Glossary

Fragrance & candle glossary

Plain-language explanations of the words you meet in the world of candles and fragrance.

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A traditional Indian perfume oil distilled from flowers or woods into a sandalwood base, without alcohol.

The total number of hours a candle can burn, measured in sessions of up to four hours with a trimmed wick.

A small lamp, traditionally clay with oil and a cotton wick, lit for Diwali, puja and celebrations.

The percentage of fragrance oil in a candle's wax, which affects how strong it smells.

The layers of a fragrance: bright top notes you notice first, heart notes that form its character, and base notes that linger.

Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) — the small white flower of Indian summer evenings, used in garlands, gajras and puja.

The smallest number of pieces a maker can produce at a custom specification or bulk price.

A wide candle with two or three wicks, so the whole surface melts evenly and the scent fills larger rooms.

A precious resinous wood with a deep, smoky, slightly sweet scent, treasured in Indian and Arabian perfumery.

Products made by a manufacturer but sold under another brand's name, label and packaging.

Tuberose — a night-blooming white flower with a rich, creamy, heady scent, much used in Indian weddings.

A flame-free way to scent a room: rattan reeds draw fragrance oil up from a bottle and release it into the air.

How strongly a candle's fragrance fills a room — 'cold throw' when unlit, 'hot throw' when burning.

A vegetable wax made from soybean oil; it burns slowly and cleanly and holds fragrance well, which is why most hand-poured candles use it.

When a candle burns a narrow hole down the centre and leaves a wall of unmelted wax at the sides.

A wide, shallow brass or stone bowl filled with water, flowers and floating candles — a traditional Indian décor piece.

Cutting the wick to about 5 mm before each burn for a steady flame without smoke or soot.