One area of concern for many consumers however, is the variance in quality between different candles.  Candle lovers quickly notice that some candles retain their scent until they are finished burning, while others fade quickly.  In this situation, the quality and recipe of ingredients is the determining factor with candles.  The cliché, you get what you pay for, has some validity in the candle market.  All standard, scented candles are made with the basic ingredients of paraffin wax, a wick and a perfume or fragrance.   However, several factors can determine which candles last longer than others.

Candle fragrances are generally created by mixing fragrance oils into the candle wax during manufacturing.  In this case, the quality and amount of the fragrance is the determining factor. To keep costs down, a manufacturer may use less oil or a fragrance oil which has been cut with filler.  Less expensive fragrances are created by mixing pure fragrance oil with other filler oils.  The idea is to stretch the product volume without compromising too much quality.  It takes quite a bit of plant material, for example an orchid flower, to create a fragrance oil.  Therefore, the higher the amount of essential oils, the higher the cost of the candle.

Another factor that determines how long a candle fragrance will last is how the candle is manufactured.  Some less expensive candles have fragrance only in the top twenty or thirty percent of the candle.  This means that the candles starts out smelling wonderful, but fades over time.

Ultimately, the best advice for consumers is to experiment and pay attention to which brands provide fragrance for the longest time. With so many candles available in the marketplace, candle lovers can enjoy many candles and many fragrances as they search for their favorite.