10 Ways to Use Candles to Improve Self-Care in 2024

Many of us use January to reset or restart the self-care routines that fell by the wayside during the final months of the year. We try to keep up, but the holidays often upset our best-laid plans to exercise or journal.

As you try to get back into routines, new and old, there’s a simple way to elevate and improve your self-care sessions.

You can do many amazing things to care for yourself, and not all of them look like facials and shopping sprees. Here are ten ways you can combine candles and self-care this year.

Burning a candle.

Our brains create strong associations with smells. When you burn candles during self-care, your brain learns to associate their scent with that particular activity. This helps you relax faster and get into the headspace for whatever you’re doing.

Take a Bath

Taking a bath conjures images of a sea of bubbles with a candle burning nearby. That’s because it’s incredibly relaxing to soak in the tub while your favorite candle flickers, filling the bathroom with its scent. While you soak, you can listen to soothing music, read a book, or even watch an episode of your favorite show.

Plan Your Week or Month

Planning isn’t glamorous or relaxing. But planning out your week or month sets you up for success in your daily life. And what we do daily makes the biggest difference in our lives. So planning is a great way to take care of yourself, and burning a candle while you do makes it feel less like work.

Do Yoga or Stretch

Yoga is a wonderful tool to stretch, strengthen, and soothe your body. Even a quick practice a few times a week does wonders for your health. Burning a candle with a relaxing scent while you exercise helps you achieve better results and deeper stretches.

Read a Good Book

Reading a book, whether a cheesy rom-com or a helpful non-fiction book, is an excellent way to practice self-care. Burning a candle while reading makes your reading session cozier and more like a treat. You can even pair your candle with your book, such as an earthy candle with a fantasy book or a clean-smelling candle with a non-fiction read.

Create An Evening Routine

Having a consistent evening routine helps you sleep better. While creating your ideal bedtime routine, consider burning a candle with a soothing scent for your brain to associate with sleep. Eventually, when you smell that candle, your mind will know it’s time for bed.

Our Evening Relaxing Candle Suggestions

Have a Spa Day

You don’t have to go out to treat yourself to spa treatments. Put on a face mask, do your nails, and give yourself a massage at home. All while burning a scented candle, of course. You’ll feel relaxed, cleansed, and ready to tackle anything when you’re done.

Take Care of Unpleasant Tasks

Another overlooked way to practice self-care is taking care of those tasks you’ve been putting off. You might not enjoy them, but accomplishing them will make you feel better afterward, which is the whole point of self-care. To make the tasks a little more pleasant, burn one of your favorite candles to generate happy feelings.

Journal About Anything

Journaling is a wonderful way to get thoughts out of your head. Sitting down for fifteen or twenty minutes to journal about your life, what’s on your mind, or anything else can help you reduce stress and feel more motivated. Burn a candle with a refreshing scent to make your journaling session cozier and more aesthetic.

Create Art

Taking time to draw, paint, or even doodle helps reduce stress. Set aside an afternoon to create something you enjoy. Make it special by having your favorite snacks, listening to music, and burning a candle. You’ll be surprised how good you feel afterward.

Have Friends Over

Spending time with friends gives you a chance to unwind, care for others, and enjoy good company. Lighting a candle during your gathering makes the place smell fantastic and feel much cozier. Just make sure no one has any allergies so you don’t accidentally trigger a reaction.

Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or hard. It’s anything that makes you feel better– physically, mentally, or spiritually. Sometimes, that’s as simple as lighting your favorite candle when you don’t feel great.

If you need a candle for your next self-care session that smells great and is good for your body, check out our 100% soy wax candles handmade here in the USA.

Post by Rachel Meyer    

Main Blog photo by Erika Parfenova