Not all home fragrance is created equal.
Let's talk about how the fragrances we love can affect the health of our furry friends.
Being a pet parent is one of the best feelings in the world. It has so many benefits, including decreasing the intensity of overall depression, reduced anxiety and stress, as well as providing the opportunity for physical activity through play which can reduce cholesterol, improve heart function, and build endurance (Jennings, 1997). Plus, they're super cute and we all need a little sprinkle of adorable in our lives. However, alongside those perks comes the possibility of offensive pet odors in our homes - wet dog and kitty litter, anyone?
Our family includes 3 dogs and 2 cats so keeping a great smelling space is one of our top priorities. Fortunately, we have the best job in the world - creating natural home fragrance - so our home always smells like something yummy. The question we are asked a lot is, "Does all this fragrance bother your pets?"
The answer is simple for us - "Nope!" - but can be a lot more complicated when you consider the variety of products available on the market.
Keep reading to learn how you can safely share a deliciously scented home with your favorite fur babies.
Here's a fun fact for you: Our sense of smell is the equivalent of a cheap knock off handbag to their authentic Chanel.
Dogs and cats have a far more sophisticated and sensitive sense of smell than humans. That difference becomes even more significant when we take into account certain human health conditions. Research studies have produced evidence that depression, schizophrenia, anorexia, and migraines can dull our ability to perceive scent intensity (SIRC, 2020). Pretty interesting, isn't it?
So how do we perceive smell? Humans, dogs, and cats all have specialized cells called scent receptors that are responsible for us being able to smell anything at all. The more scent receptors a being has, the more powerful their sense of smell is. Dogs have a lot more than humans do, and this is part of what makes them so perfect for tasks such as search & rescue, hunting, and service dog work.
Along with scent receptor cells, mammals also have a protein called the V1R that is believed to help us distinguish between different smells - this is what tells us how different our Rosemary & Rose Candle Tin is compared to our Fudge Brownie Room & Linen Spray. This special protein has been found in several different forms, and dogs and cats have significantly more than humans do. Cats have a pretty crummy sense of taste and having multiple V1R protein forms is what helps them decide which foods will provide them the most energy.
If you look at the chart below, you will see exactly how much more developed your pet's olfactory sense is compared to your own.
As you can see from the nifty little table above, dogs and cats have considerably more scent receptors and forms of the V1R protein. Basically, our noses are garbage in comparison.
Now that we understand how powerful those adorable little boopable noses are, it goes without saying that the home fragrances we love are a lot more intense for our fur babies.
That's not the end of it, though. With that sophisticated and powerful olfactory design come much more sensitive respiratory and nervous systems.
Just as scents are stronger to the noses of cats and dogs, so are the negative effects of certain ingredients. There are certain ingredients and essential oils that are highly irritating and sometimes even toxic to their respiratory system and brain. I cannot stress this concept enough because it is so important: always be aware of what you are putting in your air.
There are several ingredients you should be wary of as a pet parent who enjoys using candles and other home fragrance options. While pets in general are more sensitive to these products, pets with health issues and advanced age are even more susceptible.
Many products on the market contain ingredients that can have very scary and dangerous effects on our pets. Cats and dogs can experience any of the following symptoms resulting from their use:
As you may or may not already know, my dog, Kingston, is getting up there in years and has epilepsy - this makes him high-risk for airborne fragrance sensitivity. I have always loved burning candles in my house and this became something I needed to reevaluate after his first seizure. Once I learned what to avoid, I was able to create products I could comfortably use knowing that they would not cause him any neurological or respiratory harm.
The following ingredients are unsafe for both you and your pets. While some are seemingly harmless on their own, the process of combustion cannot be ignored. We talked about how candles work in a prior blog - the combustion reaction releases these toxins into the air, creating the negative side effects you just learned about for you and your pets.
Not all essential oils are dangerous to cats and dogs. The type of oil and how it is received by your pet are what determine the risk. Important to note is that cats and dogs have differing oil sensitivities.
