It may seem like a simple question but, for those of you who are not 'chandlers', there can be quite a lot of complexity around how a scented candle works.
Did you know: You can now buy wickless candles - we don't sell them at Country & Cove, however, you can purchase candles that sit on a 'hot plate' and melt without the need for an open flame - isn't that cool?
Anyway, back to the explanation:
In the most simple form, a scented candle works when a burning wick heats and melts the wax around it, as the wax melts and 'burns off' it releases the scent that has been blended in with the candle wax during production.
To make a candle, we first have to melt the wax that has been sent to us by the manufacturer, this is unscented and natural soy wax (some companies use different waxes depending on their aim). Once the wax has melted to a required temperature, we pour in fragrance oil and stir for at least 2 minutes, ensuring the fragrance oil reaches the full height and width of the container holding the melted, liquid wax, blending the oils as the wax begins to set and binding the molecules together to create a very strong and highly scented natural wax candle.
We then pour the molten wax in to a decorative glass container and allow it to set for at least 3 full days - soy wax gets harder over time, so the longer you leave it, the stronger the scent will be - up to a point, if you leave it too long it can dry out and crack! We recommend never leaving a soy candle for longer than 12 months without burning it - also, remember to keep your candles away from damp conditions, water and wax don't mix!
After 3 full days, the candle will be good enough to light - so, we take a match, light the wick (1/4 inch will be above the wax, we don't want a wick too long as it will create a HUGE flame!) and, gradually, as the wick gets really hot, it will begin to melt the wax on top of the candle. The more the candle burns, the more fragrance is released!
Don't forget! It's always best to burn a candle for 1 to 2 hours the first time, allowing the whole top layer of wax to melt. This will prevent the issue of 'tunnelling' where the candle wick only melts the middle of the candle and eventually you won't be able to reach the wick to light it!
Oh and, candle wax has 'memory' - yep! Bet you didn't know that. If your burn a candle for 10 minutes the first time you purchase it, then extinguish the wick and let the candle set, the next time you burn it, the wick won't be strong enough to melt the rest of the wax, this will start to cause the 'tunnelling' effect we've mentioned above!
Also, Country & Cove candles feature a 'self trimming wick' that requires no maintenance from you - however, some candle makers have standard cotton wicks and these require trimming from time to time. Why do we 'trim our wicks'? This is to prevent the flame getting too big when you light the candle. A big flame means the wax and fragrance burn more quickly, the candle temperature will also be very high and you can also get a 'dancing flame' where any draught causes a flickering effect, pushing the flame to the edges of the candle glass and potentially causing a fire hazard! Small wicks only please!
