Candle fragrance can seem to vanish an hour into the evening, even though the candle is still burning well. Often the scent is still in the room. Your nose has simply stopped reporting it. Every nose does this. Here is why it happens, and how to get the scent back.

Why Candle Fragrance Seems To Fade Mid Evening

Dr Pam Dalton is a scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a research institute in the United States that studies smell and taste. She explained to Well+Good that when a smell lingers, the receptors in the nose stop responding to it. The reason, in her words, is that "it's no longer providing new information."

That can take anywhere from a minute to an hour. It depends on the smell and on you. This is research from a named scientist, not a Glow claim.

Is my candle weak or is my nose tired?

Dr Dalton's advice is to move the item to another room, where you can smell it again. You can also ask an honest guest. Our own tip is to step outside for a few minutes, then walk back in. If the scent is clear again, the candle was fine.

Good Smelling Candles Still Need A Fresh Nose

You cannot switch off this habit, but you can work with it. The first few minutes in a room are when you notice scent most. After that, your nose moves on to what is new.

• Light the candle before you settle in, then leave the room briefly.
• Open a window now and then to let the air move.
• Swap scents between nights instead of burning one every evening.

Swapping works because a new smell is new information. A Fresh scent one night and a deeper one the next keeps your nose interested.

The same idea helps when you try a new candle. Light it, leave the room, then walk back in. That first walk-in is a fair test of how far the scent travels.

Match The Scent To The Size Of The Room

Scent throw means how far the smell travels across a room. A bigger room needs a candle with more reach, so you notice it when you walk in, before your nose adjusts. The 3-wick jars suit open living spaces. In a small room, one wick is plenty.

Quick answers

Why can't I smell my scented candle anymore?

Your nose has most likely adjusted to it. A scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center says receptors stop responding to a smell that stays around. Leave the room, then return.

How do I stop going nose blind to candles?

You cannot stop it fully. You can slow it down. Rotate scents between nights, let fresh air in, and judge the candle in the first few minutes after you enter the room.

If you would like a change of pace tonight, the Exotic range is a warm, woody place to start.

Related reading

• The Science of Smelling: How We Detect Fragrance: how the nose picks up a scent in the first place
• Candle Perfume: Why The Same Scent Smells Different: why two people can smell one candle differently
• Why Some Scents Feel Heavy And Others Feel Light: how deeper scents sit in a room