Candle F&Q
My candles don’t last 30-40 hrs as stated when they were purchased.
Candles last the longest when burned for only 30-60 minutes at a time. Or however long it takes to melt the wax to the edges of your container.
The candle has a sinkhole.
The first burn on your candle is always the most important to set the pace for the wick and wax. Each time you burn your candle you should allow the wax to melt all the way to the edges to create an even burn.
My dough bowl doesn’t melt to the edges.
Dough Bowls and wooden vessels are the exception to the rule here. At first your wax will not melt to the edges, but as your wax gets lower the curved bowl gets closer to the wick allowing it to warm up the bowl and will cause the wax at the top to slowly melt into the pool at the bottom. Our dough bowls are also handmade so no 2 are exactly alike, some are wider or narrower then others also resulting in a unique burn pattern.
What if the wood wick isn't staying lit?
Keeping your wick trimmed is the name of the game. If you're trying to light an untrimmed wick it would be the equivalent of trying to start ash on fire and there is no “food” for the fire! Crack off the dead wick and hold the lighter close to where the wax and wick meet for 4-5 seconds. This also applies to new candles that haven’t been burned before.
** An additional tip is to light your wood wick holding your candle at an angle so that the flame stretches across the entire wick and allowing wax to melt more quickly.
Why is my wax turning brown in my wood wick candle or wooden vessel?
This does occasionally happen when using live wood to create candles. It’s a natural occurrence of the wood and is simply reacting to the warmth of the heat. Our dough bowls are waxed to hold in color and remain heat resistant so it could also be wood stain mixing with your wax.
Does this hurt my candle?
No. It should burn as beautifully as it did before with slightly colored wax. The bleeding will not affect the fragrance of your candle.
Why is my candle sweating?
Sweating happens when your candle warms up or cools down too quickly. This can happen after blowing it out or when we change seasons, especially if it’s being stored in a cupboard.
Why is my candle so sooty?
Untrimmed wicks is the #1 cause of sooty and smoky candles. Wicks must always be trimmed to ¼” before burning again! But, burning your candle for longer than 3 hours can also result in soot.
Why can’t I smell my candle anymore?
Candles can lose their scent quickly if you’re an all day candle burner! When the wax and the jar stay warm for periods longer than 3 hours the wax throughout your candle warms and the fragrance oils release and separate from the wax and are absorbed by the wick. Once all the oils are released you have a nearly unscented candle.
Extra things to note about being a candle keeper:
It’s always the safest practice to burn your candles on top of the lid they come with or another heat resistant surface. Sometimes when they are close to gone the vessels can become very hot and leave marks on tables, counters, or trays.
Dough Bowls
When burning your dough bowl or wood vessels always stop burning when there is ¼” of wax left. Burning to the bottom could result in destruction of your home or vessel.
Tip for people with refill kits.
When your candle is near the end and it has burned its last, carefully discard the remaining wax in your vessel and wipe it out with paper towels. You can also remove your wicks at this time while the hot glue is soft. Now you're ready to pour a new candle!