Rituals of Candle Care

Burning a treasured scent is one of life’s simple pleasures, from the distinct smell of lighting a match to the gentle glow of a candle. You might think that finding that one beloved aroma signals the end of your perfumery efforts, but to ensure the health and longevity of your candle you should also practice little rituals of care when burning. The time spent blending a bouquet, then pouring the wax into glass tumblers shows the considered process of making a candle and as such these carefully conceived fragrances demand a some attention from you as well. Consider it the ceremony of the candle: much like steeping a loose leaf tea, if you take time to observe the ritual, your fragrance will reward you with an enduring glow and an immaculate aroma.

Invest in proper accoutrements such as a wick trimmer and candle snuffer to compliment the process of candle burning and to help you care more diligently for your fragrance. Most importantly, allowing your scent the time to heat up, the wax to melt and pool to the edges of the tumbler gives the candle anatomy the time it needs to maintain its health. Practicing patience every time you burn your fragrance is vital. See our detailed tips on candle care to ensure the vitality of your scents.

STORAGE: There is no good in saving your treasured fragrance for a later date – keeping your candles in storage for too long can affect the scent. The everyday is just as important as the occasional, so indulge yourself with exquisite aromas. And when you aren’t burning your candle keep it in a cool, dry place with a protective cover to protect the wax from dust which can alter the scent or burning process.

MAINTAINING THE WICK: When you’ve decided to release the candle’s delicate aroma into your space be sure to trim the wick to roughly 5mm before striking the match. This will prevent smoking, sooting and high flames which can be created by long or crooked wicks. And once the candle is extinguished, make a note to recenter the wick whilst the wax is still molten to ensure a clean burn next time.

TIMING: When lighting your candle for the first time you should allow for an extended period of burn time (around 3 hours depending on your candle size) and ensure that the upper layer of wax melts and pools to the edges of the glass tumbler. If you don’t practice this custom then a memory ring can form and cause tunneling which will affect the quality and longevity of your candle’s life.

LOCATION: Light your fragrance in a favorite corner of your home, and make sure that this space is well ventilated and away from drafts which can cause sooting or rapid and uneven burning.

DURING THE RITUAL: Enjoy the heady aromas that fill your space, every so often keep an eye to your candles wax to make sure it is clear of wick trimmings and matches as this matter can act as a secondary wick compelling your candle to burn faster.

EXTINGUISHING A FLAME: After a couple of hours of blissful burning, use a snuffer to extinguish your candle or dip the wick in the melted wax and straighten it back out. Doing the latter prevents smoking and hot wax from splattering about.

THE LAST BURN: When you are coming to the end of your candle stop burning when just under 10mm of wax remains to avoid damaging the glass vessel. Although your olfactory experience might have come to a close you are likely left with a lovely glass tumbler that you can repurpose in many ways.

"If you take time to observe moments of care for your candle, it will reward you with an enduring glow and an immaculate aroma."

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