How could anyone truly capture the intoxicating scent that wafts through the air after a hard summer rain? Well, it took some doing, but we did it. Our petrichor candle highlights notes of marine, ozone, mountain air, geosmin, green leaves, rain, rock mineral, and moss – to just name a few notes. To create a petrichor candle that seriously (I mean seriously) captures after the rain magic, we broke down the phenomenon of petrichor itself – what is the definition of petrichor? Why is this vibrant earthy scent so inspiring? How does mother nature do it?
In this article, we’ll share all the details about our nostalgic and unique petrichor candle – the forest rainfall that inspired it all and the intricate scent profile that followed.
The Definition of Petrichor
Ahhh, the smell of rain has a name – petrichor.
Petrichor is the naturally occurring and distinctive fragrance following a rain shower. Often, it's most potent in the summer when the earth is hot and dry.
The name “petrichor” is a combination of two Greek words: pétros which translates to “stone” and īchṓr, the name of the divine lifeblood Greek Gods were said to have running through their veins instead of blood.
So, petrichor is the divine blood of a stone, released by rainfall.
Okay, yeah, that’s magical.
What Does Petrichor Smell Like?
This natural phenomenon we know so well was named by Australian researchers Isabel Bear and Dick Thomas in 1964. (It was previously known as "argillaceous odor", not as magical as the divine lifeblood of Greek Gods. )
These researchers set out to define petrichor and determine the science behind the beautiful scent. Bear and Thomas found that the scent of petrichor derives from three things:
Geosmin - Smells Earthy:
Geosmin is an alcohol molecule emitted from soil-dwelling bacteria after rainfall. The name geosmin is derived from the Greek word for earth “ge”, and odor “osme”. The smell of the earth. Geosmin smells profoundly of soil and wet rock. The human olfactory system is extremely sensitive to this compound and can detect even the tiniest amount of geosmin.
Plant Oils - Smells Herbaceous:
The overall scent of petrichor is also due to volatile oils that the local flora release during dry spells to stop seeds from germinating in harsh conditions. These oils get absorbed by nearby soil and rock – when the force of warm rainfall hits these fragrant oils, they are released into the air and into the petrichor mix.
Ozone - Smells Fresh:
Ozone, derived from the Greek word for smell, is yet another aromatic aspect of petrichor. That familiar ozone scent is present while any old thunderstorm begins to roll in. The downdrafts of a thunderstorm carry the fresh, clean, and effervescent scent of ozone (O3) from higher altitudes down into our level. When you can smell a storm coming, you're smelling ozone.
The Richer the Soil, the Stronger the Petrichor
Where the soil is healthy, the after the rain scent is stronger because of higher levels of the tiny micro bacterium that emit that earthy-smelling compound geosmin. If the soil around you is rich and hearty (such as a forest floor) then you know the scent very well.
When recreating this scent for our petrichor candle, I modeled the profile after the forest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina (my happy place).
There, the forest petrichor blankets you with the scent of forest musk, pine trees, hot stones, rich soil, and moss. On a sweltering 92-degree day, I got caught in a summer deluge at the top of Black Balsam, and that “after the rain” aroma imprinted itself into my brain forever.
You too undoubtably have illustrative, rain-scented memories that come to mind when you think of petrichor.
So that we all may relive our rain-perfumed memories again and again, I created a petrichor candle.
Recreating the Petrichor Scent Profile: Our Ode to the Earth
Our petrichor candle is unique. It’s unlike any candle you’ve ever smelled before. It’s not created to be sweet, or scrumptious (though we make fragrances like that too) it’s crafted as an ode to the earth. It’s made to elicit the unmistakable magical feeling we all get just after the rain.
It’s deep, earthy, and smells as if you’re sitting on the softened, moss-covered forest floor. When you light this candle, it's as if you can almost touch the rain droplets falling from the tall pines above and feel the heat emanating from wet stones below.
Here in St. Pete Florida, a stone's throw away from the gulf, our petrichor is heavy on thundery ozone, and sea minerals. Since these minerals are in our sandy soil, after the rain there’s a distinct mineral quality to the scent that fills the air.
To create the most robust olfactory experience, our petrichor candle combines the best of the forest and the sea. To do this we utilize a magical fragrance note called marine, it has an effervescent mineral quality – it smells fresh like rainwater and sweetly of ozone.
Scent Profile of Our Petrichor Candle
Bright with notes of ozone, marine, geosmin, sage, moss, amber, and earth, the scent profile is anchored by warm balsamic notes of tonka bean, vetiver, and patchouli.
The scent leans toward the masculine side while remaining truly earthy and sophisticated.
For Ultimate Cozy Vibes Burn A Petrichor Candle
If you, like us, are obsessed with earthy-scented candles (and cozy vibes), our petrichor candle was made for you.
All of our candles are made of 100% soy wax, premium fragrance oil, and infused with natural essential oils. Our candles are handcrafted to be non-toxic, phthalate-free, and paraffin-free.
Bring the magic of petrichor indoors with our ‘After The Rain’ 8oz candle. It’s perfect to burn in any small to medium-sized room for an optimal fragrance throw.
Support small makers like us and order your petrichor candle today!
We always ship free within the U.S.
XOXO
BerryLemon