Take a look at this comparison table to learn which essential oils to look out for:
As you can see, cats with their greater number of V1R proteins are more sensitive than dogs to essential oils. I am sure you have heard the horror stories about beloved kitties who got very, very sick after their hu-mom/hu-dad innocently ran a diffuser with eucalyptus or peppermint oil. I don't want this to scare you off - the key factor in that scenario was that the oil was heated and released as particles into the air.
The above essential oils become dangerous when they are inhaled directly through the air in your home. Applying some peppermint essential oil to your own skin is not going to have the same effect on your pets as burning an essential oil candle or running an oil diffuser. You might have even noticed that a lot of pet shampoos on the market contain Tea Tree and Citrus oils - this is because they are deemed skin-safe for your pet.
Despite your pet's very cool, very powerful olfactory systems and physical sensitivities to fragrance, you can still enjoy filling your home with your favorite scented products - we certainly do!
If You Love Candles & Wax Melts:
If You Love Room & Linen Sprays or Oil Diffusers:
In short, while natural is usually safer, not all natural fragrance is suitable for pets. That is exactly why we created an entire brand built around the safety of our furry little friends! As with anything in life, knowledge is power. Stay informed and give your pets a hug for us!
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Do you ever find yourself wondering where the wax actually goes as your candle burns lower? It's a solid, right? We obviously know it melts, but what happens to it after that?
Part of what I love so much about making candles is the science behind them. Despite what many might think, it isn't as simple as melting some wax, throwing in some fragrance, and pouring it into a vessel. In truth, producing a safe and effective candle is a very precise art that relies very much on math and chemistry. Accurate measurement and proper timing are essential for the final product to burn properly.
So, why is this? Doesn't the flame just use the wick?
Even though the fire is on the wick, this isn't what your candle is using to keep its flame going. There is actually a really cool multi-step chemical process that happens to accomplish that task. This is how it breaks down:
Remember the capillary action we talked about in the burning process? If a wick is too large for the vessel, it will pull too much fuel into the fire creating an unstable and potentially dangerous flame and increase the chance that your vessel may shatter (if it is glass). This is easily identified by the height of your melted wax pool.
Conversely, if your wick is too small, your melt pool will never reach the edges of your vessel after a 4-hour burn period and your flame might extinguish because there is simply not enough fuel being pulled up into the fire.
Candle care on the consumer's end is equally important. When you do not trim your wick before each burn, the initial flame will be taller and thus radiate more heat, use more wax for fuel, and create an unstable flame. This reduces the life of your candle and increases the risk of flame transfer to things we don't want catching fire.
We actually use two different wick sizes for our candle tins depending on the fragrance blends used for that particular product. Even though the vessels hold the same volume and are made of the same material, not all oils burn the same.
I like to do what's called "power burning" to test our candles. This means I do exactly what I tell all of you never to do: I let them burn for at least 12 hours before extinguishing the flame.
By observing the flame and the melt pool, I can determine two important things: 1) If the wick is the correct size for the scent, and 2) How the vessel will handle the amount of heat produced if a customer were to forget they lit a candle several hours earlier or to trim the wick before lighting. We offer comfort and relaxation here, not house fires.
The main takeaway I want you to understand here is that your candle gets smaller throughout its use because the wax is what is burning. The process isn't as simple as lighting a wick and the cotton fuels the flame. If the wick were the only fuel, the candle wouldn't release any fragrance into the air and its fire would extinguish once the wick reached the melted wax.
I hope this piece has answered your questions and helps you enjoy your candles even more knowing now just how cool and complex they really are.
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There's no need to deprive yourself when you're trying to diet – in fact, depriving yourself regularly actually makes it all worse.
I'm here to tell you there's an unexpected way to curb food cravings that will actually trick your brain into feeling satisfied. It might sound too good to be true, but burning a scented candle can help you resist temptation. Pretty crazy, right? Read on to find out how this really simple trick can help you reach your New Year's weight-loss goals.
Unlike hunger, which is a pretty direct physiological process, food cravings can be very complex biologically. The most important take-away here is that psychology is typically the root factor. You see, your brain absolutely loves dopamine - the "feel-good" chemical - and food is often a fast way to get some.
The first dopamine surge we get from an experience is usually the strongest. Your brain forms a memory of that pleasurable stimulus and will actively seek that experience again. Sound familiar? This is how addiction starts.
