Journal

The connection between scent and memory is inextricably linked.  Our sense of smell is the most powerful and evocative of all our senses. The nose is the first thing to greet us in the morning and the last thing to say goodbye at night, but it’s not just the ability to detect scents that sets it apart. The power of scent goes beyond its role as a biological necessity or even a source of pleasure; it plays an important role in our emotional responses, memories, and associations. A particular scent can remind us what we were doing at a particular moment in time, who we were with and where we were.

Making scents of memories.

Scent is powerful. That’s why it’s no surprise that it can be used to create positive memories or emotions. We know that smell is the sense most closely associated with memory, but how does this  connection between scent and memory work? The answer lies in the limbic system – our emotional center of the brain.

The nose has two separate parts: olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb (aka your nose). When you inhale, air passes over these areas and triggers a reaction which sends signals through your nervous system to your brain where it forms an image of what you inhaled based on experience and information from other senses such as touch or sight (this is called cross-modal perception).

Scented weddings

Scent is so powerful, it can evoke emotions and memories in a way that nothing else can. A scented wedding can be as simple as a single candle. The scent of lemon or jasmine can be spread throughout the room by lighting a scented candle in each corner. When the reception is over, you’ll have an aromatic reminder of your big day for years to come. You can also allow guests to take home their own scented candle wedding favor: try putting a small scented candle in a gift bag with an explanation card saying that the candle will help them preserve their memories of your special day!

If you want to create a unique and long lasting memory for your guests, consider incorporating scented candle wedding favors into your wedding planning process – the effect goes beyond simply making people feel relaxed and comfortable!

The Italian-style garden is an important part of Italy’s historic heritage. According to Pliny the Younger (a lawyer, author and magistrate of Ancient Rome), the purpose of a garden, was “otium,” meaning seclusion, serenity – the opposite of the idea of “negotium” that often classified busy urban life.  A garden was a place to think, relax, contemplate and escape.

Our candle fragrance Otium is inspired is inspired by the Italian Renaissance garden of Villa Grabau. The symmetrical terraced garden has two obelisk shaped Magnolia trees and two large oval lawns encircled by over 70 antique pots of Lemon Trees that bare the coats of arms of many noble families of Lucca.  Perfectly placed pots of geraniums sit atop a balustrade made of Matraia stone.  At the base of the stairs that separate the different garden levels, two spectacular trumpet vines proudly display their large orange flowers.  There are two bronze heads representing the head of Satiro that spout water into fountains embedded in mosaics made from rock crystals, quartz and tufa.  Shady paths twist their way mysteriously through the undergrowth of the hedges of bay laurel and boxwood, with small clearings at intervals, where stone benches and tables entice the stroller to stop and spend some time there.

Olfactory Profile

Top notes: mint, mandarin, lemon, pine needle

Heart notes: neroli, jasmine, petitgrain, ylang ylang

Base notes: cedarwood, amber, vetivert

At Luci di Lucca, the term “luxury” is synonymous with craftsmanship and quality. Creating a luxury candle is a multi-faceted journey – the fragrance, the wax, the wick, the container and the packaging all come together to create a luxury candle experience.

Our Guiding Principles

What makes Luci di Lucca candles stand out from the rest?  Below are our guiding principles:

1. Slow-crafted – every candle is poured by hand
2. Small batches – our candles are produced in small batches using traditional methods.  We value quality over quantity.
3. Beautiful fragrances – All our fragrances are crafted by independent master perfumers – each fragrance tells a unique story.
4. Premium  Vegetable Wax – We use 100% rapeseed and coconut wax from sustainable European sources.  It burns cleanly and longer than other waxes.  We do not use any paraffin wax.
5. Cotton wicks –  the wick is a vital part of creating a luxury candle to ensure the candle burns evenly all the way to the end, leaving very little residue.  We use 100% cotton wicks for a clean burn and we spend months and months testing our candles with different wicks to ensure an optimal burn.
6. Eco-crystal glass vessels – we designed our signature vessels to fit any space.   They are produced in Italy from lead-free eco-crystal, a 100% recyclable material and afterwards, they are hand decorated by Veronese artisans.  Our glasses can be reused as a decorative object around the home when the candle is finished or they can be re-filled with your favourite fragrance.
7. Sustainably responsible – everything that goes into making our candles and wax melts is sourced from within Italy and Europe and is either re-cyclable or re-usable.  This may make our candles a little more expensive than other cheaper brands, but we believe the level of quality and craftsmanship if our candles is what makes them stand out from the rest.