Handmade(-esque?) packaging with a vintage vibe

The nicest surprise in my Maison de Fleur gift box was this "VARO Original Wax Bar Lavender Special Scented". Erm...what? Well I thought it was soap (in Japan, usually everything is soap. Or a hair salon. Seriously). Luckily, there was an information card.

The lavender bar is nestled sweetly on a green bed

"Varo Candle"

Something told me that this was no mere soap I was dealing with. 

After a little Googling, I discovered that "Varo Candle" is produced by Japanese wax artist Ryoko Fujimura. She creates candles in a variety of styles but her signature product are handmade aromatherapy wax bars. The idea behind the wax bar is that sometimes, for whatever reason, you can't light a candle but you still want the soothing relaxation they bring. I can see how this is a big selling point in Japan where houses are made from wood and a fire can rip though a building in minutes. 

Lavender pot-pourri from Japan and France

With wax bars, the scented mixture is encased in beeswax to be hung around the house. I received the lavender one, which is one of my favourite scents...BUT I'm pretty sure my boyfriend chose it because it's definitely his favourite.  Hmmm. 

In terms of quality, it's basically flawless. Initially I thought there was a strong waxy smell, but that was probably my fault for sticking my nose right up to the bar. Now that it's hanging from our bedpost all we can detect is the dreamy lavender. It's the perfect way to drift asleep and we don't have to worry about forgetting to blow out a flame.

Contact details...and an alpaca

It might be worth doing a follow-up post because I'm inclined to think that pot-pourri doesn't keep its scent as well as oil or candles. I'm not sure how long this wax bar will last. Supposedly the beeswax will preserve the lavender though, so I'm hopeful that I'll get a few months out of it at least.

I don't think I'll stop buying candles, but I'm definitely impressed by the wax bar. Do they exist elsewhere? Seems like they'd be fairly easy to make and sell at a craft market. Business plan!