Favourite scents to light up your life

Scented candles not only give off a wonderful aroma but also work wonders on your health.

Their healing powers have been known to reduce stress and enhance mental clarity.

Select lavender or jasmine to relieve depression, vanilla to soothe your jangled nerves.

Choose cedar to help you concentrate or rose to calm you down.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, bay leaf is a great way to treat insomnia. Conversely, if you’re feeling lazy, the scent of orange will help you get up and go.

But have you ever thought about what essence you would like to see manufacturers incorporate in a candle or wax melt?

Researchers asked 2,765 people over the age of 18 what their favourite scents were.

The following scents were popular among each region ...

1 North-East England – petrol

2 Scotland – gravy

3 South-West England – fresh paint

4 London – soil

5 Wales – fresh bread

6 Yorkshire and the Humberside – freshly cut grass

7 South-East England – barbecue

8 Northern Ireland – beer

9 North-West England - chlorine

10 West Midlands - bacon

11 East of England – cardboard

12 East Midlands – hairspray

When asked if they would purchase a candle or wax melt in these unusual scents, if the product was available to purchase, 61% admitted that ‘yes’ they would buy one.

Keely Parsons, founder of Sassy Shop Wax, who commissioned the study, said: “Everyone’s tastes are different, which is why it is so important to have a range of scents that everyone can choose from.

“I don’t know how I feel about a wax melt that smells of hairspray.But, who knows, I may create a bacon-scented wax melt for people to try soon!”