OUGD505: Studio brief 1 - Further research.

After looking at the history and success of yankee candle I wanted to look into what made scented candles so popular.

First I began looking into the psychological effects of scented candles.

I found some interesting information at Self growth:
'It is well known that the sense of smell is the strongest sense related to memory; especially long term memory. All it takes is a smell of something from your childhood - say, the scent of an old rug - and you are instantly transported back to where that smell was significant. Because of this, what we smell can subconsciously put us in a good mood, or a bad mood.' Source

I found some further information that talks about what scents evoke what feelings:

Here there are some effects of soy candles scented with different types of essential oils:

• Basil
  Brasil will promote alertness, concentration and will create a positive attitude. Basil scent will stimulate your nervous system, relieves migraines and help digestion.
• Eucalyptus
  Eucalyptus will relieve chest problems including asthma, coughs, sinusitis, pneumonia and bronchitis. Eucalyptus is an important remedy for the treatment of rheumatism and arthritis. The eucalyptus scent will also repel insects.
• Jasmine 
  Jasmine is the most uplifting of all essential oils. Jasmine scent is a very relaxing and anti depressant and is very useful for calming tension. Jasmine stimulates your alertness, builds energy and helps to activate the immune system.
• Lavender
  Lavender scent will help to relieve headaches, insomnia and can be used when you have problems with anxiety, depression and motion sickness.
• Lemon
  Lemon is well known for its stimulating effect. The Japanese employers use lemon scent to improve the productivity of their workers. Next time you have to concentrate or study burn a lemon scented soy candle! Lemon scent also helps to repel insects.
• Orange blossom
  Orange blossom will help against insomnia, depression and anxiety.
• Rosemary
  Rosemary is effective in arthritis, bronchitis and colds. Rosemary scent has a placid effect on the nervous system and brings clarity of thought.
• Vanilla
  Vanilla scent is appreciated by most people. Vanilla scented candles are the perfect background for entertaining or any time you want a mellow, relaxing atmosphere.

The sense of smell is one of the most powerful senses, and the influence of fragrance on human behaviour and response is well known. Because of this the popularity of scented candles continues to grow.

Source


The effects of scented candles:

- Lowering Blood Pressure

• A study by Dr. Gary E. Schwartz, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Yale University, suggests that some scents released by aromatherapy candles can help temporarily lower blood pressure. When stressed-out volunteers were exposed to certain scented candles, their blood pressure dropped an average of three to five points, a reduction comparable to an extended meditation session. The smell of spiced apple was found to be particularly effective. When a scented candle triggers your blood pressure to drop, you feel more relaxed and are likely to be in a better mood.

- Combating Insomnia

• Some scented candle users report that certain scents help them fall asleep more easily at night. Lavender and sandalwood reportedly help calm you and reduce anxiety. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that inhaling lavender helps many people with sleeping disorders fall asleep. Additionally, both lavender and sandalwood help people experience deeper, more restful sleep. When you sleep well at night, you feel more refreshed and energetic during your waking hours. Some studies also suggest that the smell of lavender helps you feel more positive.

- Improving Symptoms of Depression

• While no aromatherapy treatment can "cure" depression, a serious medical condition, inhaling the aroma of scented candles can give depression sufferers temporary relief. Scents like peppermint, lemon, chamomile and jasmine have shown to help boost moods by targeting the endocrine system, causing the brain to release tension, nervousness and negative emotions. Since the sense of smell is so closely linked with the emotional centers of the brain, specific scents -- including cinnamon, vanilla, rose and cedar -- can help relieve some depression symptoms by triggering happy memories.

- Boosting Energy

• Aromatherapy candles can also improve your mood by lifting your energy levels. Citrus scents like grapefruit, orange and lemon may make you feel more excited, energetic and positive throughout the day. A study conducted by Mie University in Japan linked inhaling citrus scents to improved immunity, which helps protect you from illness, keeping your energy levels higher. The aroma of grapefruit in particular may trigger feelings of joy and happiness, making you feel more alert and energetic. Similarly, the smell of peppermint acts as a stimulant to help combat drowsiness, according to William N. Dember, a former professor at the University of Cincinnati.
• Source

More on the history of Yankee Candle:

Our History

Christmas 1969. Seventeen-year-old Mike Kittredge, too broke to buy his mother a present, melted some crayons to make her a candle. A neighbor saw it and convinced Mike to sell the candle to her. With that small stake, he bought enough wax to make two candles - one for his mom, and another to sell. That was the birth of Yankee Candle. Yankee Candle has become the world’s most-recognised name in the candle business and the best loved candle brand by sharing our customers' "passion for fragrance" in every product we bring to market.

Today, with over 150 fragrances, we offer the world's largest and most compelling selection of candle and home fragrance scents. In addition to our renowned Housewarmer® line of scented candles, we also provide a wide range of seasonal and specialty scented candles, home fragrance products, car fresheners and candle accessories.

The majority of our candles are made by master chandlers (candlemakers) in our advanced manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts USA.

