The short answer is - maybe?
To understand if or when scented candles expire, it's important to understand how different candles are made.
If a candle is made with more organic materials, like the products we make at Country & Cove, then you're more likely to see changes in the surface of the candle over time, as we don't use chemicals in the manufacturing process.
If you purchase your candles from overseas and they contain paraffin or other chemicals, it's possible that they'll maintain the same, creamy texture for months or even years after opening.
At Country & Cove, we only use sustainably sourced soy wax and premium fragrance oils. We blend these together, at the perfect temperature to allow the fragrance oil to bind with the soy wax.
Typically, soy wax candles take a little bit longer to start releasing fragrance. For example, if we hand-pour a candle on Monday morning, using soy wax, it will take 7 to 10 days to begin really throwing out the scent.
However, chemically altered candles, such as those that contain paraffin wax, may release more aroma quicker, which is why a lot of companies in the US and China insist on using paraffin in the production process, as it accelerates the release of fragrance notes.
What lasts longer, a soy or paraffin candle? If neither candle is burned and you leave them on a shelf, you can probably expect the paraffin candle to remain with a creamy white top for a year or more. The soy wax candle however, may change colour over time, as the wax continues to react with the fragrance oil. Usually, soy wax candles darken over time and may sweat a little on the top. This is perfectly normal and is down to the reduced amount of chemicals and stabilisers.
We would always recommend reading the label or contacting the manufacturer of a candle, if you haven't burned it for a few months, they may have specific requirements that mean a candle isn't safe to burn after a year or so out of the box!
