Selecting Candle Sizes

What size candle should I get for my space?

This is a question we get asked all the time.  The biggest factor to consider is the size of the room you're going to burn the candle in.  Before we talk about candle sizes, let's talk about cold and hot throw. 

When you take the lid off and smell the candle, this is called the "cold" throw.  Cold is in reference to the wax being solid and well, cold :)  This scent is often lighter than what the candle will smell like when it's burning.

When you light the candle, the heat of the flame melts the surrounding wax.  This creates a "melt pool" and this melt pool is the magic place that emits the scent throughout your space.  This magic aroma from the melted wax is referred to as the "hot throw."

In terms of candle sizes and scent levels, to put it simply, the larger the melt pool, the larger the space the candle will scent.  But - that's honestly a little TOO simple. Other factors to consider are the airflow of the space, whether it's open or enclosed, and how sensitive to scents you are.  

When I first started making candles, I would light one of our large tin candles and put it on our kitchen bar.  I'd get easily frustrated that the scent wasn't noticed after awhile.  Our kitchen area is open and flows not only into our dining room but our living room and entry way.  It's easily 800+ square feet that's wide open and with elevated ceilings.  Add in the constantly running ceiling fans, and I quickly realized our open floor plan is not an ideal space for such a small candle to scent. 

That same tin in my bathroom, however, has a great hot throw.  A 3-wick candle fills our open floor plan space nicely.  Always consider if your room has a lot of airflow, is an open floor plan or is a generally larger space.  Each of these will impact the throw of the scent.

Some customers prefer a strong scent while others prefer a scent that, as one customer so eloquently put it, "doesn't slap me in the face when I walk in." So not only do you need to consider the space and its airflow, but also the candle fragrance itself.  As we age, our sense of smell fades.  There isn't a hard and fast rule, and each fragrance (and nose) is different but in very broad terms, you can expect that bakery, fruit, and many masculine or seasonal scents will be fairly strong.  Outdoorsy, aquatic and floral scents can sometimes be pretty light, but - (again, so many stipulations!) they're also the ones many people are most sensitive to. 

So as you consider what size candle to invest in, also think about the size of your space, the airflow, and your sensitivity to the type of scent you're considering. I hope this info helps you decide what size candle is best for your space.  If you have any questions about this or need help selecting a scent, don't hesitate to reach out to us at meghan@luxillume.com and we'll be glad to assist.