How to Choose a Scented Candle Online?
By Mathilde Vuillemenot | Last update on March 19, 2024
There are so many types of candles… And they all look great, right? When it comes to selecting the right one, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by all the options and feel hesitant about the scents. Like you, I love scented candles. When I buy candles online, I want to be certain I have selected the right one.
My 5 Criteria to Choose a Scented Candle Online
As a candle addict, I bought online and assessed many candles. I had good and bad surprises. This is why I decided to define and share my 5 key criteria: they are essentials when selecting a candle online. Here is my checklist and tips for finding a quality candle:
- Natural Wax: check the candle is made with soy wax or beeswax. Natural wax is the #1 criteria to consider. Did you know that most candles are made with paraffin, a derivative from coal, petroleum, or oil shale? You don't want these substances to be in your home! Go for natural waxes, they are better for the planet, your health, and they burn way longer.
- Zero Waste: it is every day more important to limit our waste, so my recommendation is to select a quality container you can repurpose once the candle is done. The best option is a glass container like a tumbler glass candle or a jar glass candle. They can be reused as a pot for pencils on your desk, for potpourri on your coffee table or to store make up in the bathroom. If you need advice on how to clean your glass container, read my guide on candles care. And if you want to limit your footprint even more, choose taper candles: you will use infinitely your candleholder.
- Decorative: we obviously buy a candle for its scent, but it's even better if the candles make a lovely decor in our home, right? Many brands still offer very basic containers, I clearly don't understand why they are not more creative. So, favor refined containers with unique designs and colors or candles with a well-made shape.
- Small Business: we all know the most well-known candle brands (hello Yankee), but there are many small businesses specialized in scented candles. Buying from a real person brings a valuable & distinctive experience. If you wonder if they are reliable, refer to their story, check their making process (most of the time, the candles are handmade) and read the reviews.
- Natural Scents: check the description of the scent and the type of fragrance. The best ones are essential oils and natural fragrances. If it's only indicated 'fragrances', go on your way to another brand. Indeed, it means it's a mixture of synthetic and chemical ingredients. Now, for natural fragrances, the most renowned are natural fragrances from Grasse (South of France), the world's capital of perfume. The candles with Grasse fragrances are a guarantee of a fine and natural fragrance, made by a Master Perfumer. Finally, another option is pure beeswax candles: in this case, there is no fragrance as the pure beeswax smells amazing by itself.
And if you're currently looking for candles, check my selection of French scented candles. They all match these five criteria, of course!