The Middle Earth collection drops this week, and I cannot wait! This is a collection I have wanted to do for a long time as Lord of the Rings is a big deal in my life. I wanted to capture the magic of the movies and books, but also give my interpretation of what I think each would be like. Let's break down everything you need to know about the Middle Earth wax melt collection.
EYE OF MORDOR
The main colors I think of when I think of Mordor are definitely red and black. While they Eye of Sauron is yellow/gold/orange, that is really the only place we see that color other than the ring. I used red dye and mica to achieve the deep read, and added a drop of black to deepen the shade and give some melts that perfect black swirls.
Scent Notes: Cinnamon Bark, Clove Bud, Lily, Tobacco, Black Dahlia, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Burnt Sugar
For the scent on this one, I had to go a little complex. I knew that it needed to be deep and smoky. Cinnamon and clove are often associated with the holiday season, but for me they also register as the smell of a fireplace. Since Frodo had to venture into the fires of Mount Doom, it only seemed fitting.
The tobacco adds an interesting note that brings the clove and cinnamon away from being a holiday scent. The black dahlia, patchouli, and sandalwood are all reminiscent of the journey Frodo, Sam, and Gollum had to take to get to Mount Doom. Burnt sugar may seem like an interesting addition, but the touch of bitter/sweet in the scent really rounds it out.
WHAT ABOUT SECOND BREAKFAST
I think the first real thing that made me fall in love with the Lord of the Rings books and movies was the cozy feeling we first encounter with the Hobbits. Simple creatures in a beautiful setting living a peaceful life. Who doesn't want that?! I wanted the colors in this to be reminiscent of the shire which is why the white, green, and gold are marbled together. It also has my favorite gold mica that you will see when it melts down, it's stunning.
Pears, Vanilla, Praline, Sugar, Maple, Fresh Dough
I honestly could have went with a traditional pancake/waffle scent, but surrounded by such lush green hills, I thought they would have a little more with their breakfast. Don't get me wrong, there is for sure an undertone of waffle in this scent, but there is so much more.
Pears are one of my favorite scents, they are sweet and bright. I imagined the Hobbits making a pile of pancakes for second breakfast and topping it with a syrup of honey fresh from the hive and sliced pears that have been baking in the sun all morning.
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
The first time I ever watched Fellowship of the Ring and saw the scene, I was heartbroken and quite confused to be fair. I wanted to capture the smell of the Balrog, Gandalf, and the fall into despair. It is also the most iconic line from the movie and one I say all the time, so I couldn't leave it out.
Black Tea, Citrus, Smoke, Chocolate, Pepper, Florals
The black tea and citrus are definitely a nod to Gandalf. For me I picture him smoking his pipe with a glass of tea around a fire and telling stories from his life. The smoke is representative of both the fire and his pipe as well as the encroachment of the Balrog off in the distance.
Chocolate, pepper, and florals are to represent the mines and their lost history. The pepper works perfectly with the citrus and black tea and gives it a deep rich scent. Although I mentioned florals, it is more of a dry, old, damp kind of flower, so no roses around here.
SPEAK FRIEND AND ENTER
Another line that I do all the time in my real life is Speak Friend and Enter. The amount of times I have said this to my cousins and they only know that it is from LOTR and nothing more. Anyway! I love that this is one of the most iconic scenes in the movie. The group things they are going to be welcomed into the great dwarf mines, but alas, things have changed.
Moss, Pine, Pinecones, Sandalwood, Dwarf Axes, Fir, Musk
When we are outside of the Door of Durin we are surrounded by trees. Although holly is what surrounds them, pine and pinecones seemed like they would be abundant in the area. I'm imagining climbing along the mountain ridge into a dense forest and leading to the doors.
Once inside, the smell of a moss covered and musky tomb awaits you. The smell of axes lingers in the air with the faint scent of incense long forgotten as tributes are paid to those who are lost. A musk rises from the depths as you start to hear a faint tremble coming your way.
SHARE ONE LIFETIME
Aragorn is probably one of my first crushes, no joke. The love he shares with Arwen is truly heartwarming and makes me just a little jealous. For their combined wax melt I was inspired by Rivendell and the aura of the Evenstar.
Willow, Amber, Patchouli, Oak Moss, Oud Wood, Sea Kelp, Rainfall, Grapefruit
Rivendell seems like it would have a fresh marine scent, and the sea kelp rainfall, and oak moss are representative of the beautiful waterfalls surrounding the area. There is also immaculate wood carvings everywhere you turn, and the willow and oud wood give an earthy scent to this melt.
Amber and patchouli round out the scent and give it a softness that definitely represents Arwen to me. I wanted to touch further on the willow because I think it is such a regal tree and is actually mentioned in the books themselves. Specifically along the water in Rivendell.
ONE RING TO RULE
Lastly is the middle earth wax melt that I chose to represent the ring. I once again used the glorious gold mica that you all have seen before, and I made this melt yellow to represent the ring. Gollum can be found on the label for the melt since he is one of the characters most associated with the ring.
Orange, Coconut, Tonka, Pineapple, Amber
This may seem like an odd choice of the lord of the rings set, but when the rings were first made, they weren't all bad. The orange, tonka, and pineapple are bright and attention catching just like the ring. I also think that they fit the aesthetic of the appearance of the melt.
The tonka and amber are key players in this scent. They town it down perfectly to where it doesn't seem like a tropical scent at all. It seems like a cozy and warm scent which is exactly what I was going for.