Popular Candle Scents

Aromas have the power to tap into the essence of human memory. Both the manufacturers of scented candles and those who buy them seek those fragrances that erode dark thoughts and replace them with the nostalgic recall of the past; the poignancy of lost youth and the warmth of home, family, comfort and hearth.

According to the National Candle Association, an estimated 75 to 80 percent of all popular candle scents candles sold in the United States are scented. Annual retail sales are estimated at approximately $3.2 billion. Currently, fragrance is that the dominant factor affecting candle purchases. Manufacturers are closely allied with fragrance companies to insure that their candles won't only be competitive, but also burn pleasantly and safely. Consumers buy scented candles to reinforce their home décor; reduce stress and to supply a channel for the aromatherapy.

The majority of scented candles are a mix of both natural and artificial fragrances. Scents must be both appealing to consumers and monitored for safe candle use. Both those who manufacture scented candles and those who buy them are driven by one subliminal reality that is always at the forefront of both manufacture and sales. A fragrance always represents the sudden capture of a memory long faded into time. Its essence triggers the compulsion to shop for that scent and keep it close.

Manufacturers carefully choose between quite 2,000 essential oils and aroma chemicals, each morphing into an integral layer of a replacement and unique scent. Popular candle scents producers usually offer consumers a line consisting of between 1,000 to 2,000 sorts of candle shapes, types and smells . Many safe fragrance materials are found in other scented products as well including: perfumes, bath soaps, lotions and shampoos.

Research has indicated that when properly introduced into the environment, fragrances can greatly alter moods and emotions. Dating back some 5,000 years to the ancient Egyptians, fragrant essential oils were used in baths, massages, and the embalming process. Scents selected for aromatherapy stimulate the senses and provide soothing energy for the mind, body and spirit. With continued use, scented candles light the fragrant path to a state of well-being.

In Tokyo, Japan, scents are constantly used to improve productivity in the workplace. For one firm, this translates into a lemon scent in the morning; roses at midday to reduce stress and the scent of cypress in mid-afternoon as an energy-refresher. The scent of peppermint is part of the afternoon regimen at the Tokyo Stock Exchange as well.

Perhaps not the maximum amount of a wizard as Merlin, the fabled magician of King Arthur’s Court, Alpha Aromatics’ chief perfumer, Roger Howell, comes about as close as any mortal can get. More than thirty years of hands-on experience and expertise have made him an extraordinarily gifted and scientific perfumer. Vice President of Operations at Alpha Aromatics as well as Vice President of the American Society of Perfumers, Howell is the master of the fragrance universe, and he and his team have assembled the highest 12 selling seats for candle manufacturers.