by Avery, added 3/7/10

Brand: Blackwick’s

Type: Candles and Oil Warmer Fragrances

Fragrances: LA Nightlife
Heavenly Cupcakes
Cranberry Bliss
White Lily and Amber

Cost: $4.00 travel tins
$20.95 Square jars

Warmer Oils - 1 oz, $7.95

Warmer Oil burner
with 1 oz Oil: $13.95

Strength: Medium

Introduction to by review of Blackwick's:

Started in Texas in 2007, Blackwick’s is a luxury candle company that makes candles that are soy based, made with a special wax blend that they created and perfected. The goal was to make “long-lasting, eco-friendly, pretty candles that didn’t cost an arm and a leg“. Our mission, (and I glad I accepted it) is to see if they reached that goal!

Let’s start with a trip around their website - it has a simple elegance that matches their candles. Each scent is represented by a picture, so you get a sense of what the fragrance will be. There is not a huge selection of scents, but some of the ones they offer are not mainstream. You can see from both names and the descriptions there are several that are unique - I have my eye on Spanish Limes or Pears and Sugarcane!

What did my candles from Blackwick's look like?

Wow! Opening the box from Blackwick’s made me feel like a kid in a candy store. Even my husband (the anti-candle guy), hearing my Ooohs and Ahhs stopped what he was doing to watch the opening ceremonies! The presentation on these candles is fabulous. And, I am all about the presentation. We are getting off to a great start!

The look is expensive: a high end candle in a sheik tapered square glass jar. Each jar is encased in a transparent plastic box, with the photograph of the scent on the front. So, if you like your candles unadorned, and label-less, this candle fits right into your burning style. (But I have to say, the pictures of the scents were so cool that I had trouble throwing the boxes away!) There is also a small label on the bottom lest you actually forget what scent you are burning. But let’s get back to the photos … nice! Very nice! They are well designed, artistic photos that I looked at many times - and actually snipped one off the box to save because I really liked the color and minimalist design. Maybe you can hop on over to the site and see if you can figure out which of the 4 pictures I am talking about!

How do my candles and oils from Blackwick's smell?　

L.A. Nightlife

A glamorous photo of the night skyline decorates the box this 14 oz. candle comes in. I really like the name - unique and intriguing. Both the name and the picture made me curious and anxious to try it this scent. And double wicks! The excitement just keeps building!

”An exotic night out on the town with strong floral top notes that give way to mid notes of an unexpected but pleasant combination of mahogany, sage, and patchouli. This is a potent fragrance that will leave you craving more!“

This scent is complex and elegant, and fans of Yankee’s Midsummer’s Night will be drawn to this seductive purple candle. I could not pick out the individual notes in the description, but the melding of a clean floral (which gives it the night time elegance) is there along with the sage that gives it the masculine edge that keeps the flowers in check and prevents it from being a “girly” scent. Why L.A. Nightlife? In my opinion, not only does it evoke the glamour of tinsel town, the scent is a “nighttime” fragrance. This is like what you experience at a four star restaurant, the muted amber lighting, and the fragrance of the lily centerpiece at the hostess desk is in the air mixing with the expensive colognes of both the men and women - all this intermingled and adding to the glamorous evening.

Throw: this candle was impressive! I tried a powder room and it was way too intense. Next, a medium bedroom - completely scented! Finally, the big test - the dining room, where the scent filled the room, and wisps headed down the hall, and tried to climb the stairs!

Heavenly Cupcake

I say I am a non bakery type of person… but I will let you in on my little secret … when it comes to anything that smells or tastes like real butter cream frosting, I get a little tipped over. (I am so bad, I actually tell the kids I will clean up the huge cookie mess at Christmas, just so I can be alone with the frosting bowls.) I guess if they read this, I won‘t be alone for cleanup next year!

Anyway, let me wipe the drool of my chin and continue on. The picture on this candle scent is a little army of cupcakes with sprinkles. Don’t let those chocolate guys fool you - this is the real deal, the calorie-laden sublime vanilla icing smothering the moist white cupcake. The pale pink wax is the color of cotton candy - so not only does it smell yummy, it looks like a confectionary treat. This was last years’ best selling scent!

“Freshly baked cupcakes with extra cream cheese icing topped with sprinkles make this classic to die for. This delectable fragrance is completed by vanilla and bergamot"

Bergamot is a favorite of mine, but it does not stand out. The cream cheese however? I think that is the only thing that can improve cupcakes - and it’s there! I can smell it! (Happy dance!) This is a great fragrance if you like the vanilla cake and butter cream type scents and really don’t want the cutesy label that usually comes with it; this is just a delicate pink candle in it’s elegant glass container.

Throw: The big candle: Medium strong - but it is a sleeper! It burned for a bit and I didn’t get a lot of scent. After it had burned for over an hour and the melt pool grew, it was stronger than most “big name” candles I have tried that are a similar scent. It easily scented a 12x12 room and began to lightly travel out into the hall.

The oil: Strong, strong, strong, (using 1 teaspoon) for a big room! I put the candle in one room and the oil in another, with doors open the whole floor was lightly scented.

