How to take care of your luxury candle

 As I sit here on a quiet Tuesday morning @ 5am November 8, 2022, I contemplate the topic of my first blog. I already knew it would be about candles and what makes it so important to me. What really intrigues me is that when I put myself in your shoes, all I would want to know is how to take care of my luxury candle and how to make it last longer. As I sit here, with my puppy curled up at my feet, I decide to start this blog with what I wish I had known when I used to purchase candles before deciding to make my own.

I will go through how to take care of and extend the life of your beautiful new candle. But first, if I may, a bit of background.

 My high-end candles are made with lots of love, luxurious wax, crackling wood wick (because who doesn’t love the sound of wood fireplace in the middle of winter), some of the finest quality fragrance oils, poured into a beautiful glass jar with my own two hands. I then follow it up with a gift box to complete the experience.

I’m so confident in my product that I know they would have Sheldon from the “Big Bang Theory” say, “Fully functional and aesthetically pleasing.”

 So here we go!

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Candle care can be broken down into a few simple steps. The most important one is to trim the candle wick by 5 mm. This is a major part of candle maintenance which is often overlooked. It’s easy (and certainly doable) to light your candle and go, but you won’t get the most out of your candle this way. Whether you own a cotton wick or a wooden wick candle, trim your candle wicks to prolong the overall life and performance.

Here are three specific reasons why:

 1 Ensures a Healthy Flame Height

A healthy flame height is typically ½-inch to 1-inch. However, when the wick is not trimmed, it can lead to a flame that is too tall (greater than one inch). Depending on where the candle is placed, this can increase the risk of a fire.

(At first glance it looked like something is hugging my candle, but upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that my candle was too close to the flameless (fake) candles which resulted in the picture above. Use caution when lighting candles at home.)

• Too tall a flame will also burn the candle improperly. Too much heat will generate from the candle flame, and the candle wax will melt faster. See example below. 

• The increased burn rate puts pressure on the candle wick to accelerate the vaporization of the scent and wax, which leads us to reason number two.

 2 Prevents Soot

• Soot is released as a byproduct of incomplete combustion when too much wax is pulled through the wick. It may look like black puffs of smoke coming from the candle wick which, while not a sign of danger, just means the wick is too tall. Trimming helps with that issue.
• The National Candle Association clarifies soot further by saying that “the small amount of soot produced by a candle is the natural byproduct of incomplete combustion and is not considered a health concern. This is like the soot given off by kitchen toasters and cooking oils and is chemically different from the soot formed by the burning of diesel fuel, coal, or gasoline.”
• While candle soot is harmless, it can be an eyesore.
• Soot can build up and leave black smoke stains around the candle vessel or, even worse, on nearby walls or items in your home. But this, too, can be remedied by wiping off the stains with a dry napkin or towel once your candle has cooled.

3 Achieve Proper Scent Throw

• When the flame is too high, it creates more heat within the candle jar. This added heat will vaporize the essential and/or fragrance oils faster, which may lead to a weaker ‘scent throw’ in the later stages of the candle’s life cycle.
• Keep the candle wick trimmed to ensure an even burn and consistent ‘scent throw’ throughout the life of the candle. Otherwise, the candle is burning off the fragrance too fast too soon.

When Should I Trim the Candle Wick?

I’ve done the work for you on your first burn, but I highly recommend trimming your candle wick before each subsequent burn.

CAUTION: Avoid trimming your candle wick immediately after extinguishing your candle. The candle jar will be too hot to touch and moving the candle while the wax is still melted may cause the wax to disperse and settle unevenly. I have experienced a beautiful candle turn into an uneven, discolored mess.

What Height Should I Trim My Wick To?

Different wick types and wax blends will have different recommendations, but the consensus is to keep the wick, whether cotton or wooden wick, from ⅛-inch to ¼-inch tall.

I recommend keeping the wooden wick trimmed to ¼-inch. When in doubt, light the candle and assess the flame after a few minutes.

I Trimmed My Wick, Why Is The Flame Still Too Tall?

Don’t be afraid to extinguish and re-trim your wick. It may take more than one for a healthy flame height.

If you’re experiencing a tall flame, simply extinguish the candle and trim the wick ever so slightly. Be patient, it’ll work 😊

Do I Need a Wick Trimmer to Trim the Candle Wick?

A wick trimmer is a long scissor-like device specifically designed to trim candle wicks and can accommodate the depth of a candle jar. As the candle wax gets lower, the deeper you’ll need to reach to trim the wick. It’s not a necessity but a nice-to-have. You can also use nail clippers or your fingertips to remove the excess wick once it’s cooled. Never touch a candle wick right after it’s been extinguished. 

That’s all for now and happy candle lighting!

If I missed something please feel free to leave a comment