Whether you use them for aesthetics or the sweet-smelling aroma, candles are practically a necessity. They can be found in any store and every homeowner is bound to have at least one in their room, kitchen, or even bathroom.
Considering that their popularity is not dying down any time soon, it has become a challenge for brands to come up with different types of scents. From “Fresh Linen” to “Buttercream Sprinkles,” candle scents are drastically changing more and more. Honestly, I give them props for trying, but man, when are we going to realize that not everything needs to be a scent?
Do not get me wrong. I am always one to see a new, funky candle in the store and immediately run to smell it. It is fun to see how creative people can get with them. Yet, I feel it is important to take note that many of these new smells should not always be produced, let alone sold to the public. I have experienced many encounters where my body is filled with excitement when observing a new candle to smell just for it to fill my nose with a putrid aroma.
Now, I will say I am biased toward certain smells. I love a good clean, floral, or earthy scent. You know? Give me “Ocean Breeze,” “Eucalyptus,” or my personal favorite, “Mahogany Teakwood.”
There is just something so soothing about breathing in something that feels fresh. Wood or forest scents just make me feel like I am breathing in a clear, pristine, earth. This feeling is unmatched by any other scent, or smelling a floral scent is just as good as smelling your favorite perfume. Scents like this are simply just pleasing to your soul.
Unfortunately, there are some people out there who feel that any scent can be just as pleasing and this is where I must plead that we please, please, please, put away the food scents. These are the absolute worst smells one could use to surround the atmosphere–allowing a few exceptions like some citrus or vanilla scents. Nonetheless, candles that are based on food, let alone whole meals in some cases, should be illegal.
In all honesty, I have seen candles for foods like ramen noodles and even fast food restaurants like In N Out. To this day, my mind still struggles to understand the notion that someone, somewhere came up with ideas like this and had enough support to get such candles produced. Genuinely mind-boggling.
I have refused to let myself even touch one of these candles but I can only imagine that they smell like grease and socks–yes this is the only combination that would be the equivalent to match such a smell.
Personally, I would go to great lengths just to end the process of these types of candles. It simply makes me nauseous to have a whole vicinity surrounded by a particular food. It is one thing to be cooking and have a good, tasty meal fill the environment but to have a processed candle with manufactured food scents to swarm a room…well that is disgusting.
Just recently I was grocery shopping when I stopped upon a candle named, “Milk Chocolate Mocha.” Of course, curiosity got the best of me–I had never seen a candle based on a drink before–and I decided to smell it.
My curious smirk however quickly turned into a disgusted frown when I sniffed what seemed like rectified butter with what they tried to make smell like chocolate. I should have known better. As much as I want to enjoy them, candles that smell like food will sadly always be gross.
I know it may seem dramatic, but I truly believe some people just conform to certain scents for the aesthetic. Which by all means, is a valid reason, but maybe when it is sitting there looking cute in your room, leave the lighter behind and keep it unlit. Then boom, all is good. This is definitely heavily proven by the worst scent known to man, yet one of the most popular: pumpkin spice.
Pumpkin alone is simply gross, but to put it in a candle irks all five of my senses. Being forced to smell the burnt odor of cinnamon covered in pumpkin when walking into a room is genuinely pure torture. So, it only makes sense for it to be true that people only like this scent because it is considered “cute” when the fall season rolls around. After all, any other reason to enjoy this scent seems crazy.
Honestly, I am all here for us to continue to experiment with new scents. However, I cannot stand by and let one more food-scented candle be sold in these stores. There is literally no appeal towards them. So, in desperate attempts to stop this delusion, I feel that I must ask that we as a collective stop feeding into the fantasy that these candles actually smell good.