Some scents hit like an airport smooch, others linger like a long kiss goodnight. Our candles are made to give you both.
and the nuance of what makes a "strong" smelling candle.
Fragrance Load
In candlemaking, we have something called a "fragrance load". It's the percentage of fragrance oil to wax used in a candle. The higher the fragrance load, the stronger the scent is of a candle. For example, a candle with 8% of fragrance load and 92% of wax will smell less strong than a candle with a 12% fragrance load and 88% wax. At Humankind, we use a maximum fragrance load of 12% in all of our candles. It's the practical maximum for almost all candles.
Some candlemakers use a smaller percentage of fragrance oil in their candles because it's cheaper. Fragrance oil is one of the most expensive components of a candle, since the components, like the solvents, aromatics, and raw materials can be expensive to process. And, at least in Canada, fragrance oils need to be classified and regulated under the Hazardous Products Act. All of this can make it expensive for candlemakers to incorporate a larger percentage of fragrance oils into their candles.
The reason we use a higher fragrance load is because we believe in making beautiful products with utility. We believe if you're spending $90 on a candle, it should smell strong and "work", lit or unlit.
Airport Smooches vs. Passionate Kisses
That brings us to our next point, "cold-throw" vs "hot-throw". If you smell carefully, you'll notice that your candle smells different when it's unlit vs. lit. When a candle is unlit, you only smell the combination of solid wax and fragrance oil. This is because you're smelling a limited amount of non-volatile molecules (well, volatility is on a scale, and for simplicity's sake, the molecules in an unlit candle are not super volatile).
Higher volatility equals stronger initial smell but short staying power. This summer we did a Fresh Yuzu and Green Tea candle, which was highly volatile. Like a kiss goodbye at the airport. Emotionally charged, strong, and fleeting.
Lower volatility means subtler longer-lasting smell, and the molecules evaporate slower. Our best seller, the Pistachio Cream and Japanese Milk Bread, is low volatile. If I had to compare it to a different kiss, it'd be a long, passionate kiss that grows into something more (at least that's what my customers tell me).
Here's an example of two of the same-ish molecules, vanillin and guaiacol. If you smelled our Pistachio Cream Japanese Milk Bread Candle unlit, you'd likely smell the vanillin first while the candle is unlit. Then, as you light it, the scent molecules transform into guaiacol, which smells smoky, woody, spicy, and if you really examine it closely, it can have that same tarriness as smoked meat or scotch.
The Humankind Difference
What makes Humankind special is the fact that we make 2 in 1 dual scented candles. I almost always incorporate a higher volatility top scent, and a lower volatility bottom scent. Consider the difference in smell of how fleeting raw unsalted shelled pistachios are compared to a fresh bouncy loaf of Japanese milk bread out of the oven.
It was important to us to create scent that transformed, faded, and intensified all at once. I think about candles as a reflection of humans (thus the name Humankind). I believe that humans are changing beings, and I consider myself someone who "changes" often. There is a lot of beauty in change, and beauty in noticing change, and beauty in noticing scents, smells, and experiences changing. Just like people, some scent your entire life with fireworks and fade; others stick around forever and unfold slowly, and at Humankind, we believe and want to give you both.
As the maker at Humankind, I intentionally blend ingredients together to make a variety of top, middle, and base notes to reflect the human condition, and to make a lasting impression on the smeller. This is part of the reason that enables us to make our ultra strong smelling candles.
Our Special Wicks
I also wanted to talk about our special wicks. Compared to other candles, we use wooden wicks with an additional slim piece of wood attached to the side of the wick. This enables our candles to crackle louder, our candles to burn a teensy bit hotter, and this leads to a stronger and faster release of scent molecules into the air. It means you don't have to wait 30 minutes to smell your candle, and it says hello to you right away.
Here's a picture of our Aged Paper and Cafe Latte Candle with the special portion of our wicks pointed out. 
Our Coconut Soy Wax
We decided to use coconut soy wax, because it combines the best qualities of coconut wax and soy wax.
Coconut wax has a high oil retention capacity and bonds exceptionally well with fragrance oils, and when combined with soy, it enhances this effect, creating a longer-lasting aroma.
It also burns at a lower temperature, which helps it last longer than paraffin candles. This lower temperature burn means a clean burn, so there are virtually no soot emissions or harmful chemicals emitted when burning Humankind candles.
Environmental and Perceptual Factors
Depending on where you live, what you enjoy smelling, how big your room is, airflow, or humidity, all of these factors can alter the way candles smell in your space. It's like hosting a guest, sometimes they whisper, sometimes their laughter booms throughout your space, and sometimes the weather decides how long they stay.
The Kiss Goodbye
The next time you light a Humankind candle, notice how the scent shifts and evolves. We want you to experience your humanness.