What Are Attar Scented Candles? Kannauj's Oldest Perfume Meets Soy Wax

Most candles sold in India are scented with synthetic fragrance oils made for the global market: vanilla, lavender, "ocean breeze". Attar scented candles are different. They carry real attar, the natural perfume oils distilled in Kannauj for more than four hundred years. This post explains what attar is, why it changes the way a candle smells, and why we are launching our own range this winter.

What is attar?

Attar, also called ittar, is a perfume oil made by distilling flowers, herbs, spices or even baked earth into a base of sandalwood oil. In Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, it is still made the old way, in copper stills called deg and bhapka, heated over wood and cow-dung fires. The process can take weeks for a single batch.

Because it uses no alcohol, attar sits close to the skin and lasts for hours. The best-known attars include Ruh Gulab (rose), Mitti (the smell of first rain on dry earth), Shamama (a warm blend of herbs and spices) and Kewda.

How attar scented candles are different

Natural fragrance candles vs synthetic

Synthetic fragrance oils are designed to be loud. They can smell strong when the candle is cold and then fade quickly once it burns. Attar is softer at first but blooms with heat, which is exactly what you want from a candle. It also tends to cause fewer headaches for people sensitive to strong artificial scents.

Why soy wax matters

Soy wax melts at a lower temperature than paraffin, so it does not "burn off" delicate notes. That is why we pour all our candles, including the Kesar Chandan Soy Candle, in natural soy wax. For soy wax candles in India, it is the best partner for attar.

The scents in our first range

Our Kannauj Attar Candles launch with four fragrances, each made with a different family distillery:

• Ruh Gulab: a rose attar candle that smells of fresh petals, not soap.
• Mitti: mitti attar captures petrichor, the scent of rain on hot earth. It is the one people ask about most.
• Shamama: warm, spicy and slightly smoky, made for winter evenings.
• Kesar Kewda: saffron and screwpine flower, sweet and festive.

Each is poured in a hand-blown glass jar with a brass lid and burns for about fifty hours.

Attar vs essential oil candles

Essential oils and attars are both natural, but they behave differently in wax. Essential oils are usually steam-distilled from a single plant and are quite volatile, so their scent can disappear quickly when a candle burns hot. Attars are distilled into sandalwood oil, which acts as a natural fixative. It anchors the fragrance and releases it slowly, which is why a drop of attar on the wrist can last a whole day. In a candle, that means the scent throw stays steady from the first burn to the last, instead of fading halfway down the jar. Attars also offer scents that essential oils cannot, such as mitti, which is made by baking clay from the Ganga's banks.

Are attar candles good for gifting?

We think they are among the best scented candles for gifting because they tell a story. Kannauj attar is part of India's heritage, and each jar carries a small card naming the distillery that made the attar. They pair well with other pieces from our home fragrance collection and with our reed diffusers.

How to get the most from an attar candle

• Burn it for at least two hours the first time so the wax melts evenly.
• Trim the wick to about 5 mm before every burn for a clean flame.
• Place it in the room 20 minutes before you want the scent to fill it.
• Keep the lid on between burns to protect the attar.

Join the launch

Kannauj Attar Candles launch on 5 December 2026 in small batches. People on our waitlist get first access, 25% off their first order, and a free engraved brass lid.

Join the attar candles waitlist and we will send your early-bird code on launch morning. Until then, explore our soy candles and diyas.