Soy Candle Making - Six Essential Fragrances That Sell

By Katherine Durkes

When making your own candles, there are so many fragrances to choose from! How can you make a decision when you want to try everything? If you're having a hard time deciding, here are six fragrances that are sure to please a wide range of people. These are especially helpful for a starting line of candles to sell. Based on personal experience, the six fragrances described below conjure many beloved associations that attract people like an ice cream truck at the beach.

The "Big Three": Laundry, Vanilla, and Lavender

These fragrances are the "big three" because people are bound to love - not just like - at least one of them. Many candle makers will tell you that you cannot go wrong with them. If you only have three fragrances in your line, do these.

#1 - Laundry
Are you surprised? If you think about it, who doesn't love the scent of fresh, warm laundry straight from the dryer? For many people, it is a scent associated with home, a mother's practical care, and sometimes first loves.
Laundry candles instantly bring a sense of clean coziness to a room. It takes a long time to burn out on the fragrance, too, because it's designed to be smelled every day. The smell of laundry is almost universally liked and makes for a very popular candle that is hard to keep in stock.

#2 - Vanilla
Men as well as women adore vanilla. It also has a comforting, homey scent; it is so popular that almost every fragrance company has their own "take" on vanilla. It's even been proven to help sell houses! But don't think that vanilla automatically means a dessert scent because it is a very adaptable scent. It can be fresh and floral as well as sweet, sultry, or spicy. You will definitely end up carrying a vanilla candle regardless of your intentions because people will demand it!

#3 - Lavender
Does lavender even need an explanation? It is one of the oldest fragrances, and one of the best. Lavender is the ultimate relaxation scent, often people's main association with aromatherapy. While it's true that everyone does it, from the tiniest home candlemaker to White Barn Candle Company, the lack of uniqueness doesn't matter.

The demand for lavender candles never runs out. People can't get enough of the perfectly-balanced scent, the harmonious intersection of sweet, herbal, and floral. If you don't carry at least a basic lavender candle, people will get their fix somewhere else.
The next three recommendations are less common in home fragrance and will round out your line. They're also perceived as more upscale and fresh when people try them, especially if you put your own unique spin on them. Though they might seem strange at first, try to stay open minded. You may be surprised!

#4 - Earth / Dirt
You might think this is a weird choice - dirt-scented candles? Well, soil, to be exact. Rich, freshly-turned soil, the scent of growing things. Try it, and a surprising number of people will exclaim, "Wow, this is amazing!" when they smell your earth candle for the first time.
The scent of fresh earth is subtle, and the good ones don't seem like a fragrance. When burned, a soil candle will add a richness and freshness to the air that you may not consciously notice. Many people respond to the scent of clean dirt because it makes them think of happy childhoods, playing outside, digging in the dirt, their first garden.

#5 - Pear
This is one of the most under-exploited fragrances at this time, but people love it. A lot of *men* love it, so if you want to appeal to men without resorting to typical men's scents, try it. Pear is more mature than other fruits like strawberries or apple, which people think of as more cute or "kiddie" scents. Pears are associated with autumn, not summer, which adds a feeling of sophistication and memories of cool rains and falling leaves.

The best part is that pear is an excellent blending fragrance. Even if you're a beginner, you can make a unique pear-based fragrance by adding florals, woods, or spices. It's hard to make a pear fragrance smell bad, just as long as you start with a high quality scent.

#6 - China Rain
China Rain is incredibly popular in oil perfumes but overlooked in home fragrances. A good China Rain fragrance is not heavy or overbearing, but a balance of exotic, floral, fresh, and feminine all at the same time. Women love China Rain for its beautiful and mysterious scent, and it will appeal to those who have an exotic streak in their personality.

China Rain is a traditional perfume formula, and you may have to try a few before you find one that you really like for candles. Every fragrance of this kind has a slightly different character.
With these six fragrances, you can form a candle line that appeals to both men and women in a wide range of ages. You can put your own twist on them, but most people love them just as they are. They combine well into mini-sets that can be burned together, such as laundry and lavender, or vanilla and pear. Keep all six on hand, and you will always have a good "emergency gift." Just make sure you use good quality fragrances!

Scent Summary:
#1 - LaundryGood for: men, women, especially college or high school age.
#2 - VanillaGood for: women, men, housewarming gifts, any holiday.
#3 - LavenderGood for: women, men, office or acquaintances, especially people over 40.
#4 - EarthGood for: men, women, outdoor enthusiasts, gardeners, children (because it "smells like dirt!")
#5 - PearGood for: men, women, over 25 depending on slant of fragrance, especially in summer and fall.
#6 - China RainGood for: women, romantic gifts, also expands well to lotion and other toiletries as a wearable scent.

Katherine Durkes has written 4 ebooks on scented product making and is now producing a home study course on making and selling soy wax container candles. Find out more about this creative hobby at: http://www.excellentlivingguide.com/make_soy_candles.html
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