• Yankee candles // are they all they're cracked up to be? •

As soon as I get home, the first thing I do is light a candle to help me unwind. They just symbolise relaxation for me; I associate them with spas and all things Zen.

I love trying out new candles and wax melts for my burner, so when I received these votive Yankee candles I was so excited to try them out. The hype around them is massive and in my opinion, they're the UK Bath and Body Works equivalent (why can't BABW come to the UK already?!) The only thing stopping me from purchasing them, to be honest, is the price. So I guess the real question here is - are they worth it?

I have to mention first off that the scents I received are just lovely. Lavender, usually, is too over-powering for me, but you can definitely smell the lemon which makes it a little sweeter and lighter - Lemon Lavender is a real winner, already. Fresh Cut Roses is a floral scent, and I'd describe it as sweet roses, in a girly, non-old lady kind of way. Lake Sunset is definitely my favourite; it's sweet, musky and I'm sure I can smell some coconut in there somewhere. Yankee are known for their extensive range and variety in scents, so I'm sure there's something in there for everybody.

After I popped these into my candles and wax melt drawer, I went away for a few days. When I came back, my room smelled like candles had been burning for the weekend. I couldn't put my foot on why my room smelled of lavender and coconuts until I remembered where I'd stored the candles. The scent was so strong and powerful, which I always look for in a candle, and I thought to myself, if they smell like this when they're unopened and in a drawer, how must they smell when they've been lit? It didn't take me long to find out; if you're looking for something that'll fill your whole home with a scent, these really are for you.

Something that's really important to me is burn time. The amount of times I've purchased wax melts or candles from eBay and been disappointed with the burn time is just countless. With these Yankee candles, the burn time is incredible - I've had mine lit every day for about 5 days now, for at least 5 hours a day and you wouldn't even be able to tell just by looking at it. It has burnt so slowly and the scent is still strong each time I light it.

So yes, they're a little pricy, and yes, I haven't allowed myself to splurge on a Yankee candle yet (much preferring to head over to Boots or Zara...) but these minis are only £1.80 each and are a great way to try out some of the scents. I'm going to place an order in the next few weeks and pick up some more of these little votives; when I've found the perfect scent, I'm going to bite the bullet and buy the big daddy £19.99 jar candle. I definitely think these votives are worth the price and the quality of the candles are great; so I have to say that I do think they're all they're cracked up to be!

Have you tried any Yankee candles before? What's your favourite scent?

Daniela