Shoppers do not all love the same candle. Even so, a 2022 study found more shared taste than you might expect. People from very different cultures ranked the same smells in a similar order. Here is what that means for fragrance in candles, and for anyone who sells them.
Fragrance In Candles: What The Study Found
The research appeared in Current Biology, led by Artin Arshamian. It asked 225 people from nine cultures to rank single smells from most to least pleasant. The groups ranged from hunter-gatherers to city dwellers.
The smell itself explained about 41 per cent of the ranking. Culture explained only about 6 per cent. Personal taste explained about 54 per cent. A release from the Karolinska Institutet says vanilla ranked first and a fruity smell came second.
Do people in different places like the same smells?
Mostly, yes. The study found a shared order, with a sharp, pungent smell ranked last. These were single smells tested in a lab, not finished candles, so treat them as a clue.
Best Rated Scented Candles Still Come Down To Taste
More than half of the difference was personal. A five star review tells you a scent is pleasant to many people. It cannot tell you whether it is right for you. That is why Glow sorts its range into five families: Fruity, Fresh, Floral, Exotic and Indulgent. You can start with the family you already enjoy, such as the Indulgent range for vanilla style scents or the Fruity range for fruit.
- Pick a family before you pick a scent.
- Try one small size first.
- Trust your own nose over the star count.
Nicest Candles To Stock: A Note For Retailers
If you sell candles, the study points two ways. A widely liked family gives you a safe anchor on the shelf. Personal taste is the bigger factor, so a range with several families gives more customers something to love.
Let people smell before they buy. A lifted lid or a scent card does more than a long description. Most customers do not know fragrance terms, so describe each scent in plain words, like juicy, creamy or fresh. Glow's candle range and wax melts are a good place to build a mixed shelf.
Quick answers
Which candle scents do most people like?
In this 2022 study, vanilla ranked first and a fruity smell came second. Those were single smells in a lab, not finished candles, so use them as a starting point only.
Why do reviews not match my taste?
Personal taste explained about 54 per cent of how people ranked smells. A review shows what others like. Only your own nose can say whether a scent suits you.
A good next step is to try one scent from two families and see which you reach for on a quiet night. Your nose will tell you faster than any list can.
Related reading
- Best Smelling Candles Australia: Why Reviews Can Mislead: why a scent family beats a star rating
- Best Scented Candles: Why A Floral Smells Different Lit: how a candle changes once it is burning
- Candle Fragrance Fading? It May Be Your Nose, Not The Wax: why you stop noticing a scent you know well
