How to Care for Your Candle
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There is something quietly ceremonial about lighting a candle. The flame catches, the room shifts, and for a moment, everything slows. We think about that when we pour each candle in our studio - and we want to make sure it performs beautifully once it's in your hands.
Candle care is less about rules and more about attention. Every burn is shaped by the room around it: the temperature, the airflow, how long the flame is allowed to breathe. What follows is what actually matters.
Before You Light: The First Burn
The first burn sets the foundation. Allow the wax to melt evenly across the entire surface before extinguishing - for our candles, that means approximately 3 to 4 hours.
If the wax doesn't reach a full melt pool on that first burn, that's expected. Our coconut-apricot wax blend is designed to continue drawing down any wax along the sides as the candle burns deeper into the vessel. What clings to the edges early will catch up.
While It Burns
Once lit, the goal is simply to let it be. A few things worth observing:
Burn time. Keep each session to 4 hours or less. Beyond that, the wax can overheat - leading to higher flames, excess soot, and fragrance that burns off faster than it should. A candle burned too hot for too long won't smell as strong in the sessions that follow. If the evening calls for more, extinguish, let it cool, and relight.
Wick trimming. The wicks arrive at approximately one centimeter - the length we've tested and found ideal for that first light. After that, trim only when the candle tells you to. Watch for flames that burn noticeably tall, soot forming on the glass, or mushroom-shaped carbon buildup at the wick tips. If none of that is present, leave them alone.
Airflow. Candles are sensitive to their surroundings. Drafts, open windows, fans, and high-traffic areas will cause the flame to flicker unevenly, leading to soot and a shorter burn life. Choose a calm, level, heat-resistant surface - away from drafts, flammable materials, children, and pets.
After You Extinguish
Let the candle cool before touching it. If soot has formed on the glass, a soft cloth will remove it cleanly. Keeping the vessel clear between burns lets the glow come through as it should.
As the wax level drops, check that the wicks remain centered. If they've drifted, nudge them gently back while the wax is still soft - never while the candle is lit. Keep the wax pool free of debris: trimmings, dust, spent matches. A clean surface burns more evenly.
When to Stop
At approximately 1/2 inch of remaining wax, the candle has reached the end of its life. Burning past that point risks overheating the vessel. The glass, however, is worth keeping. Clean it out and repurpose it - as a planter, a vessel for small things, a quiet object on a shelf.
A Final Note
Once a candle leaves our studio, we have no control over how it burns. Every space is different. What we can offer is this: pay attention. If something looks off - high flames, excessive soot, wicks that have mushroomed - make a small adjustment. Trim. Move it somewhere calmer. Shorten the next burn.
Candle care is a practice, not a checklist. Done with a little attention, it becomes part of the ritual itself.