Here’s what happens when a team of storytellers is asked to review scented candles that are meant to encapsulate the feeling of home.
The Backstory
A little over a month ago, the team of Storyteller’s Saga moved into a brand new office space. Needless to say, all of us were over the moon about it! We were finally getting the opportunity to make work feel like home, and believe me: we didn’t hold back.
We stacked our favorite books around the office, lined the walls with pictures, got plants (and named them – our little cactus is called Bean!), and even put up a “notice board” that is less for notices, and more for our everyday rants.
However, as we realized soon enough, there was something missing. We couldn’t really put our finger on it, but the office didn’t yet feel wholly complete. Despite the books, pictures, and plants – the place felt sterile and somewhat empty.
And then the boss had an idea: scented candles. What better way to instill the feeling of belonging than scented candles?
That’s how we came across Honey, I’m Home.
A Little About Honey, I’m Home
Honey, I’m Home is an ethical and organic brand that caters to people all over Pakistan. Their candles are created with 100% pure bees and soy wax and, therefore, are entirely natural and non-toxic.
But the best part?
The scents of their products are divine – refined fragrances from all have gone into ensuring that each and every candle offers something simple, yet beautiful and definitely unforgettable.
The Review
Impressed by what Honey, I’m Home had to offer, the team of Storyteller’s Saga decided to get their hands on a few scented candles by the brand. Here’s what we got:
- Letters to Rose
- Moonlit Meadows
- Escape
- Ink and Poetry
First of all, can we talk about those names? From where I see it, each one represents a plethora of settings.
You hear the name Letters to Rose, and you instantly think of dimly lit corridors, old paper, whispered confessions of love, and roses. You hear Moonlit Meadows, and you are transported to a chilly evening out in your garden. A light pashmina shawl wrapped around your shoulders as you stroll with a loved one under the moon. Escape reminds you of all those things you want to escape, but also the ones that help you escape. And Ink and Poetry seems to be all about fresh ink, dog-eared novels, and eternal sonnets.
But enough about the names!
I’m sure you are all far more concerned with how the candles smell, and we really wanted you guys to have the same experience we had with them, but through words. So here’s what we did: we asked the team to close their eyes and tell us about the feelings, thoughts, and memories each scent transpired in them as we lit each candle one by one.
So, ladies and gentlemen, this is what Honey, I’m Home candles made us think of:
Letters to Rose
- Fresh roses
- The bittersweet memories associated with childhood
- “Paar Chanaa De” by Coke Studio
- A long-anticipated baraat
Moonlit Meadows
- Jasmine plants outside an ancestral home
- Gajray bought haphazardly on traffic signals
- A midnight walk through the local park
- Gift wrapped perfume exchanged on birthdays
Escape
- Beauty cosmetics you find in nani’s trunk of cherished possessions
- Secluded flower shops that seem out of place but feel right
- Expensive makeup ammi hides from you
- Youth and the desire to look good that comes with it
Ink and Poetry
- Crawling under clean sheets and covers after a long day
- Rearranging your bedroom following a depressive episode
- Books that make you laugh and cry at the same time
- Female friendships that survive decades
Final Note
For us, the best thing about these candles is that they feel like home. By that, I mean something about them is inherently Pakistani: they made us collectively recount memories and instances that we have all experienced in this lifetime.
To be honest, you might be thinking how a candle – a simple form made of wax and soy, can embody so many feelings. Before experiencing Honey, I’m Home – we too would have been on the same view.
However, as soon as we lit our first candle, we knew that these guys had created something wonderful and that we were going to rave about them for a long, long time. And it’s not just the scents either!
Each candle’s burn time is also pretty good, and we were glad to experience all of them.
So, thanks to these candles, work doesn’t feel like work anymore – we walk into the office and think, “Honey, I’m home.”
