valiantadmin

If you’re a true candle connoisseur you’ve dealt with all sorts of wick types and sizes, but if you’ve just discovered your passion for candles you might not know the different in candle wicks. We love creating candles with both wick types, which is why we offer both wicks on all our products.  We do feel however there are enough differences between each to warrant us covering each in detail. Cotton Wicks Chances are if you’ve ever lit a candle, it was a cotton wick.  Cotton wicks are by far the most popular wick type in the market today. Cotton wicks are made by braiding strands of cotton, then dipping the braid in wax and compressing to help hold their shape.  This creates a lower cost wick over wood and generally easier to maintain candles. Scent Throw In our experience, cotton wicks have a slightly weaker scent throw than wood.  We find this is generally because wood wicks sit lower within a candle’s wax pool and smolders while lit. Ease Of Use Cotton wick candles are much easier to use and maintain.  Cotton wicks will generally burn through anything, and will light easier than wood wick.  It is very difficult to light a wood candle with a match without coming away with singed fingers, but a cotton wick candle will light pretty much every time with a match. Cotton wick candles are actually more forgiving if they aren’t trimmed correctly.  Wood wicks are generally more finicky and particular about their length. Mushrooming With cotton wicks comes the unsightly mushroom issue.  Mushrooming is when a wick bulges out from the tip to create a mushroom shape at the top.  While this really has no affect on the candle and how it burns, it looks sloppy and odd. Wooden Wicks Wood candle wicks are mainly thought as the “premium” candle wicks, and for good reason.  These wicks are made of thin wooden slabs or wooden tubes crafted specifically for candle making.  They are generally wider than cotton wicks, and project a more pleasing aesthetic in our eyes than cotton wicks. Wood wicks are more difficult to maintain and light than cotton wicks.  With wood wicks, length matters as too long and your flame will be very large and can pose a fire hazard.  Too short and your wick will down in the candles wax pool.  Trimming your wooden wick is key.  For tips on maintain your wood wick candle refer to our How To Light Your Candle For The First Time blog post. Scent Throw The scent throw of wood wick candles is fantastic, and one of the biggest benefits of wood wicks.  This is mainly due to the fact that wood wicks need constant trimming, so they sit and burn lower in the candle’s wax pool.  This combined with the fact that they are wider overall creates a more robust scent throw than cotton wicks. The Crackle Nothing beats a wood wick’s crackle while burning.  Combine this with a good book and glass of wine and you’ll be relaxed in no time. Wood wicks give off a very distinct crackle when burning, which is why many people prefer them over cotton wick candles which are generally silent while lit. Toxin Free Being made entirely of wood, wood wicks are toxic free and cleaner burning overall.  In addition to being toxin free our wood wick supplier pledges to plant a tree with the “Trees for the Future”  organization, working to end hunger and poverty for small farmers by revitalizing degraded lands. Longer Lasting Wood wick candles can help extend your candles overall burn time by burning much slower than cotton wicks. Regardless of which wick type you choose when purchasing your candle, you can’t go wrong.  Each type has its advantages and disadvantages but as long as you care for your candle and perform a proper “First Burn” when lighting for the first time, your candle will provide a wonderful fragrance and beautiful glow for any room in your house.

