Scent is a powerful sense that can bring back a special memory, create ambience and reinvigorate you and your home. From fresh and floral to sweet and spicy, there are many aspects to consider when it comes to choosing your signature candle scent:

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Much like a perfume or favourite fragrance, choosing a candle scent for your home is all about personal taste. From the lighter citrus and floral notes to the heavier spices and woody scents, there is a wide variety to choose from.

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Choosing a Candle Scent

Before you decide on your favourite candle scent, consider the room and space. Are you looking for your candle scent to be an atmospheric and subtle background scent, or a statement feature? Is the space large enough to handle a powerful scent? Are you looking for a scent that is relaxing, invigorating, romantic or fresh? The wrong scent can really clash with its setting, for example a heavily wooded scent is not the type you want during a dinner party.

Equally, small rooms can be easily overpowered by strong and heavy scents. Instead, choose lighter and brighter fragrances which will make those rooms seem airy.

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What Candle Scent Do You Prefer?

Floral

Floral candles can be a heavy or light scent, and include rose, sweet pea, lavender, jasmine and lilac.

Citrus

Add a little zing with citrus scents like lemon, orange, grapefruit, mandarin and lime.

Woody

These rich and masculine scents, like sandalwood, cedar and patchouli, are heady and powerful.

Sweet

Some of the most popular candles around bring about memories of baked goods and sweet treats with scents of are vanilla, caramel, almond and honey.

Fresh

Clean, fresh scents that remind you of the sea air, cut grass or the delight of clean sheets.

Fruity

Almost good enough to eat! Sweet scents from a fruity source like fig, peach, berries and apple.

Spicy

Warm and rich scents like cinnamon, pepper, ginger and clove.

What About a Quirky Candle Scent?

And if you want something completely different, what about these weird and wacky candles?

The Stinky Candle Company have made a business with unusual scents, including bacon, buttered popcorn, garlic, curry, beer, nacho cheese and burritos! Would you be tempted?

Candle 101

Once you have chosen your favourite candle scent, you’ll want to make it last and burn bright when called for. To do this, it’s important to look after your candle:

• Always let candles burn until the entire surface is molten. This prevents tunnelling (when the area around the wick burns deeper than the rest).
• Trim your candle wicks back to about 6-8mm in length after each burn. This will help to prevent black soot and help prolong the life of the candle.
• Keep your candle out of a draft which will encourage it to burn faster and often unevenly.
• Don’t burn your candle for more than 3-4 hours at a time, as it can cause the wick to ‘mushroom’
• Experts advise using a candle snuffer to extinguish your candle as this keeps the wick straight and centred.

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Do you have a favourite or go-to candle scent? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!