Finding the Right Fit: Fragrance Types in Scented Candles
Candles are infamously known for their uniquely blended scents that fill up a room as you burn through them. Of course, our signature Hidden Candle secret message candles can provide you with such an experience; you walk into a room and you are immediately met with a wonderful fragrance that is exhilarating as you inhale deeply. This is part of the experience that we promise you: it is more than just a candle, but rather, it is a full sensory experience that you should get to enjoy. Plus, as the wax melts, your candle will reveal a hidden message. (Learn more on our website!)
Have you ever wondered what constitutes a candle scent? Why is it so intoxicating? What are some of the fragrance types you can find? This blog, we're going to tell you the idea behind fragrances and some of the common types of fragrances you can find. Our goal is to help guide you with your candle shopping as we answer some questions on finding the right candle for you!
What Constitutes a Good Fragrance?
We commonly pertain to fragrance when we are talking about candles, but what does it mean? The broader definition of fragrance is that it refers to the compound of different materials, usually essential oils, and perfumes, carefully formulated to give off a wonderful and pleasant smell. However, the trick to understanding a good fragrance is that it relies on the specific blend of its formulation; you simply cannot mix scents that do not go well with each other. The ratio of each component of each specific scent must also be carefully chosen because if one scent overpowers the other, then they could clash and smell funky! A good fragrance refers to the harmonious blend of scent notes that go well together in order to give a pleasant smell. These scent notes include the top, middle, and bottom notes of the overall fragrance.
Scent Notes and How They Influence Fragrance
Top notes, also known as headnotes, are those that you smell immediately after you light up the candle. Ingredients that are classified to give off headnotes are those that usually dissipate quickly but can pack a punch in such a small amount of time. Top notes are important because it is your “introductory scent” or your first impression of a candle. Therefore, finding a candle with a good top note will surely entice a customer into buying your candle. Top notes are those that are citrusy and aromatic because it tends to catch the attention of people and make them think that the candle is worth buying.
Middle notes are those that you smell after the top notes begin to dissipate. Because of this, middle notes tend to be mellower than the bright top notes because they tend to last longer on your nose. This is the reason why middle notes are also called the heart of the candle because while the headnotes grab your attention, it is these heart notes coming from the candle that makes you want to stay and enjoy the candle. Due to these factors, middle notes tend to be either floral, spicy, or fruity in terms of their scent as it hits your nostrils.
Finally, the bottom notes, also known as the base notes, are the scents that stay the longest because their molecules evaporate very slowly, making the odor hang in the air longer than both the top and middle notes. The base notes usually round out the scent of the candle and it brings depth and complexity to a fragrance. They typically consist of rich and strong scents while still ensuring that it remains pleasant to smell as you burn through a candle. Base notes are those scents that are usually musky, woody, and earthy in character, making the scent settle as it dissipates in the air.
Fragrances have become so complex to the point where we can classify scents into their nuanced notes. In fact, fragrances have become so advanced that a fragrance wheel has been created to help us group these fragrances; we are able to classify scents into four broad categories: floral, oriental or exotic, fresh, and woody. It means all of the scents you experience fall into one (or more) of these categories, and understanding this will help you determine whether scents could go well together.
The Fragrance Wheel: Fragrances and Their Types
Perfume expert Michael Edwards created the fragrance wheel in 1992. The fragrance wheel has existed as early as the late 1940s, however, the modern version created by Edwards is the one that is used today. The fragrance wheel has four main olfactory families: floral, oriental or exotic, woody, and fresh. Under each of these broad groups are subgroups that further describe them in closer detail. For example, under the oriental group are the following subgroups: floral oriental, soft oriental, oriental, and woody oriental. Other subgroups also exist for the other three groups that have been mentioned because these olfactory families do not exist in a vacuum. They have a relationship with each other and they can complement each other in certain ways.
A fragrance wheel is an important tool because it helps us understand which scents go together really well. For example, if you are looking for a scent that complements the fragrance family you always opt for, you can use the fragrance wheel and look for the neighboring fragrance family. However, if you want to opt for something a little bit different, you can choose to use the opposite subcategory much like complementary colors in a color wheel. The opposite scent will theoretically be complementary to your fragrance while simultaneously bringing another depth of complexity. Finally, to add more depth to your fragrance, you can opt for subcategories that will form a triangle on the wheel. These scents will likely create pleasant top, middle, and base notes for your overall fragrance.
Having an understanding of the fragrance wheel will help you understand how fragrances theoretically complement each other. It will help you choose your candles and other fragrance products like perfume because you get to see whether or not their blend will work. The fragrance wheel will help you make informed decisions about your candle purchases and Hidden Candle wishes nothing but to help you in making your choices!
Secret Message Candles with Intoxicating Scents
Here at Hidden Candle, we currently have three candles in our collections which all possess uniquely blended scents that are incredible! Blossoming Love has a delicate scent which perfectly bends fruity and floral scents. Its clean, unique, and romantic fragrance will surely help brighten a room with the freshness it provides. In terms of scent notes, Blossoming Love has apple, peach, and grapefruit as its top notes, followed by cherry blossoms and hydrangeas as the middle notes, and vanilla and powder as the base notes. Be sure to check out Blossoming Love – Fortune or Blossoming Love – Love Letter from our store.
Ocean Bliss provides a cool and fresh experience with its unique scent, which is a blend of ozone and citrus as the top notes, followed by honeydew, melon, and violets as the middle notes and oakmoss and ozone as the base notes. Ocean Bliss is reminiscent of the scent you get when you roll down your windows at the beachside and the cool breeze envelops your senses. We think this fresh indulgence will surely be a great addition to your candle collection. It comes in both the Love Letter variety, as well as the Fortune variety, both of which you can shop online!
Finally, Under the Stars is a scent that captures the intoxicating sea air, fresh cologne, and musk to provide you with a masculine scent unlike any other. Its fragrance comprises citrus, sea salt, and ozone as the top notes, followed by plum and cardamom as the middle notes, and amber and dark musk as the base notes. This candle will remind you of open fields and freedom as you catch the invigorating scent it offers. You can check out our Under the Stars – Fortune and Under the Stars – Love Letter from our website.
Conclusion of Finding the Right Fit: Fragrance Types in Scented Candles
We hope we were able to help you find the right fit with your candles! We think that it is a personal experience, so everyone’s tastes vary from each other. However, certain ideas and concepts will help you comprehend how olfaction works and how scents complement each other. We hope that this article helped you understand fragrances and why some scents work and others do not!
Our signature secret message candles were carefully formulated with essential oils and fragrances that you will enjoy. Don't forget to check out our store, so you can experience the unique products that we offer! If you did purchase one, be sure to share it with us on our Instagram @HiddenCandleCo so we can enjoy it with you!