Scent is one of the most important of the 5 senses, mainly because it is the one most closely tied to our memories. How many times has a familiar fragrance transported you back to your childhood or other fond place? The main challenge when shopping for scented candles online is you are not able to smell the candle for yourself, so you have no idea how appealing a candle’s fragrance is. It can truly be a shot in the dark. Like a recipe, a fragrance can have many components inside to create a unique scent. These are commonly known as the “levels” of the scent. There are many different kinds of fragrances, which are typically categorized into families to help differentiate each type. Floral: These fragrances include any that closely resemble any type of flower (rose, lilac, lavender, etc.) Woody: Fragrances that have distinct wood and musk scents. These are generally the most powerful fragrances of all the families. Oriental: Oriental fragrances are scents they are comprised of rich and exotic scents such as amber, sandalwood and spices. Fresh: These fragrances are usually bright, clean and crisp scents like citrus, ocean breeze and bergamot. By combining fragrances from different families scents can be created in a wide array of variations and levels. This is how scent levels come into play. If you’re ever ever lit a candle and we’re hit after a few minutes with an entirely new fragrance, you’ve experienced these levels in action. The scent levels occur at different times throughout a candles burn cycle, and can change multiple times. Top Level: The top scent level is the first scent you smell, and is usually associated with the first impression you get when smelling an unlit or a a candle that has just had the wick lit. These scents are usually very sharp and distinct and include common bright scents like citrus, lemongrass, bergamot or herbal scents. These scents are also usually the first scents to disappear after a short amount of time to mellow out to the middle levels. Middle Level: Middle level fragrances are the true personality of your candle, and will start to appear almost immediately after the top notes fragrance state to disappear. Throughout the burn of your candle, these scents will stick around and then eventually subtly drift into the bottom notes. Bottom Level: The bottom or “base” level are usually the last scents to appear to our senses. They start to appear after the middle levels begin to evaporate into the air and tend to stick around for the longest amount of time. These scents are mostly comprised of the most rich and deep fragrances and are the most powerful of the 3 levels to help round out your candles fragrance. These 3 levels of fragrances help give each and every candle fragrance a distinct personality and uniqueness and can help an online candle shopper get a general idea on what to expect when they light their candle for the first time at home. All PlayerOne Candles will give a break down of the levels of scents for each of our candles to help give you an idea of the type of fragrance you’ll smell at first impression, after your candle has been lit for awhile and finally once your candle has been lit for awhile. Although we try our best to describe the fragrance each candle will have, there is no other test better than actually trying all for yourselves, which is why we offer 15% off any purchase of 3 or more candles to help you try them all!

While scented candles can range from as low as $5 each to as expensive as $79 (yes, we’ve seen candles this pricey), you may be thinking it would be outrageous to spend more than $5 on something that sits in the corner of your room giving off light. The fact of the matter is, not all candles are created equally.  With the massive differences in wax, fragrances, containers and the way a candle is made, the low price tag isn’t always as appealing as it may seem. The Wax What makes a candle a candle aside from the wick is the wax that is used.  Surprisingly enough there are dozens of waxes that are available to candle makers, all with their own distinct tendencies when it comes to finishes, fragrance throw and burn time. Paraffin Wax Many less expensive candles use paraffin wax, which are made through a chemical process that crude oil into a wax type substance.  Because of this, this type of wax is more easily available and very cheap.  The drawback of paraffin wax is is there are various health and environmental hazards considering it is a crude oil based product. Soy Wax Soy wax is slowly becoming a more sought after wax in the premium candle space, mainly because soy (made from soy beans) is naturally a renewable resource. Soy wax also burns longer and has a much larger scent throw radius, meaning you’ll ultimately get more life and be able to burn your candle for longer than with paraffin wax. The longer burn time and better fragrance throw does come as a price since soy based candles are generally more expensive. Beeswax Beeswax is the oldest known ingredient in candle making past considering it is literally produced by bees.  It is said it takes as much as six to eight pounds of honey just to produce a pound of beeswax. Considering the amount of labor and general uniqueness of beeswax, these candles are considered the most luxurious and therefore most expensive candles on the market. All PlayerOne candles are made with 100% soy wax.  We source our wax from only USA suppliers to ensure we are supporting the American economy and small businesses throughout the country. The Fragrance Unless you are purchasing candles for their illumination, the most important of your candle journey is its fragrance.  The way a candle can transform your room from ordinary to extraordinary and uplift your spirit with its fragrance is one of the reasons why candles are such a sought after product. The same as with candle wax, fragrances are not all created equal.  While perfumes are full of oils that just plain out smell good, a candle is a mix of oils that will need to burn well as well as smell good while doing it. Fragrances can be made with either artificial scents or with essential oils.  Candles with essential oils tend to be more expensive, mainly because true essential oils are super pricey! Various essential oils also range in quality.  Cheaper candles tend to have lower quality oils, leading to a candle that may not smell as good as a candle made with higher quality ingredients. The Container Amazing looking jars, tight fitting lids and shipping materials to prevent breakage all contribute to the price of a candle.  Also let’s face it, it’s the candle that catches your eye, especially when shopping online since you can’t actually smell the candle. While it doesn’t seem so, a lot goes into the creation of that candle on your fireplace mantle.  While it seems going cheaper might be the better choice, considering premium waxes take longer to burn and have a larger scent throw radius it is not always the smartest choice when trying to stretch your candle budget.

