Home Fragrance History

Home fragrance history is an interesting and far removed from the sophisticated candle fragrances that we know today. Candles are a lovely way to give fragrance to a home. Even if you don't enjoy candle light, the beautiful fragrances of candles can still by enjoyed. Modern innovations such as the electric votive candle holder make it possible to enjoy the fragrance of a candle without burning candles. Home fragrance has not always been so simple, however, and scented candles as we know them are a relatively new development.

Scented candles give a lovely aroma.

One of the most ancient forms of home fragrance is incense. Incense is used by many cultures and civilizations and is recognized to have many special qualities. In more recent times, people have made use of natural materials within the home to add fragrance. These were originally used for practical purposes rather than a purely cosmetic fragrance.

Herbalists used materials such as herbs to repel insects in the home and to disguise smells that were present at the time. Herbs were also used as treatments and would be used to relax and soothe young babies, to aid sleep and for a variety of other purposes. These fragrances were all chosen for the purpose that they served rather than the pleasantness or otherwise of the fragrance itself.

Homes were scented by other products. The burning of wood such as apple wood would give a home an attractive scent and the drying of herbs and spices that would often take place inside a house would also add to the overall fragrance.

Over recent years the need for fragrances to mask smells or as medicinal aids has diminished. Fragrances in the modern home are often for cosmetic purposes rather than practical purposes, although air fresheners are often used to mask unpleasant smells or odors.

While using natural products such as flowers, bark and herbs to fragrance the home is an attractive way of adding an attractive aroma, this can also be inconvenient and time consuming, New ways of adding scents and fragrances to a home have been developed which cut out the need to prepare flowers or herbs, and these include scented candles. Candles offer a convenient way of spreading a fragrance through the home and are an excellent way of dispersing natural fragrances such as essential oils.

Richly scented candles today are available with both natural essential oils and synthetic fragrance oils. Natural essential oils include lavender, cinnamon, rose and orange. Synthetic fragrance oils are available in a wide range of fragrances. Many of these are traditional fragrances such as vanilla or blended fragrances such as 'mulled wine'. Synthetic fragrances are also available in many new and innovative fragrances such as chocolate, freshly cut grass or even baby powder. This wide range of fragrances means that there is bound to be a fragrance type for every room and these also make great gift sets. Popular choices include:

• Bedrooms – lavender is a relaxing fragrance and is perfect for a bedroom. This can help aid sleep and is popular with both men and women.
• Living area – fragrances such as rose or sweet pea give the aroma of gardens and gives the feel of light summer evenings. These are uplifting fragrances and perfect for living areas.
• Kitchen – citrus or spice fragrances are great for use in a kitchen and have long been used in home fragrance history. These both have a wonderful smell and also mask the smells of cooking.
• Bathrooms – many people like the smell of pine in a bathroom. This has a slightly medicated fragrance and makes a bathroom smell fresh and clean. There are many other alternatives and people often enjoy burning their favorite scented candles while relaxing in a hot bath.

The use of candles in home fragrance history is interesting and has developed into an exciting part of creating a warm and welcoming home.

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