For thousands of years, a fantastic array of fragrant herbs have been used in magical rituals. Welcome to the witches herbarium! Your guide to the best herb scented candles in that mystic, ancient place where scents and spells collide with unexpected results.

Basil

We’re used to basil as a culinary staple in kitchen cupboards. It’s something we throw into a wide range of dishes. For instance, a few leaves placed with mozzarella and tomato make for a simple but heavenly salad thanks to its sweet, green, herbal and anise facets. However, throughout history, basil has been the key ingredient in rituals of purification and luck.

Mediterranean cultures throw it on the floor to purify a house; a potted plant of basil can also be given as a gift to bring luck into a new home. In the witches herbarium, basil is an ingredient for money, love, blessings and happiness.

Our favourite basil scent for Halloween is the Parks Vetiver, Basil & Mint Scented Candle. It invigorates with the refreshing, cool quality of mint and extends this freshness through the crisp, greenery of basil. A deep base of vetiver and woods gives an earthy, rich quality. Imagine lying in the cool embrace of a forest floor. We recommend it as the perfect moving in gift… perhaps with a potted basil plant for good luck!

Patchouli

I know, I know, you read the word “patchouli” and think “hippies”. On the other hand, you should instantly think “witches”. Why? Well, the humble patchouli  has been a central part of pagan rituals for centuries - associated with love, wealth and, err… prowess. In some types of folk magic, patchouli oil is used to inscribe monetary symbols on paper to attract wealth. So amongst the many herbs in the witches herbarium, patchouli is an auspicious ingredient used to bring success.

Our Cedar, Vetiver & Patchouli Scented Candle may not shower your home with wealth, however it will give a luxurious air. The fragrance is sultry and aromatic, with strong, spicy facets of vetiver and cedar against a dark backdrop of patchouli. It’s the type of candle you burn to create a mood in the home; adding an ambience that is intimate, opulent and wonderfully calm.

Rosemary

Rosemary is the herb of wisdom. It is reported to boast properties that improve concentration and strengthen memory. It also has strong religious connotations. For instance, Roman priests use it in ceremonies as a form of incense and for millennia. It’s been burned as protection from evil spirits.

All of these ancient rites and rituals are associated with Rosemary. Furthermore, it has a really distinct smell, evoking pine, incense and menthol in a unique, savoury form. In our humble opinion, it’s the most versatile of herbs in our witches herbarium.

With its distinct, multi-faceted odour profile, rosemary is a bold and intriguing material to use in fragrance. We pair this dry, fragrant herb with dazzling bright bergamot (a mouthwatering citrus fruit you’ll know from your Earl Grey tea) in both candles and reed diffusers. It gives an airy lift to the fragrance, whilst soft woods provide a smooth backdrop. We can’t say for certain it will boost your memory or improve your concentration. However, it certainly makes your home smell great.

Bay

Finally, we have bay. Those leaves you desperately try to avoid when navigating a bowl of curry or a casserole. They add a tremendous amount of flavour, you just don’t necessarily want to eat one! In witchcraft, bay leaves confer wisdom, strength and visions. In that vein, Magnolia, Bay & Brambly Woods Scented Candle brings memories of lush flowers, vivid herbs and intense woods. This is a forest with a twist, where the lemony-waxy blooms of magnolia sit amongst endless thickets of bay leaves and thorny woods. It’s an imagined, magical place that confers a beautiful sense of calm.