Soy wax candles are beautiful, but because they are a 100% natural product you may notice that they burn slightly differently than other candles you have experience with. Here are a few issues you may run into and some tips for understanding and/or fixing them:
First Things First
Trim your wick to 1/4" every time you burn your candle. This keeps things consistent and ensures that any extra carbon buildup from the wick doesn't end up in your candle. Similarly, you may want to dip the wick to extinguish it, which prevents soot buildup that can occur when you blow the candle out.
Frosting/Rough Tops
Natural soy wax will frost over time. This is the result of tiny crystals forming during the cooling process and is a feature of natural soy wax. Similarly, if a candle cools unevenly this can result in a rough finish to the candle top after burning. There's not much you can do to prevent this (besides letting your candle cool slowly without disturbances and hoping for the best) but know that this does not affect the quality or integrity of the candle.
Tunneling
Another issue you may encounter is tunneling. I've done burn tests to ensure that the wicks are properly sized for the container you receive, however it does take quite a bit of time for the melt pool to fully establish! A good rule of thumb is 1hr burn for every 1" of melt pool diameter. For most of our candles this means it could take up to 3hrs to reach the sides of your container. If you can't wait that long and do experience tunneling don't worry - here are a few tips to combat the issue:
- If the tunneling is mild, use a hair dryer to heat up the wax and re-establish a smooth top. This will only work if it's a shallow tunnel.
- If things have escalated you can make a tin-foil tent for your candle to help melt the wax around the outside. If you do this make sure to have a hole in the tin foil to allow smoke to escape and do not leave the candle unattended. Once it has fully melted CAREFULLY remove the tinfoil.
Wax Discoloration
I try to select scents with low (or no) Vanillin content to prevent issues from occurring. However, I also don't add any dyes or UV Inhibitors to the candles which means that over time UV exposure could cause slight discoloration of the candles. Know that this is due to the ingredients in the fragrance and does not indicate that there are any issues with the candle.