Summer 2012

The Smell of Success By Haley Shapley

All the Fragrance, None of the Fire

For apartments, cars, and areas that aren’t attended to all the time, candles aren’t always an option. Fortunately, there are plenty of fragrance choices for those who want to sweeten the scent of a space without lighting a match.

Colonial Candle offers Simmer Snaps, flameless wax melts in a 2.4-ounce oval tin that break off and can be placed in a wax melt warmer, which gives off the same scents as their popular candles.

Aromatique’s signature product is its Decorative Fragrance, a bagged selection of botanicals that double as decoration and long-lasting fragrance, while Yankee Candle also carries a number of potpourri bags, sprays, car air fresheners, and more. “It’s about getting [the consumer] her fragrance in whatever avenue she wants it,” says Karen Woods, director of PR for Yankee Candle.

Yuthica, too, has fragrances other than in candle form, offering reed diffusers in most of its candle scents. “Those are a fantastic alternative for spaces that don’t allow candles, like a hairdresser’s salon or office space,” says Chinku Mahindra, founder of Yuthica. “They last about three to four months, sometimes five, and they fill out the space fantastically.”

Finally, there are companies like Northern International that offer flameless, battery-operated candles. These are especially convenient in institutional settings.

Haley Shapley

Haley Shapley is a Seattle-based freelance writer who 
specializes in retail, travel and health topics. Learn more at www.haleyshapley.com.