We all have a scent we gravitate towards or ones that we’ll call our favorite. According to a 2026 YouGov survey, participants were asked to vote on their top 30 favorite scents and the results got people talking! Some people were happy to see their favorite scent at the top of the list; others were upset to see them not even make it to the list. While there are so many scents to choose from, one of the scents that kept popping up was controversial to say the least; so many consumers loved the smell of gasoline and were sad to see it not make the list.

Are you one of these people?

While yes, a lot of people have a place in their hearts for the smell of gasoline, what most of them probably don’t know is that may already be burning gasoline sludge in their candles at home. Most conventional candles are made with paraffin wax, which is a byproduct of petroleum. This in turn, when burning it, can release dangerous chemicals such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and phthalates. This can lead to coughing, shortness of breath and headaches. So, while you’re not smelling gasoline in your home, you may still be inhaling all those chemicals like benzene and toluene! 

The majority of synthetic fragrance is also derived from petroleum. Want to learn more? Here's a fun blog we did outlining some of the chemicals that are hiding in synthetic fragrance candles.

Scent is also tied to your emotions, according to a study done by Harvard Medicine. They found that smells can heavily link to moments from the past through the limbic system in the brain, linking to emotions felt in those moments. Scents can be linked to good or bad memories. They also found that if we were to lose our sense of smell, it could be damaging to our mental health. With all that to be said, if smell is so tied to our emotions and memories, why would you want to keep burning conventional candles or synthetic fragrances that could effectively harm you?

The survey is filled with amazing, fun scents and we are happy to offer most of these scents in a truly clean candle form, made with just beeswax, coconut oil, and natural essential oils! You don’t have to worry about all those toxic chemicals with us, because we’re the truly clean candle company with an ingredient list, and third-party certified through MADE SAFE. So, you always know what you are burning when you use our candles.

Please find the survey results below, alongside our recommended Fontana Candle that best represents the beloved smell!

Top 30 Scents

1. Lavender - Lavender

2. Vanilla - Pure Vanilla

3. Freshly brewed coffee - Spiced Latte

4. Rain - Rainy Day

5. Ocean/sea breeze - Sea Salt

6. Cut grass - Uplift 

7. Clean laundry - Fresh Linen

8. Chocolate - We used to have Fresh Baked candles and had it contain chocolate extract, but it was too thick and didn’t work with the beeswax. 

9. Citrus (Lemon/Orange) - Lavender Vanilla Tangerine

10. Pine/Forest - Fir Needle & Pine

11. Peppermint - Vanilla Mint & Peppermint Twist

12. Fresh Bread - We did try this one out as Sourdough, it unfortunately wasn’t a customer favorite, so it was later discontinued.

13. Apple - While we no longer have Harvest Apple, keep an eye out this fall for our new candle with a zesty twist!

14. Baked Cookies - While we no longer have Christmas Cookie or Almond Macaroon, we do have a lovely pie scent for you to help with that sweet tooth craving: Lemon Meringue

15. Baby Powder - Fresh Linen

16. Barbeque - Who here wants a BBQ candle!? Any takers? How about Bone Broth (arriving Spring 2027!)?

17. Lemon - Honey Lemonade

18. Green tea - Hidden Path

19. Coconut - While coconut extract and oil exist, neither of these options give you that tropical coconut scent you’re looking for! 

20. Fresh Mint - Farmer’s Market

21. Spring Flowers - Wildflower Citrus

22. Eucalyptus - Lemongrass Eucalyptus

23. Melon - Golden Grove

24. Cinnamon - Cinnamon Orange Clove & Warm Flannel

25. Pumpkin pie - Pumpkin Pie

26. Campfire/Smoke - Fireside

27. Jasmine - A jasmine candle has been highly requested by our customers! The reality of the situation is jasmine essential oil is very expensive and would make your candle cost more.

28. Rose - A rose candle is another highly requested scent by our customers! The reality of the situation is rose essential oil is also very expensive and would make your candle cost more.

29. Lilac - A lilac candle is not a common request from our customers but is still considered an expensive oil!

30. Sandalwood - A sandalwood candle is another highly requested scent by our customers! The reality of the situation is sandalwood essential oil is also very expensive and would make your candle cost more.

As you can see, we have a candle for many of the most liked smells of 2026! Whether you enjoy vanilla, floral, spice, or woodsy, we have a candle for you!

https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/connections-between-smell-memory-and-health

 https://www.healthline.com/health/are-candles-bad-for-you#what-the-science-says