Scentsy Fragrance Discovery Guide | FAQ About Scentsy Scents

Ever wanted to know more about fragrance? Or what makes Scentsy fragrance special? The Scentsy Fragrance Discovery Guide covers the all basics, including the structure of fragrance design, the composition of fragrance oils and important safety information.

In addition, this guide covers some of the most-frequently asked questions about Scentsy fragrance

What is Scentsy fragrance?

Scentsy fragrances are designed for every special and ordinary moment, because we understand that the true power of scent is its ability to bring people together. We want our fragrances to Warm the Heart, Enliven the Senses and Inspire the Soul!

We use only the best ingredients, responsibly sourced and expertly processed, to create our signature fragrances — and Scentsy fans the world over are OBSESSED. Here’s why:

Our fragrances are complex.

Each Scentsy fragrance is composed of 30 to 60 unique ingredients to create beautifully layered scents that unfold over time.

Our fragrances are personal.

Our fragrance design team thoughtfully and lovingly creates new fragrances to help people connect with their emotions, their memories and each other. We analyze industry trends and our own sales data to ensure we’re offering what customers want most from season to season. We also offer an incredible variety to make sure everyone can find something to love.

Our fragrances are long-lasting.

Our Scentsy Bars are made with a custom, high-quality paraffin wax blend designed to give you long-lasting fragrance because of its ability to hold the most fragrance oil. It also has a low melting point, which means it doesn’t take much heat to release its fragrance, and it remains firm when not exposed to heat.

Our fragrances are safe.

We use a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients, because not every scent can be created naturally or sustainably. (Have you ever tried to harvest fresh air?) But we only use SAFE ingredients, so only good things come from experiencing our fragrances — like love, joy and connection

Proudly Made in Meridian, Idaho

Safe scents

If you’re ever wondering about the safety of Scentsy fragrance, here’s what you need to know:

No flame, soot or smoke

Scentsy Bars are safer than wicked candles because no flame is required for the wax to melt and release fragrance. Since the wax is warmed and not burned as with traditional candles, no harmful chemicals or particulates are released into the air. With Scentsy, there is no flame, smoke or soot.

Scentsy products DO NOT contain harmful VOCs

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Sounds scary, right? Especially “volatile,” which in this case only refers to a substance’s tendency to evaporate. Evaporation? Not so scary.

Most people use the term VOC to refer to something harmful, like an air pollutant. But the truth is you breathe VOCs every time you smell a bouquet of flowers or cook with fresh garlic. Without VOCs we would live in a fragrance-free world! And what kind of world would that be?

Some VOCs, like formaldehydes, are harmful. Scentsy fragrance products do not contain or release ANY harmful VOCs. They are all formaldehyde-free

Scentsy products DO only contain safe ingredients

It’s true that some synthetic ingredients are potentially harmful to your health and the environment. At the same time, some natural ingredients are potentially harmful, depending on how they’re used. But at Scentsy, we DO NOT use harmful natural or synthetic ingredients in any of our fragrance products.

All Scentsy oils are formulated to the guidelines outlined by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM). We also require the fragrance houses we work with to be active members of IFRA. IFRA determines which ingredients are safe and at what levels,
by product.

Composition of fragrance oils

Fragrances can be made up of natural or synthetic ingredients. Most contain both.

Ingredients used can be:

• Essential oil: The “essence” of plants obtained by distilling plant material. Plant materials include flowers, grass, stems, seeds, leaves, roots, bark, fruits, tree moss and tree resin.

Natural: Materials obtained directly from plants.
Synthetic: Manufactured materials. In most cases, the molecular structure of synthetic materials used in perfumery is identical to natural plant material.

A perfumer’s palette has as many as 5,000 different ingredients from which to create fragrance formulas.

Why not all natural?

Because not every fragrance can or should be simulated with natural ingredients! Synthetic ingredients ensure the character of the fragrance remains consistent over time, and they help eliminate sustainability and environmental concerns. Two examples: Musk originally came from musk deer, which are endangered. And the quality of crops like rose, lavender or citrus can vary based on factors like precipitation and temperature.

Ingredients vs. impression

A fragrance that smells nutty might contain zero nuts — it’s the combination of ingredients that create that smell. Descriptions call out the fragrance’s impression, not necessarily its ingredients. It’s all about what you smell.

Structure of fragrance design

Top Notes

Initial impact: These give the first impression, and while they warm away the fastest, they’re the reason why you’re originally drawn to the fragrance.

Citrus: fresh, clean, tart or sparkling Green: herbaceous, grassy, minty Ozonic: crisp, fresh, marine or airy

Mid/Heart notes

Predominant character: These make up the heart of the fragrance. Mid notes last longer than top notes and ultimately make you fall in love with a scent.

Floral: soft, full-bodied, heady or sweet Fruity: juicy, ripe or sweet
Spice: dry, warm or rich

Base/Dry down notes

Long lasting: These are the longest-lasting notes and what you smell hours later. They’re why you purchase a fragrance again!

Gourmand: creamy, baked, edible Musk: sweet, powdery, animalic Woods: earthy, green, dry, resinous

Why do some fragrances last longer than others?

There are many factors to consider, like a scent’s ingredients, your preferred fragrance intensity and the environment where you warm your favorite bar. Everything from room size to the humidity and temperature of the area, even the type of flooring, plays a role in fragrance strength and longevity. But rest assured that each and every fragrance is expert-tested to ensure premium quality and the longest possible experience, from citrus to spice.

Fragrance families

Finding your fragrance

If you know you like one family, chances are you are also going to like fragrances in the families on either side of it.

Fruity

Ripe, fresh-squeezed and always sweet.

Includes notes like pineapple, peach, strawberry and apple.

Citrus

Classic to sparkling citrus blends.

Includes notes like orange, grapefruit, mandarin and lemon.

Floral

Fantasy to real-life floral bouquets.

Includes notes like hibiscus, lilac, rose and freesia.

Fresh

From the spa to the beach to a sunny meadow stroll.

Includes notes like fresh air, linen, lavender, mint and just-cut grass.

Woods

Full-bodied and masculine.

Includes notes like cedar, sandalwood, pine and leather.

Spice

Gives a sense of warmth and comfort.

Includes notes like cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper.

Bakery

An ode to edible, delectably sweet goodies.

Includes notes like vanilla, caramel, cocoa and pie crust.

It’s complicated

Because our fragrances are so complex, most could be categorized twice. You could have a fruity floral fragrance or a fruity green. Just because a fragrance is classified as a floral, doesn’t mean it’s straight-up floral. You’re also smelling other components that are part of that fragrance experience.

Fragrance is powerful!

Fragrance makes us feel. It helps us remember. It takes our breath away. Many Scentsy fragrances are actually inspired by real-life memories. Our perfumers often try to recapture the bliss of a vacation or the sweetness of childhood as they design a new scent, in the hopes that it will bring back familiar feelings and memories for you, too.

That’s the power of Scentsy fragrance