fragrance notes, phthalates, + 6 other industry terms you need to know.

terminology in the home fragrance world can be extremely daunting. when i first began my business journey, the terms "cold throw," "hot throw," "cure time," etc. were totally alien to me. now, two (almost three) years in, i can honestly say that they cross my mind each and every time i'm whipping up a new product.

why?

because they are so incredibly important in understanding how different fragrances perform, as well as ensuring that by the time they make their way to YOU, they're in the best possible state they can be in!

and since i had to do allllll of my studying of these terms by googling endlessly, i've decided to compile a few of the most important terms right here so that when you see them in your home fragrance "travels," you can say "hey, i know what that means!"

fragrance oils

two of the biggest differences in the home fragrance industry exist among the types of oils used and the types of wax that are used. as far as oils go:

fragrance oils are comprised of synthetic + natural materials. they may on occasion be blended with essential oils for a more complex profile + are formulated with solvents and other ingredients to offer the best scent throw.

essential oils are extracted from the seeds, flowers, leaves, roots, etc. of a plant, typically through a complex process. as such, they are often more expensive than fragrance oils, though for many, the natural basis of these oils far outweighs the cost.

at homebody hub, we use high quality fragrance oils that are toxin-free and pack a serious punch to help us provide you with fragrance that lasts. some of them even contain essential oils, making their scent profile that much more interesting.

wax

now i know this one is a no-brainer. we all know what wax is. but did you know that the type of wax that makers use can drastically change the performance of a fragrance and the quality of the finished product? for example:

paraffin wax is known to have a stronger scent throw than soy wax, though its origins from petroleum oil has given it a negative reputation among the candle-making industry in particular due to claims that it is filled with toxins, produces soot, etc.

soy wax is commonly made from hydrogenated vegetable oil derived from the soybean plant (though it can contain other non-soy ingredients) and doesn't always carry as much fragrance as other waxes. it's also begun to receive a somewhat negative response from environmental enthusiasts due to the growing concerns over deforestation and pesticide + fertilizer use in the process of obtaining said wax.

(during my research, i found articles/blog posts like this one by lone star candle supply to share excellent insight on the age-old debate between paraffin + soy wax: https://lonestarcandlesupply.com/soy-vs-paraffin/)

beeswax is one of the oldest forms of candle wax and, of course, comes from bees during the honey-making process, making it a non-vegan option. it contains a natural sweet scent and is a more solid wax, making it a common option among chandlers for use in container candles and pillars.

here at homebody hub, we use a para-soy wax blend that combines the best features of paraffin + soy wax. it is non-toxic, phthalate-free, vegan, and contains zero harmful elements, making it the perfect choice for our wax melts.

fragrance notes

likely the most important aspect of a product for you to look at, the list of fragrance notes for a product shines a light on what that particular fragrance smells like. when looking at them, you'll notice that there are typically three scents listed. that's because there are essentially three layers to a fragrance:

the top notes are the lighter notes that first hit your nose when you smell a fragrance. they typically last for about 5-15 minutes + ultimately shape your initial impression of said fragrance.

the middle (or heart) notes are the notes that well and truly take "center stage" once those top notes have faded away. they typically last around 20-60 minutes.

and finally, the base notes are the notes that help tie the top and middle notes together and are sensed last. alone, they may not be all that special, but when they're paired with the other notes, they truly help round the entire fragrance out. these notes can last for hours and are most commonly warmer, fuller scents, such as amber, vanilla, or musk.

phthalates

when on the hunt for home fragrance products to add to your personal collection, we strongly advise you to go for options that are labeled as phthalate-free, paraben-free, etc. these are going to be the least chemically-packed options and better for your health in the long run.

simply put, phthalates (the number one aspect to look for) are a compound derived from phthalic acid. they are most commonly used to make plastic products more flexible, however, when it comes to the particular phthalate used on the home fragrance market, diethyl phthalate, it's used as a binding agent to extend the life of the fragrance in many fragrance oils.

there are a number of known risks associated with these chemically-charged ingredients, including asthma, adhd, breast cancer, type II diabetes, reproductive development issues, etc.

at homebody hub, we opt to leave phthalates out of our production process and focus solely on ingredients that are 100% phthalate-free.

cure time

when we makers produce a certain product, you may hear us referring to said product's cure time.

this refers to the amount of time that we allow a product to sit after being mixed + poured, giving the base (wax, room spray base, diffuser base, etc.) + fragrance oil time to bind together for the ultimate fragrance experience before being used for its intended purpose.

cure time plays a significant role in both the cold + hot throws of the final product.

cold throw (ct)

the most important things to consider about your home fragrance products, especially wax melts + candles, is how the fragrance will perform under different conditions. as makers, we look at two things: cold throw (ct) and hot throw.

cold throw (ct) refers to the strength or intensity of a fragrance when it's not being melted/heated.

fragrances with a strong cold throw would be ones that still have a noticeable smell, even when they're not being melted or heated, like how you can leave some wax melts sit out on your counter without being heated and they can still fill your room with fragrance.

hot throw (ht)

cold throw's other half would be hot throw (ht).

hot throw (ht) refers to (you guessed it) the strength or intensity of a fragrance when it is being melted/heated.

fragrances with a strong hot throw would be ones that fill up an entire room when being melted or heated and maybe not so much when they're not.

scent throw

for products that don't require heat/flames to perform (like room sprays, reed diffusers, etc.), the term to look for would be scent throw.

this term refers to the overall performance of the fragrance. the stronger the fragrance, the stronger the scent throw, and the weaker the fragrance, the weaker the scent throw.

this detail is especially important, particularly depending on which room you plan to use certain scents in. a fragrance with a stronger scent throw may be best in a larger space, such as your living room, while one with a weaker scent throw may be more ideal for smaller spaces, like your bathroom, home office, etc.

yay! you can officially say that you know the key home fragrance terms!

were you familiar with any of these prior to reading this post? did any of them leave you saying "huh, interesting!"?

let me know in the comments below!