Compared to wax melts, candles have existed in one form or another for thousands of years. Most people at one point or another have used a scented candle to fragrance their home with mixed results.
In recent years wax melts have surged in popularity as an effective solution to cheap and effective home fragrance. With the recent popularity of wax melts, are scented candles still worth it? Or do wax melts come out on top in the candle vs wax melt war?
What is a wax melt?
In simple terms, a wax melt is a small piece of wax that contains a fragrance oil. The wax melt is gently heated in a wax burner so that it melts. As the wax melts, the fragrance is released and dispersed throughout your home.
It is worth noting that not all wax melts are created equal. Try to only use melts made from natural wax blends such as soy and coconut (avoid paraffin and synthetic blends). Find wax melts that use a high percentage of fragrance oil to ensure a strong and consistent result. At Fragrance Studio, we use the highest concentration possible, to achieve the best results from our wax melts.
What is a candle?
A scented candle is a wax blend containing fragrance oil usually presented in a container. The candle will have a wick (either wood or cotton) and this is how the wax is heated. So a candle needs a lit wick and a wax melt contains no wick. Instead, a wax melt is gently heated by a wax burner. This is the big difference between candles and wax melts and certainly effects their effectiveness.
Candle vs wax melt - wax melt pros and cons
Pros
- Wax melts are often cheaper than candles
- They give off a much more potent fragrance compared to a candle
- Wax melts come in every scent imaginable ensuring there is a scent for everyone
- Easy to swap one fragrance out for a new one by cleaning your wax melt burner
- Wax melts can be combined to create unique scents
- Less of a fire hazard as there is no naked flame when using an electric wax melt burner
Cons
- Wax melts don’t create the same ambience that a candle can
- Needing to keep your wax melt burner clean
Candle pros and cons
Pros
- Candles create a nice ambience within in a room
- Can be used to enhance the interior style of your house
Cons
- Often more expensive than wax melts
- Potential fire hazard
- Weaker scent throw than wax melts
- Harder to change the fragrance as you will need multiple candles
As you can see, wax melts have several advantages over a candle. The main one being that wax melts are much better at creating a fragranced room than a candle. This is because a wax melts scent is release by gently warming the wax as opposed to a candle using a flame. As a candle flame burns some of the fragrance oil is also burnt along with the wax. This high temperature renders the fragrance useless as it is burnt off before it has a chance to do anything. This is the reason that many report wax melts smell better than candles when in use.
The second biggest advantage to wax melts vs candles is the ability to change scents easily. Lets say you’re currently using a fresh linen scent in your wax burner and want to change to strawberry and Lilly. All that needs to be done is a quick clean of your wax melt burner and you are ready to start using a new scent. This is impossible to do with a candle as you will need to light a separate candle.
Many users prefer not having a naked flame that is necessary with a candle. As a wax melt burner uses a bulb or heating element to provide the heat necessary to melt the wax, they are much less of a hazard. This is especially true for home with pets or small children where a candle could easily be knocked over.
And the winner is…
I think it goes without saying that wax melts are the clear winner. If you want an effective way to fragrance your home at an affordable price, with the ability to change scents, wax melts are the winner here.