About Homework and the Five Elements
Homework applies the Five Elements philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine to fragrance. Each element — Earth, Wood, Metal, Fire and Water — is associated with a different emotional and physical state, and each product is blended to support that state through scent. Earth grounds and nourishes. Wood supports clarity and creative focus. Metal brings precision and clear thinking. Fire energises and awakens. Water restores calm and fluidity. Across the range, Chinese cedarwood appears as a recurring base note that ties the five elements together.
Candles, essential oils and bath salts
The candles are hand-poured into smoked glass vessels using a rapeseed and coconut wax blend, available in a 280g format for Earth and Fire and a 180g format for Metal, Water and Wood. The essential oil blends cover all five elements and are made for use in a diffuser. Bath salts use Dead Sea salt and magnesium as a base, combined with element-specific botanical blends; the Earth salts include calendula for the skin, and the Wood salts include nettle to support circulation. The Water element also has an Eau de Parfum — a lighter personal fragrance built around neroli, bergamot and Chinese cedar.
How to choose
Pick by what you want the scent to do. Earth and Water suit winding down — Earth is warm and grounding, Water is cooler and quieter. Wood and Metal suit focused work — Wood is greener and more forested, Metal is crisp and citrus-led. Fire is the most intense, built around smoked blood orange and sandalwood, and suits creative ritual or evenings. Then choose your format: a candle for ambient room scenting, an essential oil for a diffuser, bath salts for an evening soak, or the Water EDP as a personal fragrance.
