Scents & amp; sense for the holiday

Not all candles are created equally -- use candle sense to make them work for you.
By MEDA KESSLER
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
FORT WORTH, Texas -- In a recent episode of "Sex and the City," sassy Samantha lamented the fact that women who buy candles have replaced women with cats as the next sad thing. It made us laugh, but then we winced because we wondered hey, what if you have candles "and" cats?
Social commentary aside, chances are if you're interested in candles and reading this article, you are a woman. According to candle manufacturers, 96 percent of all candles purchased are bought by females.
But I also know plenty of guys, including ones who have never heard of the term "metrosexual," who've learned that candles make great gifts. Safer than chocolate or liquor, a gift of candles suggests warmth or romance.
So it's safe to say a lot of you like candles. You have your favorite scent, your favorite color, your favorite size. But as a candle consumer, you should know more. You should be enlightened, if you will.
For those not afraid to admit they love candles, here's a primer on how to burn a candle properly, how to avoid those nasty wax spills and how to find a fragrance beyond cinnamon or vanilla. You should also know that not all candles are created equally.
WHAT IS IT MADE OF?
Chances are, most candles you buy are made of wax. Wax comes from five major sources: animal, vegetable, mineral/fossil, petroleum and synthetic. The differences are their melting points, color and odor. Petroleum-based wax is the cheapest; it's refined from black crude oil into the clear, solid substance we know as a candle. Color and fragrance are added later.
Environmentalists do not love wax candles because they release carcinogens into the air (even the expensive ones will leave soot on nearby surfaces).
Beeswax is an all-natural product produced by, surprise, honeybees. It has a high melting point and burns cleaner and longer than synthetic wax, plus there's minimal dripping. It's also fairly expensive because it takes about 160,000 bees to produce the 60 pounds of honey that results in a pound of beeswax. Beeswax candles come in solid and rolled forms and are one of the easiest candles to make yourself because you can buy sheets of beeswax at hobby stores.
Eco-friendly
Soy candles have been deemed eco-friendly by environmentalists. Made from soy beans, a renewable resource, they've only been on the market since the mid- to late 1990s and make up only a small share of the candle market. Soy candles don't burn as hot but do burn much longer and more cleanly. The wax is water soluble, so you can clean up spills a lot more easily. Soy candles are only available in glass containers because of the way the soy wax melts.
Although wax candles still make up most of home candle selections, lately I've become enamored with the soy versions. Burn tests have proven them to be as long-lasting as they claim (5 to 7 ounces of soy will burn for approximately 50 to 60 hours). Er'go, a Dallas-based company, has been making soy candles since 1999 under the guidance of Jimmy Belasco.
Soy candles might seem pricey (the majority run in the $20 to $30 range for 5 to 8 ounces, but considering the burn time, you're actually getting a bargain).
THE NOSE KNOWS
I decided to use my olfactory senses to sniff out some interesting scents. Bad idea.
A big candle store is no place for the meek of smell. The onslaught of scents is overwhelming and headache inducing. How was one to make choices when rendered scents-less by too many choices and too many colors?
Still, according to Rudy Comacho, who along with partner Bruce Hilton, owns Paper Trails, a cool little stationery store in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, fragrance is the biggest factor consumers consider when buying a candle.
Comacho says when singer Natalie Cole was in town for a performance, her manager stopped by the store.
"She noticed we carried Natalie's favorite candle brand, Er'go," Comacho says. "Natalie herself came in and bought every single lavender-patchouli candle we had."
But candle fragrance, much like perfume, is a personal thing. (I tend to think that those floral candles make your home smell rather funereal and that vanilla causes an eye tic, but that's just me.)
Beyond the senses
The point is that candle fragrances go beyond the sniff test -- and there are plenty of options.
Many scented candles use a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients. The more high-end candles contain pure essential oils. It's like comparing cologne and perfume.
Boutique candles have fragrances that read like a grocery list: lemongrass, grapefruit, red currant, fig and bamboo.
Comacho says he's noticed a move toward the "cleaner" fragrances such as fresh bamboo and monkey grass.
"More and more customers are asking for cleaner scents, instead of the fruitier ones," he says.
Despite the in-store sniff-test, it's critical to remember candles don't always smell the same once they are lit. In cheaper candles, most of the fragrance lies at the top of the candle.
Some upper-end lines of candles have different strengths of scents, which is good news for those who like a more subtle effect.
It's always good to have unscented candles as well, especially for the dining room, where candle fragrances can fight with food aromas. Illume, an LA-based candlemaker that's a celebrity favorite, has recently added unscented candles to its colorful line.
FIRE AND PRICE
Why do some candles cost $5 and some $50? What you're paying for is materials (quality wax costs more than cheap wax; same for fragrance). You're also paying for packaging and cachet. A 6.5-ounce Diptyque jar candle will run you about $44. It's a French-made candle with elegant lettering and line drawings on its glass jars. Diptyque is popular with celebrities such as Elizabeth Hurley and P. Diddy. Oprah also likes Diptyque, and you know what happens when Oprah likes something.
Seattle-based Votivo has long been prized for its fragrance-heavy candles and sophisticated packaging with a distinctive stamp.
The candles come in glass jars and smaller, paper-capped French glass cups. Red currant is the company's bestseller, thanks to Madonna, Bruce Willis and, again, Oprah. Its distinct packaging (sturdy cardboard boxes, metal emblem) also sets Votivo's candles apart in appearance and price from your basic grocery-store candle.
HOW TO BURN A CANDLE
Quality candles come with instructions, but an informal survey shows most people didn't seem to be aware there are "rules." Trust me. Follow these suggestions, and your candles will last longer and look nicer.
USet your candle in a proper container and on a level surface.
UTrim the wick to 1/4 inch every time you use your candle. You can even buy special wick trimmers to keep the sooty residue out of the wax. Trimming the wick helps prevents excess smoking and ensures an even burn.
UMost candles are designed to burn just over one hour per inch in diameter. For example, a three-inch wide candle should burn -- the first time -- for three hours. This establishes a burn pattern for the candles. If a candle is burned for periods less than what it was designed, the candle will start to "tunnel" (burning a hole down the center, leaving much wax unused). You can avoid tunneling by burning the candle for the appropriate time. This means setting aside enough time at home to watch your candles. Some pillar candles (free standing, not in a container) were designed to "not" burn to the edge, because they will spill over.
UKeep candles out of drafts, which will affect the quality of the burn. If your candle starts burning to one side, adjust the wick or check for a draft. All-cotton wicks do not stay in place as well as metal-core wicks, so you may need to adjust the wick occasionally.
UAny candle flame can smoke if the flame is not burning efficiently. Some candles will smoke because of the petroleum levels in the wax.
UEven essential oils can cause smoke. Any candle that is not manufactured properly or uses the improper amount of additives, dyes or fragrances can drip or smoke excessively.