How Do You Make Essential Oil Candles Smell Stronger?

Essential oil candles have become increasingly popular for their aromatherapeutic benefits. When they are lit, the heat releases the natural fragrance and essential oils from plants, flowers, herbs, and other botanicals contained in the wax. This allows the aroma to fill the surrounding area (https://www.nourishandloveco.com/blogs/blog/get-lit-5-reasons-to-use-candles-aromatherapy-to-reduce-every-stress). Inhaling these lovely scents provides a number of benefits including reducing stress, easing anxiety, boosting mood, and promoting relaxation.

Having a strong, intense fragrance is desirable with essential oil candles. The more potent the scent, the more pronounced the aromatic benefits. A strong aroma helps create a relaxing ambiance, set the mood, and provide the full calming and therapeutic effects the oils are known for. This guide covers techniques to make homemade or store-bought essential oil candles even more fragrant and effective.

Choose High Quality Oils

One of the most important things you can do to make essential oil candles smell stronger is to choose high quality, pure essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances. Look for oils that are 100% pure and free of additives or dilutents which can diminish the scent. Select essential oils that are naturally strong smelling and known for their intense aromas like peppermint, eucalyptus, spearmint, cassia, lemon, and sweet orange (Edens Garden). The quality and purity of the essential oils will impact how strongly they smell in the finished candle.

Use More Essential Oil

One of the easiest ways to make your essential oil candles smell stronger is to simply use more essential oil. According to most manufacturers, the maximum fragrance load for soy wax is around 10% (1). This means for a standard 8 oz candle, you could use up to around 1.2 oz of essential oil. Start on the lower end around 5% and test the strength. If it’s not strong enough, gradually increase the amount of oils up to the 10% maximum.

While using more oils will make your candle more fragrant, it’s important not to go overboard. Excessive amounts of essential oils can make the candle unsafe and cause issues like soot, oil droplets, and tunneling. Follow the usage recommendations carefully and test your creations to find the optimal balance of fragrance (2). More isn’t always better when it comes to essential oils in candles.

(1) https://www.rockymountainoils.com/blogs/essential-oil-basics/how-much-essential-oil-to-add-to-candle
(2) https://cosyowl.com/guides/how-to-make-essential-oil-candles

Use Oils With Complementary Scents

One of the best ways to make your essential oil candles smell stronger is to mix complementary scents that enhance each other. Certain essential oils have aroma profiles that blend together beautifully. Combining these complementary oils results in a synergistic effect, creating a stronger aroma than either oil could produce on its own.

Here are some examples of essential oil pairings that complement each other and make great candle scent blends:

• Lavender + Sweet Orange – The sweet citrus brightens the relaxing floral scent.[1]
• Eucalyptus + Peppermint – The crisp, cooling peppermint boosts the medicinal eucalyptus.[2]
• Cedarwood + Pine – Earthy wood scents that enhance the outdoorsy aroma.[3]
• Rose + Lemongrass – The sharp, zesty lemongrass uplifts the rich floral rose.

Experiment with mixing 2-4 complementary essential oils in your candle wax. Keeping the blends simple often produces the best results. Find pairings you love and let the oils amplify each other for a candle scent that really fills the room.

Add Beeswax

One way to make essential oil candles smell stronger is by adding beeswax. Beeswax has a natural honey aroma that helps lift and carry essential oil fragrances. According to BzzWax, beeswax is harder than soy or other waxes, so it allows more fragrance to be absorbed and released. Using a blend of 60-70% beeswax is recommended when making essential oil candles to maximize fragrance strength.

The beeswax helps diffuse and project essential oil scents more strongly than candles made solely with vegetable waxes. As the beeswax candle burns, the honey notes complement floral, citrus, spice, and woodsy aromas. The result is an intensely aromatic candle that fills the room with fragrance.

Use Wooden Wicks

One of the best ways to make essential oil candles smell stronger is to use wooden wicks. Wooden wicks burn hotter than regular cotton or paper wicks, which helps release more fragrance from the essential oils in the candle wax. According to Candle-Lite, wooden wicks can improve scent throw by up to 50%.

Look for wooden wicks that are made from natural wood and free of coatings. The ideal thickness is between 1/8″ and 1/4″ (Essential Elements Wooden Wick – Candle-Lite). Thinner wicks may not burn as hot, while thicker wicks can create excess smoke. When shopping for wooden wicks, choose options specifically designed for essential oil candles, like those from reputable brands such as Wooden Wick Co and Essential Elements.

The wooden material enables the wick to burn hotter and release more fragrance. As the wood burns, it also makes a crackling sound some find soothing. Be sure to trim wooden wicks to 1/4” before lighting to prevent mushrooming at the top.

Heat the Wax Thoroughly

Heating the wax fully allows it to absorb more essential oil, resulting in a stronger aroma in the finished candle. Wax needs to be heated to between 185-200°F to open up its molecular structure and maximize fragrance absorption. At temperatures below 185°F, the wax molecules are too tightly packed to properly take in the scent molecules. Heating to at least 200°F gives the wax enough fluidity to thoroughly blend with the essential oils. According to aromatherapy experts Eden’s Garden, heating the wax for at least an hour allows for full fragrance saturation.

It’s crucial not to overheat the wax much beyond 200°F, as this can start to break down the wax composition. The optimal temperature range allows the wax to fully liquefy without damaging the molecular bonds that give it a smooth surface for even burning. Taking the time to properly heat the wax prevents having to use excess oils to compensate for poor absorption.

Cool Slowly

Cooling the candles slowly gives more time for the wax to absorb the scent. According to Armitage Candle Company, cooling the candles slowly after adding fragrance oil allows more time for scent molecules to bind with wax molecules, resulting in better scent throw. Candles that are cooled too quickly may not allow enough bonding time and end up having a weak scent.

The ideal cooling temperature gradient is 2-3 degrees Fahrenheit per hour, cooling from around 185°F to 130°F before pouring into containers. Some recommend cooling even more gradually at 1-2 degrees per hour for maximum scent absorption. Candle Oil Solutions advises against cooling too quickly, which causes scent loss. Taking your time with cooling allows more scent to be retained.

In summary, cooling candles slowly at an ideal temperature gradient allows more time for the wax to absorb fragrance oil, resulting in stronger scented candles.

Cure the Candles

Curing allows the essential oil aroma to fully permeate the wax before burning. This is a key step for producing candles with a wonderfully strong scent. The minimum recommended curing time is 3 days, while 1-2 weeks is ideal for candles made with natural waxes like soy and coconut (source). During the curing process, the essential oil fragrance intermingles on a molecular level with the wax. This allows the scent to fully release when the candle is burned. Rushing this step by burning too soon after pouring will result in a weakly scented candle. Be patient and allow your homemade candles to cure properly before lighting to enjoy the maximum aroma intensity.

Store in Airtight Containers

One of the best ways to make your essential oil candles smell stronger for longer is to store them in airtight containers when not in use. This prevents the essential oil scent from escaping into the air. Look for containers made of metal, glass, or plastic that seal tightly. According to this source, airtight storage can help candles retain their scent 2-3 times longer compared to leaving them open to the air.

Before storing, be sure to trim the wick to 1⁄4 inch length. This helps prevent the wick from getting wet and impacting the scent throw when the candle is burned again. It’s also advised to store candles with the wick facing upwards so it can dry out fully. With proper airtight storage and wick care, you’ll notice your essential oil candles smell much stronger when you take them out to enjoy again.