Choosing candle scents online is hard. You cannot smell a screen. That is why we sort every Glow fragrance into one of five families. Once you know which family you like, you can pick a new candle with real confidence.
The five families of candle scents
A fragrance family is a group of smells that share a feel. Perfumers have used families for decades. We keep ours simple.
- Fruity: berries, citrus, apple, plum
- Fresh: clean linen, sea air, cotton
- Floral: rose, jasmine, peony, lavender
- Indulgent: vanilla, caramel, baking, sugar
- Exotic: woods, amber, spice, musk
Most people find they love two families and ignore the rest. Knowing yours saves money on scents that were never going to suit you. Write your two down, and every future choice gets quicker.
What are the most popular candle scents?
Across our range, Fruity sells more than any other family. Warm Indulgent scents come into their own as the evenings get colder, and Fresh scents suit the lighter months.
Fruity candles and why they work
Fruity scents are bright and easy to like. They rarely feel heavy, so they suit kitchens and living rooms. The best ones mix fruit with something softer underneath, like vanilla or wood, so they last.
That softer layer is called the base note, which is the part still there hours later. It is why a good fruity candle smells round, not sharp.
Fresh and Floral: the lighter side
Fresh scents smell like a clean house. Think washing drying in the breeze, or a window open on a cold morning. They are a good pick for bathrooms, hallways and anyone who finds sweet scents too much.
Floral scents range from soft to bold. Lavender and cotton flower are gentle. Rose and jasmine are richer. If you love a floral perfume, you will probably love a floral candle too.
Vanilla scented candles and musk candles
Vanilla sits in our Indulgent family. It is warm and familiar, and almost nobody dislikes it. Musk sits in Exotic. It is softer and skin-like, and it gives depth to sweeter scents.
Put the two together and you get a smell that feels like a warm jumper. It is a good choice when you are not sure what someone likes.
Quick answers
How do I find my favourite candle scent?
Think about smells you already love, in food, soap or perfume. Match them to a family. Then try a few from that family before buying a large jar.
Which candle scents suit a bedroom?
Soft Floral or gentle Fresh scents work well. Many people find lavender calming at night. Save the sweet, heavy scents for living rooms.
The quickest way to learn your families is to smell lots of them. The 12 scents in the Glow advent calendar cover plenty of ground. Our Ambassadors can also help you find a match.
Related reading
- Three Wick Candles: The First Burn That Decides Everything: the one burn that stops tunnelling for good
- Wax Melts vs Candles: Which One Suits Your Home?: which one suits the way you live
- Christmas Scented Candles: How to Pick a Festive Scent: forest, kitchen or frost, which suits your Christmas
