Reminisce with these nostalgic candles, which are designed to transport you back in time to some familiar childhood memories...
Don't you just love it when you smell a familiar aroma, and you're instantly transported back in time, back to a specific memory?
Whether it's the smell of freshly baked cookies at Grandma's house, or a waft of marshmallows roasting over a campfire on a family holiday, we all have those pinpointed scents that trigger warming, wholesome memories.
And it's not just your mind playing tricks on you - scent and memory are intrinsically linked in the human body.
Why are scent and memory linked?
When we inhale a scent, tiny molecules hit the olfactory bulb, which runs from your nose to the base of your brain. This interprets the molecules, before sending signals to the brain.
In particular, the olfactory bulb has direct connections to your amygdala (the area of the brain responsible for processing emotion) and to your hippocampus (an area linked to memory and cognition).
According to neuroscientists, this close physical connection between the different regions of the brain - responsible for memory, emotion, and smell - may explain why our brain learns to associate smells with certain emotional memories.
Of course, memory-triggering scents will be unique to each individual, depending on your personal experiences. However, lots of home fragrance companies have created candles, wax melts and reed diffusers that are designed to trigger universally nostalgic scents, that many of us have fond memories of. below, we've rounded up some of our favourites...
Best nostalgic candles to bring back childhood memories...
Holidays as a kid were always more magical. With no stress of booking flights or remembering passports, you could always truly enjoy the experience, worry-free. Nostaljik wants to take you back to those wonderful days with its range of memory-inspired candles (£25).
Whether it's adventures in the snowy forests of Lapland, long walks through the lavender fields of Hvar, or long lie-ins in an Ibiza hotel - each candle is designed to transport you back to your favourite holiday destinations.
The gorgeous scents are created using pure essential oils. Each scent is available as a candle, reed diffuser, or wax melts.
Home County Candle Co. creates a range of candles and reed diffusers (from £20), each inspired by a different UK county. Why not give one as a housewarming gift to someone, to welcome them to a new county - or to remind them of fond memories in the previous home county!
These natural candles are made using pure soy, biodegradable soy wax and a wooden crackle wick. Each one is hand-poured in the UK. For an extra £3, you can get your candle gift wrapped in 100 per cent recyclable packaging, including brown paper and string.
If you were a bookworm as a kid, you're sure to have fond memories of staying up late to finish a book, hiding under your duvet and using a torch so as not to wake anyone up. Or maybe you would spend rainy afternoons at the library, wandering among the shelves and getting lost in storybooks.
If this sounds like you, you're going to love the candles and wax melts from Cosy Art London (candles £14.99, wax melts £6.99). Each soy wax candle is specifically designed with the heart and soul of a book lover in mind. The different scents are sure to transport you back to those many hours spent with your nose buried deep in a book.
Some of the scent options include: Old Bookshop, Rainy Day Reading, The Library, and Romeo & Juliet. There are also some cosy autumnal options, including Spiced Pumpkin and Spooky Reads!
Every candle from Coast Candle Co. (£27) has been inspired by a cherished memory. The maker behind the business explained that she started making scented candles to have an instant connection to her childhood home, any time she wanted.
The handcrafted candles are made in the Scottish Highlands, using high quality ingredients and materials, including natural wax and wooden wicks. There are a huge range of nostalgic scents on offer, including Sea Salt Lips, Big Sky Morning and Christmas Flame. On the website, you can read all about the memories and stories that inspired each comforting scent.
These candles just scream 90s.
If you're in need of a real hit of nostalgia, check out these candles and wax melts from Fan Candles (£12.50). The candles are made using vegan-friendly soy wax and biodegradable glitter, and each scent is inspired by a different 90s sitcom, band, film, pop culture icon or sweet treat.
We're talking the Spice Girls (in fact, there are individual scents for each spice girl), Clueless, Blur, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Custard Creams, Dolly Parton - among many, many more! And of course, each candle container is made to resemble the scrapbook collages we all used to make of our idols...(collective cringe, anyone?).
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