system which is connected to the brain thereby promoting the feeling of relaxation, retrieving memories and controlling emotions. Aromatherapy works through our sense of smell which transcends the conscious level to reach the subconscious level, and is linked to our mind. At a deeper level, it triggers latent feelings. To deal with anxiety or stress, the inhalation of these aromatic candles can calm your anger, lift your mood, soothe your nerves and lend a boost of energy every time you inhale.”

Sensorial therapy

Candles impact our surroundings in two ways—they add a personal touch as a decor piece, the one you choose, one that calls out to you defines where you are; and they are catalysts of manifestation and intention setting. “The aura and ambience that candles create helps one feel at peace,” says Vineet Arora, CEO, Rad Living, a candle brand with tongue-in-cheek captions on their jars that escalated their popularity on social media. “It has a huge impact on how we perceive or feel in a space. The aromas also help release the happy hormones dopamine and serotonin which, in turn, helps one feel relaxed and refreshed.” Their candles, along with therapeutic benefits, also resonated with a millennial audience, infusing humour in their WFH spaces.

As for meditation and intention setting, candles enable each of these therapeutic practices, engaging multiple senses. “A candle is great for setting an intention, seeking a ground moment, a meditative ritual or just to focus on achieving a task,” says Dhandia. “Intention candles are used to manifest your dream life into reality. When you light it, it illuminates your intentions, and when you meditate on it, it releases a message and sends your energy out into the Universe.” Candles made for meditation and intention setting are often infused with crystals to elevate their therapeutic properties. “These candles help to effuse the healing and manifesting powers of crystals,” says Dr Kochhar. “They fill up your space with positivity, thereby promoting spiritual and emotional healing.

Dhandia says that crystals are said to have the powerful vibrations to stabilise a human's volatile energy. “Since the flame is fire, the energy of passion and growth, when a gemstone is infused with a candle, it is able to become an energy powerhouse and radiate healing vibrations in and around us,” she says.

The joy of light(ing)

Every time I found myself reaching for a candle, the act of just lighting one put me at ease, before the effects of the aromatherapy or crystals started to emerge. “To watch the flame of a candle flicker in the dark, the reflections on the wall or against a mirror distract the mind alongside a soothing fragrance,” adds Bani Chawla, founder and creative head, Suite No 8. The brand introduced candles in evil eye and hamsa jars and containers, adding an aspect of spirituality to the process. The best part: these jars beautify your space long after the candle has burnt out. “Lighting our Mashallah and Hamsa Candle is an entire experience—it's anything but mundane. The striking design adds to the entire experience alongside its fragrance. We worked very closely with Niana (a fragrance brand) to develop oudh and lavender for our Mashallah Candle that adds a very deep and relaxing aroma when lit. The Hamsa Candle is poured with Mandarin lime and cedar that transports you to a spa.

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