Home Fragrance Buying Guide

Remember the way your grandmum's house smelled after she baked a fresh batch of biscuits,  or the scent of your cotton t-shirt  after getting caught in a summer shower?  Scent is closely tied to memory, and once our nose is triggered with that familiar aroma, all sorts of emotions can come rushing back to us.  Tons of contemporary home fragrance companies are trying to capitalise on this powerful member of the five senses, launching a range of products from candles  to air fresheners  and linen sprays.   And while the aim is to make you feel less stressed and even more comfy in your home, the array of product options might leave you feeling a little overwhelmed. Read on to check out your options when purchasing home fragrance. 

Candles

Aside from picking the brand of candle that you want, the most important factor is, of course, scent.  While innovative brands have put out everything from banana cream pie  to black licorice,  smaller brands retain simpler scents like lavender  and musk.   Top brand names also go for a lot more than their small-town competitors--try £18 versus £5--which may be the deciding factor when you go about revamping your army of home fragrance products.

Size and shape are similarly important factors, as candles can be small tea lights  or large and free standing, and often come in containers like glass votives,  aluminium tins or glass jars.   You may also find floating candles  for the bath or candles made specifically for outdoor candelabras  or chandeliers.   Before shopping, visualise where you'd like to see candles in your home so you have a better idea of what size and shape best fits your space.

Next on the list is the wax, as contemporary candles aren't made from just paraffin  any more.  While soy wax  is an odourless alternative, beeswax  often gives off a sweet, light aroma.  And if you're looking to really go green,  a fairly recent development, the LED candle  (light emitting diode) gives off a healthy glow much like the real thing, and there's no danger of accidental fires.  Perhaps its best feature is that it lasts for hours and can emit everything from white light to full spectrum rainbows.

Air Fresheners

When we aren't aiming for a particular scent other than "good,' air fresheners  often do the trick.  There are a variety of air fresheners that far surpass the old aerosol cans, not to mention help keep that good ozone layer intact. Certain brands have marketed friendly squirter bottles that do more than mask odours; they actually work to eliminate the bacterium that causes the odour while leaving behind a light, clean scent. Some other alternatives include tins containing fresh smelling gels and plug-ins for the wall. Plug-Ins  work by heating up the gel or oil inside the chamber and retaining their scent for 30 days on average. This way you can keep your home smelling fresh without doing alot of work on your end.

Incense

Incense  offer some fragrances that are far more powerful than their waxy candle counterparts.  That's because incense derive most of their smell from natural materials like flowers,  barks, resins, woods and leaves.  Some forms of incense that utilise essential oils instead of raw materials have similarly unique scents emitted in lower concentrations.

Commercial incense does not need any preparation to begin burning.  Simply light the incense tip on fire, creating a glowing ember that will continue to smoulder on its own.  Direct burning incense comes in many different shapes, some that require less clean-up or burn longer.

• Coil : Able to burn for an extended period of time, from hours to even days.
• Cone : Fast burning and used in traditional Chinese medicine.
• Solid Stick : Made entirely of incense material, easy to determine how much incense you want to use by breaking it into pieces.
• Incense blanks : Unscented incense dust is dipped into essential oils, made popular by American flea market vendors.

Indirect burning incense is used more frequently for non-commercial purposes in houses of worship.  It can come in whole pieces, or as powder or moldable paste.  In all forms it must be lit from a separate heat source, such as a coal bed.  Popular examples of indirect burning incense are frankincense  and myrrh. 

Oils

Fragrance oils  are heated, allowing volatile aromatic compounds to release scents in a room or outdoor area.  Also known as aromatic oils,  these are the same compounds used to make some of your favourite perfumes.   While fragrance oils are replacing gels in a lot of plug-in air fresheners, they can also be found in a variety of dishes and decorative items that help add scent and style to any room.

Oil warmers  elevate the oil above a heat source, usually a decorative candle, which allows the fragrance to be dispersed about the room.  While some leave the candle exposed, other fragrance warmers resemble small jars or vases, which hide the candle while still emitting a potent aroma.  Other clever oil warmers that can be easily disguised in any home are lamp rings --either metal or ceramic-- which are fitted over a lamp bulb and are in turn heated to send the scent about the room.

Reed diffusion is an oil option that is quickly gaining popularity, both for its style and safety appeal.  Not requiring a source of heat, reed diffusers  are placed in a glass container--often a decorative vase or jar--full of fragrance oil.  The oil is then drawn up the reed into the air, where it evaporates and subsequently diffuses its scent.  Reed diffusers can last for a prolonged period of time depending on how large the oil container is, and often make for nice table centrepieces too.

Other Options

Linen Spray  This works great for refreshing your linens by giving them a light, clean scent.  In some cases, these can even help you to sleep better; look for calming scents like chamomile.	Pot-pourri  Pot-pourri comes in a variety of scents and can serve a decorative purpose as well as subtly improve your home fragrance. You can place pot-pourri in a bowl or scatter it around, and you can even make it yourself with recipes found on dedicated websites.	Fragrance Sticks  These also serve a decorative purpose as they can be displayed or arranged in any room with a jar and some fragrance oil. The sticks are placed in the oil and absorb the scent, lightly dispersing it about your home.	Vacuum Fresheners  These help to prevent the odours your hoover may emit when you are cleaning. They come in scents like eucalyptus  or sandalwood  and may make tidying up more enjoyable!

Top Picks

Recommendations for whatever type of home fragrance you are looking to purchase.

Avon Linen and Room Spray  These sprays come in a variety of scents ranging from hot apple pie to strawberries and cream. Choose your favourite to keep your room and your linens smelling fresh and fun.	Airwick Odour Stop Gel  This air freshener comes in a gel form that can be opened and left in whichever room you are looking to freshen. With scents like mountain air, the Airwick works continuously to eliminate odours.	Ashleigh and Burwood Incense  This company not only manufactures incense with scents like cinnamon toast and coconut paradise, but they offer a range of products to make your home smell nice, like incense holders  and tea light lanterns.	UK Fragrance Oils  UK oils come in varying sizes and scents under categories like "drinks," "nature," and "food." Check them out and pick your favourite delicious scent, or even a nice sampler.	Woodwick Candles  These pretty candles come in sleek glass jars and offer up creative options like Vanilla Latte and Wedding. Made from soy wax and organic wicks, these candles provide a long, clean burn.

Related Guides

Bed Linens and Bedding Read up on all types of bed linens to help you feel relaxed and comfortable as you drift off to sleep.	Home and Garden Whether you're just starting out in your home or looking to redecorate, check out our home and garden articles to see what will look best.	Home Accessories Looking to beautify your home with some little odds and ends? Read our Home Accessories guide to get some ideas.	Home Furnishings and Decor Not sure how to adorn your new office? Let us help you so nothing gets left out!

External Links

• Wikipedia.org: An informative wiki page on the history and function of incense.