Almost everyone asks the same thing before their first candle massage: is it hot? As in candle-hot, dripping-on-your-back hot? No. A massage candle is not a household candle. It is made to melt into a warm, oily liquid at a gentle heat, and your therapist works it into your skin by hand, the way they would an oil.
If you are looking for a candle massage in Auckland, here is what you need to know up front. Candle Therapy Massage is only available at our Viaduct spa, 1B/124 Customs Street West in the CBD. It is not offered at St Heliers. It runs 60 minutes for $140, 90 minutes for $195 or 120 minutes for $250, and this guide covers what it feels like, who it suits, and what to book instead if the Viaduct is out of your way.
What candle therapy massage actually is
On the Siri menu, Candle Therapy Massage combines warm melted massage candle wax with Swedish technique. The wax is blended with essential and scented oils, so there is a soft scent as it warms, and once melted it behaves much like a rich, warm oil under the therapist's hands.
The technique underneath is our Swedish massage: a blend of western and Thai technique, full body, with long gliding strokes and kneading that are firm and invigorating rather than feather-light. The difference is the medium. Melted candle wax rather than a plain oil changes the feel of the whole session — warmer, and richer on the skin.
How warm is the wax?
Warm, not hot. Think of a warm lotion rather than anything that makes you flinch. The warmth arrives as a soft, even heat spread across the skin, not a concentrated spot.
If at any point it feels too warm, say so immediately. That is not fussy; it is exactly what your therapist wants to know, and it is easily fixed. The same goes for pressure. Speak up in the first few minutes rather than enduring it.
Compared with the other warm treatments on our menu, hot stone delivers the most intense heat, with heated stones resting on the body and worked through the oil. Warm coconut oil is the mildest — a gentle, all-over warmth. Candle therapy sits between the two: noticeably warm, spread evenly across the skin, and worked entirely with the hands.
What a session feels like
No two sessions are identical, but a typical one runs like this:
- A quick consultation. Where you are tight, how firm you like it, and anything your therapist should know: skin conditions, allergies or sensitivity to scent, pregnancy, recent injury.
- Settling in. You undress to your comfort and lie under a towel. Only the area being worked on is uncovered at any time.
- The first pass. The warm wax goes on in long strokes, usually starting with the back. This is the moment people remember — warmth spreading outwards rather than sitting in one place.
- The Swedish work. Gliding strokes, kneading and firmer attention to the shoulders and lower back, with the wax keeping every movement smooth.
- Turning over. Legs, arms and shoulders from the front, at the same unhurried pace.
- The finish. Slower strokes and a few quiet minutes. Your skin will feel noticeably soft, with a light scent that stays with you.
Afterwards, take a minute before you sit up. Warmth and long strokes leave most people slower than they expect, so drink some water, dress without hurrying and, if you can, spend ten minutes by the water rather than going straight back to a desk. The harbour is close by.
"People hear 'candle' and brace for heat. Then the first stroke goes on and their shoulders drop about two centimetres."
Siri therapist team
Who it suits, and who should choose something else
Candle therapy is a good fit if you:
- like the warmth of a hot stone massage but want hands, not stones, doing the work
- have skin that has gone dry and tight after a winter of heat pumps and hot showers
- feel the cold easily and never quite relax in an ordinary oil massage
- want something that feels like an occasion — a birthday, an anniversary, the end of a long project
Choose something else if you want a specific knot worked hard. Wax and long strokes are not the tool for that, so book deep tissue and be direct about the spot. And if strong scent bothers you, a massage without scented oils, such as traditional Thai, will suit you better.
Before you book: The wax contains essential and scented oils. If you have sensitive or reactive skin, a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis, broken skin, or you have reacted to fragrance before, check with your GP or dermatologist first and tell us when you book. Healthify's guide to essential oils notes that people with a skin condition or a history of reacting to skin products may be more likely to react. If you are pregnant, talk to your midwife or GP before booking and mention it to us, and the same goes for a recent injury or surgery.
Only at the Viaduct, and the closest options at St Heliers
To say it plainly: Candle Therapy Massage is a Viaduct exclusive. You can book it at our Viaduct spa on Customs Street West, and only there. It is not available at St Heliers.
If St Heliers is easier for you, two treatments there come closest:
- Warm coconut oil massage — warm coconut oil massage at St Heliers, $105 for 60 minutes or $145 for 90. A gentle, all-over warmth and the same soft-skin finish, with any Siri massage style underneath.
- Hot stone massage — $160 for 90 minutes or $210 for 120 at St Heliers. More heat, delivered by stones, and only in the longer lengths. Our hot stone guide explains how the session runs.
Our warm coconut oil massage guide also compares the oils and the candle wax on our menu side by side, if you want to understand the differences before choosing.
Which length to book
- 60 minutes, $140 — full body at an easy pace. The right length for a first try.
- 90 minutes, $195 — the one we would suggest if you carry tension in your back and shoulders, because it leaves time to go back to them.
- 120 minutes, $250 — an occasion. Unhurried from start to finish.
For comparison, a Swedish massage at the Viaduct is $115 for 60 minutes, so candle therapy costs twenty-five dollars more for the hour. What you are paying for is the medium and the warmth. If neither appeals, Swedish is the better buy, and we would rather tell you so.
Candle therapy also makes a good gift for someone who has already tried the usual massages. A Viaduct gift voucher can be bought for this exact treatment, so they do not have to choose — just make sure the person you are buying for can easily get into the CBD.
Practical notes
- No rush to shower. Your skin will feel soft for the rest of the day, and many guests leave the wax on and shower later.
- Wear something you do not mind a little oil against, and tie long hair up if you want to keep it out of the treatment.
- Add a scrub first. The Viaduct offers a body scrub on its own, one hour for $125. Book it before the massage and the wax goes onto freshly exfoliated skin.
- Hours — open seven days, 10.00am to 8.00pm. Closed Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, and until 1.00pm on ANZAC Day; 15% surcharge on public holidays.
Every Viaduct treatment and price is on the Viaduct price list. Book online, or phone 027-722-6564 if you have a question about the wax before you commit.
Common questions
Yes. Candle Therapy Massage is only available at our Viaduct spa, 1B/124 Customs Street West. It is not offered at St Heliers, where the closest options are warm coconut oil massage or hot stone massage.
It should feel warm, never hot. A massage candle melts into a warm, oily liquid that is worked into the skin by hand. If it ever feels too warm, tell your therapist straight away.
At our Viaduct spa, Candle Therapy Massage is $140 for 60 minutes, $195 for 90 minutes and $250 for 120 minutes. A 15% surcharge applies on public holidays.
Candle massage spreads a soft warmth across the skin through melted wax and hands-on Swedish technique, and is only offered at the Viaduct. Hot stone uses heated stones, both resting on the body and held by the therapist, for a more concentrated heat, and runs 90 or 120 minutes only.