In America we sell our candles and other products through a growing nationwide base of over 500 company-owned retail stores, we also have a vibrant and growing catalog and online business, expanding North American wholesale customer network and fund raising division

In Europe we have a thriving international business which includes a UK wholesale customer network (and specialty retailers), 19 Distributors working across 24 countries, Direct Export accounts and an growing online business Today, the future looks bright for new growth and expanding opportunities as we continue to write new chapters in this true American success story. Source

The Yankee Candle Company - A True American Success Story

From humble beginnings ... Christmas 1969. Seventeen-year-old Mike Kittredge, too broke to buy his mother a present, melted some crayons to make her a candle. A neighbor saw it and convinced Mike to sell the candle to her. With that small stake, he bought enough wax to make two candles - one for his mom, and another to sell. That was the birth of Yankee Candle. To America's favourite brand of premium scented candles ... Yankee Candle has become the #1 most-recognized name in the candle business and the country's best selling candle brand by sharing our customers' “passion for fragrance” in every product we bring to market. Today, with over 150 fragrances, we offer the world's largest and most compelling selection of candle and home fragrance scents. In addition to our renowned Housewarmer® line of scented candles, we also provide a wide range of seasonal and specialty scented candles, home fragrance products, car fresheners and candle accessories. The majority of our candles are made by master chandlers (candlemakers) in our advanced manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts. We sell our candles and other products through a growing nationwide base of over 500 company-owned retail stores. We also have a vibrant and growing catalog and online business, an expanding North American wholesale customer network (including approximately 19,100 specialty retailers in the U.S.), our Yankee Candle Fund-Raising division, and international distribution. Today, the future looks bright for new growth and expanding opportunities as we continue to write new chapters in this true American success story. Source How candles are made and ingredients: GLASS The glass jars used by Yankee Candle® are made especially for Yankee Candle® in accordance to specific guidelines. Yankee Candle® requires glass to be lab-tested to ensure the appropriate strength and consistency of the glass. WAX Every Yankee Candle® has a custom blended wax formulation to ensure the optimum melting point and ability to hold fragrance oil. In addition, when properly burned, these special wax formulations help maintain an even, clean burn. COLOR If you were to cut a Yankee Candle® jar in half, you would find that the wax is richly colored throughout the candle. The beautiful hues are specially selected to enhance your overall fragrance experience. SCENT Yankee Candle® is known for room-filling and authentic fragrances. Our passion for fragrance leads us to develop the world’s most unique scents. Yankee Candle® fragrance oils are complex combinations of top, middle, and base notes that are developed across the globe to bring you the very best fragrance experience. WICK An important aspect of a Yankee Candle® is the wick. Not all wicks are made alike. In fact, Yankee Candle® uses over 200 different wicks in their candles. Each fragrance and candle form has a wick that is chosen specifically for that item. That means that the wick you find in one fragrance might be completely different from the wick you would find in another fragrance. All of our wicks are lead-free with 100% natural fibers that are wound to create a superior wick. If a core is needed to maintain the integrity of the wick, all natural cores such as a twisted fiber core are used. Our wicks are another statement of our quality that goes into every product we make.' Source Yankee candle fragrance: Fragrance is the most important factor in the purchase of candles today, with nearly three-fourths of candle buyers rating it as “extremely important" or "very important" in their purchasing decision. At Yankee Candle, we have addressed the importance of fragrance with what we call the Scentmosphere. Through Scentmosphere we recognize the way a home, a building or a room smells has an immediate and lasting impact on how people perceive that space. Two exciting ways that we help create Scentmosphere is through Fragrance Layering and for the more adventurous guest, Fragrance Mixology. Fragrance Layering In use in the fragrance and cosmetic industry for several years now, Fragrance Layering is all about using multiple forms of fragrance. At Yankee Candle, fragrance layering involves using at least two kinds of products of the same, similar, or complementary scent. Layering with different candle forms You can use multiple candle jars to create fragrance layering. Or you can combine candle jars with reed diffusers, wax or oil warmers, or even room sprays. They all can work together as long as you select similar or complementary scents. Using complementary scents There are times of the year when your favorite jar candle fragrance may not be available in other home fragrance products. In those cases, simply use complementary fragrances to create a signature fragrance for your home. This allows you to use more than one jar or a complementary reed diffuser, wax or oil warmer, or room spray. It’s all just a matter of personal taste. Fragrance Mixology This is the art of combining 2 or more fragrances together to create a new and unique scent. This is different from Fragrance Layering in that the focus is on combining fragrances and not forms. You can fragrance using Samplers votives, Tarts wax melts, Potpourri, or even home fragrance oils to create a new and unique scent. Using Samplers votives Fragrance Mixology is easy using Samplers votives and our triple votive holder. Simply place three Samplers into the holder and light. As the candles melt, the fragrances will combine to create a new, exciting fragrance. Using Tarts wax melts and oils Place up to one full Tart wax melt into the bowl of the warmer. To combine 2 to 3 fragrances, score the Tart with a knife and carefully break into halves or thirds and place into the warmer’s bowl. As the wax melts, your new fragrance will come to life. And, if you even feel more experimental, you can mix several home fragrance oils together for a whole new scent. Just a few drops of this fragrance and maybe a few drop others of another fragrance and you have a custom fragrance that you have designed. The possibilities are endless. Source Fun facts:  200 Million: Number of candles produced each year by Yankee Candle 1 Billion +: Number of candles the company produced in the past 5 years 4 Million Ft.: Amount of wick the company uses in 1 year Facebook: 1 million+ people like Yankee Candle on Facebook. 50 Million Pounds: Amount of wax the company uses each year. That works out to 137,000 pounds each day! That’s a lot of wax! Source