Is There A Way To Make Candles Smell Stronger?

If you love scented candles but struggle to really smell the fragrance once they are lit, there are several tricks candle makers use to make the scent stronger and travel further. The goal of most candle lovers is for their candles to fill a whole room with a lovely aroma. However, it can be frustrating when you expect a strong scent but can hardly smell your candle at all.

In this article, we will explore some of the techniques professional candle makers use to make their candles really throw scent. With a few simple tweaks, you can turn your mildly scented candles into powerful aroma bombs that perfume your whole home.

Why Candle Scents Seem Weak

One of the main reasons candle scents may seem weaker than expected is due to the candle wax itself. Waxes like soy, paraffin, beeswax, and others are designed to hold onto fragrances, but they can also absorb some of the scent. As the wax absorbs some of the fragrance oil, less fragrance is released into the air when burning, limiting the “throw.” This doesn’t mean the candle has no scent at all, but it does prevent as much fragrance from escaping the wax and diffusing into the room.

Additionally, factors like the size of the candle and ventilation in the room can make it seem like candle scents are weaker. But in many cases, the wax absorbing the scent plays a major role in limiting fragrance throw.

Wick Size Matters

One of the most important factors in getting stronger fragrance from a candle is using the proper wick size. The wick is what burns to release the candle’s fragrance. Bigger candle wicks allow more wax to melt at one time, which releases more fragrance into the air. Using a wick that is too small for the size of your candle will restrict how much wax can melt and hold back the candle’s scent. Generally, wider candle jars and containers need bigger wick sizes to create a stronger scent throw. The basic rule is the larger the candle diameter, the larger the wick should be. Refer to manufacturer guidelines on matching the appropriate wick size to the candle diameter. Choosing the right wick is essential for fully enjoying your candle’s fragrance.

Add Extra Fragrance Oil

One of the easiest ways to make your candles smell stronger is to add more fragrance oil. Most candle making recipes call for adding between 5-10% fragrance oil by weight. This means if you’re making a 1 pound candle, you’d add .05 to .1 ounces of fragrance oil. However, you can safely increase the fragrance load to around 15% in most waxes like soy, paraffin, or palm.

Adding more fragrance oil will intensify the scent throw. But be careful not to go over 15% or you risk the fragrance not binding properly to the wax. Too much oil can cause weeping, sweaty candles, or fragrance burn off. The max safe amount of fragrance is around 15% for most candle waxes. Start low at 10% and test burn. If you want an even stronger scent, incrementally increase the fragrance load to 12%, then 15% maximum for best hot and cold throw power.

Use Fragrance Oils, Not Essential Oils

One of the best ways to make your candle scents stronger is to use fragrance oils instead of essential oils. Fragrance oils are specifically formulated for candle making, while essential oils are not.

Fragrance oils contain synthetic aroma chemicals that are designed to be very volatile, meaning they vaporize at lower temperatures. This allows their scent to be released into the air more easily when the candle is burned, creating a stronger fragrance throw.

Essential oils, on the other hand, are derived from plants and are not as volatile. While they contain natural aromas, they often don’t produce as strong of a scent when burned in candles.

Additionally, some essential oils are not safe to burn. When heated, they can release compounds that are irritating or even toxic when inhaled. Fragrance oils have been tested for safety and performance in candles.

So if you want your homemade candles to really fill a room with fragrance, use a high quality, candle-grade fragrance oil. They are stronger, safer, and designed to give better cold and hot scent throw than essential oils.

Cure Candles Before Burning

One of the most important steps for achieving a stronger scent throw is to properly cure your candles after pouring them. Curing gives the wax time to completely harden and fully absorb the fragrance oils. When candles are burned too soon, the wax melts before the scent has a chance to set in, resulting in a weaker aroma.

Most candle makers recommend curing the candles for at least 1-2 weeks before burning. This allows the wax to fully saturate with the fragrance oils and gives you the strongest possible hot and cold scent throws. Longer cure times are even better. Let the candle sit for 4-6 weeks when possible. The longer you wait to burn the candle, the stronger the scent will be when it’s finally lit.

