What Can I Add To A Candle To Make It Smell Better?
Scent-enhanced candles refer to candles that have additional fragrances or essential oils added to enhance or improve their natural scent. These types of candles have grown in popularity in recent years as consumers seek candles with more complex and sophisticated aromas beyond just the scent of wax or standard fragrances. The candle market was estimated at USD 3.17 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 5.28 billion by 2030, indicating significant growth (source). With this rising popularity and demand for scented candles, many people are interested in learning how to make their candles smell even better at home.
Why Enhance Candle Scents?
There are several reasons why people choose to enhance the scents of their candles:
Masking odors – Scented candles can help mask unpleasant odors in the home like pet smells, cooking odors, and more. The pleasant aroma from essential oils and fragrances helps override and cover up bad scents.
Aromatherapy benefits – Specific essential oils and fragrances are known to provide aromatherapy effects like promoting relaxation, boosting mood, increasing focus and concentration, and more. Enhancing candle scents allows people to customize the aromatic benefits they receive.[1]
Creating an ambience – Scented candles help set a mood and ambience in a room. People enhance candle scents to match the vibe they want, whether it’s romantic, relaxing, energizing or more.
Personal preference – Some people simply don’t like the natural scent from plain wax candles. Enhancing the fragrance caters to personal preferences.
Promoting wellbeing – Studies show scented candles can reduce stress, improve sleep quality, boost productivity and contribute to other health benefits. Enhancing candle scents enables people to customize the wellness effects they experience.[2]
Choosing Complimentary Scents
When adding scents to an existing candle, it’s important to choose fragrances that will blend well together. According to Fragrance Oil Blending 101 | Tips, Ideas, and Recipes, complementary fragrances should enhance each other rather than compete. The goal is to create a new, pleasing aroma rather than muddying or distorting the original scent.
Consider blending simple scents like fruits, herbs, and florals that have common notes. For example, mixing a rose fragrance with lavender and vanilla can produce a soft, floral bouquet. Spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg also combine nicely for a warm, cozy effect. Just be careful not to overdo it with too many competing scents.
It’s advisable to start with small test batches before adding to a whole candle. Try varying the amounts of each fragrance and take notes on how they interact. Pay attention to how the scent evolves as the candle burns. With some trial and error, you can learn which complementary fragrance blends work harmoniously.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are one of the most popular and effective ways to scent homemade candles. They are highly concentrated extracts distilled from plants that capture the natural fragrance and flavor of the source botanical (CandleScience). When added to candle wax, essential oils will provide a strong, true scent that usually lasts throughout the entire burn. Some of the most commonly used essential oils for candle making include:
- Lavender – Floral, herbaceous, relaxing
- Eucalyptus – Cool, minty, invigorating
- Tea Tree – Medicinal, green, cleansing
- Lemongrass – Citrusy, bright, uplifting
- Peppermint – Minty, cooling, refreshing
- Cedarwood – Woody, earthy, masculine
- Citrus Oils (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit) – Zesty, energizing, mood boosting
Essential oils should be used sparingly in candles as they are highly concentrated. Only 1-2% of essential oils per pound of wax is recommended so as not to overwhelm the scent. Always research oil flashpoints and follow usage guidelines when adding to candle wax (BrambleBerry).
Dried Herbs and Spices
One of the easiest and most natural ways to scent candles is by using dried herbs, flowers, and spices. Many herb plants have wonderful aromatic qualities that can be infused into wax. Some popular choices for dried botanicals include lavender, rosemary, thyme, chamomile, roses, and cornflowers. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves also add warm, inviting scents to candles.
Dried herbs and spices release their fragrances when heated by the candle flame. Simply mix small amounts of crushed or ground dried ingredients directly into melted wax before pouring candles. Use about 1-2 teaspoons of dried botanicals per 1 pound of wax. Play around with different herb and spice blends to create custom scented candles. Herbal candles make thoughtful homemade gifts.
Key advantages of using dried herbs and spices to scent candles:
- 100% natural fragrance
- Subtle but complex aromas
- Customizable combinations
- Often locally grown and ethically sourced
With a little creativity and experimentation, you can craft artisanal, aromatic candles with dried flowers and herbs. Enjoy your homegrown scents!
