Pillars of Joy: Skeem Candles

Posted by Charli

on October 3, 2011

In the ongoing process that is decorating my humble new abode (aka circa 1950s apartment), one of the most delightful additions has been Skeem Candles, in particular the Night Jasmine Pillar. I have it burning in my bathroom right now and the calming woodsy jasmine, orange and incense notes have wafted at least 15 feet over to where I’m sitting. Mmmmm.

Created by Philadelphia-based husband-and-wife team Geoff Weiser (a graphic designer) and Suji Meswani (a former retail buyer), each Skeem candle features a rich, long-lasting scent inspired by their world travels to destinations such as India, Costa Rica, and Thailand, as well as a beautifully designed container that doubles as a little piece of art. The Night Jasmine pillar, for example, is part of their Photofloral collection, inspired by 19th century hand-tinted postcards. The 12 oz., 5 1/2″ glass container is clear with silk-screened pink, white and black flowers, and the candle’s highly visible blue wax looks spot on in my Tiffany & Co.-blue bathroom. I also have the red 3-Wick Anise & Clove candle in my red, white and brown living room; the pink-and-yellow Half Pint Peach Velvet candle in my pink Chanel-themed bathroom; and the Sweet Peony Pure Pillar candle out on the balcony.

One of the best things about these candles, aside from their good looks, is their collective eco-consciousness. Each candle is made of a custom soy/paraffin wax blend with a cotton wick that burns up to 90 hours. And instead of coming in a pretty box that might get thrown away, the containers are simply paper-wrapped and can eventually be cleaned and reused as drinking glasses or display-worthy storage containers. (Note: Pure Pillars don’t come in containers but instead have designs printed directly on the candles themselves.) Whichever candle you buy– Pure Pillar, Half Pint, 3-Wick, or Pillar–they’re definitely worth it. Next up on my Skeem list: their decorative Matches. So pretty.