Lavender fields that inspired our Lovely Lavender soy candle

How Certain Scents Inspired Our Candle Line

 

lavender_scentinspirationblog_GreatSouthBayCandles

Some of the candle scents that I offer in each category have a fun backstory on why I created them.  Since I have been asked often about certain fragrances, their combos and their story I wanted to share how certain scents inspired my candle line.

The Crispness of Citrus

I enjoy the story behind the Grapefruit & Mangosteen candle that is a great candle fragrance for sultry summer nights.  This scent came to me after a trip to a local shop on Long Island.  As a candlemaker, I am always grabbing candles off the shelves to smell them for inspiration.  I picked up a candle called Morning Mangosteen and once I took the lid off it was so strong that it felt like my nose needed coffee beans right away.  I never heard of such a scent and the researching side of my mind took over from there.

I spent some time researching mangosteen, which is actually a fruit native to the tropical lands of Southeast Asia.  The fruit is consumed for a wide variety of health benefits to the indigenous peoples of the lands. But the scent was what caught my attention in the shop, so I focused on that more than anything.

The aroma of the mangosteen fruit is a delightful blend of lychee, peach, strawberry and pineapple.  The blend on paper seemed light and fruity but I needed to add another note to intensify the cold throw.  I began mixing and paired it with different fragrances to find the perfect match. 

The process was lengthy to find the perfect combination.  Some were too strong for one reason or another and others were light enough to make you put down the candle.  At some point in the process I decided to blend grapefruit, mangosteen and other citrus fragrance oils together to be thrilled with the combination.  I spent time perfecting the distributions of scents to make what has quickly become a fan favorite.  

mangosteen fruit

Fantastic Florals

The Lovely Lavender candle was inspired by my favorite Long Island spot called Lavender by the Bay.  This 17 acre farm is located on the North Fork of Long Island where you can experience acres of English and French lavender when in full bloom.

The tranquil scent of lavender is always a great aromatherapy option for bath time, self-care or mediation moments.  The time I spent walking the acres of lavender fields inspired me beyond my wild expectations.  I felt myself drifting into a creative state as the beauty and fragrance of lavender encircled me. I knew that I needed to add this scent into my collection.

Since so many craftspeople have this scent within their candles or personal care items, trying to find a true lavender scent was a daunting task.

Some lavender oils were mixed with other floral scents while others didn’t have that true lavender aroma I experienced that day.  After researching ethic sources for this herb, I found a great source and moved into the creation phase.  

This fragrance is one of the top selling three no matter the season.  It’s ideal for gift giving year round or aromatherapy needs.  

Lavender field

Woody and Earthy Tones

Taking walks along the various hiking trails on either the north or south shores of Long Island has been a great pastime for me and my family.  There have been many days spent walking and simply enjoying what Mother Nature has to offer.

It was on one of those day trips the scent of cedarwood came to mind.  I could smell the cedarwood but my nose somehow caught a whiff of something else in the air that day that gave me the inspiration to create an earthy candle fragrance.

The aroma of the cedarwood alone was not enough and I knew the fragrance needed additional woody or floral notes to tie in with the cedarwood.  

The process of creating the perfect balance of what I was smelling on that particular day took some time. Through a lot of trial and error of mixing different fragrances I finally came up with Sandalwood and Patchouli.  The perfect balance of sandalwood, patchouli and base notes of cedarwood worked so nicely together. When lit, you can smell the soft touch of patchouli, sandalwood and cedarwood undertones.  This scent is unique, yet leaves a comforting tone. 

sandalwood essential oil

I hope that you have enjoyed the stories of how the top 3 selling candle fragrances came to be within my collection lines.  The love I pour into my wax is often unsaid.  But that love is never unnoticed when a match ignites the wick to create a dancing flame. 

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