Understanding The Science Of Fragrance

Did you know that there are over 2000 aroma chemicals and essential oils to develop fragrances for candles? This also involves a lot of chemistry and physics to get right when using fragrance to blend well and achieve a beautiful candle flame. Zip along to find out more.

History 

Fragrances date back to almost as old as civilisation historically. In ancient times, Egyptians used oils with scents to keep fresh as they had a warmer climate in their country. Also, it was widely known that the upper classes had access to more exotic aromas. There is more on the story of perfume here in this article if you are keen to learn. 

Science 

Olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is the process where volatile chemicals flow and reception through our nose to the air around us. Each odour has its molecular structures and has a unique set of receptors within the human olfactory system. When our noses detect these scents, it triggers the mechanism that impacts our emotions. The limbic system is also directly connected to our sense of smell. This is the part of our brain responsible for regulating memory, mood and emotions. To further illustrate this, think of how the scent of gingerbread cookies reminds us of the autumn season. All of this happens within no time, and some smells can trigger memories you may have forgotten. These olfactory experiences are initiated by the piriform cortex, a brain region that gets triggered before you smell an odour.

Scent Notes 

A fragrance typically consists of various notes making up the olfactory pyramid. There are three main layers: the top, heart (sometimes known as the middle) and base notes. They all contain a blend of ingredients that make up the unique scent. First, let us look at the top notes. They form the top layer of any perfume or candle and are the scents you can instantly identify when smelling the product. They are usually mild and evaporate within the first 20 minutes. The purpose of the top note is to act as a transition to the next layer of the scent, which brings us to the heart notes. Heart notes are the core of the candle and can consist of up to 60 per cent of the signature scent of the candle. They also have a solid connection to the base notes of the candle.

On the other hand, the base notes take up about 20 per cent of the candle’s scent. They are typically the most prolonged lingering scent of the candle. For instance, in our Dream Girl candle, the heart notes are fig, and the base notes are vanilla, forming the bulk of the candle’s scent. 

We want to conclude by saying that the science of scent and perfumery is a discovery process with a blend of unique scents that contribute to our evolutionary attraction. Understanding the science of fragrance also helps us to understand our sense of taste and personality more! Discover our scented candles today to see if they fit your fancy.