Devandra—Tonka & Oud Candle (no.065)
$34.99
Tonka & Oud Candle — A Story in Smoke and Memory
300ml, medium candle, single wick, no.065
This is a candle for late nights, weathered books, old maps, and the kind of romance that does not need to announce itself. **Tonka & Oud** is deep, warm, and quietly intoxicating—made for men, but unmistakably appealing to anyone drawn to mystery, history, and a well-lived room.
There is a trace of an old world in it: polished wood, a leather-bound journal, spice carried on dry air, the lingering warmth of a tailored coat after an evening out. It calls to mind rail journeys through colonial India, hotel bars at the edge of the desert, lamplit libraries, distant ports, and letters kept long after their author is gone.
The fragrance opens with a warm, resinous oud character—smoky, woody, and slightly exotic—then settles into the soft, almond-like richness of tonka. The result is masculine without being harsh; romantic without becoming sweet. It is an intimate scent: velvet, shadows, amber light, and a little danger at the edges.
Each candle is poured into an upcycled vessel—sometimes a former candle jar, sometimes a cocktail glass, sometimes something I found because it had too much character to leave behind. The exterior is collaged by hand with vintage-inspired ephemera: fragments of magazines and newspapers, old postage stamps, family photographs, and printed matter dating back to the 1890s.
No two are exactly alike. The scent is consistent; the vessel has its own past.
This is not meant to be disposable décor. When the wax is gone, warm the remaining wax with a hair dryer, wipe it out with paper towels, and keep the vessel for pencils, matches, buttons, dried flowers, letters, or whatever small collection deserves a beautiful home. Or return it to me for a refill—roughly the cost of a respectable cocktail.
Fragrance mood
- Oud, warm woods, and soft spice
- Tonka with a smooth, subtly sweet finish
- Old leather, faded paper, polished furniture, and evening air
- Thoughtful, romantic, and distinctly masculine
- Inspired by historic travel, adventure fiction, and rooms with stories
A note about the vessel
Each piece is upcycled and hand-collaged, so variations in glass, imagery, patina, and placement are part of its character. Your candle will be one of a kind.
This vessel is **not dishwasher-safe**—in fact, it is not intended to be submerged in water at all. Treat it gently. It is made to be lovely, not indestructible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Custom and personalized orders
Sure! I have had people ask for candles with no scent and candles with a scent I don't currently pour. I have had requests for vessels with more postage stamps and with buyer supplied ephemera. Want 20-year-old gramma on a candle? I can do that. Custom prices run a bout 25% above standard. Just send me an email to get the conversation started.
Shipping costs?
Etsy recommends I ship for under 6 bucks. I charge $11-16 which is pretty much exactly what it costs me. I would love to ship for free, but I just can't absorb that and keep prices where they are. These little gems are a lot of work!
How long does one candle take to make?
A long time! This is not a good business model!
Joking aside, here is how these are created. Each vessel is sourced (usually at my local Goodwill), cleaned thoroughly, masked with tape, decoupaged with 20-60 different items, dried, sealed, and finally polished. There is no way to assembly-line this process and each container spends between 20 and 40 minutes in my hands. This is why my prices are where they are - and I may have to raise them soon so buy now!
Once a vessel is done, the process is the same for all the candle sellers -- measure, wick, melt, temper, fragrance, pour, cure, surface, label, and package.