Cold Throw, Hot Throw, What Exactly Is a Throw?

If you know anything about candle lingo, you’ve probably heard the terms cold throw and hot throw being thrown around here and there. The “throw” is the scent, or fragrance, the candle gives off from the wax.

The cold throw refers to the strength of the scent when the candle is unlit, or in its cooled state. However, the hot throw refers to the strength of the scent when the candle is lit, or while it’s hot. But it includes another element: The strength of that scent is measured based on how well it fills the room when it reaches a full melt pool.

People who enjoy scented candles typically base their purchasing decisions on the intensity of a candle’s cold and hot throw. If they buy it before they have a chance to smell the fragrance in person, you can be sure they will be the first to make an online review if the scent was not favorable or strong enough. If the purchase is made in a brick-and-mortar store, the first impression is generally made with the cold throw. But not so fast … that can be deceiving.

A weak cold throw doesn’t necessarily mean the hot throw will also be weak. And vice versa. A strong cold throw certainly doesn’t ensure a strong hot throw. But the stronger the hot throw, the larger the area the candle can fill with its scent.

The cold and hot throw can be affected by several factors. Some scents are not strong in the first place. Believe it or not, candles that only contain essential oils do not yield strong hot throws. Usually, they need to be combined with other scents to increase their throw. Also, candles that solely contain soy wax do not yield the best scent throw. Finally, candles with a larger diameter that contain two or more wicks and some paraffin wax tend to give off the greatest throws when lit, due to the larger melt pool releasing more fragrance into the air at once. 

Whatever your preference, may you find candles that release the right fragrance in the right intensity for you!