Last November, I wrote a post about how I was using travel restrictions to explore the nooks and crannies of Edinburgh and sample more of Scotland’s home-grown products. Since then, I’ve tried lots of new Scottish brands and, I want to tell you a little bit about vegan candles and vegan Scottish candle and home fragrance brand, Ariska (head to the bottom for an online discount!).
What’s a vegan candle?
Did you know that a lot of candles aren’t vegan? I know … sigh! “But why?”, you ask?
It’s not uncommon for brands (especially larger ones that are churning them out in bulk) to use stearic acid or seeswax in order to harden the candle and/or improve burning time. Beeswax is made by bees to build comb and this is then used to house their young and store honey. Obviously, this is problematic for vegans. What’s more, it’s difficult to find beeswax from small local suppliers and, therefore, most of it comes from commercial beekeepers (and with mass production, tends to come lower considerations for welfare).
Vegan Candles, on the other hand, are made from the wax of ingredients such as soy, coconut or rapeseed. Sometimes, suppliers will also blend these natural vegetable waxes.
Is soy wax vegan-friendly?
Yup! soy wax is natural, biodegradable and renewable. The plant-based wax comes from the oil of soybeans, and the production process involves turning some of the unsaturated fatty acids in the oil into saturated fat.
It’s also really easy to work with, burns clean and holds lots of fragrance. And, it comes with little cruelty (you’ll often encounter an anti-vegan argument, stating that the farming of any product comes with harm towards insects/mice, etc. I’m not getting into this on a post about candles folks!).
What I learned about Ariska’s luxury, eco-friendly, vegan candles
I won’t buy candles made with animal products, so it was good to know that not only are Ariska’s candles beeswax free, but that they aim to ethically source the ingredients for every product. They are careful to select only the very best soy wax and cotton wicks, alongside meticulously chosen fragrances.
Sustainable packaging materials are a big conversation for customers and the luxury market, and so Owner, Vicki Boudali, always strives to source from local, environmentally providers where possible – the Ariska candles are presented in pretty glass jars.
Candles that smell like Scotland
Without a doubt, when people think of Scotland, they think of nature. So, it feels fitting that Ariska offers a signature collection focused on fresh outdoor smells: Basil, Lime & Mandarin, Plum & Rhubarb, and Coastal.
Alongside the signature line, they’re currently pouring an additional 3 scents: Blackberry & Bay, Peony, and Wild Mint. I absolutely LOVE a clean, cool minty scent – it reminds me of being in a garden (folks that follow me on Instagram will already know about my plant mum aspirations), so I was delighted when they sent me their Wild Mint candle to try in my own home.
This candle reminds me of trips to The Secret Herb Garden, just outside of Edinburgh. One of my favourite parts of their nursery are the mint plots – lots of different flavours of freshly grown mint (the one that tastes like strawberry blows my mind every time).
A special vegan candle discount for my readers
As well as allowing me to try their new candle range, Ariska is offering My Veggie Travels readers a 15% discount on all of their handmade Scottish candles and full online range. Simply get shopping, fill your basket, head to the checkout, and enter the discount code below*:
CODE: VEGGIE15
*Note: This code is for 15% off Ariska.com and is valid off any purchase online until 31/5/21
