We all love to relax at home with a scented candle, but have you ever wondered how to make candles smell stronger? A mark of a good scented candle is that it has a fairly strong fragrance and an adequate ‘throw’ – this is how well a candle’s fragrance fills a room. But sometimes it can be a challenge to really pick up your candle’s scent and you might not know what to do about it. Thankfully, there are some ways to coax the scent out of a candle, so you can enjoy it at its fullest.
Why doesn’t my scented candle smell very strong?
If you’ve noticed that your candle doesn’t seem to be giving off much fragrance, there are a few factors that could be causing this and addressing some of these could quite quickly result in a stronger smell when enjoying your candle. Here are some of the most common reasons that the fragrance throw from your candle could be weak:
The candle is not burning for long enough
Did you know that a candle emits more fragrance the longer it burns? That’s because scent evaporates via the pool of melted wax that forms around the wick. As the candle continues to burn, the pool gets larger – and with this larger surface area, more scent is able to evaporate into the air. If you extinguish your candle before the melted wax pool covers the candle’s entire surface, it won’t smell as strongly and can also lead to tunnelling.
The candle isn’t big enough for the room
It could be that the room you’ve placed your candle in is too large for the scent to adequately fill it. Especially if it has high ceilings or if it is a mezzanine flat. It could also be due to where you’ve placed the candle – e.g. if it’s right near an open window or an air vent where scent can easily escape.
The fragrance content is too low
If your poor fragrance experience has led you to searching “what are the strongest smelling candles”, the problem might be that your candle doesn’t have enough fragrance to sufficiently evaporate and fill a room. Ensure you always choose high quality candles such as Botanica candles.
Can the wax type affect the way a candle smells?
When it comes to finding the strongest scented candles, the type of wax used has a lot to do with it. Paraffin wax candles have more capacity to hold fragrance than natural wax candles, such as soy or beeswax. These natural waxes also have a slower burn time which results in a less intense fragrance and throw. Learn more about the different types of candles you can get.
5 Tips to make candles smell stronger
Follow our top tips below to get the most fragrance out of your scented candles.
Have two candles for larger rooms
A good rule of thumb is to burn a 205g candle for every 10 square foot of space to get a good amount of fragrance circulating. Ideally pick two candles that are of the same scent so you’re not overwhelmed with clashing fragrance combinations.
Switch up your scents
Did you know, your nose and brain can often ‘switch off’ once they become accustomed to a certain scent? That’s why other people can sometimes notice smells in your house that you don’t. If you switch up your scented candles, your sense of smell detects an unfamiliar scent, so it works a little harder to investigate what it is. And as a result, its smell seems a lot stronger and more apparent.
Let the entire wax surface melt
You should always leave your candle burning for at least two hours. This is so that you allow enough wax to melt that it can produce a stronger scent. If you want your scented candle to fill a room quickly, then your best bet is a candle topper. These work by trapping the heat from the candle flame, so the surrounding wax melts more quickly and more fragrance can evaporate.
Take care where you position your candle
The solution to how to make candles smell stronger can be as simple as placing it in the right spot in your home. Having your candle on your desk while you work, or on a coffee table while you’re relaxing on the sofa will mean your nose is close enough to get the full force of its scent. Make sure the candle is not placed near any open windows or other places where the scent can escape.
Trim your wick regularly
Ensuring your wick is trimmed to at least half an inch before each burn time is vital for the candle to produce a strong enough scent. If the wick is too long, then the flame will be too large and burn the melted wax at a faster rate – giving the scent less time to evaporate and fill a room. Find out more about how this works and the importance of wick trimming.
Now you know how to make scented candles smell stronger, discover our exquisite blends by visiting our candles collection.
Tips to make a candle smell stronger