The Smell of Nature: Elite Essentials Candles (+ Giveaway)

I have long touted the benfits of using candles made of soy and beeswax. they are much healthier than paraffin, which is derived from petroleum, and they have the added benefit of cleaning the air in your home when you burn them. However, thanks to a great company called Elite Essentials, I now know they aren’t the only option when you’re looking for eco-friendly candles.

Elite Essentials candles are made of sustainable palm wax, and their fragrances come from essential oils. They sent me a few samples to try out, and I was pleasantly surprised. Because there are no artificial dyes, all the candles, regardless of their scent, features a beautiful crystalline texture and surface that makes them instantly recognizable. The wicks are also made of cotton, which is environmentally preferable to traditional wicks. What’s even better is that a portion of every Elite Essentials sale is donated to Sustainable Harvest International, and organization that is dedicated to creating sustainable farms and forests to help end poverty.

But how did they perform?

As soon as I opened the box, I was greeted by wonderful fragraces like Lavender Balsam, Citrus and Thyme and Peppermint Eucalyptus — definitely impressive. However, the candle isn’t as fragrant as traditional paraffin candles when burned. It took a while for the scent to envelop the room, but once it did, it was wonderful. There was no smoky trail from the flame, which was great, and what I also liked is that there was no drippy wax trailing down the sides of the pillars. Because of the size of the candles, burning them created a cavity in the center instead of a dripping mess. I used a small saucer as a candleholder, but I really didn’t need it.

Overall, they were great for intimate lighting and ambience. And though the fragrance wasn’t as strong as I would have liked once burning, it did give the air a subtle sweetness that was pleasant and not overpowering.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of sustainable palm wax
• Uses cotton wicks
• Portion of proceeds donated to Sustainable Harvest International

Price: $3.99-$11.99

What to win them?

Elite Essentials also sent me a couple of candles to give away to my readers. The winner will receive one 3″ x 6″ pillar candle in Citrus Thyme, and two 3″ x 3″ pillar candles in Peppermint Eucalyptus and Lavendar Balsam. Pay a visit to Elite Essentials and take a look around. Then come back here by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26, 2008, and leave a comment telling me one thing you learned or thought was interesting. That’s it!

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for the Green Your Decor newsletter by 11:59 p.m. Friday, September 26, 2008. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. After you sign up, FeedBurner will send you a verification email. Please do not ignore it — your entry will be invalid if you do not verify. All current subscribers are eligible to win. And there’s no need to leave a comment letting me know you subscribe by email. I’ll know you’re a subscriber
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address. RSS subscribers are anonymous otherwise.
3. Blog about GreenYourDecor.com and post a link to your blog entry here.
4. Stumble or give a thumbs up to any page at GreenYourDecor.com via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.

So that means every participant can receive up to 5 entries. You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26, 2008, to enter. U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. A winner will be chosen via Random.org, and the winner will be contacted via email. Good luck everyone!