Why the Vanilla Candle Is America's Most Popular Candle Scent

It’s no secret that a vanilla candle has one of the most universally pleasing scents. Vanilla is fragrant without being overpowering. It is warm, soothing, and the perfect complement for a cozy day at home or entertaining guests. Nearly everyone has a positive memory sparked by this familiar aroma. Learn more about the reasons behind vanilla’s enduring appeal and why so many products feature it as a main scent.

The History of Vanilla That Inspired the Vanilla Candle

Vanilla comes from a type of orchid native to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. It has been around for centuries as a sought-after fragrance and flavor, beginning with the Totonacs of Mexico. Vanilla first appeared as a scent through sacred use in temples and shrines. The spread of vanilla began when the Aztecs conquered the Totonacs and later when the Spanish conquered the Aztecs, who used it mainly for its distinctive flavor.

From there it spread to Western Europe. Up until the 17th Century, the primary use of vanilla was a flavoring for hot chocolate, until the apothecary Hugh Morgan created vanilla sweetmeats. The trend of vanilla-flavored sweets continued with the French using it as an ice cream flavoring. Thomas Jefferson brought the recipe to America after spending time in France in the 1780s. It didn’t make an appearance as a fragrance until Guerlain used it in 1921 to create the perfume Jicky.

The exorbitant price of producing vanilla made it quite rare to find until new pollination methods were discovered and vanilla plantations become widespread around the globe. Vanilla is so popular that synthetic varieties started to appear, mimicking its complexities and making the aroma more widely available and affordable. Today, there are both natural and synthetic fragrances used in vanilla candles and other products.

Fun Facts About Vanilla

It’s a safe bet that you can find vanilla in most American homes. The extensive use of it as a scent and a flavoring has left a mark on the world and provides many fun and interesting facts:

• Vanilla is one of the most expensive spices in the world. It comes in second behind saffron. The reason for its high price is that it takes around three years for newly planted vines to flower and produce the vanilla aroma needed for created flavorings and fragrances. Since it’s so labor-intensive to grow and produce vanilla, much of what’s on the market is actually synthetic instead of natural vanilla
• Up until the 19th century, most vanilla was grown in Mexico. Today, Madagascar holds that record.
• Vanilla bean flowers only last a single day and must get pollinated during this short window; otherwise, they die. The Melipone bee is capable of pollinating vanilla but is only found in Central America. Elsewhere in the world, humans must pollinate vanilla by hand with the help of a wooden needle.
• Vanilla comes from a tropical orchid and is the sole edible type of orchid. It comes in over 150 varieties, but the only kinds used in commercial applications are the Tahitian and Bourbon.

Today, vanilla is found in fragrances and flavors everywhere. The biggest consumers of vanilla are the United States, followed closely by Europe.

Reasons To Love Vanilla

Vanilla is beloved as a fragrance because of its versatility. It goes well with so many other scents and is often combined with other notes to create new fragrances. Some of the most commonly paired fragrances are citruses, florals, and woody scents.

Perfumers and vanilla candle manufacturers appreciate that vanilla remains the world’s favorite scent. It’s tough to find fragrances that appeal to a large group of people, regardless of culture, people find this aroma one of the most pleasant.

It easily creates a feeling of nostalgia, calling to mind cherished memories of home, family, and friends. Wearing a vanilla fragrance, burning a candle, or baking with vanilla is a lovely sensory experience and an easy way to recall those pleasant times and instantly lift your mood. Since so much of the world’s population has a similar reaction and preference for this scent, it makes sense that everything from household goods to luxury items use vanilla as one of their staple scents.

Benefits of Vanilla

Did you know that there are some compelling reasons why a vanilla candle is your favorite? Here are some of the reasons it’s a go-to for many people:

• Vanilla boosts your mood to alleviate stress and anxiety.
• It’s considered a timeless scent that never goes out of fashion.
• It is an excellent base note that supports a variety of scent combinations.
• Less expensive synthetic varieties are easily found.

There are some that even use vanilla to help with physical and mental health issues. Vanilla oil may help with insomnia, muscle tension, and blood pressure regulation. It’s also possible that using vanilla in skincare products helps to restore and rejuvenate the skin. Some studies even identify anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties found naturally in vanilla.

Aromatherapy methods like lighting a candle or diffusing vanilla oil in a room are some of the best ways to get the benefits of this amazing fragrance. It is sometimes used in various home remedies applied to the skin or added to a bath.

Using a Vanilla Candle for Everyday Aromatherapy

Now that you know more about this fascinating fragrance, you can appreciate the effects a high-quality vanilla-scented candle has on your mood and the atmosphere of your home. It’s a simple thing to indulge in this fragrance on a regular basis. You can make lighting your favorite candle part of your daily meditation practice, use it while journaling about your thoughts, or just breathe in the familiar scent while you go about your day.

For the best experience, it’s essential that you choose a vanilla candle of excellent quality. Nomad Noé is a luxury brand that tells a story using candles. Every sulfate and phthalate-free candle is hand-poured in the United States in small batches. Not only do they smell amazing, but you can also feel good about your purchase as all our candles are vegan and cruelty-free, and come in recyclable packing. Shop the collection to discover your new favorite!

https://www.Alphaaromatics.com/blog/fragrance-of-vanilla/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/plain-vanilla

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vanilla-is-earths-most-preferred-smell-regardless-of-cultural-background-180979870/#:~:text=The%20sweet%20and%20nutty%20scent,this%20week%20in%20Current%20Biology.