Winter scents tend to be some of the most popular ones due to the feelings and emotions they evoke within people. As soon as that nip in the air becomes more of a constant chill that requires you to wear a jacket, the winter candles begin to come out. We all know those candles since they all seem to revolve around a few common themes of flannels, fires, and spice. So, let’s discuss what scents are best for winter candles.
The best winter scents for candles are pine trees, cinnamon, peppermint, black spruce, and nutmeg to name a few. The season tends to thrive upon scents that are spiced, powerful, and warm. This combination tends to provide the warm and comfortable ambiance that many crave from winter candles.
How Are Candle Scents Created?
Knowing how to create a candle scent is important information to know before you can begin to create your signature scents for winter. While you can simply choose a single scent and add that to your candle, there are better and more effective ways to build scents upon one another. These scents are known as notes and help to create a uniform scent that is the right balance of each element used.
Think of the notes as layers for a cake. Each one needs to compliment the others without being too out there and ruining the flavor palette. An easy example is how lemon tends to be tarter while chocolate tends to be sweet. So, once you combine the two flavors or scents you are given a balance of sweet and sour to make the two works together and form a cohesive pairing. That’s how the three different notes work together to create a candle scent.
When creating a candle scent,
You will need to consider the base notes, middle notes, and top notes. Each one is prominent at different burning points in the candle and helps to form the overall scent the candle is known for. Knowing the difference between each note and how they appear will help you to effectively create a winter scent.
Base notes, as the name would suggest, make up the bottom portion of the candle and its wax. Typically, they are the last scents to be smelled and burned in the candle. Generally balancing or completing the other factors in the previous two notes. For winter-specific scents, base layer notes could be sandalwood or vanilla. They tend to be sweet but not overwhelmingly so to cut through the typical spicy middle and top notes; that make up most winter scents.
Middle notes on the other hand tend to become more apparent after the candle has only spent a bit of time burning. They make an appearance after the top notes have begun to fade a bit; and the candle now has a ring of wax burned in it. Popular scents that fall into this category for winter are saffron, cinnamon, cloves, or amber to name a few.
Most middle notes hold an air of spice or musk to them without being too over the top. They help to mellow out the initial onslaught of fragrance that begins to hit once a candle has begun to burn.
Now the most hard-hitting and prominent scents in each fragrance are the top notes. Since they burn first, they need to pack the most punch. This typically means that they reflect the name of the candle the most. So, if you have a candle named “A Walk In The Woods” the top note will likely contain pine and other earthy scents. It helps to prove the scent to be accurate and reflective of the name.
Each note is composed of several scents to reach the desired result. However, many do find that three scents create a well-rounded note, while any more than that tends to be overpowering. The trick is to create a blend of fragrances rather than a concoction.
The best way to ensure your notes flow together and blend seamlessly is to include them in your candle’s description. Chances are that if they don’t look right when written out, they may not create the scent you think that they may. It is also a smart idea to include the different notes in your candle’s description; in case someone has allergies, and it provides a good idea of what the candle will smell like.
What Are The Best Christmas Candle Scents?
Winter Candle and Scent Examples
To properly explain what scents are popular for winter, we will take a look at and break down a few different winter-themed candles. This will allow us to discuss the notes used and how it all comes together for the result. Again, you can choose a simple scent like cinnamon for a candle however there will be no layers or depth to it.
First, let’s break down Winter Wonderland by Country Wyx. The name of the candle indicates that it will smell like a winter wonderland, which includes a chill in the air, fresh snow, an airiness, and a calm feeling. That’s what comes to mind for most when hearing the term.
The candle’s top notes are winter berries and orange to provide the airy and almost fresh citrusy feeling to the scent. With a middle note of clove to break through the freshness and provide a hint of the spicy warmth that everyone wants when it’s chilly. Followed by a base note of cinnamon which is known to be a familiar and calming scent to many. Thus, creating the illusion of a winter wonderland as the candle continues to burn and hit each note.
Another example
Look at the Warm Luxe Cashmere Classic Candle by Yankee Candle. It is meant to provide a rich scent that will fill your room with a soft yet warm fragrance. However, what makes this example different is that it only uses two fragrances rather than a collection of them.
This candle consists of sandalwood with a hint of vanilla. This allows it to provide the warm feeling that sandalwood brings without it being too overbearing thanks to the vanilla. It helps to cut through the warmth by adding in a dash of sweetness to ignite those feelings without it seeming to be too much all at once. This is a great example of how only two fragrances can still make a great winter scent.
List of Winter Scents To Use
The scents or fragrances used for winter themes candles can fall into a few different categories. These include the fresh and clean scents, the spicy and warm scents, and the sweet scents. While they all may not scream winter at first, they help to balance one another out to create the perfect winter scents.
Scents that fall into the fresh and clean category include clean cotton, blue freesia, and ocean musk. These help to add an airy or crisp feeling to winter-scented candles. They also pair well with more powerful and long-lasting scents that fall in the spicy and warm category.
So what scents are considered to be spicy and warm? Scents in this category include winter staples such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. They help to add warmth to the scent that could come from a proverbial fireplace or remind you of the feeling you get when you first come back in from the cold.
The most popular sweet scent that can be found in winter-themed candles is vanilla. It is a classic and staple scent that cuts the spice well and helps to balance any warmth that may be a bit much all at once.
After learning about the different types of notes that make up each candle and its scent you are prepared to create your winter-themed scent. The main component of each winter scent is the warmth and spice that they offer. So, make sure to include some sort of clove or cinnamon in your scent, making sure to balance it out of course.
What Industry Does Candle Making Fall Under?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a quality candle without having all three notes?
Yes, you definitely can create a quality candle with only a few scents. The trick is to make sure that the ones used blend and form a cohesive scent without being too overpowering. Whether you use one or twelve different scents to do so is up to you.
Do people tend to purchase new candles based on the time of year?
Yes, candles are a large business bringing in millions of dollars a year due to the variety in scents and candles for each season. Some companies even create different scents for each holiday as well to create a need for the different scents. They are known to help create an ambiance and feelings of nostalgia or happiness most of the time.
Do I need to name my candles?
Naming your candle has a big impact on how it can be marketed. Winter scents tend to revolve around fireplaces, flannels, and woods to list a few common trends. This allows the candle to appear in searches when phrases such as winter candle flannel are typed into Google. The name has a direct correlation to how the scent will come across to your customers.
Looking to start your own candle making business, check out my startup documents here
Please note that the contents of this blog are for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Any action taken based on the information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk. Additionally, all images used in this blog are generated under the CC0 license of Creative Commons, which means they are free to use for any purpose without attribution.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Candle Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online candle business resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a candle business owner at a craft fair, farmers market, retail location or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to obtain and retain clients, finding good employees all while trying to stay competitive. That’s why I created Candle Business Boss: I want to help candle business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.
1 thought on “Best Winter Scents For Candles”
Comments are closed.