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BUYING GUIDE

HOW TO FIND
THE BEST
HOME FRAGRANCE

BUYING GUIDE

HOW TO FIND
THE BEST
HOME FRAGRANCE

Home fragrance is a quick and easy way to change the feel of a room – as well as lift your mood. Find the right scent for you and your space with our expert tips

 

Choose a fragrance family

Fragrance families have certain notes or scents in common. Knowing which one you prefer can help you find the right fragrance for your home:

Fresh: Bright, clean and uplifting scents evoking a sea breeze. Often contain notes of neroli, sea salt and jasmine.

Citrus: The citrus family is refreshing and zesty with sparkling top notes including lemon, bergamot, mandarin and grapefruit. .

Amber: Distinct scents with full-bodied, rich and warming tones. Notes may include vanilla, leather, pepper, tonka bean and wood.

Floral: Blossoming aromas that complement each other with notes such as jasmine, mimosa, rose, freesia and peony.

Herbal: Botanical scents are believed to have soothing, relaxing qualities and may use notes of lavender, sweet orange, geranium and cedarwood.

Gourmand: Mouth-watering ‘edible’ scents, with hints of vanilla, caramel, coffee, chocolate and honey.

Fruity: Sweet berry bases or more tropical scents, often with notes of pomegranate, apple, fig or rhubarb.

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Select the right scent for each room

Living room: Match scents to the occasion, or time of year, and avoid anything overpowering. Experiment with clean cotton or vanilla fragrance to create a calm ambience, or up the cosiness with spicy scents.

Kitchen: Citrus or spiced scents work well as they won’t clash with the smells of cooking. Try Library of Scent’s neroli, lime & basil candle or a neroli, jasmine & sea salt diffuser by Fragrance Society.​

Bathroom: Fresh, clean scents with an outdoorsy feel are perfect for the bathroom. We recommend our seashells room spray from our Library of Scent range. ​

Bedroom: Bedrooms call for calming scents, such as lavender or sage, to help you relax. Notes of soothing lavender and sandalwood are ideal – consider the Calm or Tranquil ranges from Apothecary.

Home Office: Look for scents that aid focus and concentration. Light an orange, bergamot & lemongrass-scented candle by Fragrance Society to boost your morning routine.

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How to care for home fragrance

Electric diffusers: Essential oils leave behind a residue that can clog up electric diffusers, so it is important to clean your diffuser regularly. After each use, wipe with a cloth to remove any excess oil or water. Clean by adding a teaspoon of white vinegar and running it outside for a short time. When the diffuser is in use, fragrance levels can be increased by adding more oil drops to the water base. Find electric diffusers in your local store.

Candles: When using for the first time, burn for a few hours to allow the scent to develop and release. Prevent ‘tunnelling’ (when only the wax closest to the wick melts and the outer edges remain solid) by burning wax candles until the surface fully liquifies. Keep wicks trimmed – a large wick will create a bigger flame that will burn the candle more quickly.

Reed diffusers: We recommend using five to seven reeds in your diffuser. In larger rooms, or for a stronger scent, add more diffuser reeds. Flip reeds weekly to refresh the fragrance and replace if using refills. Help spread the scent around the room more quickly by placing the diffuser near a radiator.

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Words: Dulcie Emerson