Characteristics

Fully refined paraffin wax with a very low oil content: exceptionally luminous and long burning and nearly smoke-less
Paper core wick that is fully organic and long lasting and keep the flame always above the molten wax: flame never drowns in the wax.
Candles are designed to burn a hole down the middle: In stead of creating light it rather creates an atmosphere. The candles extinguish themselves when overturned.
Hand moulded: we use special hand moulding techniques to create marble, crystal and moon effects : interesting glow effect reminiscent of the moon, mountains, the sea, faces, paintings, etc.
We sell the larger candles with a sachet of wax and wick for easy refilling.

Background

I am Gideon, Philosopher, Reiki master, Chef and Candle maker. I was born in South Africa and grew up in Pretoria. From a young age I was fascinated by the magic of candles. One of the first reprimands that I can remember was from playing with candles and making a mess on my mother's carpet. The fascination with candles never left me and when I was at University studying philosophy, I started to make candles - first as a hobby but it quickly became a way to pay for my studies.

I got bored with the process of melting wax and pouring it into a mould. I explored the world of waxes and sculpting and made magnificent sculptures. In the process I developed a way to form the candles by hand and then compress it into a candle.

I was always disappointed in candles that do not glow, do not burn properly, that have a wick that fall over and drown in the wax, that smoke, burn up very quickly or that make a mess all over your table.

I therefore did a lot of research experimenting with various waxes and wicks and found that there is a specific relationship between the hardness of the wax, the circumference of the candle and the thickness of the wick. I found the perfect wax and wick combination and have used it for 20 years with great success building up a big enterprise in South Africa.

This made Lucit Candles a sought after brand in South Africa.

I am happy to have received the privilege to now live in Portugal and continue with the same business here.

Aroma candles

The purpose of candles is to create and ambience and give light. In the past 30 years I saw that more and more candles, especially those from China, were 'scented' to the extent that people now associate candles with smells. Real essential oils are too expensive and volatile to use in candles. Synthetic oils (a combination of chemicals that imitate smells e.g. rose toilet spray) was developed and is now widely used as a cheap alternative. These chemicals offend the purity of my candles and I have developed a beautiful aroma burner, but first more about the 'scented candles'.

The forgotten value of candles

A candle’s warm glow creates a special atmosphere that is peaceful and serene. Being in this warm glow calms people. Physiologically, it signals to the body to wind down. The production of cortisol (the fight or flight hormone) lowers, and the production of serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins and the sleep hormone melatonin increase. This is the reason why candles have been used for relaxation and meditation in various cultures for centuries.

The act of lighting a candle has been a ritual ever since the first candles were made. Candles carry fire which signify protection, clarity and life. Because of the soft light it is also associated with romance, love, and well-being. The acts of lighting a candle and focusing on its flickering flame is part of practising mindfulness.

I make candles to bring you light, contentment and peace. When you light them, you can strengthen this intention by wishing the same or adding your own intentions. Intentions bring alignment to our deepest self. Whenever you light one of these candles with this intention, you are kindling your soul and it will glow with the candle.

Legal aspects

There are 3 European standards to help demonstrate compliance with the RGSP, but these standards are recommendations and are not binding or mandatory. They give indications of good practices and procedures.

EN 15493: Candles - Specification for Fire Safety
EN 15494:Candles - Product Safety Labels
EN 15426: Candles - Specification for Soot Deposition

The use of non-European standards for candles in containers and accessories is permitted if they help demonstrate that the final product is safe according to the GPSR (the general product safety regulation) as stipulated in the EU.

Although not tested formally, we adhere to all these specifications and standards according to our own tests and experience in using these candles for 25 years.

You can read more about these specifications here

Most synthetic scents contain Phthalates and it is prohibited in the EU (See this article under the heading: Restricted chemicals: REACH). In a scientific study at an University in the UAE it was found that synthetic scents in most candles cause health problems.
"The synthetic fragrances that are used in making candle scents usually contain phthalates. As the candles burn, phthalates are released into the air and can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. When the phthalates enter the bloodstream, they can exacerbate allergic symptoms and asthma and alter hormone levels" You can read more about it here.

Natural smells do not 'jump' at you like synthetic oils. Toilet sprays, incense sticks and other forms of the artificial scent industry have spoiled people and they expect that natural oils must also be strong and easily detectable in a room. Natural oils have healing properties that are emitted at a temperature not more than 70 degrees Celsius. That is why my aroma burner is excellent as it keeps the water around this temperature. We hope to launch the Aroma burner by end of August.

The safety aspects when using a candle

Never leave a burning candle alone
Keep away from children and animals
Lit candles must be at least 20 cm from each other
Do not light a candle near a curtain, material, or anything that is or can be more than 10 cm from the flame
Do not light a candle in a draft. It is very important that, when you light a candle, there must be no wind until the flame is inside the candle. The flame must burn absolutely still.

Do not light a candle near electrical implements
A candle must not burn on a surface slanted more than 10 degrees.
Clip the wick before each use. Due to the carbon in the wax it forms a 'mushroom' that must be clipped to ensure that a candle burns longer
It is best to extinguish the flame with a snuffer.
Always put the candle in a holder in case the candle drips. As we make the candles by hand it sometimes can happen that wax can flow though the side.
Do not extinguish the candle using water.
Make sure that your 'stove' have breathing holes when you use the candle as a heat source.
Never carry the lit candle with your bare hands. Always use a tray.
Never allow matches to fall in the hole around the wick. The match will burn and melt more wax than the thickness of the wick can use and the wick will drown.
Keep to the duration of the sessions of the candles as specified in the shop.

Contact

lucitcandleseu@gmail.com

+351 913 364 610 (Gideon EN) or +351 965 673 195 (Rodrigo PT)
(national mobile number cost).

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Lucit Candles is the business of
Gideon Willem van Eeden,
Rua Rainha Dona Amélia n86, Casa das Alfazemas, Meirames, 2710-326,
Sintra, Portugal.
NIF: 314917675

In the event of a complaint or problem you are welcome to use the contact form to send us a message. If we cannot find a solution you can appeal to this Dispute Resolution Organisation: www.centroarbitragemlisboa.pt
Rua dos Douradores, nº 112 - 2º
1100 - 207 Lisboa
For more information visit: www.consumidor.pt

Click on this link to visit this web page.