How to properly burn a soy candle
I get a lot of questions about burning candles and wanted to address the proper way to burn your candles you purchase from me.
Firstly, my candles are all 100% soy wax. Soy wax is a clean burning wax, derived from soybeans. I also do not add any additives or colorants to my candles (unless specifically requested). The only thing I add to my candles is the fragrance oil. NOT essential oils. You have to add a lot of essential oils to candles to make them fragrant when burning, and essential oils can be quite expensive. This makes for a very expensive candle, and there is a limit to how much essential oil you can add to the candle to keep it safe to burn. And most of the time, even with the maximum amount allowed, you still get a very mild scented candle that barely fills up a small room. So for this reason, I like to use fragrance oils that are made specifically for candles.
Soy wax has a "memory". So when you light it and let it melt a bit, then blow it out, when you re-light the candle, it will only melt the part that was melted previously. I'm sure you've seen candles where the wax is stuck to the sides and you have a "tunnel" down the center where the candle melted. This is due to not burning the candle properly.
So here is how you properly burn a soy candle:
1. Trim the wick. Every. Single. Time. This is super important. Make sure you trim the wick to a 1/4". If you get black discoloration around the rim of your candle, it is because you did not trim the wick properly. The wax itself is clean-burning and does not cause any discoloration. My wicks are all 100% cotton, and if you do not trim the wick, it will cause discoloration to your jar.
2. Once your candle is lit, you need to burn your candle until you get a "melt pool" across the entire top of the candle. This means the entire top of your candle is a layer of melted wax. If you extinguish your candle before it has a full melt pool, the wax in your candle will tunnel and you will have unused was along the inner sides of your candle jar.
The photo on the right shows a full melt pool. The entire top of the candle should have a layer of melted wax from edge to edge.
3. Keep your lit candles away from any drafts or moving air. These can also cause your candles to melt unevenly and get that black discoloration around your candle jars.
4. Make sure you burn all candles on a heat-resistant surface. Once your candle starts burning down towards the bottom, the bottom of your candle can get very hot.
5. When it's time to extinguish your flame, you can blow it out, or placing the lid on your candle will make it go out right away.
6. Store your candle in an upright position, and in a dark and cool place if possible.
7. Never leave a burning candle unattended, and always keep away from children and pets!
8. Never burn a candle that has less than 1/4" of wax left in the bottom, or if the wick has moved towards one of the sides of the jar. These could cause the flame to get the jar too hot and crack the jar and potentially could burn your table or counter that your candle is on, or even worse, it could cause a fire.
If you follow these guidelines, keep your wick trimmed, and always melt your candle until it has a full melt pool, you should be able to cleanly burn all of the wax in your candle, without any wasted wax sticking to the sides.
I hope this helps you get the most out of your soy candle. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to comment below or reach out to me via email.