In the US, scent adding to candle formulations is a regular practice. Actually, between 75 and 80 percent of candles sold in the United States are scented. Candle makers collaborate closely with fragrance producers to create scented compositions that are not only aesthetically beautiful but also burn correctly and safely.
When a scented candle is lit, the fragrance from the solid candle itself and the hot wax pool evaporating off it releases the perfume. Similar to unscented candles, correctly manufactured scented candles burn primarily to release carbon dioxide and water vapor. The sole distinction is that scented candles also generate a smell.
The majority of scented candles include a mixture of synthetic and natural scents. These fragrance ingredients may come from synthetic scent compounds or from essential oils. The addition of fragrance to a candle formulation should be carefully controlled to guarantee that the candle will burn cleanly and correctly. A well-made candle will only contain fragrance components permitted for candle use.
More than 2,000 fragrance compounds and essential oils are available to candle producers, allowing them to create aromas that are both palatable to customers and appropriate for candle use. These chemicals, which are safe and of the highest caliber, are also included in a large number of fragrances, bath soaps, lotions, and shampoos.
The raw ingredients for fragrance that are used in candles and other consumer items are subjected to a number of health and safety examinations. Only precisely crafted scents that have been certified for use in candles are used by reputable candle producers.
Lighting Up Your World
Light is the absence of darkness. Since the very beginning of time light has been an essential means of being able to function. The invention of electricity inadvertently reduced the popularity of candles. Needless to say, the use of candles never became extinct. As the years passed the art of candle-making just became more innovative and more creative.
Candles are much more than just accessories and balls of light to be used when creating a spa-like effect in your bathroom while relaxing after a stressful week. Candles set the tone for your experience. Over the years candles have been designed in different shapes, sizes, and colors to match different moods and themes. One thing for sure is that developing an awesome-smelling candle definitely helps the variations in size and shape.
Candles are meant to make occasions more beautiful as well as to elevate your mood. They have been around since around 200 B.C. when people in China would use whale fat to make candles. Incidentally, Ancient Egyptians were the first people to make candles in their own way to provide light. They made rushlights and torches to help them light their way. They made these items by soaking the core of reeds in melted animal fat or tallow.
What’s In A Fragrance
A scent says a million words. The scent a candle carries speaks volumes. Traditionally, we associate certain scents with memories, feelings, and specific activities. With candles, it is the same situation. When we want to evoke a certain emotion and sentiment, we select a particular scent to match a specific color. We associate cooler colors like blues and creams with relaxation and green and reds with sensuality and money.
As such when selecting candles, we look for candles with certain scents that match the season or occasion and feeling we are trying to emote. A good example of this is the Christmas season. When selecting candles for Christmas, we usually select scents like cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh pine, vanilla, pumpkin spice, apple, and cloves. We also look for candles that have vibrant Christmas colors such as red, yellow, and green to celebrate the festive season.
Candles play an important role in the seasons we celebrate and the special occasions that we observe. Birthdays are celebrations that usually we celebrate in groups and usually have different themes that we can relate to. Children’s birthdays always have bright-colored candles that are unscented or candles that sparkle when lit. These candles add drama and excitement to the occasion and make a birthday celebration a memorable and exceptional occasion.
There are other celebrations that are of a more religious nature which do not require scented candles but plain white unscented candles. These occasions are like candle lighting ceremonies and confirmation services at churches, church services where candles are lit, and lastly Judaism and Buddhism have different ceremonies like in Christianity where usually unscented candles are lit to welcome peace and as a ritualistic practice.
It is critical to pair the right scent with the right color when selecting a candle whether for ritualistic purposes or fan or annual celebration. Candles are a treasured part of any celebration and help to set the tone and it is absolutely important that if we want to celebrate life at a christening or we want to gift a couple a celebratory candle we select a white candle with a light scent like fresh linen or lavender. Selecting the right color candle with the right scent to match is like selecting the right type of wine to go with the right meat.
The Numbers Game
Making candles is an art that is done with sincere precision. It requires the use of specific tools and candle wax that hardens to form into a beautifully smooth wicked masterpiece. Applying scent is the most important part as well as the most exciting part. As a candle maker myself, I love using lightly scented candles. However, I really prefer candles that have a lingering scent that gives my bathroom and bedroom a burst of lavender or lemon zest.
The industry standard for applying scents is 0.5 ounces for every pound of wax you use. Layering your scents is something I have personally done and it is a very interesting process as you are using your eyes and nose to guide you in adding your scents that complement each other. When layering scents, you are able to do double scenting or triple scenting. When double scenting it is recommended that you use 1 ounce of fragrance for every pound of wax while in triple scenting you are able to use 1 ounce of fragrance for every pound of wax.
Usually, you need to be particular about the brand of wax that you use as different brands may tell you the fragrance ratio and how much fragrance should be added for every pound of wax. It is imperative to read the wax package and to get as much information about the wax we are using as using too little wax may lead to a low scent throw. On the other hand, using too much fragrance may lead to a strong hot throw and overload the wax, and cause candle sweating or curdling.
When I say refer to a strong hot throw, I am referring to how strong a candle smells when you light it and burn it in a room at home. This can be very important to experiment with when you are adding fragrance to your melted wax. Experimentation is key when working with adding fragrances to your melted wax.
The fragrance being applied may be applied for a specific purpose. It may be for relaxation or for healing purposes. Be sure to research to find out which oils heal versus which ones relax. Eucalyptus for instance is an oil that relaxes muscles and clears your sinuses for a free-flow inhalation experience. Clearly, a eucalyptus peppermint blend will be ideal for double scenting as it will relax your muscles and help clear your sinuses and improve your well-being.
A client may say to you that they like a strong-smelling candle because their room is large so your job may be to blend the scents so well that you mix the appropriate scents in the right quantity so as to have a strong hot throw in the room as requested. All in all, it is a magical journey mixing scent and blending the right color in your melted wax to make a smooth scent-filled wicked masterpiece.
Final Comments
There is no better way to cheer yourself up through difficult times than with a soothing scented candle. Sometimes candles are perfumed to improve the ambience of your place. And the finest candles are those that manage to combine both calming aroma and fascinating illumination. You’ll never run out of possibilities when using scented candles.
The most common types of scented candles are those that have floral scents (rose, lavender, crimson, etc.), fruity scents (citrus, lemon, tropical fruits), sweet and sugary smells (vanilla, chocolate, caramel), spicy or herbal scents (rosemary, ginger, thyme, etc.), plant scents (pine, juniper berry, seagrass, patchouli, fig, etc.), and musky scents, sheer musk, etc.
The scents of the scented candles trigger the memory and mood-related areas of our brains. After a hard day of work, it helps you decompress and transports you to a nostalgic location with long-gone memories. A soft violet scent may conjure up warm, cuddly memories of romance, while a sharp lemon scent may bring back memories of your most recent summer vacation. As a result, perfumes not only make your room cozier but also improve your mood.
