Candles are often little oasis to us, but just so happen to be made of wax. Candles can set the mood for almost anything.
They can make a room feel brighter with citrus notes, or bring a nostalgic feeling of cozy comfort with the scents of a campfire. When burnt correctly, our favorite candles can last quite a while and bring us endless joy to our senses when lit.
To ensure this, you want to make sure to keep up on proper wick maintenance, (this was underlined in a previous blog post), you also want to pick a quality candle, carefully consider what room you are putting it in and if you want it to give off a strong “cold throw” so that you can smell it even when not lit.
Below, I’ll discuss ways you can contribute to keeping your candles scent vivacious, so that it’s fragrance lasts longer. (I’ll even include ways you can even make it stronger.)
Now inhale your frosted cranberry candle and relax, we’ve got this.
How to make store bought candles smell stronger
Again, nothing is better than smelling that decadent candle after a long strenuous day. But what’s frustrating to our scent of smell and our wallet is when our candles aren’t quite as fragrant as they used to be.
So, in order to prevent that burnt out feeling, and to save your candle from the recycle bin, there are some ways you can zest up your candle and give it a little extra time on your mantle.
You could try adding in fragrance oils to refresh your dull candle and give it a little extra pizzazz. But, before you try your hand at fragrance oils, it’s better to be well versed on them and how they work.
You’ll need to know how hot your candle needs to be in order to properly infuse the scent, what percentage of your candle should be melted before adding them in, and what scents will work together.
To be safe it would be best to ask your local candle store for some tips and tricks before you start your scent concoction. Good luck, and happy scenting!
Why don’t they smell strong?
Many people believe that they have lost the scent in their candles because of the brand or cost.
This is not true. While a candle formulated with a higher quality wax, and natural essential oils and fragrances will be more pleasurable to the air quality and have a more sophisticated scent, this does not mean that they will hold onto their fragrances longer.
Another misconception is that putting a lid on your own candle after burning will help preserve its scent. This is actually also untrue, even though it is recommended by some top candle retailers.
When studied it has been found that adding a lid to your candle is just simply helping you either double check that you fully extinguished the flame, or it’s to keep dust and dirty from settling on the wax and wick of your candle.
But one reason a candle does lose its scent quickly is actually dependent on how well your candle was mixed and what scents were used, and if used properly.
If your scent happens to be fading away halfway through the melting of your candle it means that your candle is composed more of “top notes”, (for perspective top notes in a Balsam Cedar candle from Yankee Candle would be crisp citrus, herbs, and red berry,) and composed of middle notes, ( pine balsam, cedar, sandalwood in the Balsam Cedar Candle), and is missing necessary bottom notes to help make the scent stick.
(Finally, there are no mentioned bottom notes in Balsam Cedar, making this candle beautiful but not long lashing)
The second instance your candle would not be holding scent is because it was poorly made with fragrances that didn’t not properly bind well with the wax. (Which we know is not the case with Yankee Candles).
Which candles have the strongest scent?
The term given to scents that are so amazingly fragrant in store but lose their punch once lit and brought home is “front load”.
Front load happens when candle makers pour so much fragrance into the top notes that once burnt down, it loses its sparkle. There are red flags to watch out for when selecting a candle.
These signs can almost assure you indefinitely that the candle is of poor quality, and that the fragrance will not last either. Watch out for:
- Wax that is greasy or oily to the touch, this is a sure sign the wax is poor quality and the candle will smoke a lot.
- Beware of polyester wicks. For a brighter, cleaner burn select a wick that’s hemp or cotton. (All natural fibers)
- Splotchy dye throughout the candle is a sign that the candle was mixed poorly and made of poor materials.
Now there are several things you should look for when selecting good fragrance choices for your candles. Candles that have a strong solid fragrance are often ones that are made with pure essential oils that come from plants, fruits, and spices.
For an oil to be considered a pure essential it must be 100% of what it claims to be. This means it cannot have any additives, be watered down, or be diluted by any other essential oils.
What’s a natural way to scent a candle?
As mentioned above, pure essential oils are the way to go when scenting, or for when you are looking for a candle that is pure and authentic.
Essential oils can also be organic, which is a huge plus to those looking for natural and pure candle scent options. It’s also important to note that just because an essential oil is organic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s pure.
Organic oils can be mixed, so it’s important to know when looking for an oil to make sure it’s marked “pure” or “100%”, so that you know it isn’t mixed with any other additives or scents.
It’s important to know that cheaper candles often use artificial fragrances and other synthetic scents, and while these candles may smell absolutely lovely, they may not be safe to inhale.
Always check your candle ingredients before buying and burning.Did you know? It’s not actually difficult to make and scent your own candles.
I’ve included below easy instructions on how to do this for yourself if you want to try and become your own candle making wizard.
- Melt 4 cups of soy flakes over a double broiler, stirring until the soy is liquid.
- Take the vessels you intend to use; for this step you’ll need at least 2 wicks with metalbases and two jars.
- Dip the metal ends of the wicks into some of the liquid soy wax and then press those intothe center of the jar. Use a chopstick to push it down into a deep or slender jar. Once themetal is set, straighten the wick and hold it up against the jar with a clothespin.
- At a slower pace, pour the wax gently into the containers. Add in whichever essential oilsyou would like. (For this example we will use lavender.) So, squeeze in around 15 dropsof your lavender oil to each side of the jar. Stir the wax with a chopstick or a skewer.
- Feel free to add in dried herbs such as lavender or even rosemary in order to add a littlesomething special to your candle. Mix those in at the same time as your oils. Around 3⁄8 tsps of any herbs you prefer. Do not add in oils at time of melting the flakes as this prevents the oils from burning. If concerned about cracking, wrap the jars in dry washcloths so that you can prevent the candle from cooling down too quickly. Let the candles set for 24hrs, remove the clothespin, the washcloth, and don’t forget to trim that wick!