Soy wax is quickly becoming a popular material within the candle making community, and for good reason.  Soy wax has numerous benefits over paraffin wax, which is the most common ingredient in candles. Paraffin wax is quickly becoming frowned upon with the more environmentally and health conscious because of its use of common pesticides and petroleum oil. Other than the environmental and health reasons, soy has many benefits over paraffin wax. Soy Is A Renewable Resource Soy wax is made from soy beans, which is grown for many purposes and is an extremely plentiful resource being only outgrown by corn in the United States.  After the beans are collected, cleaned cracked and rolled into flakes. Soy Wax Candles Burn Longer Soy wax will extend the lives of your candles since it generally burns longer than paraffin or other common waxes used in candles.  Since soy wax candles are generally more expensive than other waxes, the longer burn times help offset the extra cost. Soy Is Easy To Clean Soy wax has a lower melting point than paraffin wax, so will turn softer at lower temperatures. If you ever find yourself having a wax spill, it can be cleaned with soap and hot water instead of harsh chemicals. Soy is Clean Burning Soy wax will produce less smoke than other waxes, which will help ease anyone who are sensitive to candle smoke.  Since soy wax burns cleaner the air will be safer for everyone, especially for the elderly and younger children. Better Scent Throw You’ll notice a definite difference in the fragrance of soy wax candles because of the lower melt point.  Because the wax will melt sooner, any fragrance incorporated in the wax will disperse quicker and more evenly into the air. As you can see, soy wax has many benefits over more common wax like paraffin.  When choosing a candle the least expensive candle might not always be the best choice.  

If you’ve ever bought a candle that smelled great in the jar but barely noticeable when lit, you’ve already run into the idea of scent throw — even if you didn’t know the term. Scent throw is one of the most important (and most misunderstood) parts of how candles perform. It affects how a candle smells in a room, how far that scent travels, and whether a candle feels subtle or overpowering. This guide breaks down what scent throw actually means, the difference between cold throw and hot throw, and why it matters when choosing a candle. What Does “Scent Throw” Mean in Candles? Scent throw refers to how well a candle releases fragrance into the surrounding space. In simple terms: A candle with good scent throw can be smelled clearly in a room A candle with weak scent throw stays close to the jar or disappears entirely Scent throw has nothing to do with how strong a candle smells up close. It’s about how fragrance travels, not how intense it is at the source. Cold Throw vs Hot Throw: What’s the Difference? Scent throw is usually broken into two types: cold throw and hot throw. Cold Throw (Unlit Candle) Cold throw is how a candle smells before it’s lit. This is the scent you notice: When you remove the lid When the candle sits on a shelf When you smell it in the jar A strong cold throw can make a candle seem promising, but it doesn’t guarantee good performance once the candle is burning. Cold throw is mostly about: Fragrance oil quality Wax type How the candle was cured Hot Throw (Lit Candle) Hot throw is how a candle smells while it’s burning. This is the scent that fills (or doesn’t fill) a room during use. Hot throw is what most people actually care about, because it determines whether a candle feels effective. Hot throw depends on: Wax and fragrance compatibility Wick type and size Burn temperature Room size and airflow A candle can have a great cold throw and a weak hot throw, or the opposite. The two aren’t the same thing. Why Scent Throw Matters More Than “Strong Smell” A candle doesn’t need to be aggressive to perform well. In fact, many people prefer candles with balanced scent throw — noticeable without being distracting. This matters even more in spaces where focus or atmosphere is important, like a gaming room, office, or bedroom. Good scent throw should: Fill the space evenly Avoid sharp or overwhelming bursts Stay consistent as the candle burns If a candle gives you a headache or disappears after 10 minutes, the throw isn’t doing its job. What Affects a Candle’s Scent Throw? Several factors influence how well a candle throws scent: Wax Type Different waxes carry fragrance differently. Soy wax, for example, tends to produce a softer, more even throw compared to paraffin, which can be more aggressive. Wick Choice The wick controls how hot the candle burns. Too small, and fragrance won’t disperse. Too large, and the candle can burn too hot or unevenly. Fragrance Load More fragrance oil doesn’t always mean better throw. Poor balance can actually hurt performance. Room Size & Airflow A candle that performs well in a small room may feel weak in an open space with high ceilings or moving air. Is Stronger Scent Throw Always Better? No — and this is where people get tripped up. Some candles are designed to fill a large room quickly. Others are designed to sit in the background and support the environment without taking over. Neither approach is “wrong.” It depends on how and where the candle is being used. For atmosphere-focused spaces, subtle and steady often works better than loud and intense. How to Tell If a Candle Has Good Scent Throw A well-performing candle usually: Smells noticeable within 30–60 minutes of lighting Spreads scent evenly rather than in bursts Maintains scent as the wax pool develops Feels consistent from burn to burn Judging scent throw after only a few minutes usually leads to the wrong conclusion.