What Constitutes a FANTASTIC Throw

[mizbizzyb]

How do we determine if our candles HT is great?

What size room do you test in?

Why am I asking....cause Candlemaker A can live in an apartment and burn a candle and say it is fantastic.

Candlemaker B can live in a house twice the size of the above apt and not think the throw is fantastic.

Or Candlemaker B can sell a candle to a customer in an apt and the customer thinks the candle is too strong.

Just wanting to see what the different views are...

[Stella1952]

Many times, I test on an open front porch. If it scents up the great outdoors, I think it'll do just fine inside.

[mizbizzyb]

Many times, I test on an open front porch. If it scents up the great outdoors, I think it'll do just fine inside.

LMAO - I like that one.. I am going to try that when I get home....

[Donita]

Scent throw for me is subtle. Some people like to SMELL an overwhelming fragrance. I don't. Just a little goes a long way. Maybe people with smelly houses want a stronger scent. (smile).....I don't want to really SMELL it....just know that there is a nice fragrance in the room. Sometimes when I walk by my studio....with all of the fragrances going at the same time it makes me sick to my stomach. It is just a matter of personal preference. I only use one squirt of Channel No.5 and my last bottle is about 2 years old. I don't want to overpower any room with so much scent that it drives you out. Some people like that. I personally like the smell of onions and garlic frying in the pan.....that smells "natural".....I do burn a candle when I know that a nurse is coming over and want to make the house smell like it isn't "old " people living here (smile).....but then I blow it out after they are gone. I think that everyone has a different olfactory thing going on. It is very personal. Trying to find the right balance for customers is tricky. I guess that is why there are so many candle companies. People spend a lot of money on beeswax candles, and no fragrance going on there except beeswax. Some people don't like that. Very subjective subject.

I like beets. They taste good to me and smell great....but one of my sisters won't ever to there. She also hates cinnamon. Weird. But that is her own personal preference. I don't send her cinnamon candles.....Donita

[Oh-MYo]

Burn one of these--they are made by Glade. I find them WAY too strong but I know people who like them. I guess some of us like a more subtle throw

[silkysoycreations]

Burn one of these--they are made by Glade. I find them WAY too strong but I know people who like them. I guess some of us like a more subtle throw

And they only last 1-2hrs. so I guess all their punch is in a short period of time.

I think this is a great question mizbizzyb. I found a good comparison is being part of a candle swap. I've burned a couple from a recent swap and their scent throw was very comparable to mine so it made me feel more confident in my throw. I use 70% soy so I don't think I'll get an overpowering scent throw with any scent (not saying I don't have some super strong ones but all that are enjoyable and not obnoxious). I got feedback too on mine and all were very positive! Glad I was part of the swap.

[Luci]

Stella's response reminds me of a recent test burn I did on Thanksgiving. We were gathering at my sister's house all day, and I really needed to burn a pillar I had done in a Christmas scent. It was warm that day, so we had the double doors open to the screened porch that runs along the back yard. I lit the candle on the porch even though there was a gentle breeze.

Later, I noticed the scent was drifting into the house even though the candle was not particularly close to the door entrance. I was happy with that but got my true evaluation when someone standing out by the pool commented that he found the candle fragrance very pleasant.

[candlesprite7]

I have one favorite spot in my house that I like to test candles, it is on an end table right where the living room meets the dining room meets the hallway. If i light a candle there and i can smell it a little bit everywhere in the house then I call it good. I have a small-ish house. Then I visit a girlfriend with a huge house...If we can smell it in her house then I call it good. I've found most people have a space somewhere in the middle of our two houses, So for me, I think that's a great way to test.

ETA: I personally don't like overpowering fragrances, I do like to smell them when walking around the house tho. But some people like them that way. One lady has a bunch of dogs and her house always smells like wet dog to me...She loves Gardenia and Lilac, it seems to mask the wet dog smell...LOL...

[Tereasa]

terrific hot throw should be like a man's scent... wafting through, subtle yet lingering. Alluring, dominating, radiating an essence that sits in the shady part of your mind like a comfortable, cozy blanket. Never overpowering, the scent leads you with a quiet grace and soft embrace.

[southern.scents]

terrific hot throw should be like a man's scent... wafting through, subtle yet lingering. Alluring, dominating, radiating an essence that sits in the shady part of your mind like a comfortable, cozy blanket. Never overpowering, the scent leads you with a quiet grace and soft embrace.

Very Descriptive. I agree with the not overpowering part but I definitely feel the throw should be fairly strong. Depending on what fragrance, some of mine can fill a pretty large space. My teachers love them because they fill their rooms with fragrance along with their end of the hallways. The folks down at the bank also love my candles. I give them one every once in a while to burn in the bank. Great Advertisement. I however do not like a candle that makes a room "foggy" with fragrance. I don't wanna feel like I am trapped in a room that doesn't have any airflow or breathing room and that is what overpowering candles do for me...

