How to Find Your Perfect Scent (And Why It Might Surprise You)
Yes, we all have our preferences.
Some of us gravitate toward fresh, clean fragrances, while others want their homes to smell like a man who chops wood and smokes meats. Maybe you're a floral person. Maybe the mention of vanilla makes you think of an overly sweet body spray you wore at your first middle school dance in the basement of a church.
BUT GUESS WHAT, what you think you like and what you actually love aren't always the same.
Don't Judge a Fragrance by a Single Note
Let's talk about vanilla, for example.
Maybe you're not a vanilla person. You see it listed in a fragrance description and immediately move on. Fair enough. But what if we told you that vanilla might actually be the reason you love your favorite woody, smoky scent?
On its own, vanilla can be sweet, creamy, and comforting. But paired with notes like tobacco, cedarwood, amber, or leather, it can take on an entirely different personality. Instead of smelling like a bakery, it might add just enough warmth and softness to balance out something otherwise dark, earthy, or smoky.
That's the beauty of fragrance. Individual notes don't tell the whole story. It's how they come together that makes a scent memorable.
The same goes for florals. You might swear you hate anything floral (guilty!), but a touch of jasmine tucked into a woody fragrance could be exactly what makes it feel sophisticated rather than heavy. Or maybe you don't consider yourself a citrus person, but a hint of bergamot is what gives your favorite earthy scent that fresh, unexpected lift.
Moral of the story? Don't write off an entire fragrance because of one ingredient.
A Little Lesson in Fragrance Notes
Fragrances are often described in three layers:
Top Notes: The First Impression
These are the notes you tend to notice first. Often bright or fresh, they're the introduction to a fragrance.
Middle Notes: The Personality
Also called heart notes, these emerge as the fragrance develops and help define its character. Think florals, spices, and aromatic botanicals.
Base Notes: The Lasting Impression
These provide the depth, warmth, and richness. Notes like sandalwood, amber, musk, and yes, vanilla, often live here. They're the foundation that helps bring everything together.
Of course, candles don't unfold quite the same way as perfume on your skin, but understanding how fragrance notes interact can completely change the way you shop for scents.
So, What's Your Perfect Scent?
We created our Find Your Signature Scent Quiz to help you discover which DEHV fragrance best fits your personality, preferences, and the atmosphere you want to create.
Because choosing a candle should be about more than picking a scent off a list. It's about finding something that feels familiar, unexpected, nostalgic, or just you.
Whether you're a devoted woody-fragrance person, a fresh-and-clean enthusiast, or someone who has absolutely no idea what they like, we're here to help you find your match!