I've had this candle for a period of time, ordering it when there was a discount that came through that made these special scents as cheap as getting the regular Afterglow. Please take into account that I can only speak on behalf of the Absinthe + Sugar Water candle, and I have no idea what the others smelled like. Personally, I just picked this one because the name sounded cooler, so pick at your own risk.

FIRST Thirty Minutes of Using The Candle: Burning

Since this is, foremost, a candle before a massage oil, there's that first half hour of burning the candle and staring at it, waiting for the wax-oil to build up and wondering how much is exactly enough. At first glance out of the very attractive packaging a couple hours ago didn't make it seem like it was enough oil to go very far. I believe it had a packet showing all their other candles and scents, or if not, there was a small listing, and a great design to protect the ceramic outsides from getting broken, but still, these candles do look small.

Well, we're sitting there, and it doesn't take long for the scent to start taking over the part of the living room we're in. It's not a strong scent, but what there is of it, there's plenty to go around. It's rather powerful in what scent there is, and I'm beginning to discover that, yes, there is a light spray of sugary smell in there, there is NO absinthe to really behold. It smells like an exotic flower, like a Tiger Lilly fell in somewhere in there instead. There's a slight touch of mint, but not much. But this is not a bad thing. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it was still pleasant.


NEXT Thirty Minutes of Using The Candle: Back Massage

I took a guess that somewhere between an initial pool of wax and when the first burning of the candle reaches the outer edges of the container would be just enough for him, and so I quickly blow out the candle and begin to pour. He yelped a little in surprise at how hot the oil was, but after a short moment he said it was perfectly fine.

The scent was still pretty strong, and after working on his back for a few minutes, my hands wreaked of the stuff. It was powerful and concentrated, but it definitely wasn't upsetting. It was not as bad as the woman in first class who dumps a bottle of "Petunia Nightmare" down her shirt. My boyfriend's back smelled in a similar condition. He didn't complain about it, even said he liked it, but I'm placing a heavy bet that anything with a stronger smell than Sugar Water and something resembling Absinthe might not be the best gift for someone who's partner does not like sweet things.

NEXT Hour to Two Hours After Using the Candle: Residue

NO STICKINESS. Don't worry, nothing got ruined, no clothing became useless, just everything got to smell a little bit more like sugar and weird flowers. NOTHING WAS DAMAGED.

Okay, now that I've addressed the biggie, here to define what's left over after the massage. Because it is an oil, not a lotion, a small amount may be absorbed by the skin, but there will still be a residue. Again, it wasn't sticky, but a little bit chalky. After I was done with his back, he slipped his shirt on and we went and had Chinese food. He smelled a little bit feminine, and while everything on my hands came off with water and soap, I still smelled it on my fingers. A friend came and joined us for dinner, and he knows my boyfriend very well, yet didn't remark upon any odor.

Later on, his back felt soft and smooth, more so than usual. I gave him a back scratch, and a small amount of white, powder-like material came off his back, but it wasn't a lot. It smelled heavily of the perfume, but it was in such small amounts on his back, he was perfectly fine the next morning after a shower.

A DAY After Using the Candle: Second Try

All a person really has to remember is a tiny little bit goes a long long way. You can always leave the candle burning and add a little bit more, but if you use only what is necessary, a quick wipe with a wet towel and everyone should be good to go. Don't fret, don't panic, and just ease on into the flow of massage oil.

I haven't been able to use this as often as I thought I would, but I still deeply enjoy this candle. It's currently sitting in the bedside drawer with the condoms, but oh my gosh, everything else inside smells wonderful now! I've been able to hone in my massaging technique so much since I have gotten this candle, though, so the payoff has been fabulous. This candle is the perfect addition to ANYONE's bedroom-- it's prefect even between friends! GET IT!