What does “triple scenting” a candle actually mean?

Quite often when I am scoping out the competition, I run across websites that advertise that their candles are “triple scented.” That sounds great, right? The more the better, but what does “triple scented” actually mean?Here are my thoughts:

First, it’s hard to define triple scenting, triple scented from what amount? One needs to know what X is before one can solve for Y.

Wax manufacturers give us guidelines on how much fragrance a specific wax can hold. On an average it is 1.0-1.5 ounces per pound of wax. Some fragrances are a lot stronger so less is required. That’s were testing comes in.

Here’s an analogy: Think of wax as a glass of iced tea and sugar as the fragrance. The right amount of sugar dissolves perfectly and the tea tastes great! Add too much sugar and it will not dissolve; the tea has been saturated with the sugar and the sugar will sink to the bottom of the glass.

I’ve read another great analogy involving a sponge and water. You get the idea.

The same rules apply to wax and fragrance. Too much fragrance added to a candle is wasted like the sugar mentioned above. Too much fragrance is not a good thing. Too much fragrance will produce a candle that will not burn properly, creating large amounts of soot. Too much fragrance will produce a hazardous candle!

We use 7-9% fragrance in our candles, depending on the fragrance. If we were to actually triple scent, we’d be required to use over 20% fragrance oil…and that high amount of oil contained in a candle would be dangerous.

So…we’re back to what triple scenting actually means. Reputable candle makers adhere to their wax manufacturer’s fragrance load guidelines and produce great burning, great smelling candles. I would define the fragrance amounts in their candles with adjectives like “strongly”, “highly” or “maximum.” They are all the same really. We choose to use the wording: “strongly fragranced soy candles”.

Using the description “triple scent” is a play on words and a great marketing maneuver. It leads the consumer to think that he is getting more of a good thing, what are your thoughts?

Olde Oxford Station Soy Candles

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