Have you ever done a candle-making workshop? Pair it with an Afternoon Tea experience, sipping on fine tea – in a luxurious resort overlooking the gardens. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

This, is something unique you could do at the One&Only Royal Mirage. Here’s what to expect.

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An Introduction

My parents were visiting, and I thought – hey, wouldn’t it be nice to take them along to review this unique experience at the One&Only. We had booked to do it at the Lobby Lounge of The Palace, and the team had already started to prep when we got there around 4pm, early February.

The sky was blue with streaks of white. The sun was low, casting a soft, warm glow on the terrace. It was the perfect time. Perfect in temperature, and perfect for capturing beautiful photos.

Candle-making with Studio Kinza

Tahrima – the founder of Studio Kinza was there to guide us through the entire process of candle-making. To be exact – my parents were the students, and I was merely there to capture the experience.

Choosing the Fragance

Layed out on the table were over 20 bottles of premium grade fragrance oils – all personally curated by Tahrima and her team. They were individually labelled – with cheeky names like ” My Ex never bought me Peonies “, ” Will you Marry Me “, to my absolutely favourite ” My Boss is a Psycho. ” Haha. It would be perfect for a team building activity, wouldn’t it? 🙂

You start off by choosing the fragrance that you would like for your own candle.

Mum mixed two and dad went all out and mixed five different ones (why not, right?). The recommended quantity is 20mL so you use a pipet to transfer it from the bottle to a beaker – the type that you used to use in Chemistry Class a lifetime ago. Did you know it’s actually called Erlenmeyer flask? Might come into handy at the next quiz night 😉

Pouring the wax and mixing the colours

Tahrima then guided my parents to pour the wax into another beaker. Colours were chosen and they had to stir, whilst watching the temperature gauge. Throughout the process – we were chatting, asking questions and just learning about the art of candle-making. My dad was calling Tahrima ‘Professor’ – which was hilarious, as he said he hadn’t been a ‘student’ for quite awhile now. He is 74 years old.

Choosing the flowers for the finishing touch

After pouring the candle in their own jar, we waited for sometime for it to set before the finishing touch. Flowers, of course. They had to very carefully pick this up with an instrument and place it at the top. It was beautiful.

And of course – there are a lot of miscellanous bits in between – to include sticking the labels onto the jars, placing the wooden candle wicks in, and towards the very end, boxing your very own creation to bring it home.

It took possibly an hour and a half from start to finish, with a lot of chit chat and of course – we haven’t even spoken about the Afternoon Tea experience yet. Hang in there. I’ll get to it soon.

For a Good Cause – Studio Kinza x Solar Aid

An important thing to mention – is that Studio Kinza have partnered up with SolarAid, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing clean, affordable solar lights to communities in sub-Saharan Africa. 

For every candle sold and workshop conducted, Studio Kinza donates $1 USD to SolarAid. This means that while you are creating your very own candle here in the One&Only – you are actually contributing to the communities in Africa, to have access to solar lights. It is an amazing intiative.

The Valentines-themed Afternoon Tea Set

Let’s not forget about the actual Afternoon Tea experience itself.

We had asked for the team to take out the Afternoon Tea set halfway through the Candle-Making workshop. While the wax was setting – we indulged in sweets and savouries, and sipped on a hot cup of coffee to start.

We were there in February – which means that the Afternoon Tea was of course – Valentines-themed. You’ll get king crab and beetroot toast, beef mortadella wrap with horseradish cream. There’s of course – the classic cream cheese and cucumber – in this case, bagel. Something different is always nice, right?

It was all very beautifully set up on the stand – all red and pink. Even the clotted creams came with red pomegranates on top – to go with freshly baked scones.

We loved their very own ‘rosemallow’ – made out of hibiscus foam, red currant sorbeet with juniper berry guimauve. I think if you plan to bring your little girls here – they would really enjoy sharing the Afternoon Tea set with you.

A Unique Experience

I can honestly say that my parents loved the entire experience – particularly my dad, whom I was initially a little sceptical about bringing, as this seemed to be a ‘girl’s thing’. It was adorable watching both of them put the apron on, becoming students once again at 70+ years old, whilst engaging with Tahrima and just having such a good time.

If you’re looking for a different, unique experience to do with friends, or your other half – give this a try. Why not learn something new, for a change, right? 🙂

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The Love Affair | Afternoon Tea & Candle-Making experience is available in the One&Only between 1st to 28th of February 2025, 3-6 pm. Book here.

Beachside Candle Making | The Candle-Making experience is also available at the Jetty Lounge on the 7th, 14th and 21st of February 2025. Book here.

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• Afternoon Tea & Candle-Making at One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai
• Available at : Lobby Lounge at The Palace, Samovar Lounge at Arabian Courts, and in the Gardens, upon special request
• Note : One&Only will be changing their Afternoon Tea themes throughout the year. Check current offers

Have a look at the experience here :

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