So, you've just bought yourself a Country & Cove scented candle - lovely. But...
How to make a scented candle last longer?
Oh, the first burn, how important it is! This all comes back to 'wax memory', have you heard about it?
Candles made from natural waxes, like soy or bees wax have this uncanny ability to remember how far down they were burned the first time - it's less intelligence and more about science, actually.
The first time you light your little candle, the wick will be about 1/4 inch above the surface of the wax. This little wick and the flame it creates, begins to burn the wax underneath and around it. That's a lot of work! If you only burn the candle for 20 minutes, the first time, it will melt as much wax as it can but, the next time you come to light your candle, it has to start all over again, melting the next layer of wax before it's even started melting any left over wax from the side of the glass.
So, it's always important to burn your candle for at least 1 hour the first time. Make sure you're not busy, settle down with a good book and let your candle melt the top layer of wax off - the 'melt pool' should almost reach the edge of the glass, then the wick has less work to do the next time you light your candle and you'll maximise how long your candle lasts.
By burning your candle, so it creates a large 'melt pool' you'll also reduce the chance of your candle 'tunnelling' - this is where the wick just cannot handle all the wax that's left over, it ends up burning the wax below it first, then at the sides. So, it starts sinking further and further in to the container! What a nightmare - it will be impossible to light eventually and you'll of wasted all of that fabulous smelling wax!
TRIMMED WICKS
Country & Cove candles use 'self-trimming' wicks - quite clever really but also amazingly simple! Our wicks use natural cotton, wrapped around a thin piece of lint paper that has indentations every 1 inch. As the paper and cotton burn, the paper snaps, meaning you'll never have to trim a Country & Cove candle wick - that's why we don't sell wick trimmers!
For other candles though, perhaps the most luxurious and expensive types, you'll need to invest in a good wick trimmer. Before you light your candle each time, make sure there's 1/2 inch or less of the wick showing above the wax. Too big a wick and you'll end up with a mighty and unwieldy flame that bounces and flickers around - slightly annoying, right?
REMOVE DEBRIS
We've all done it, right? We've all lit a match, then watched it burn fiercely fast before we've had a chance to get the wick lit and then, gosh, dropped the burning embers of the match right in to the wax! We don't recommend sticking your fingers in to a candle to retrieve the black ashes of a match, you'll likely burn the tips of your fingers on the fast burning wick. The best option is to allow the candle to burn for a while, as normal and then, straight after extinguishing the flame, use a little knife or spoon to remove the match remnants, they'll be floating on the top of the wax, near the wick - don't use fingers!
Dust - be careful here folks. Some dust can be flammable, so if you're likely to leave candles out for weeks at a time and your home has lots of pets or you're doing lots of DIY, there's a risk the top of the candle will be covered in fluff and debris! Make sure you check your candles thoroughly before lighting them and gently wipe off any debris.
Alternatively, you can always purchase a scented candle with lid from Country & Cove? When the candle has cooled after lighting, you can pop the lid on and it will stop any debris falling in your candle wax - perfect, right?
SMALL SPACES
Candles are, generally, quite small. So, if you have a huge Victorian home with lots of big rooms and tall ceilings, one little 20cl candle probably isn't going to make a huge amount of impact on the 'smell-o-meter'.
Large rooms with big windows need a bit more effort and possibly some form of 'scent layering' to maximise the smell of sweet aromatics.
If you have a large room, try placing 3 or 4 candles, one toward the door and a couple around the fireplace. If you have old, draughty windows, we don't suggest placing a candle near them - you need to avoid draughts with candles, as the wick will end up burning more heavily on one side, melting the wax inconsistently and creating a 'wonky' candle - which is something nobody wants. Candles need consistency and calm, so the flame can burn softly.
