Not all candles are born equal - some candles will smell great when you give them a sniff in the store, others won't really smell of anything...until you light them.
This is the difference between Cold Throw and Hot Throw - let's explain:
What Is Cold Throw?
This is the scent you can smell when sniffing your candle in the store - the 'Top Notes' of the fragrance are usually quite light and enticing. Sometimes, if you get a good quality candle, you may not even need to light it - the cold throw can sometimes be incredibly strong, depending on the fragrance oil used and the blending technique of the candle maker.
Don't forget, soy wax candles tend to get stronger over time - it can sometimes take two or three weeks for a soy wax candle to fully crystallise set in the container. It's also been said that leaving your candle in a room for a few days, before lighting, the perfect way to maximise fragrance release - as the room will already be gradually filling up with those top notes, lighting the candle just emphasises them even more!
What Is Hot Throw?
This is the scent released when a candle is lit. The aroma may gradually change, as the candle wax melts and the container heats up, releasing more of the 'notes' of the fragrance. Next time you light your candle, leave it to burn for an hour or so and sniff the air, you may be able to pick out different elements, such as Sicilian Lime or Musk or even Driftwood...these are called fragrance notes...
What Are Fragrance Notes?
Most scented candles include fragrance oils that consist of a blend of individual scents - for example, take one of our candles, Secret Garden - this is a fruit scented candle BUT it has a fragrance called Lime, Basil and Mandarin - meaning it contains multiple 'notes' - Sicilian Lime, Basil, Mandarin blended with Patchouli, Caraway Seeds and Vetiver...
Typically, when you smell a candle in the shop, before it is lit, you'll be able to smell the Top Notes. As the candle is burned, it will begin to release further aromas - Top, Heart and Base. Base notes are typically things like Sandalwood or Musk, deeper, darker fragrances that have lighter notes above them.
So, in short, yes - candles do smell when not lit. The strength will vary, depending on the fragrance oil, the wax used and when the candle was made. If it was made within the last week or two, sometimes, it's best to leave your candle to stand for another week at room temperature, to soften up the wax and release more of the fragrance before you light it.
Top Tip: Don't forget how important the first burn is - soy wax has a memory, it will only ever burn to the width of the container the first time due to the way the wax absorbs heat. Ideally, you need to burn the candle for between 1 and 4 hours the first time, until the 90% of the top of the candle is molten wax. This will ensure the candle doesn't 'tunnel' and your wick doesn't disappear in to melted wax later on.