(Let’s talk about oils for a moment. There are many “right ways” to simmer your oils. And, a zillion very attractive oil burners to be had. You can mix your oil with water, with coconut oil, or leave it “straight up“. I am sure there are other options as well. Ask the vendor what they recommend with their oil. Blackwick’s likes theirs used “straight up”. Pay attention to your oil warmer! If you do not, you will have sludge - nasty stuff to try to scrape out of the bowl. Also, some vendors will tell you to leave it simmering for 20 minutes or so, then blow out the tea light - enough heat that the oil simmers to a stop and continues to fragrance the air in the process. Other say to simmer theirs longer. I usually stop mine in about 20-30 minutes because I don’t like the oil scent once the fragrance has burned off and I want to catch it before it turns. White vapor coming off when simmering is not unusual. Be sure and always follow the vendors directions and as we always ask - keep your eye on what you are burning!)

White Lily and Amber

“With base notes of deep golden amber and musk and subtle but lasting top notes of floral scents from White lilies and cyclamen this is a unique, strong, and beautiful fragrance for special occasions or splurges for it is the true essence of luxury.”

This is a unique scent. The cold sniff is a clean scent, reminding me of an ocean/rain type scent. Burning changes the notes quite a bit! You know how sometimes a lily fragrance is too pungent, too intense and amber can be very heavy, burying other scents? Well, this was a perfect blend of the two, very nicely balanced. As the white candle burned, the clean floral was mellowed by the sultry amber - and it turned out to be my favorite scent! The package photo sets the stage elegantly with a white flower on an deep amber background, rimmed in black.

This candle had the lightest scent of the ones I tested. Its sophisticated scent did nicely in the entry way - the amber gives it a cozy and welcoming feeling too! It was a good place to burn it as I think the soft scent and the size of the melt pool on this little candle was not up to scenting a larger room.

Cranberry Bliss

Fruit lovers - this is your scent! (Mine, too!) This is such a wake-you-up kind of scent that you feel perky just smelling it. The photo of the dish of cranberries does not do it justice, no hint of the vibrant scenting getting ready to erupt. The wax is a reddish pink, and when it is burning it gives a lovely pink glow through the elegant little container. (I would say “jar”, but that term is not elegant enough for these candles.)

“This amazing fragrance is a concentration of cranberries and crisp citrus flavors that are sure to make your mouth water with its rich, tart concoction. The citrus notes include essential oils of tangerine, oranges, and lemons.”

Even the cold sniff on this one is tart! This scent packs a punch - even at 5 oz, it easily scented a small room - cranberry with those citrus under notes mentioned ( to my nose it is tangerine that is the main citrus note.) It certainly did not seem like it would be big enough to scent far, so I was thrilled when I opened the door and was met with the zippy scent.

The oil? Yeowza! You want strong? This is blow-your-doors-off strong. The room, down the hall, up the stairs and around the corner! Again, I let is simmer for about 30 minutes. The scent lingered for quite awhile after the tea light was out.

How did my candles from Blackwick's burn?

These candles burn very cleanly - no soot! The double wick is great on the bigger candles, helping with the fluted tops. Some wax stuck in those corners, and I needed to smoosh it down it down into the melt pool a few times. The best way was to use the flat end of my wick-dipper. I just warmed it in the flame when the wax was soft and pushed it down. For those of you that like to play in wax - this was kinda fun! Once the candle had burned down past the flared part, the heat melted the most of the smooshed wax and a small amount was left on the sides.

The smaller candle also had to deal with those pointed corners. I think it is tough to get a candle melt pool all the way to the edges if the container is square. Since this was a single wick, those corners were out of the wicks reach, and the candle couldn’t get those edges to jump into the pool. This left a rim around the top, but once again, smoosh, and once past the flare and into the straightaway it made a melt pool almost all the way to the edge. So tuck those flared wings of wax down into the melt pool and let it burn! Here is the payoff - the throw seemed stronger when the candles had burned for a couple of hours.

Overall impressions of Blackwick’s:

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! These are luxury candles that are credit-card friendly! The boxed presentation make these excellent gifts for candle friends. Due to the elegant shape of the container, you do need to fuss a bit with the wax to get a full melt pool - but it was not a problem to me since the little work went with such a nice candle. Most of the candle scents I tried had a medium throw. If you think that will not be strong enough for your candle nose, I have a suggestion… buy a few of these attractive candles and place around your home to illustrate your good taste and sense of style… the small ones would be beautiful on a holiday table or on the reception table at a wedding.

Then, buy the accompanying simmer oil and get it perking where you want a big throw. The oils I tried were fabulous - a real find. They are some of the strongest I have simmered - and I bet you will love the way they linger. (Psst - don’t forget! Be sure not to let it heat for too long to avoid odd smells and sludge.) The oils are not yet offered on the website but you can order by calling them. (Toll free phone number on website http://blackwicks.com ). The price for a bottle of their Oil Warmer Fragrance is $7.95. The warmer they sell has an attractive flat wood base with metal suspending a glass bowl. It comes with a tealight and an oil for $13.95 - a nice gift set for someone getting started.

Don't forget there is free shipping with a $40 purchase!

Happy candle smelling!

~ Avery

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