Scented Candles: The Many Sides of Scent

By Sirena Van Schaik

Everyone has a fragrance that they love. For a friend of mine, vanilla is a scent that he can’t resist, for others it is the smell of homemade apple pie, and for other people it can be the scent of the ocean. For me, it is the smells of fall that are often my undoing. I love wandering through forest paths that are full of all the colors of fall; the leaves crunching under my feet, the smell of earth, decaying leaves and crisp cool air making me feel peaceful and energized all at once. The only other scent that has the same effect on me is the scent of spring and summer rain.

Fragrances have been used for centuries to set a mood, whether that is through a meal or simply to meditate by. We love fragrances and we love bringing those fragrances into the home.

This is probably why scented candles are so popular. They can provide a wonderful fragrance to the home but they can also create an atmosphere that is ideal for a variety of reasons. There are many sides to scent and all of them can be amazing.

Feel Energized:

Citrus scents provide a natural pick me up for people and if you want to energize a room

Okay, I know that I am probably an anomaly since the scent that makes me feel energized is decaying leaves, but many people are affected by other candles such as lemon or grapefruit when they need to be energized. In fact, most citrus scents provide a natural pick me up for people and if you want to energize a room, your best bet is using a citrus candle to do so.

Feel Relaxed:

Lavender is one of the most recommended fragrances to create a relaxing mood.

When it comes to feeling relaxed, I am a big fan of scents like lavender and berries. The former is actually a perfect example of a relaxing smell, the latter is not the best choice but one important thing to remember about creating moods, is that if a scent works for you, don’t fight it even if it is not the norm. If you find that you are more of a traditional person, lavender is one of the most recommended fragrances to create a relaxing mood.

Feel Romantic:

Many food based fragrances create romantic feelings better than any floral.

Everyone loves to use candles to create a romantic mood to an occasion and generally, floral fragrances are recommended for creating a romantic atmosphere. It is interesting to note that many food based fragrances, such as vanilla and pumpkin pie, create romantic feelings better than any floral.

Whatever atmosphere you are trying to create with your scented candles, it is important to choose scents that you enjoy. If you find that vanilla makes you feel nauseous, then don’t use it. Trust me, you will not feel romantic if you are ready to throw up whenever you catch a whiff of the candle.

Some fragrances work for some and sometimes they don’t. Simply play around with the smells, create the levels of aromatherapy that you are trying to reach and enjoy the many different sides of scented candles.