Psychology comes into play when you take into account the memories created. When you are stressed/sad/tired/sick your brain will basically tell you, "Hey! Remember that one time we ate that one thing and felt super awesome? DO IT AGAIN. You'll feel so much better, I promise!" The thing is that we don't feel awesome afterward, do we? If we are trying to lose weight, we feel guilty and then guess what happens next: Your brain feeds you the same false-promise again. It's a vicious cycle and can be very hard to break if you don't know what will help or how to do it.
As candle-lovers, we have all heard at some point about the benefits of aromatherapy. However, what you might not have heard is how fragrance can be linked to weight-loss. Sounds a little far-fetched, right? Great news - it's not!
We talked a little about how scents linked to memory affect mood and mental health in a previous blog post. Important to note here is that positive memories - whether related to food or not - will trigger a visit from our BFF dopamine. So what does this have to do with fighting food cravings?
Fragrance is linked to memory, good memories trigger dopamine, and dopamine satisfies our brain's demand for a reward.
There have been multiple research studies performed on food craving aversion and how our olfactory senses are related. Basically, you can trick and train your brain's reward center into feeling satisfied through smell rather than taste. Even better than that, it really is as easy as it sounds!
Here's what scientists have to say about it:
Now that we know our brain is pretty much an over-entitled and demanding toddler with a dopamine addiction and zero patience, we can more objectively address the situation. Whenever you feel the urge to go make a bowl of brownie batter and head to chow-town (I may or may not be speaking from experience...), here's what you should do instead:
If you find yourself interested in the brain areas discussed here and would like to know more about the roles they play in cravings and avoidance, I am here to help!
Here is some interesting research:
Ester, T., & Kullmann, S. (2021). Neurobiological regulation of eating behavior: Evidence based on non-invasive brain stimulation. Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders, 10.1007/s11154-021-09697-3. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-021-09697-3
Kemps, E., & Tiggemann, M. (2015). A role for mental imagery in the experience and reduction of food cravings. Frontiers in psychiatry, 5, 193. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00193
Nicola, S. M., Taha, S. A., Kim, S. W., & Fields, H. L. (2005). Nucleus accumbens dopamine release is necessary and sufficient to promote the behavioral response to reward-predictive cues. Neuroscience, 135(4), 1025–1033.
Here are some informative articles about findings in this area of study:
Why do we crave? The science behind food cravings: https://brainworldmagazine.com/crave-science-behind-food-cravings/
Science of scent: https://www.health-vitality.com/weightloss/article.htm
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Do you love the smell of our natural soy wax candles? The way the soft glow of their flame dances shadows on the wall, sparkling glitter flows in slow motion, and your favorite home fragrance fills the room? Science supports that love.
The average person spends $500 on candles in their lifetime and many people even burn several at one time (you know who you are). Buying candles might feel like a luxury, but science says scented candles are actually a really great tool for your mental health!
What if I told you that research studies have provided measurable evidence that lighting a candle reduces stress levels? This is the science behind it.
One study found that participants who were stressed before lighting a scented candle had significantly lower heart rates after twenty minutes than those who weren't stressed. Sounds a little too good to be true, right? Here's why it works.
You may have heard about 'Blue Light 'or 'High Intensity Light' and that it isn't good for you. There are companies that even make special glasses you can wear to protect your eyes from it We are most often exposed to this kind of light through electronic devices - our computers, tablets, televisions, and - yes, I know you don't want to hear this - our cellphones.
Ok, but how does that affect our mood?
High Intensity Light puts our brain in a stimulated or aroused state, generating beta waves. This can increase anxiety levels and prevents us from relaxing. This is part of the reason experts recommend limiting screen time and staying away from electronic devices before bed.
Conversely, lighting one of your favorite scented candles and enjoying its glow shifts your brain over into a relaxed state. This happens because candlelight is a 'Low Intensity' light. Exposure to this kind of light causes our brain to generate alpha waves which occur when you are in a relaxed, reflective, or meditative state.
Brain waves are cool, give it a Google.
