BackCreating a Candle Fragrance: Manufacturer’s Advice
Candle fragrance manufacturers realize all too well the sheer magnitude and inherent competition for shelf space within the home fragrance market, specifically in regard to candles. However, despite the size and saturation, there still remain significant opportunities to gain market share and garner a consumer following.
Manufacturers, seasoned in the art of creating candle fragrances, know the key to capitalizing on these opportunities and securing success for your brand lies in market knowledge. Market knowledge is the foundation from which all popular, profitable and high quality fragrances are created.
Accomplished candle fragrance manufacturers advise that you sharpen your insight
and hone your knowledge base of these primary areas before beginning any creation process.
Target Market
Who is your target audience?
What are their needs? What captures their attention? Drives them? Inspires them?
Do they buy candles primarily for themselves or as gifts? Do they utilize candles for aesthetic, therapeutic and/or practical purposes?
Manufacturers will tell you that creating a successful candle fragrance requires a strong connection and comprehension of one’s target market and consumer.
Do your research, listen to the consumer and establish an understanding of your target audience. Know your niche, satisfying their “wants” while being aware of their needs.
The degree of your success will be directly proportional to your capacity to connect with them.
Trends
Every successful candle fragrance producer knows the innate value of trends. Whether you’re keeping up with the trends, bringing new life to old trends, or predicting what the next big trend will be, it is important to understand the fundamental principles of the trend phenomena.
Trends both inside and outside of the industry will give you invaluable insight on which fragrance and concept direction your candle creation should take.
Within the industry, observe other candle marketers to see what they are doing and then strive to create something more advanced or original. Whether you are exposed to huge international trade shows, small town fairs or retail stores that sell candles, it never hurts to get an overview of what is happening in the marketplace.
You can also find inspiration outside the industry. The interior design, fashion and food industries can offer a bird’s eye view into the lifestyle trends of your consumer. Even the auto industry is quite beneficial in getting a pulse on what colors consumers find most appealing – in the candle industry, color choice is pivotal.
Season
Experienced candle fragrance makers advise that you take your cue from the calendar, composing fragrances in alignment with the seasons. This allows you to develop a year-round market.
Consumers tend to update their homes based on the current season. For example, the arrival of spring is reflected with fresh and green tones, such as linen and lemongrass. In the summer months, consumers may switch to citrus fruits, like grapefruit, and add light floral tones for a bright atmosphere.
Autumn is a time for the more fruity fragrances, such as the deep scent of fig, and spicy aromas like ginger. Winter is the perfect time for sweet and spicy scents, as well as holiday aromas, bringing cinnamon and frangipani types into the home. Heavy floral scents can also keep a room warm and cozy.
Savor the season. Realize that each season brings with it its own mood, feeling and emotion. Be mindful that the attributes, mood and character of your fragrance should reflect that of the season in which it is launched.
Ingredients, Safety & Performance
Every fragrance manufacturer will agree that it is imperative for your candle contain only the most carefully sourced, high-quality ingredients and MUST, MUST, MUST meet all performance requirements and safety criteria.
You will want to be certain that the cost, quality and availability of the raw materials used to make your candle are consistent.
After this, you will want to ensure that you have detailed knowledge of how your candle will perform under different scenarios including in-store (cold throw) and in your consumers’ home while burning. The burning should be even and with a strong, pleasant fragrance from start to finish.
However, without question, the most important focus throughout the candle fragrance creation process should always be on SAFETY. Ultimately, safety comes first.
Mood/Location
Candles are one of life’s small luxuries with the unique ability to add depth and character to one’s emotional and physical environment. They not only accessorize one’s surroundings, but their fragrance creates a mood, enhances ambiance and ultimately defines a space or sets an emotional stage.
Focus on what mood you wish your fragrance to elicit:
- Calming (lavender, sage, bamboo, vanilla)
- Invigorating (orange, lemon, grapefruit, mint)
- Romantic (chocolate, jasmine, amber, patchouli)
You may also wish to focus on what room your fragrance would be most at “home”:
- Bedroom (light florals)
- Kitchen (green, herbaceous)
- Bathroom (fresh, ozonic)
The candle marketplace is a competitive one. However, opportunities always exist within this multi-billion dollar business for those marketers who build their market knowledge. In the candle making business, knowledge is the key to industry power, prestige and profit.