Fragrance Oils
One of the most popular options for enhancing candle scents is using synthetic fragrance oils specifically formulated for candlemaking. These oils are blended from various aromatic chemicals to replicate natural scents like fruits, flowers, baked goods, and more. The advantage of fragrance oils is that they are more affordable than essential oils, offer a much wider variety of scents, and are designed to be safe for burning in candles.
Many candlemaking suppliers offer a huge selection of fragrance oils to choose from. Two reputable sources are Lone Star Candle Supply and Nature’s Garden Candles. These companies carry hundreds of fragrance oil options, from classic scents like vanilla and pine, to unique aromas like strawberry cheesecake and ocean breeze. The oils are already formulated for optimal scent throw and burning properties when used in candle wax at recommended percentages.
Amounts to Use
When adding scent enhancers like essential oils, fragrance oils, or dried herbs and spices, it’s important not to overdo it. Using too much can lead to an overpowering aroma, smoking, tunneling, sweating, and other issues with your candles.
A good starting point is 1-3% of your wax weight for essential oils or fragrance oils. For example, if you have 10 oz of wax, you’d use around 0.3-0.9 oz (10-30 ml) of essential oil. Scale the amounts based on your actual wax weight. Go lighter at first, as you can always add more later.
For dried herbs and spices, start with around 1 tablespoon per 1 lb of wax. Again, add gradually until you achieve the desired scent strength. Overloading with dry ingredients can clog the wick.
Take care not to go over 5-8% for oils or 3 tablespoons per 1 lb wax for dried botanicals. Too much scent additive can actually worsen hot and cold throw. Test your fragranced wax before pouring the whole candle to ensure you like the results.
When in doubt, add less scent enhancer rather than more. You can always make a stronger candle next time if the aroma is too subtle.
Mixing Other Ingredients
When creating scented candles, you may want to add other ingredients like dyes or colorants to customize the appearance. However, some additives can impact the candle’s scent throw. According to research from Elements of a Candle: Colorants, candle dyes can be affected by heat, light, fragrance and other agents in a candle. These reactions can slightly alter a candle’s color over time.
Some candle makers have reported reduced scent throw after adding certain dyes. For example, one maker said using wax dye and color chips negatively impacted their candle’s scent throw based on blind testing (Reddit).
To avoid issues, carefully research any dyes or colorants before use. Opt for high-quality, candle-specific dyes designed not to affect fragrance. Test scented candles with and without dyes to compare scent strength. Limit dye use or try natural colorants like herbal extracts if scent throw is a priority. Properly calculating and adding the right fragrance load for the wax can also help compensate for any scent loss.
Testing and Experimenting
Perhaps the most important part of enhancing candle scents is thoroughly testing them before selling or gifting. According to Bramble Berry, testing allows you to evaluate how the fragrance performs in the melted wax. You’ll want to do multiple test burns, taking notes each time on the hot and cold throw. The hot throw refers to how well the scent fills the room when burning, while the cold throw is how strong the unlit candle smells.
To properly test, follow a basic burn testing process. Let the candle cure for at least 1-2 weeks after pouring before testing. Trim the wick to 1⁄4 inch before lighting. Allow the candle to burn for 4 hours the first test, noting the hot throw every 30 minutes. Blow out the candle and immediately check the cold throw. Repeat this process at least 2 more times, adjusting the fragrance amounts if needed until you achieve optimal hot and cold throw.
Testing is an iterative process that requires patience and persistence. But taking the time to thoroughly test your enhanced candle scents will ensure you end up with a great-smelling final product.
Conclusion
There are many creative ways to enhance the scents of your homemade candles. From using essential oils like lavender, lemon, or peppermint, to dried herbs and spices like cinnamon sticks or rosemary, you can create custom candle scents that fit your mood or environment. Fragrance oils allow you to replicate popular or complex scents like pumpkin spice or fresh cotton. Test out scent combinations in small batches to find your perfect blends. The options are endless when you make candles yourself.
Experiment and have fun finding scents that speak to you. Customizing candle scents is an artful process that taps into memories, sets a mood, or makes a space feel like home. Your homemade candles can become signature creations that family and friends request time and again. Don’t be afraid to try something new – you may discover a blend that becomes your go-to favorite. With a few essential ingredients and a little creativity, you can craft homemade candles with scents that are uniquely you.
