You’ve Probably Been Smelling Candles Wrong—Here’s How to Do it the Right Way

My long-standing love affair with candles is well-documented on the internet. Maybe you remember reading about all the ways you were burning candles wrong—and have since cleaned up your act. Well, I’m back to drop a little more knowledge on you, and this time it’s about smelling candles. Turns out, there’s a right and a wrong way to smell a candle’s true scent, and you’re probably doing it wrong. (I know I was.)

For years when shopping for cozy candles, I’ve brought each candle right up to my face, maybe within an inch or so of my nose, and taking a good long whiff. But apparently, for any candle with a lid, you’re actually supposed to smell the lid—not the candle itself—to get the best sense of its scent. This might seem counterintuitive, but it makes a world of difference.

It’s all because fragrance molecules, when trapped in a closed container, actually rise to the top of the packaging and accumulate over time. So if you smell straight wax, you’re only getting the top notes, which burn off first when a candle is lit and start to throw it scent. Smelling the lid will give you a much more accurate portrayal of the full scent profile, as you’ll also get the middle and base notes in there, too.

Right about now you’re probably thinking, “What about candles without lids?” Those guys should still have some sort of protective paper or plastic liner on their tops. Treat that as though it’s the lid and gently pull it up or off to get a sense of the candle’s true “headspace.” And if it’s in a box, try to find a sample so you can smell the lid or liner. Or, if you’re in a pinch, smell the top of the box.

If you’ve ever bought an expensive candle only to bring it home and hate the scent, this little hack should help prevent that from happening in the future. And if you need to see those candle burning tips again, I got you.