Have you ever noticed that your scented candle only burns on one side leaving part of the wax intact? Does it sometimes cause black smoke when it burns or does it go out on its own? If so, maybe you haven't mastered a few essential steps to properly burn your candles! Indeed, there are some simple and effective tips to ensure healthy, safe and economical combustion. In this article, you will find our 5 tips for properly using and taking care of your candles on a daily basis!
1. Do not burn your scented candle for more than 3 hours
To avoid spoiling your candle, but also for your health and safety, we recommend that you do not light it for more than 3 hours maximum. In fact, to enjoy the scent of your candle, you don't need to burn it for too long! You only need a maximum of 1 to 2 hours for good use. In this way, you save the life of your candle. This also allows you to avoid any risk of asphyxiation due to the smoke generated by combustion, but also of fire (for this reason, we advise you to ventilate the room well after any use).
2. Trim the wick of your candle before each burn
Before each use, it is always advisable to cut the wick of your candle by approximately 5 mm to a maximum of 1 cm from the wax. Doing this allows your candle to burn properly! Indeed, a wick that is too long risks burning it too quickly and generating this characteristic black smoke which can be toxic and unsightly. Conversely, be careful that the wick is not too short either because in this case, the candle risks going out on its own or burning poorly and forming a hollow in the wax at the end. the place where heat only diffuses.
3. Read our book “Do It Nature – Vegan Candles” to find all our tips and tricks!
Delphine Reposeur, the creator of our brand La Bougie Herbivore, released her first book titled Do It Nature - Vegan Candles on April 15th! In this lovely book with a floral and spring cover published by Rustica éditions, you will find simple and eco-friendly DIY candle recipes! All the DIYs are made with quality ingredients and especially with different types of plant-based waxes, various shapes and containers, cotton or wooden wicks, essential oils or fragrances…
In this book, you will also find:
- All our tips for taking care of your candles and optimizing their combustion;
- an update on the history of candles through the centuries;
- advice on choosing your materials and ingredients before starting to make candles.
Do It Nature - Vegan Candles is available in your bookstores (you can definitely order it if it's not on the shelf!) or online at Amazon, Fnac, Cultura, etc. Feel free to mention us on Instagram if you buy it and give us your feedback, we would be delighted to read your thoughts on this book that is particularly close to our hearts!
4. Wait until the wax has melted evenly before extinguishing it
We recommend burning your candle for the time necessary for the entire surface to be melted. For what ? To avoid the formation of craters or the phenomenon of more melted wax on one side than the other of the candle! Not only is it not aesthetic, but it will especially spoil your candle since part of the wax will not burn, unless it scrapes the walls and damages your container, which would be a shame... We therefore advise you to burn your candle for between 30 minutes and 1 hour, which should be enough time for the wax to melt evenly on the surface!
5. Protect your scented candle with a lid or cloth
This tip may seem stupid and logical, but we often forget to do it! If your candle is in a jar, you can protect it with a lid or a simple piece of fabric. For what ? Quite simply to avoid dust settling on the surface, because once it is there, you will quickly realize that removing it is particularly laborious... In addition, burning your candle then If dust has accumulated on the wax, you may inhale particles!
This is why at La Bougie Herbivore, our classic candles come with a metal lid to protect them daily from dust, but also to complement the apothecary aesthetic we have chosen for our universe. Moreover, our candle containers can be recycled, if you wish!
You now know all the essential tips for burning your scented candle without risking damaging it and spoiling it. If this article was useful to you, do not hesitate to comment on it and share it with those around you!
You can now discover our eco-friendly and 100% made in France shop! We offer beautiful natural soy wax scented candles without GMOs, with quality fragrances from Grasse, as well as alcohol-free reed diffusers. In our purification space, you will find our smudging sticks of White Sage and Palo Santo, and you can even order our DIY kit to create your own candles at home.
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