Most candles don't get used up: they get ruined. A hole forms in the center, the wick drowns in the wax, the glass blackens, and it ends up half-used in a drawer. It's almost always a matter of how it was lit the first time.
Here are the care tips we use in the workshop. They are simple and work with any candle, not just ours.
1. The first time is what counts
This is the most important tip on the whole list. Wax has memory: the diameter the candle will follow for the rest of its life is set during the first lighting.
The first time, leave the candle lit until the liquid wax reaches the edges of the container. This usually takes between one and two hours depending on the size. If you put it out before then, a small circle remains marked and the candle will tunnel: it will burn only through the center and leave all the wax on the sides stuck to the wall, going to waste.
A candle that tunnels easily loses a third of its duration. And it is practically impossible to fix afterward.
2. Trim the wick before each lighting
Leave the wick at about 5 mm before lighting it, always when cold and with the wax solid. A long wick produces a large, unstable flame that burns the wax too quickly, creates black smoke, and blackens the glass.
You don't need a wick trimmer: small scissors will work. Remove the burnt bits before lighting.
3. Do not leave it lit for more than four hours at a time
After that time, the container gets too hot, the wick tilts, and the flame loses stability. Put it out, let the wax cool, and relight it later if you want. The candle will thank you and last longer.
4. Keep it away from drafts
Open windows, fans, air conditioning, busy doorways. A draft makes the flame dance, and a dancing flame burns the wax unevenly, produces smoke, and wears the candle down on one side. If you have to put it in an area with air, use a hurricane lamp.
5. Store it away from the sun
Direct light discolors the wax and degrades the aroma over time. A cabinet or a shelf away from the window preserves both the color and the scent much better.
6. Know when to retire it
When there is about a centimeter of wax left at the bottom, stop using it. Below that point, the heat concentrates too much on the base of the container.
You don't have to throw that remaining wax away with the glass: put the container in hot water for a few minutes and the wax will detach on its own. Afterward, you can wash the glass and reuse it as a candle holder, to store small items, or as a pot for a cutting.
Why the wax matters
All these care tips work better when the wax is high quality. Soy wax burns at a lower temperature than paraffin, which means a slower burn, longer duration, and less soot. It is also of plant origin and cleans up with hot water and soap, without solvents.
At Creative Velas, we always work with soy wax, in small batches and by hand, from our workshop in Tarragona. You can see our entire collection of handcrafted candles, or start with the SOJA candle, the simplest one in the house.
Do you have questions about a specific candle? Write to us and we'll lend you a hand.