Sanctuary Classic Fragranced Candle Review

I have long been a fan of Sanctuary products, and of course the spa itself. Their signature scent is one of my all-time favourites, and regularly makes an appearance in my bathroom.

So when I saw they did a fragranced candle I had to snap it up. The thought of my bedroom smelling of that gorgeous scent was just too good to miss. Despite being down to the dregs of my bank account, I treated myself and bought the fragranced candle for £9.50.

The packaging itself was adorable - a beautifully designed box that would make the perfect gift.



The candle itself was nice and simple - a cream wax candle in a plain jar. I hate it when fragranced candles try and become a 'feature' and compete with your surroundings. No matter how good they smell, if the candle is ugly I'm not likely to buy it.



I immediately popped the candle on to burn and waiting anxiously for the gorgeous fragrance to waft around my room. Nothing. I thought perhaps that my sense of smell was a bit de-sensitised, so naughty me left the candle burning unattended for a couple of hours while I went downstairs to potter about.

When I opened my bedroom door I expected to feel like I was walking into the Sanctuary spa itself, but again, nothing. The candle had been burning for a good two hours, and barely smelt of anything. I was so disappointed.

I wanted so much to be able to write a cracking review of this candle, and in fact I considered not posting this after my disappointing experience. But then I thought, reviews are as much about pointing out things to avoid as they are about recommendations. And I'm sorry to say that I'd encourage you not to waste your money on this candle.

When I realised the product was all style and no substance, I sent The Sanctuary a tweet to express my disappointment. I'm all for brands engaging with consumers to redeem themselves, and probably would have felt a lot better had they made the effort to reply, but my tweet got ignored.

I've mentioned before my love for Yankee candles, and it seems I made a big mistake in veering away from them for a moment. In short, this candle is a beautifully packaged product, but seems to be all style and no substance as it diffuses hardly any scent at all. Sadly, I wouldn't waste your hard-earned cash like I did.

Update
Since writing this post, I'm pleased to say The Sanctuary got in touch to apologise for their tardiness and ask how they could help. We sent a few emails back and forth, and I felt a lot happier knowing that my comments were being taken firmly on board. What's more, The Sanctuary offered to make amends by sending me another candle from their spa range.



After giving it a try I was much more impressed. This candle had a much stronger smell, and I've been enjoying its deep, musky aroma.  I still wouldn't say that it's in the league of Yankee, but it was much better, so I can only assume that my last candle came from a faulty batch.

It's such a disappointing feeling when a brand you love and advocate to friends disappoints in some way, and The Sanctuary have always been one of my firm favourites. So the fact that they made this little gesture meant the world, and they're firmly back on my list of go-to brands. Yay!