Candles are very old tools, which have been used for thousands of years to provide indoor illumination. The earliest versions of candles to be recorded in history were first created thousands of years ago, made from boiled down tallow or fat from cattle and other animals. Nowadays, however, paraffin wax is the most common material used in making candles, and scented candles happen to be in very high demand. Scented candles are candles that contain perfumes or fragrances, which are usually added during the candle-making process. There are different types of scented candles and some smell much stronger than others.
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY TYPES OF SCENTED CANDLES?
Already, we have established that scented candles are candles that contain perfumes or fragrances, which are usually added during the candle-making process. Many different types of scented candles exist based on the type of perfume or fragrance used in making them.
Scented candles come in such wide varieties because the scents and perfumes used in making them are numerous. Therefore, candle-makers (chandlers) are usually faced with many options and decisions during the production of scented candles; each one of which could potentially affect the type of scent contained in the formed candle.
For instance, the types of scents and the quantity and manner in which they are added into the melted wax goes a long way in determining the type of scented candles that will be formed; particularly in respect to the candle’s scent profile and scent notes. If too little fragrance is added in very low concentration, the scents formed are likely to be very weak and vice versa. Similarly, the manner in which these scents are added determines the properties and notes of the scents that would be emitted by the candle during burning. The combination of these factors also helps to determine whether the candle’s scent would be long-lasting or not.
Additionally, the properties of the wax used in making scented candles also influence the scent notes of any particular scented candle. This is because some candle waxes have their own natural fragrances and scents e.g. beeswax. This natural fragrance or aroma can usually interact with any added perfume in order to form scent profiles and scent notes that are different from what they would otherwise be in candles made from other types of wax e.g. paraffin wax (which is generally odorless in its unscented form).
WHAT IS THE STRONGEST SMELLING CANDLE ON THE MARKET?
There are many different kinds of strong smelling candles on the market. However, it may be difficult to rank them all in order of increasing or decreasing fragrance strength. This is partially because different people have different perception of smell, and so the ability to gauge fragrance strength might be largely subjective.
Strong smelling candles can be made using different methods and technologies. Sometimes, all the process involves is a very strong fragrance and suitable wax; particularly soy wax, paraffin wax and waxes that are combinations of other waxes in recent times. Many chandlers tend to avoid using tallow or wax obtained from boiled down fat in making scented candles because tallow is usually more expensive and harder to work with. In other cases, however, the making of strong smelling candles depends on other factors asides the strength of the fragrance used.
Nowadays, many candle making companies use innovative fragrance technology to make stronger smelling candles, with longer lasting scents. For instance, Pure Integrity Soy Candles – a notable candle brand – employs this kind of technology in making their scented candles. According to them, these candles contain 50% more fragrance than any other candle they know of on the market. Along with innovative fragrance technology, they also make use of a 7-step hand pouring process. The end results of their unique methods are candles that have very strong and distinct scent profiles that make you feel as though actual source of the fragrance (e.g. a flower or fruit) is in the candle. Not only are these scents distinct and strong, but they also spread easily throughout a room. They come in a wide range of fragrances such as Cranberry Spice Soy Candle, Hot Mulled Cider Soy Candle, Mistletoe Soy Candle, Peppermint Soy Candle, Peppermint Soy Candle, Sandalwood Amber Soy Candle and Vanilla Almond Soy Candle among others. The 16oz version of any of these candles has an average burn time of 75 hours. They are biodegradable and completely phthalate and petroleum free. They also do not contain toxins, synthetic additives that often lead to respiratory issues, flare ups of allergies and headaches.
Due to the innovative procedure used in making these strong smelling candles, not only do they have strong scent profiles and distinct scent notes that persist long after the candles have been put out, they also burn down at a much slower rate. This means that they candles will last for a very long time, and it is particularly noteworthy because some scented candles burn down much faster than normal because low quality fragrances were used in their production process.
Apart from candles produced by Pure Integrity Soy Candles, many other strong smelling candles exist in the market such as WoodWick by Yankee Candle Co and Bath and Body Works. Many of these strong smelling candles are products of old and well-established brands (such as Yankee Candle Co.), and some of them may even fall under the luxury brand category (e.g Diptyque Baies Candle and other strong smelling candles manufactured by Diptyque), because the types of perfumes and fragrances used in making strong scented candles of high quality are usually very expensive; consequently, this expense tends to reflect on the actual market price of the strong smelling candles produced.
However, there are still some strong smelling candles that can be purchased on a low budget (such as Lulu candles, which come in a wide variety of fragrances such Fresh lines). Basically, there are different strong smelling candles available on the market to suit everyone’s unique preferences and budget range.
Good post. I’m dealing with many of these issues as well..