So you have bought your favourite candle and you’re probably wondering what you can do to make the most out of it. Our guide will let you know our top tips to make sure you get the best use out of your candle in addition to steering you away from any bad habits that could be doing more harm than good.
Each type of wax will have a different burn rate, you may find paraffin waxes burn a lot faster than soy candles, so if you’re looking to buy your candles less frequently you may want to opt for soy wax.
A candle’s burn rate is one of the key considerations when looking at what type of candle to buy next for your home, another consideration could be to see if it’s vegan. This factor can put people off purchasing a candle that is predominantly made up of beeswax, whereas coconut wax is vegan and eco-friendly so could attract that type of customer.
Whatever wax you decide, read our top tips below to make sure you get the most out of them.
Store In The Correct Environment
Think wisely about where you place your candles in your home, you may be eager to add them to your mantlescape, especially during the winter months when you put all your Christmas decks up, adding to the general ambience of the room.
However, this could be reducing the lifespan of your candles, when looking for the best place to home your candles you need to think about the temperature of the area. What you need to look out for is a space that is cool and dry, anything too hot can keep your wax too soft and potentially affect the strength of the fragrance.
Avoid Window Sills
In line with what we mentioned in the previous point, stay clear from storing your candles on window sills even when it’s lit too. Window sills are the perfect place for sunlight to reach your candle and encourage it to start sweating, too much heat will cause your wax to stay soft even when it has cooled down.
Another reason to avoid window sills is due to the high risk of uneven burning from the draft. It’s common to open your windows to allow airflow into your home, however, this extra gust of wind can affect the way your candle burns. An uneven burn can be detrimental as it could lead to tunnelling, thus decreasing the longevity of your candle.
Again, think about areas of your home that have little sunlight and remain cool and dry throughout the day to ensure you’re allowing the wax to cool down adequately.
Refrain From Burning Your Candle For More Than 4 Hours At A Time
We have all been guilty of over-burning a candle for longer than we should have, especially if we are well into our skincare rituals, yet this is one of the main causes why your candle isn’t stretching as much as you hoped.
Burning the wax for more than 4 hours at a time can cause it to melt far too quickly and lose the effectiveness of the fragrance. This means that you may not be able to smell the fragrance like you did when you first received the product.
It’s recommended to burn your candles between 2-4 hours at a time but take extra precaution for the initial burn as you want to check that the first layer has entirely melted to avoid tunnelling.
Wait Between Burns
Building on the tip above, we recommend that you allow your candle to completely cool between burns, the wax needs to harden so much so that it’s cool enough to touch without causing bodily harm. The National Candle Association (NCA) advises you to wait at least 2 hours before relighting the same wick to leave enough time for the wax to cool down.
Wick Trimming
This tip doesn’t apply to all wicks, but most candles that are easily accessible through supermarkets will likely use a cotton wick. Cotton wicks are prone to excessive shooting which means you need to stay on top of your trimming if you wish to increase the longevity of your wax.
It is advised to trim your wicks to ¼ inch for every burn, too long and this will likely produce a large flame which will encourage your wax to get too hot and burn off your fragrance.
At Mourvier, we use wooden wicks as we want to enhance the user experience and add to the overall ambience of your room through the crackling sound effect from a wooden wick. Our wicks are also self-trimming which makes the tip above redundant as you won’t need to remind yourself to trim the cotton before every burn.
Follow Our Tips To Make Your Candles Last Longer
No one wants to burn their wax too quickly, but adapting your current habits to encourage the lifespan of your candles can go a long way in terms of the total amount of time you can enjoy the product.
As well as this, you want to make sure that you’re not damaging the strength of your fragrance by allowing the candle to get far too hot for long periods and lead to excessive wax loss.
If you have any questions about candle care or what to do next, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to find out more, or get in touch through our contacts page.