Curing candles isn’t difficult. After pouring and cooling your candles, simply store them in a dry, room temperature area away from direct light and heat. Avoid places like windowsills that can warm the candles. Cool, dark cupboards or closets work perfectly for candle curing. Then just let the candles rest before lighting them up and enjoy an intensely fragranced experience.

Double Wick Candles

One of the most effective ways to strengthen candle fragrance is by using two wicks instead of one. Double wicking a candle ensures more wax melts at one time, increasing scent throw. As the candle burns, having two wicks creates a larger melt pool than a single wick.

More wax melting means more fragrance oil is released into the air. The wider melt pool also allows fragrance to disperse better throughout the room. Essentially, double wicks enhance scent throw by burning the candle faster and hotter.

An added benefit of double wicking is that it creates a cleaner burn. The two wicks prevent tunneling, where just the center of the wax pool melts. With two wicks, the melt pool stays even across the entire surface of the candle. This cleaner burn fully utilizes all the wax and fragrance oil, rather than wasting some.

When making a double wick candle, be sure to use wicks made specifically for this purpose. They are designed to curve inward so the two wicks don’t touch. High-quality double wicks will promote an ideal melt pool and maximize fragrance throw.

Proper Wax Temperature

One factor that affects fragrance strength in candles is the temperature of the wax when pouring. Cooler wax is able to hold more fragrance oil. As wax heats up, its ability to retain scents decreases. For strongest fragrance throw, aim to pour candles when the wax is between 135-165°F. At these cooler temperatures, the wax molecules are less energetic and more likely to hold onto fragrance molecules evenly throughout the candle.

If you pour candles when the wax is too hot (over 185°F), the high energy state of the wax molecules can cause them to release fragrance oil, resulting in a weaker scent. The higher temperature also makes the wax set up faster, which can cause fragrance oil to rise to the surface instead of dispersing evenly. For best results, invest in a thermometer and carefully monitor wax temperatures when pouring.

Fragrances for Strong Throw

When it comes to candle scents that have a strong throw, there are a few key fragrance categories that tend to perform better than others. Here are some of the top fragrance types to look for if you want candles with big, bold scents:

Florals – Flower-based scents like jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, and gardenia are excellent at filling a room with fragrance. The complexity of floral scents makes them very volatile and gives them superior throw power.

Citrus – Bright and zesty citrus oils like lemon, grapefruit, orange, and lime have a crispness that carries scents far and wide. Citrus scents are very potent and disperse easily.

Minty – Mint fragrances like peppermint, spearmint, eucalyptus and wintergreen have a cooling potency that makes them one of the strongest scent categories for candles. The menthol content amplifies minty scents.

Spices – Warm spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger are very strong fragrances for candles. Their concentrated aroma is easily dispersed into the air.

Vanilla – Rich, buttery vanilla is a popular candle scent precisely because of its incredible throw. The complexity of vanilla makes it one of the farthest traveling scents.

When shopping for candles with strong scent, be sure to look at the fragrance descriptions and prioritize florals, citrus, mints, spices, vanilla and food-inspired scents. These oil types provide big aromatic punch in candles.

Conclusion

In summary, there are a few key things you can do to make your candles have a stronger aroma:

• Use a larger wick size appropriate for your candle’s diameter
• Increase the amount of fragrance oil to the maximum recommended percentage
• Use high quality fragrance oils instead of essential oils
• Allow candles to cure for 1-2 weeks before burning to let fragrance oils fully infuse
• Use double wicks to disperse and burn off more fragrance
• Pour wax at the ideal temperature for full fragrance throw
• Select fragrances known for being strong rather than light

Following these tips will help you make great smelling candles that fill the room with fragrance. Test out different wick types, fragrance loads, and cure times to find the perfect balance for your candle making.