Why Lightly Scented Soy Candles are Better for Small Apartments

If you've ever lived in a small apartment or other small space, you know burning a strongly scented retail candle can be overwhelming and inconvenient. The same is true if you ever wanted to keep your scent restricted to one area of the house or a bedroom without inconveniencing everyone else. Here are some reasons why you might prefer burning a subtle candle instead of a full strength popular brand.

The Perks of Low-Scent Candles

1. They prevent sensory overload

Retail candles are notorious for using "cheap" ingredients that cause irritation. Paraffin wax and phthalates in the fragrance oil spread the scent better and make it linger longer, but they also commonly contribute to headaches, nausea, and allergies, especially when burned without proper ventilation or in a smaller space. These are extremely common in mass-produced candles since filling an entire house is the goal. 

2. Won't clash with kitchen cooking odors

Everything in an apartment is in close proximity, so the smells of your food will naturally mix with the fragrance of a candle. This is less prominent when you burn lightly scented, but fragrance-free might be more to your taste if you're looking to enhance the atmosphere without scents. A candle with an odor-neutralizer can help remove cooking smells or other competing scents, giving your candle a clean slate so it doesn't have to work as hard to be noticed.

3. Keeps your fabrics fresher

Your curtains, sofas, bedding, rugs, and other fabrics will absorb airborne fragrances, especially heavier ones mixed with phthalates and paraffin wax. This is especially noticeable in a smaller space. The heavy oils that make the fragrances linger are a double-edged sword. Using a subtle candle with soy wax can help prevent this. 

4. More tolerable for your guests

If you have friends or family visiting, retail candles can be overwhelming to them, especially in apartments or smaller spaces. If you've been burning a candle longer, you might be nose-blind to it, but they won't be. If you keep a few lightly scented candles, it's more tolerable and able to be burned for longer periods. 

5. The scent won't "leak"

Apartment life naturally includes living close to others. Retail candles with overwhelming fragrance can easily drift to the whole floor (or even more). If you want to keep your scent localized to one room or within the apartment, lighter fragrances are preferred. 

Find Your Subtle Scent

So what do you burn? For starters, ditch the overwhelming phthalate-filled fragrance and paraffin. You'll be glad you did. Also remember to trim your wicks regularly. Ideally, every time they develop a big mushroom (carbon-build up), it's going to release more soot in the air which leads to further irritation (headaches, etc). 

At Slight Scents, I make candles with 100% soy wax (wax blends usually have hidden paraffin), and a lighter fragrance load that contains 0 phthalates. I also add an odor-neutralizer, so the lighter fragrance doesn't have to compete against as many background scents. They're vegan, use a cotton wick, dye-free, and sustainably made in New York using ingredients from the US. Try one today and see if you're less overwhelmed.