Tips for Testing Scent Throw

[ILikeWaxMelts]

This is just My "2 Cents"

for Testing the Scent Throw

of a Fragrance Oil; to Ponder on for what it's worth.

As this is the way; that I Test.

I say this because I live in a 2-story home;

I have been testing a candle before on the 1st Floor and not smelled anything

where it was burning.  But at the same time be able to smell it really well up stairs.

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2016 by ILikeWaxMelts

[Jcandleattic]

This is a good rule of thumb for our testing, but there is no way to know where a customer is going to be burning their candles, so I test in almost all areas of my house, simply for that reason. I live in a multi-level house, and if my candles do not throw in every area of my home, then, it's a dud and I move on... 

 

[Candybee]

According to your diagrams it looks to me like you have learned that a draft can effect the hot throw of a candle. It can also happen if there is a fan on or anything that changes the air flow. So you want to avoid these areas and place your candle in a draft free zone. This info should also be on your candle warning label.

[TallTayl]

Drafts, candybee, exactly. When our AC is on the scent travels much differently. We don't have cold air returns, just cold air moving into a space from above. When ceiling fans are on, different ballgame too. That is a great reason to test in various places of the home

 

oh, and the good one I learned about the testing surface... when I test burned on a cast iron stove (unlit/cold) the burn is much different,

[ILikeWaxMelts]

I think this Thread may be worthy of becoming a Sticky for new members!

and if the test candle is to close to a cold air return; it may not have adequate time

to fill the room; before some of the fragrance gets moved into an ad-joining room.

I Feel that:

"As Chandler's We Must Always Find the Balance of things; Because Everything is NOT; What it Seems!"

Edited November 22, 2016 by ILikeWaxMelts

[grama]

There was a post involving this in the past.  From a condensed version I posted on my FB page it must have been in 2010.  This is the condensed version.   Why can't I smell my candle during the summer?

 

This is from a discussion last year in one of my forums with someone asking that ?? This is what other candle-makers are saying. I have tried to condense it down and hopefully it will make sense!!

 

It has more to do with how close your candle is to the air return with central air. Once the fragrance gets to the air return, gets "conditioned," and comes out the vents your scent throw is reduced.

 

Fragrance hangs more in warm air. In order to cool the air in a house the moisture has to be removed from the air. As the air is cooled, the moisture drops out of it, - cool air simply cannot hold as much as warm air. In essence the AC acts like a dehumidifier first before it can cool the air. "Dry" air is less work to cool than "wet" air which is why the AC dehumidifies the air it cools. Once the fragrance gets to the air return, gets "conditioned," and comes out the vents, you may find the scent throw from your candle is much weaker.

 

The reverse is true for heating. Your house still recirculates air in the winter when the heat is on, its just not dehumidified in the process.

 

One candle-maker suggested getting on a ladder and "sniffing" the air at the top of your room where there is warmer air!!!!

  

Edited November 23, 2016 by grama

[ILikeWaxMelts]

1 hour ago, grama said:

Once the fragrance gets to the air return, gets "conditioned," and comes out the vents, you may find the scent throw from your candle is much weaker.

 

Or you may find the fragrance stronger in an ad-joining room.

[wthomas57]

its hard for me, as someone around the smells all the time, to have any kind untainted sense for my scents.

 

If I get no smell, I'm done with it. But other than that... I send out samples to various testers... and await feedback.

This helps solidify my choices. I have them rate the scents on various factors. One factor is about the attractiveness of the scent, yes, but another factor is how well the scent throws regardless of whether they like it or not.

 

My best selling scents are not among my personal favorites, so I try to keep personal opinions on the particular scents out of the equation