“What distinguishes a candle from other lights is that it appeals to our soul, not our eyes!” - Mehmet Murat İldan
Have you noticed that certain candle scents mysteriously travel further than others? After lighting a candle in your bedroom you will either realize that the amazing scent is smoothly and irresistibly drifting upstairs towards your bedroom or with other candles, it may seem to not emanate very far, only lingering within a few feet of where it was lit.
The difference is the throw of the candle and can be explained by what’s known as the candle throw concept. In this article, we’ll explain how you can create the perfect ambiance for your home or business through the perfect scent of a luxurious Jasmine garden or maybe even a juicy fruit basket. First, we’ll break down a few scientific candle principles.
What Is Candle Throw?
Candle throw describes the distance from which the fragrance of a candle can travel and is one of the main topics of conversation in scentology (also known as aromachology).
A candle’s scent travels to a great extent depending on a variety of factors, including how they are made, what they are made of, and where they are lit. Ultimately, candle throw comes down to the quality of the fragrance that the candle was designed with.
What Is Hot Throw and Cold Throw?
Candle throw refers to how a candle diffuses its scent. When lit, candles have a “hot throw” and when unlit, a “cold throw”
Essentially, cold throw is the intensity of the scent of a candle when picked up for the first time. The hot throw of a candle is how strong the scent is while it is burning.
When buying candles, it's important to understand that a strong cold throw does not necessarily equate to a strong hot throw. Throws are independent of themselves. Candles can have a strong cold throw but a very weak hot throw, or vice versa, depending on their design and the kind and quality of wax and fragrance.
The fragrance of cold throw candles can also vary from the fragrance of hot throw candles. Cheap store bought candles typically have one dominant cold throw scent (like a standard vanilla candle) and these generally don’t travel more than a couple feet at most when lit. These also only mask odors with toxin filled fragrances, never really getting rid of those bad smells that are in the air, and cause nauseating headaches.
However, when you light a luxury candle containing many different clean and non-toxic scents, you will notice that the fragrance goes through a complete transformation and can elevate an entire home with scents of caramelized sugar and vanilla mandarin.
Ultimately, when it comes to candle quality, those who appreciate luxury candles enjoy an exciting cold throw and an invigorating hot throw. While burning a beautifully scented, odor eliminating luxury candle, you can truly relish and enjoy its fragrance throughout your home, not just right next to the burning candle.
Choosing a Candle With A Strong Hot Throw
It is crucial to understand that the candle throw is largely determined by four factors: the wick, the wax, the fragrance oils, and the container.
Even when you're planning to order a candle online without smelling it, you can get a great sense of the quality and how powerful it is by understanding how these factors influence it.
A candle's wick determines the temperature at which it burns. Cotton wicks are the best choice as they provide a smooth, gentle burn leading to a stronger hot throw.
Another important factor is the type of wax used. It is widely-believed that soy wax has a worse thermal conductivity than paraffin. However, paraffin candles generally are paired with toxic ingredients so it’s not the optimal choice as the conductor for your fragrance. The Worthington Collection’s custom blend of apricot and coconut waxes were specially developed to create the perfect canvas for luxury fragrance combinations. Fun fact: they’re vegan, free of toxic chemicals and all harsh ingredients.
Fragrance oils also affect candle throw, both in terms of quality and quantity. Fragrances mixed into wax at an optimal concentration and free of impurities like phthalates will give a stronger burn and a cleaner throw.
Last but not least, the size of your candle container also plays an important role, since it determines the maximum surface area and size of your wax pool. With a larger wax pool, the molecules of fragrance are able to evaporate faster, producing an even throw when the surface is fully melted.
Is A 3-Wick Candle Right For You?
3-wick candles can burn slightly quicker than those with less volume and fewer wicks. However, one of the amazing upsides is that the fragrance will last much longer when compared to burning a single wick candle. Here are our favorite reasons why you need to consider a 3-wick candle:
- Ambient light from three sources instead of one
A candle with three wicks provides three sources of shimmering, mesmerizing light, but are there other benefits of additional wicks? We are in love with the added sense of ambiance and warmth. Three wick candles radiate a sense of warmth and comfort unlike any other design.
- Scent throw is increased significantly
The scent throw of three wick candles is much greater than that of other candles. To put it simply, the larger the surface area of the melted wax, the more space its scent can fill. If you are trying to create a certain mood in your home, such as during a party, or when you're cooking and you don’t want your house smelling like onions, opt for a three wick candle that is odor eliminating.
How can I make my 3-wick candle last the longest?
If you want your three wick candles to burn for the longest time, we recommend that you choose your candles carefully and burn them correctly.
- Candle Selection
Invest in candles made from pure apricot and coconut wax to ensure longevity.
- Avoid Drafts, Wind and Humidity
You may experience erratic burning due to wind gusts and drafts, resulting in more fuel (wax and fragrance) consumed.
If you intend to use your candle outdoors, place it in a hurricane glass or a lantern. You should try to also bring them inside during humid days. A humid environment will swell your wax and create air pockets, causing your wicks to burn more quickly.
- Limit Burn Time to 4 hour Intervals
Try to only burn your candles for a maximum of four hours at a time. Shorten the wicks to 1/4" once they have cooled and you are ready to re-use them. By doing this, you will burn through less wax each time they are used.
You will also experience less smoke during the burn by trimming your wicks back to 1/4".
Lastly, untrimmed wicks will decrease the fragrance of the next burn. Your candle wicks will need tremendous effort to consume all the fuel (wax and fragrance). As a result, your candle will also burn through more volume during this period.