If you’re a regular Scandarella reader, you’ll likely be aware that one of my most beloved ways to get intimate with the Fella is through massage. So much so, I was even moved to write about it, and if you haven’t already, you can read that piece here.
One of the simplest – and sexiest – ways to add a little something something to a sensual massage, is by using a massage candle. We’ve tried a few brands, and there is one we keep going back to, but my little heart was yearning to try a new one.
When I received my recent parcel of wonderful things from SHUNGA, I was delighted to find two of those very candles nestled in the box.
SHUNGA candles come in two sizes: 170ml (5.7oz) and 30ml (1oz), and just like many other brands, they come in tins rather than glass or ceramic containers. But unlike many other brands, those tins aren’t just generic, uniform silver with a sticker on the lid that denotes the scent.
As you may – or may not – be aware, the very word shunga is an all-encompassing term for Japanese erotic art. This pictorial pornography is almost always classical and beautiful, and because of that, even the most explicit of it fails to offend me, despite my aversion to gratuitous depictions of sex. All SHUNGA massage candle tins are printed with the same romantic Japanese design, with different colourways to represent different fragrances.
IN USE
While it’s melting into its little pool, the scent the wax lets off carries throughout the whole upstairs of our house. That wax is made up of quite a number of different oils, all of which are widely used in cosmetics. As I don’t suffer from allergies, I have no idea if any of these oils are allergenic, but there is sesame oil in there, and almond oil too. A friend of mine who is allergic to both avoids these oils, even topically, so I would recommend having a good scan of the ingredients list to check if the candles are suitable for you before buying.
But like I said, neither I nor the Fella suffer from allergies, so we were happy to use them. A 20 minute burn time gives you plenty of oil for a massage. Once you have your pool of oil, blow the candle out, wait 30 seconds, and then pour the oil into the palm of your hand, or straight on to the body of the lucky massage recipient, as the Fella does.
We were surprised at the sheer length of time this warm oil remains oily. It didn’t turn waxy on my skin for quite some time, and the Fella was impressed by how easily his hands were gliding over my skin. Some candle oils return to their solid form quite quickly, and he gets annoyed at the drag and at how much work he has to put in, but not with the SHUNGA candles. The massages we get from them are sometimes relaxing, sometimes sexy, but always smooth.
FRAGRANCES
The theme for the 30ml candle we received is DESIRE and the fragrance is Vanilla Fetish. Now for us, this isn’t a particularly sexy scent. It’s more warming and comforting, kinda like a cosy blanket. There’s something extra sweet about quietly snuggling up in biscuity scented cuddles after a long, lingering massage, and I think that, in the colder months of the year, this would be an amazing way to grab a little intimacy with your partner and fragrance your home all in one go.
The theme of our 170ml candle is ZENITUDE and the fragrance is Exotic Green Tea. The Fella and I are in complete agreement that this one smells absolutely divine! From the very beginning of the massage he couldn’t keep his lips off my skin, and we both ended up covered in melted wax. The slippery skin-on-skin contact led to sex, and that led to us both waking up the following morning with a satisfied glow and smelling fabulous!
I honestly didn’t think I’d be saying this, but SHUNGA massage candles are possibly the nicest we’ve ever used. The wide range of scents are strong and lingering, the wax melts cleanly and doesn’t dry out quickly, and while the large candle is a lovely addition to the bedside table, the small tin is perfect for slipping into an overnight bag for those sexy nights away from home.
If anyone asks me for a massage candle recommendation, I know I’m going to point them at SHUNGA from now on, and I will do so until the day something comes along that impresses me more.
The DESIRE and ZENITUDE Massage Candles were sent to me by SHUNGA in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinions, which are now, and will forever be, my own. No affiliate links were used in this post.
