Why do my Candles Have No Scent Throw?Updated 4 months ago
If there is one thing that candles are known for is their scent. In fact, the majority of candle sales are based on the scent given off from the candle. This is true for both first-time sales as well as repeat customers. When a candle has never been lit, the aromatic aroma that the wax gives off is called the cold scent throw. Adversely, when the wick of the candle is lit, the fragrant smell that is released from the candle is called the hot scent throw. Both the hot and cold scent throw are very important to candles.
Obviously, when it comes to scent issues, your first thought is to turn to the fragrance oil used. However, as long as you are purchasing your candle making supplies from a reputable company, the fragrance oil that you use is not the culprit. There are actually several different things that can inhibit your scent throw.
Soy Wax- If you have been in the candle making market long enough, you already know that soy wax is considered to be one of the hardest of the waxes to attain a good scent throw from. On the molecular level of how soy wax is structured, there are many different types of chemical bonds. These chemical bonds trap the fragrance oil instead of allowing the fragrance oil to be readily evaporated (like paraffin wax allows). Many people suggest that when using soy wax to make it a blend with Paraffin. This is referred to as a para-soy blend. There are a variety of different para-soy blends on the market. If you would like to blend your own para-soy blend, massive testing is involved to find the perfect candle you are seeking.
Wick- Soy wax requires a hotter burning wick. This is because of the chemical bonds. These chemical bonds take more heat to break them down. To solve this dilemma, increase your wick size. This will ensure that your candle wick is doing its proper job of breaking down the chemical bonds, allowing the trapped fragrance oil to become volatile and release the scent into the air. No matter what type of wax you are using, always make sure that your wick size is large enough to provide ample hot scent throw, but not too large to create a fire hazard.
Candle Colorant- You must remember when crafting your candles, use precaution when adding any colorant. When you add too much colorant to your wax, you risk both clogging your wick, as well as, affecting the overall scent of the candle. Specific candle dyes formulated for candle making should be used when making candles. Never use pigments to color the interior of your candles; pigments should be used only for dipping the exterior of candles.
Vybar- Yes, it is true that the addition of this candle additive will increase your candles scent throw. However, adding too much vybar to your candle wax will inhibit your candle throw as well. The proper amount of vybar to add per pound of wax is tsp to tsp.
Temperature- Depending on the flashpoint of the fragrance oil being used, adding your fragrance oil at too high of a melted wax temperature will directly affect your scent throw of the finished candle. It is completely possible to burn off the majority of your fragrance oil before it even has a chance to be a candle, when the fragrance oil is added at too hot of a temperature.
Cure Time- Cure time is one key step to ensuring a wonderfully strong scent to your candles. You want to allow ample time for your wax and your fragrance to bind together. You truly want these two components to be integrated into each other. At the minimum, cure time with candles is 3-4 days.
Fragrance Oils- When making candles, make sure that the fragrance oils you are using were formulated for candle making. You never want to use a fragrance oil that has been diluted with diluents like DPG (di propylene glycol). DPG will directly affect the strength of your fragrance, and will inhibit the ability of your candle to burn. On the other hand, some essential oils will need to have diluents added to them to allow them to travel up the wick and release scent (but never use DPG as your diluent in candles).