welcome to the world of candle care!

So you’re the proud caregiver of a new candle. Like all new parents, you want the best for your candle. Will it burn evenly? Will I know how to trim the wick properly? How can I keep it clean? Not to worry! We’ve got the answers to all of your “burning” questions!

preparing your candle for the first burn

The first thing you want to do is make sure your wick is the proper length. A wick trimmer is recommended since it creates a nice clean cut that maintains the integrity of the wick. You want your wick to be about ¼” in length before burning. You will want to trim the wick to this size for every subsequent burn. We recommend only trimming wicks on cooled candles, to prevent debris from falling into hot wax.

burning safety

Next, find the perfect surface for burning. The ideal surface is heat safe, away from drafts, and out of reach of children, pets and wild or elaborate draperies.

Finally, you may light your candle. Lighters are great for early burns, but as the candle wax gets lower, we recommend a long match to reach the wicks without harming yourself.

observing your candle

Helping your candle burn to its potential is a delicate balance between leaving it alone and keeping watch. Most surfaces aren’t perfectly even, so we recommend rotating your candle 180 degrees every 30 minutes; to ensure that you get an even pool of liquid wax.

candle care

It’s crucial that your candle burns completely liquid across the surface EVERY time you burn it. The time it takes for the candle to become completely liquid depends on the wax, fragrance, surface it’s on, and the temperature of the room it’s in. Typically this is between 2 to 4 hours. Burning a candle is meant to be a nice experience, so make sure you can settle in with it for at least as long as it takes to burn across the surface.

However, life can happen and sometimes you need to blow out a candle before it’s ready. This can create a little “memory ring” that can cause tunnel burning. Tunnel burning is when the candle will burn straight down like a little tunnel, leaving wasted wax along the sides of the jar - perfectly normal.

CANDLE BURNING DON'TS

• Don’t leave unattended

• Don’t play with the wax or try to move the wax around the jar. This will make the wax uneven and promote uneven burning.

• Don’t burn for more than 4 hours. Your wick can “mushroom” and create a large and unstable flame.

• Don’t forget to trim that wick! Untrimmed wicks lead to popping, smoking, and soot. This is how candles end up looking dirty and full of debris.

• Don’t burn in a small unventilated room.

• Don’t fall asleep with your candle burning.

• Do not burn your candle all the way down to the very last speck of wax, you should only melt the wax to the last 1/2 inch.

storing your candle

If you store your candle, be sure it is in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or intense light. Keeping it in a dark place like a cupboard or box will protect it from fading and discoloration.

It’s best to store them between 50ºF and 85ºF and be sure not to leave them in your car for an extended period of time (particularly on hot days) as they may melt or discolor. Extreme cold causes cracking and separation, so it’s best to follow this temperature guideline. After long exposure to the cold, you should allow the candle to return to room temperature for a minimum of 2 hours before burning it to minimize potential damage.