This one doesn't come as too much of a surprise, right? We have heard a little or a lot about aromatherapy and basically get the gist of it - scented oils can improve various aspects of our mood and physical wellbeing.
There have been a lot of studies on this, Keville & Green (2009) dealing specifically with scented candles and mental health improvement. This one compared lemon and lavender oils with water if you're interested on giving it a read:
In addition to direct effects on mood and physical alertness/relaxation that scented oils have demonstrated, they also help to improve mood through their link to memory and emotions. This is achieved through dopamine and serotonin production when confronted with pleasurable memories and experiences.
This one might feel like a stretch but it's not! Let's break it down:
TLDR: relaxation --> better mood --> better sleep --> stronger immunity
We all need a little something to help us relax and de-stress, which is why scented candles are the perfect addition to your self-care routine. Not only do they smell great, they also benefit your physical and mental wellbeing in many ways. They promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, help us get more sleep, and our body naturally becomes more able to fight off illness as a result of all that.
So next time you're looking for some new decor or want to invest in yourself with an indulgent purchase - try adding one of these beauties into your cart instead. Let us know how your favorite candles help you relax!
]]>Ever wonder what makes a candle smell like it does? Almost every single one of our fragrances are handcrafted and custom blended but what does that mean?
I am often asked how I know what is going to pair well together when I'm down in the candle lab working my mad alchemist magic. I wish it were as simple as just throwing some things together and boom - instant awesome. The truth is, in order to make a winning fragrance, you need to understand the different scent families and how those scents present themselves.
Right now, you might be thinking, "Ok, Laura, enough of your crazy candle jargon - what are scent families?"
Simply put, scent families are categories that the singular scents we know and love fall into. There are 4 Main Categories that can be further broken down into sub-categories:
Floral: Fruity, Floral, Soft Floral, and Oriental
Oriental: Soft Oriental, Oriental, Woody Oriental, and Woody
Woody: Woody, Mossy Wood, Dry Wood, and Aromatic
Fresh: Aromatic, Citrus, Water, Green, and Fruity
These scent families can be easily visualized using the fragrance wheel, a delightful creation originally introduced in 1983 by Michael Edwards. Like the color wheel we all learned about in primary school, the fragrance wheel organizes scent families in such a way where complementary fragrance notes can be easily identified.
Scents next to each other on the wheel share common olfactory traits and tend to pair well together, while scents directly across from one another on the wheel are complimentary.
Once we've chosen which scents to blend together, we need to consider how those scents are going to present themselves - this is where the olfactive or fragrance pyramid comes into play. Have you ever gone perfume shopping and noticed how they list top, middle, and base notes? That's the fragrance pyramid.
The olfactive pyramid organizes scents by the time in which they take to evaporate/are able to be detected by your nose. The pyramid is organized into three sections: Top, middle, and base notes.
Top Notes: These are scents that have the smallest molecules, evaporate the fastest, and are the first thing we smell when we take a whiff. Scent families in this category include Citrus and Aromatics (herbs).
Middle Notes: These are the heart of the fragrance and are what we smell the longest. Scent families include Floral, Green, Fruity, Oriental, and Aromatics (spices).
Bottom Notes: The bottom notes are what really give our fragrance depth and dimension. These scents have the largest molecules, take the longest to evaporate, and are rich and full-bodied. Scent families include Woody, Vanillas, and Musks.
By referencing both the fragrance wheel and olfactory pyramid, we can build a fragrance that is unique and complex using complimentary scents combined to present themselves in unexpected ways.
A great example of this would be Cranberry Breeze. When you open your candle or wax melts, the first thing that hits you is that delicious sweet cranberry smell, followed shortly after by the refreshing scent of fir nettles and something warm just below that really comes out once it starts burning/melting. Looking back on what we just learned about fragrance families and the olfactory pyramid, the order in which those scents present themselves should make sense: Our top note is cranberry (fruity), our middle note is fir nettles (green/woody), and our base note is that special 'something warmer' that I am calling autumn breeze because I can - you'll have to pry that blend out of my cold dead hands.
And there you have it - my not-so-secret method to designing all your favorite Fervor fragrances! I hope this guide was informative and answered some questions you might have had about candles or other fragrance products.]]>