Unscented Candles: Why We Make Them and What They're For

Unscented candles are candles made without any added fragrance. They give light and warmth, and leave the air of a room as it was. We make only unscented candles because we believe a candle's work is light, not perfume: the flame, the shape of the wax and the slow change from day to evening.

Most candles sold today are scented, so choosing one without fragrance can feel like choosing less. We see it the other way around. This article explains why we chose to make unscented candles, what they are used for, what they smell like when they burn, and how to get the most from one.

Why do we make unscented candles?

Because a room already has its own smell, and a candle does not need to change it. We wanted to make a candle that adds light to a space without adding anything else to it.

A home is full of scent before a candle is lit: cooking, coffee, flowers, wood, fresh air from an open window, the people who live there. Fragrance is added to a candle to fill a room with something it did not have. We chose to leave that out and let the candle do the one thing a candle has always done well, which is to mark a shift from day to evening with a small, steady flame. You can read more about that idea on The Principle.

Leaving out fragrance also changes how a candle is designed. Without scent to sell it, a candle has to stand on its form, its wax and the way it burns. That is where we put our attention.

What are unscented candles used for?

Unscented candles are used anywhere you want light without a smell: at the dinner table, in the bedroom, at weddings and gatherings, in places of worship, and simply as objects in a room.

• The dinner table. Food and a scented candle compete. An unscented candle lets the meal be the only thing you smell and taste.
• Bedrooms and small spaces. In a small room a perfumed candle can quickly feel like a lot. Unscented light stays in the background.
• Weddings and long evenings. When many candles burn at once, their scents add up. Unscented candles can be used in any number.
• A quiet routine. Many people light a candle to mark the end of the working day. Without fragrance, the ritual is about the light itself.
• As an object. A well-made pillar candle is something to look at, lit or unlit.

What do unscented candles smell like?

Very little. An unscented candle has no perfume, so what you notice is at most a faint, soft note of the wax itself, close to the candle and mostly when it is first lit or just put out.

The wax matters here. Soy wax is almost neutral. Beeswax carries a gentle, warm note of its own, sometimes described as faintly honey-like, because it comes from the hive. It is not a fragrance anyone has added, and it does not travel across a room the way a scented candle does. Our pillar candles are made from a 50/50 blend of the two, so their character is quiet and close.

What does "unscented" mean on a candle label?

It means no fragrance oil or essential oil has been added to the wax. It does not by itself tell you which wax the candle is made of.

"Unscented" and "paraffin-free" are two separate questions. A candle can be unscented and made of paraffin, or scented and made of beeswax. If the wax matters to you as well, look for a label that names every wax it contains. We explain how to read a label in Paraffin-Free Candles: How to Tell if a Candle Is Paraffin.

Our own answer to both questions is simple. LLIOR is a Dutch candle brand that makes unscented candles from a 50/50 blend of beeswax and soy wax, with a cotton wick and no paraffin, added fragrance or dye.

What are unscented candles made of?

Only wax and a wick. Without fragrance or dye, the wax and the wick are the whole candle, which is why both deserve attention.

In our pillar candles that means:

• Wax: 50/50 beeswax and soy wax, hand-poured.
• Wick: cotton.
• Colour: the natural colour of the wax, with no dye.

Our Four Tapers are made from soy wax and stand 27 cm tall. Fewer ingredients also means the character of the wax shows: a slight variation in tone, or a soft white bloom on beeswax when the temperature changes, which is a normal property of beeswax and does not affect how the candle burns.

Why are so many candles scented?

Because scent is easy to sell. A fragrance can be named, described and smelled in a shop, and it gives a candle a story before it is ever lit.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a scented candle. We simply chose a different direction: a candle that is recognised by its shape and its light, and that fits into a room without asking for attention. For us, that is what makes a candle feel considered rather than decorative.

How do you get the most from an unscented candle?

Trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm before every burn, burn for no more than 4 hours at a time, and keep the candle out of draughts.

• First burn: let it burn for at least two hours so the top layer of wax melts evenly.
• Every burn: trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm. Our guide How to Trim a Candle Wick shows how.
• Burn time: up to 4 hours per session.
• Putting it out: a snuffer lowers the flame gently instead of blowing across the wax.

Cared for this way, our Signature Candle, which is 20 cm tall, 8 cm across and weighs 800 g, gives 180 to 200 hours of light, measured.

Frequently asked questions

Are unscented candles completely odourless?

Almost. They contain no added fragrance, but the wax itself can have a faint note close to the candle. Beeswax is slightly warm and honey-like; soy wax is close to neutral.

What is the difference between unscented and fragrance-free?

On candles the two terms are generally used for the same thing: no fragrance or essential oil has been added to the wax. Check the label for the wax as well, since neither term tells you which wax is used.

Are unscented candles good for the dinner table?

Yes. They are the traditional choice for a table, because they give light without competing with the smell and taste of food.

Are LLIOR candles unscented?

Yes. Every LLIOR candle is unscented. Our pillar candles are made from 50/50 beeswax and soy wax with a cotton wick, and our Four Tapers from soy wax, with no paraffin, added fragrance or dye.