[Vio]

I notice the candles I've tested that were great throwers, crept up or down the stairs in the house. I have like a 28 foot long by 12 feet wide, kitchen and dining area combined. Very long room. If I am testing a candle on my stove on the far side of that room, and I can smell it before the kitchen table on the other side, it passes in my book for what I would personally look to buy for myself. Right now that's good enough for me in something like 10 oz's of wax in a jar. If it were something like a 3 wick gigundo candle, then I'd expect it to do more I think? For a bathroom type room, average sized, I'd expect I think a smaller size to do the trick. That's the way I look at it at this point, but I have a ton to still learn. But that's what I would look for in something as a consumer and it's what I'm doing as a candle maker right now.

[Tereasa]

stop stalking me southern, lol

[ILikeWaxMelts]

In My book if it can fill our 11-ft. 3" X 15ft. Family-room...

I will buy that scent again.

Keep in mind this room as a Bay-window which adds about an extra 2ft. of width to the middle of the room.

[BruceCarvesWax]

In My book if it can fill our 11-ft. 3" X 15ft. Family-room...

Geez, you even had to add the 3" you couldnt just say 11' by 15' ... I guess size DOES matter to some women.

Bruce

[mizbizzyb]

Geez, you even had to add the 3" you couldnt just say 11' by 15' ... I guess size DOES matter to some women.

Bruce

rofl... love it.

[mizbizzyb]

I am loving the replies so far....interesting to hear what others have to say.

[Stella1952]

you even had to add the 3" you couldnt just say 11' by 15' ... I guess size DOES matter to some women.

...and I'm wondering what happened to the other 9"...

I LOVE it when Tereasa waxes all poetic...:DGreat way to put it!!

TOO strong is when someone comes to visit and smells the candle burning in the sealed house BEFORE they come in the door! *faint*

[Vio]

Another thing I think that makes a good candle is if it cancels out other odors. Like a good kitchen candle for me, would cancel out fish or cabbage odors from cooking that are left behind. Also a candle that leaves a lingering smell is a great one in my book. Or bathroom one would, well you know. LOL

A diningroom table candle no matter how pretty, shouldn't smell as they say. If anything, light vanilla. So even a light, light light vanilla is good for dining or even better no fo, but pretty.

[ILikeWaxMelts]

A diningroom table candle no matter how pretty, shouldn't smell as they say.

I Agree Vio.

When I'm eating if I'm gonna smell wax I want to smell straight parifinn. I like the smell of parifinn wax with no fo just as much as I like scents. Call me crazy if you like...

[Sara]

So much is subjective.

Right after I read the question, I immediately thought, something that fills the room (and wafts through adjoining rooms) with a nice, warm scent -- at 6% and under.

As a consumer of candles, if you can't smell the candle in the same room, it isn't a good throw. If I can smell it in more than one room (burning in livingroom, can smell in kitchen, down the hall a bit... the stairs), without it being overpowering, that's a good throw. Subtle and strong at the same time.

On the flip side, though, I have a friend that, unless it is burning your nose hairs, and giving you bronchitis, it isn't throwing.

[mizbizzyb]

subjective...correct.

So how do you please your customers? I have xxx amount of customers that email me when they order "make it strong like last time"....another xxxx customers that say "whew, that was too strong"

I am thinking what is nice( subtle) /strong to me in my house and it is fairly large...may be too much for someone in a 1-2 or even 3 bed apartment.

Does that make sense?

So as candlemakers....what do we do? lol

I personally refer the customers that do not like no you down scents to lighter scents that I carry and it seems to work.

I think I need to test in a smaller area. I will measure my room when I get home...lol

[Stella1952]

So how do you please your customers?

You could note "lighter" and "heavier" scents on your website. You could offer a lighter load of FO as a custom option. Beyond that, the only answer is that you can't please ALL of the people ALL of the time.

[mizbizzyb]

You could note "lighter" and "heavier" scents on your website. You could offer a lighter load of FO as a custom option. Beyond that, the only answer is that you can't please ALL of the people ALL of the time.

I know that...just stating it for discussion purposes...

I have been doing this for about 7 years.

But I will not offer a custom option unless it is one of my bigger customers. lol

[mommy2six]

I guess I am an odd one out in this thread. I like when people walk in my house and tell me they could smell my candle when the stepped on my front porch. Although this depends on what I am burning too. Anything bakery I want a strong smell with. Florals I like soft scents.

[kandlekrazy]

This topic is very much the same as the scent itself...different strokes for different folks. There are scents I can't even stand to pour because they are so overpowering both when making the candle and when burning, but there are customers that love them. I've gotten to the point where I make what I like in the strength I like it. This way I can please about 90% of the people and those other 10% can buy TRIPLE SCENTED from someone else, lol! Personally I agree with everyone that likes to smell the scent in 1-2 rooms but not be smacked in the face with scent...subtle but noticeable. I love it when someone walks in and tells me the house smells great, especially my DH or DS because they are very, very picky and don't like real strong scents either.