CANDLE CARE

YOUR CANDLE NEEDS SOME TLC IF YOU WANT TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT.
DON'T WORRY, IT'S MUCH EASIER THAN KEEPING A HOUSE PLANT ALIVE. 

We love that you have chosen to transform your space with Alchemy District candles, and we truly want you to get the most out of your candle.  In order for your candle to perform at its highest potential (i.e., smell its strongest, burn cleanly and efficiently, and last as long as possible), here are a few tips we wish we had known before we became chandlers:

1. SIZE MATTERS:  WHERE TO BURN YOUR CANDLE

We formulate our candles with a high dosage of fragrance to maximize the strength of the scent throw while they are burning. For the optimal fragrance experience, a candle should be burned in a space that is size appropriate relative to both the shape and size of the candle.
 
We offer some general room size-to-candle guidance on our product pages to help select the most suitable place to burn your candles. Sizing is relative of course, but here is how we generally think about space sizes:  

Small spaces: smaller bathrooms, small offices, small entryways

Medium spaces: small/medium sized bedrooms or alcoves, smaller or closed off kitchen spaces, smaller or closed off living spaces and hallways

Large spaces: larger bedrooms, most kitchens and living rooms 

Extra large or open spaces: any open concept spaces or spaces with high ceilings, studio apartments

In order for the fragrance notes to remain balanced overall, the fragrance should be experienced in an environment that is proportionate to the structure of the fragrance as a whole.  When a small candle is burned in a space that is relatively too large, it is not designed to fill a space of that size and you will experience less scent throw. With certain scents you may still get some prominent notes that are over achieving even in relatively large spaces; nevertheless, there may be other notes in that fragrance that are lost in a disproportionate environment, so the overall aroma that you actually experience may be out of balance. 

2. TLDR:  ALWAYS. TRIM. THE. WICK. 

Trimming the wick to approximately 1/4" before each burn (or 1/8" for wood wicks) is crucial to a high performance candle.  We had no idea what a difference this could make until we started making candles. 

Trimming your wick will allow you to enjoy a longer, cleaner burn time and prevents wasteful leftover wax (we hate to think of the precious burn time you could miss out on). Trimming any carbon build up and debris allows for a cleaner burn and a tidier looking candle. It also helps maintain the correct flame size, which allows your candle to burn cleaner, more efficiently, and of course, safer.

Using a wick trimmer, simply discard any charred trimmings (do this before you burn, and long after the wick has cooled and the candle has solidified from its previous burn; do not discard flammable trimmings while hot).  

3.  HOW LONG TO BURN YOUR CANDLE 

FIRST BURN:  Burn the candle long enough for the wax to melt into a full pool that reaches the edges of the glass, approximately 3-4 hours.   

Plant based waxes such as soy and coconut may take a little longer reach a full melt pool than a typical paraffin candle, but it is worth the wait. Allowing a full melt pool to form is what makes your candle smell the strongest and structurally sets your candle up to smell its strongest on future burns. This will help prevent your candle from tunneling down the center, leaving you with leftover wax. 

SUBSEQUENT BURNS:  We recommend about 2-4 hours of burn time for each subsequent burn. A candle's fragrance is not like a light switch--it takes time for a candle to heat up and melt enough wax to fill a space with fragrance. Allow your candle to burn for at least an 1.5-2 hours to enjoy the aroma.
 
That said, do not burn the candle for too long. Extinguish your candle after 4 hours. And on the bright side, unlike turning off a light switch, the sillage of a fragrance can linger long after the light has gone out. 

4. THE COOL DOWN

CENTER YOUR WICK:  After extinguishing the flame, allow the wick to cool down and then safely re-center it before the wax fully solidifies (we recommend using a wick dipper to do this safely). Some wicks will curl down at an angle as they burn. Guiding the wick back to the center after a burn will help maintain an even burn down the center. This avoids overheating and carbon build up to one side, leaving leftover wax on the other side over time.  Note this does not apply to wood wicks.

Before your next burn, be sure to trim the wick again and clear away any debris.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

Pro tip for clearing smoke: if you've never used a candle snuffer to extinguish a flame, you're missing out.