First, full disclosure: I have this scent in an Ember and a mini Afterglow, not full-size Afterglow, so I will be reviewing the scent for the most part and offering some repair advice in the event of accidents (more on that later). From what I understand, the only differences besides size is that the Ember came with a ceramic lid and the pour spout looks more pronounced.

Of the six Jimmyjane massage candles we've tried, this scent is our collaborative favorite. It's a close race with Dark Vanilla for me personally, but I have so many other things that are vanilla-scented. The truffle + gardenia is more complex, and I enjoy that most about this particular scent. The first time my fiancé and I used this scent was with a mini Afterglow, and it was also the first one we tried. Immediately, my fiancé LOVED it ... and he even took a moment to say (on more than one occasion), "This one smells so good!" or "This one is perfect!" Even after trying all the others in the sampler pack, this one remains solidly his favorite.

The truffle + gardenia scent of the candle is its most prominent and effective feature, and it is INCREDIBLE! It mostly smells like gardenia to me, and the truffle (think chocolate, not fungus) is just a barely noticeable complement. I would describe it like walking through a country wildflower garden. It's not the kind of flowery smell that you find at flower shops or from perfumes. This is the real deal.

I could understand if this one might be too strong for some folks, but as I mentioned, I enjoy the more robust scent. It's not overpowering if you are getting a back massage, but it's more noticeable to the giver or if you are getting a massage anywhere on your front. The literature that comes with it clearly states, however, that it is NOT for internal use, though it is "body safe." If you have a little leftover on your hands, though, I doubt it would be a problem for handjobs. My fiance and I often go straight from massage to play without washing our hands, and we wipe off any excess melted wax with baby wipes.

Once the wax rehardens, it is still pretty soft. Some scents of the Afterglow line take longer to re-harden than this one, and I think this is one that lends itself to un-melted use. When I accidentally messed up my candle pretty badly, I had to wipe a lot of semi-hardened wax on my hands and arms so as not to waste it. It rubbed in nicely, and didn't leave any greasy residue. Even when melted, if the oil/wax doesn't absorb entirely, you won't stick to the sheets. The next morning, my skin always feels softer and smoother than before the massage.

Finally, if you like massage stones or a more targeted massage, I also HIGHLY recommend the Contour M, also by Jimmyjane. I reviewed it here, and I think it's an excellent investment if you like more pressure than hands can give.

During one of our massage-turned-play sessions, my fiance gave me a massage with lots of smooth, hot oil from the candle. Not a lot is needed, but he poured on a good amount and spread it all over my back. He said if I didn't mind how hot it was, he could add more, and I said, "Ooh yes, bring it on!" It didn't feel too hot to me, just nicely warm. So with more oil than strictly necessary on my back and shoulders, it takes longer to rub in. I would estimate that he massaged my back, arms, shoulders and even the top part of my legs for a good 20 minutes, and he could have kept going if we weren't so impatient.

When we moved on to playing, however, I was setting down a bottle of lube without my glasses or contacts, and I accidentally dropped the bottle inside the candle. Worse still, I didn't notice this snafu until about 30 minutes later! It was a MESS! Not only was the oil/wax hardened around the bottle, but when I got it out and wiped it off, the wax was in oily chunks. I was worried that the candle might not be salvageable.

The thrifty, reuse-and-recycle part of me had to try to fix it. Here's what I ended up doing:
1. First I put the candle in a cooking pot with a small amount of water in the bottom (1/2 inch or so). This made a double boiler (see picture #1). You may not want to use your best pots here, but I used my regular cooking ones. They washed up just fine.
2. Turn on the stove on high until the water boils. Then turn it down to medium or low-medium.
3. Wait until all the wax is melted into oil. You can stir it with a plastic knife if you want to make it melt faster. I used plastic so I could throw it away afterwards.
4. If a block of wax around the wick makes it sink, don't worry. Once all the wax is melted, you can lift the wick up. If you are really concerned, though, you can pour some out. (I poured some into the mini Afterglow container I had left over from using one up. Add a wick and you now have a second candle. Wicks can be purchased at a local craft store.)
5. Lift the candle out of the pot using a cloth or pot holders. Hold it tight as it might be slippery.
6. If the wick came unstuck from the bottom, like mine did, place the candle in a small bowl of ice water. This will make the bottom wax harden faster than the top, allowing you to stick the wick down in the bottom. Once secure, you should straighten and center the wick as much as possible.
7. Let the candle cool in the ice bath, in the fridge, or just on a counter top. Trim the wick to about 1/4 inch and you're set to go again. (see picture #2)

So there you have it -- 7 easy steps to fix a messed up candle. And the lesson learned is always watch where you're putting the lube.

Still love it! I love the Ember size more than the Afterglow for certain (dang it, Jimmyjane, WHY did you have to discontinue those!?), but when it comes to the myriad of scents, I still like this one best of all. Even with the summer heat making hot oil massages less-than-ideal, I still like to light this candle to make the room smell heavenly!