The Triple Scented Candle Trap: Exposing a Masterful Marketing Ploy

Type candles into Google and you will come across some Triple Scented Candles. And if you like strong smelling candles, you might be tempted to pop one in your basket and be on your merry way. You see the box at your door, excitedly unwrap it and give it a good sniff. Hmm. You light it, maybe it needs to be lit to smell three times as strong? Doesn’t work. Now you have hit the disappointment stage. So, what on earth is going on with your Triple Scented candle?! Before you add one to your cart, let's delve into what 'Triple Scented' really means and whether it lives up to the hype.

 What Does 'Triple Scented' Really Mean?

 Sadly, a Triple Scented Candle isn’t really a thing. It is a clever, albeit sneaky, marketing tactic to entice buyers to choose a product over other options. Most companies selling such candles are purposefully vague about what Triple Scented actually means. This allows the customer to think that the candle has three times the amount of scent (hot and cold throw) than a regular candle. What this implies is that they are using three times the amount of fragrance oil (mls) in each of their candles. One slight issue with this however is that candles can typically only hold up to 10% fragrance oil, beyond this the fragrance oil and wax will separate or curdle, and as fragrance oil is flammable this means it can be a fire hazard. So, it is safe to assume this is actually not the case with these Triple Scented Candles, or at least for the sake of the Fire Department, we hope not.

 The Science (or Math) Behind Candle Fragrance:

 The typical fragrance oil amount used in a candle is between 6 and 10%, and candle makers will decide which percentage to use based on how strong a scent is, as one scent might be quite strong at 6%, and another may need to go to 10% to reach the same desired scent strength.

 The other way Triple Scented Candles have been described is candles that incorporate top, middle and base notes. Again, this is a marketing scheme, as all candles that use fragrance incorporate these components, not just “triple scented” ones. Very cheeky!

Candle Shopping Tips:

 So if you are scouring the web looking for a candle with the perfect blend of fragrance for your home that gives off a fantastic hot and cold throw (without the extra burny bit), stay critical, or simply score a great one from our range of beautiful handmade Tasmanian candles.   

Questions or Comments?

 Have you been misled into buying a Triple Scented Candle? Or have you found another sneaky marketing gimmick we haven’t covered? Share your thoughts in the comments below.