Discovering the Art of Scent
I’ve always had a fascination with fragrance. I enjoy how colognes can express who I am, or how certain scents instantly transport me back to specific memories — moments that feel warm, vivid, and alive again. There’s something so satisfying about life’s simplest pleasures, like catching a moment of nostalgia in the air. That feeling of comfort, mood, and energy transforming through scent — has always stayed with me.
There are many reasons I found my way into candle making, but the biggest one is this: I wanted to give people that same simple yet powerful experience: a personal ritual of burning a clean scent that can transform a space, lift a mood, or spark a memory.
Sampling: My Favorite Part of the Process
While pouring candles is rewarding, sampling fragrances has quickly become my favorite part of the process. I thought it would be as simple as smelling a few oils and picking the ones that appealed to me. I was so wrong — it’s far more complex, layered, and fascinating than I ever imagined.
When I started testing, I wanted variety: something for everyone. Some people love gourmand and food-inspired scents; others gravitate toward floral or clean ones — and some can’t stand spice or cloves. My goal was to hit all those notes, to make sure Brighter Blaze offered a scent for everyone.
The Right Way to Smell Fragrance Oils
One of the first lessons I learned: never smell fragrance oil straight out of the bottle. Just like perfume, it needs air and time to bloom. When you sniff directly, all the top, middle, and base notes hit you at once — it’s overwhelming and doesn’t tell the full story.
Fragrance oils reveal themselves in layers:
• Top notes are the first to appear — bright, fleeting, and fresh.
• Middle notes (or heart notes) carry the body of the scent.
• Base notes are the slowest to emerge, grounding everything with warmth and depth.
You have to let the scent breathe and develop, the way a rose unfolds in slow motion. Only then can you experience the full harmony of what the fragrance was meant to be.
The Night and Morning of Discovery
The night I received my fragrance samples, I remembered reading that fragrance should be tested on blotter strips, not straight from the bottle. So, I grabbed a small card, cut it into strips, labeled each one, dipped them carefully, and sealed them in a box to rest. Ten minutes later, I took my first sniff — and everything blended together, way too strong. Disappointed, I set them aside and went to bed.
The next morning, I took the box with me to work. After my morning coffee, I opened it up, curious. And just like that — magic. The scents had transformed overnight–I was shocked! Each strip had blossomed, distinct and defined. What I couldn’t detect the night before had come alive. I realized right then that I had chosen some incredible fragrances on my very first try. I could smell all the depths and complexities of each note.
My Apple Dilemma
One of my earliest test fragrances — a sample that came with my wax order — became the inspiration for my first signature scent. (Hint: it involves apples. 🍎) I loved it so much that when it came time to buy a full-sized bottle, I decided to experiment with a similar version from another brand.
The moment I opened the new one, I hated it. It smelled like straight-up bubblegum. But here’s the twist: the next day, everything changed. The fragrance had developed into layers — crisp apple at the top, sweet caramel in the middle, and a smooth, woodsy base. The bubblegum was gone. Completely.
Now I have two apple fragrances — both wonderful, both completely different. I could blend them (50/50 or 70/30) to create a double-layered apple scent, or keep them separate as unique personalities. Either way, I learned an important lesson:
If you’re sampling fragrances, remember:
• Don’t smell directly from the bottle.
• Blot on a strip and let it sit for at least 24 hours.
• Always smell in a well-ventilated area or outdoors.
• Label everything — your future self will thank you.
• Try two or more of the same scents from different places and do comparisons. Sometimes you can find one like more than another, or mix your own blended scents
Right now, my studio smells incredible — like layers of sweetness, spice, and calm. I can only imagine how these fragrances will come alive once they meet warm wax and flame. This stage of the process has reminded me that scent, like creativity, can’t be rushed. It needs time, space, and patience to reveal its full potential.
Every day I get a little closer to creating my perfect candle — one that burns bright, tells a story, and transforms any room it touches. ✨