How can you buy a candle and choose a scent without the product in front of you? Here are my secrets for shopping for scented candles online.
We love online shopping (obviously). But it does come with its disadvantages, especially when buying products that depend on the senses. The good news is, finding the perfect fragrance shouldn't be a challenge. Here's how shop for candles online in Australia.
Find the right fragrance
The fragrance wheel is similar to the colour wheel that you might have studied in school. Fragrances are categorised into different scent profiles and deciding what you like starts with your own fragrance collection.
Go into your existing perfume or candle collection and pick out your favourites. Google that fragrance and see how it's categorised. Is it an oriental scent? Is it woody? Is it aromatic or green?
Fragrance types are frequently blended together. Floral oriental scents go well together, and woody citrus scents are also popular, but once you have a name for the types of scents you enjoy, you can be a more informed shopper when buying fragranced products online.
If you're interested in using different candle scents together, check out my post on scent blending.
Choose the best quality candle wax
Not all waxes are created equal and choosing the right candle wax is an important first step in your candle shopping journey. Waxes are different in the way they are created, but there is a lot of fear mongering in the candle community around the different types of wax available.
To choose a wax, check out my Candle Wax Basics post.
Read Product Descriptions Thoroughly
Once you know what type of wax and fragrance profile you're interested in, you can start shopping. The best way to do this is to read the product descriptions in detail.
Here at Clare Makes, we include a main description which gives you an overall view of the scent. We then include the namesake of the candle to allow you to further understand the connection between the name of the candle and the scent profile. Next, we have the fragrance notes listed separately so you know exactly what you're smelling. Lastly, we include details about the product, wick, lid and packaging.
Of course if there's anything you're unsure of, always reach out and ask.
8 Things to Note:
- Fragrance notes
- Burn time (usually specified in hours)
- Candle weight (always specified in grams, and is the weight of the wax, not the total weight of the finished product)
- Handmade or hand-poured candles
- Packaging, including labels, and if there is a lid or box included
- Shipping policies, including free shipping minimums
- Location of the company (shipping from a company in the US to Australia will be expensive and take ages for example)
- Trust badges, such as product reviews, secure checkout and payment types