Tell me about Yankee Candles please

[Ware Bears]

My local Clintons has just started to stock these and the gorgeous smell when I walk past the display has persuaded me that maybe I need to become converted so ........ what do you all buy?

 

[T16GEM]

Well I sell them in my shop so I know a thing or two (plus I was slightly obsessed before we started stocking them so that helped!)

I firstly would suggest that you get a tart warmer, this is similar to an oil burner but has a deeper well for the wax to melt into, tarts are like little flat wax cakes that you put into the top instead of oil and then pop a plain tea light underneath to melt the wax. It's important that you get a proper tart burner as if you get a normail oil burner you could end up with one almighty mess if the well isn't big enough to take the wax. Also some taller burners are too tall to let the heat from the tea light reach the tart therefore not melting it sufficiently to get a good wax pool and fragrance. A tart warmer will cost yoou about £6-10 and tarts are from about 99p, but you can get them on Fragrance of the Month for about 75p.

Tarts are a good way of trying a fragrance before commiting yourself to a jar, as some scents do smell different when they are burning to when they are just in the jar.

Burning times are:-
Tart 8 hours
Sampler Votive 15 Hours
Tea Lights 4-6 hours
Small Jar 25-40 hours
Med Jar 50-90
Large Jar 90-150

I usually have a large jar as they represent the best value for money but obviously they are a large outlay.

My fave fragrances at the moment are Winter Wonderland, Tutti Frutti, Apple Cider, Welcome Christmas, Happy Christmas, Balsam & Cedar and Red Berry & Cedar. YUMMO!

Clintons are only allowed a certain set of fragrances and they will never hold the same range that independants like us will have, they have a contract with YC that they sell through seasons usually, so you may find that after christmas there are some bargains to be had. Keep an eye out, as they usually phase out towards Jan - Feb and then re introduce some spring fragrances around Mother's Day etc as they make fantastic gifts.

Let me know if you have any more questions etc, I'm happy to help, I could gab on about these things all day! (bet you couldn't tell!)

HTH
Gems

 

[Goofysmate]

Some good advice from Gemma
Like Gemma said get yourself a tart warmer & get some tarts cakes to start off with . I think this is the cheapest way to try them. because if you start with the jars & then decide you don't like the fragrance it's a lot of money to keep wasting.
Work up to buying the jars once you have found a few fragrances you like in the tart cakes.

 

[almcg]

Brilliant advice! I just wanted to add that I love my Yankee Candles and I don't think any other candle comes close

 

[Ware Bears]

Gems, you are an absolute star! Thank you!!

I think I'll do as both you and Jill suggest and start with a tart ..... or two ..... or three. I can see this could get expensive!

 

[Muscateer]

I would have to recommend Gemma's shop for Yankee Candles. I placed my order online and received my candles in a couple days. Knowing Gemma on the boards here and on facebook, she sent me a wee message to say they were on the way. Excellent service. My candles and reed diffusers smell lovely and cheaper than what I saw them for in our local garden centre

 

[Netty]

b&Q also sell yankees cheap as well, £9.99 for a medium jar, they dont have a large selection though, my fave is cherry vanilla

 

[Dimplenose]

I started burning a Winter Wonderland votive last night but had to put it out as the perfume was irritating my eyes.

I've not had that problem with Yankee Candles before (but I have with other makes).

 

[PoppyAnna]

Brilliant advice! I just wanted to add that I love my Yankee Candles and I don't think any other candle comes close

I would agree with this, other scented candles do not come close.

I Yankee candles, especially the christmas scents

I stick to tarts mainly as I love to change my scent frequently.....

 

[MazdaUK]

A shop near my hairdresser has just started stocking them I'll chekc if the have the tart burner

 

[Netty]

my best ever favourite is back on sale again after a few yrs retirement- christmas pudding-

 

[Flookie]

I was told by a yankee rep that the best way to get a true idea of the scent that will be released and smelt by you is to smell the lid of the jar not the actual candle as this will give a stronger smell.I have tried loads of 'flavours' in tart or votive form and think the christmas ones will always be my favorite,and black cherry is also gorgeous!!

 

[Cyrano]

The gift shop that Diane works in sells Yankee so they burn in our house most nights.
The large jars work out better value than the smaller jars.

Yankee Doodle is a good site to look at as there are often special deals

 

[xJenna]

I was told by a yankee rep that the best way to get a true idea of the scent that will be released and smelt by you is to smell the lid of the jar not the actual candle as this will give a stronger smell.I have tried loads of 'flavours' in tart or votive form and think the christmas ones will always be my favorite,and black cherry is also gorgeous!!

She told you right. The reason the lid has so much fragrance is because they pour the wax into the jar put the wick in and then stick the jar top on. So the scent rises up into the lid. The glass jars hold scent better than the tumbler lids (the flat silver lids), so make sure you smell the glass ones. You ALWAYS was to trim your wick, this will prevent soot and blacking around the neck of the jar. For a complete and even burn all the way down (and no tunneling) on the large and medium one wick jars you have to burn them for at least four hours at a time or until there is an even melted wax pool on the top of the candle. Illumalids are the best though. I've been working for Yankee for about a year now, so I know lots of fun tidbits.

 

[Flookie]

Oohh share some other secrets xjenna,they are always good to know.xx

 

[Laurafoster]

I love my tart burner as I like to change scents quite alot as there is just so many that i love! I have 3 tart burners and they always have a different scent! At the moment my bedroom has midnight jasmine, the bathroom has drift away and downstairs has winter wonderland

Most garden centres also sell them i used to buy them in shops before i knew what scents i liked. Now i buy online as its usually cheaper.

 

[ukstitch]

I'm another tart lover - I've got a couple of tart burners now and I quite regularly pick up tart of two of various scents

I've also got some baby powder tea lights (baby powder's my favourite scent ) but prefer the tarts.

I don't think I could go for a jar though - I prefer being able to change scents as and when I want without having to spend loads on different jars

 

[manxtatt2]

I just got some tarts through the week , first time user

so tonight is the 1st time we are trying them - christmas wreath

cant smell anything yet lol

 

[Dimplenose]

I just got some tarts through the week , first time user

so tonight is the 1st time we are trying them - christmas wreath

cant smell anything yet lol

I always find the scent is more obvious after I have left a room and then returned.

 

[T16GEM]

Here'e another tip for you....

if you find a scent you like and then it's retired but you can still get samplers (votives) then you can also use these as tarts..... pop a knife under the metal button at the base of the sampler and prise it away from the candle, pull out the wick totally and then cut the candle lengthways in half, you can now use this as a tart.

We have some fragrances that are retired and certain wax forms always sell out before others so it's always good to know that you can do this.

I tend to use large jars a lot, but I don't always burn them all in one go, I have got a few at home that I can choose between dependant on my mood, I have a Happy Christmas jar that I have been burning for the last 3 years!