The single most important habit is the first burn: let the wax melt all the way to the edges of the glass before you put a candle out, which usually takes two to three hours. Trim the wick to about five millimetres before every burn, and never burn for more than four hours at a time. Do that and a candle burns cleaner, longer, and without tunnelling.

Get the first burn right

The first burn sets the memory of the wax. If you blow a candle out before the surface has melted edge to edge, it will tunnel, burning a narrow well down the middle and leaving wax wasted around the sides. On the very first light, give it the two to three hours it needs to reach the glass all the way around.

Trim the wick

Before every burn, trim the wick to about five millimetres. A trimmed wick gives a smaller, steadier flame, less soot on the glass, and a noticeably longer life from the candle.

Simple habits that make a candle last

• Let the wax pool reach the edges on the first burn, about two to three hours.
• Trim the wick to five millimetres before each burn.
• Never burn for more than four hours at a time.
• Keep the candle away from draughts, which make it burn unevenly.
• Stop burning once about a centimetre of wax remains at the base.

How long should a candle last?

With good care, our 30cl soy candles give around thirty-five to forty-five hours of burn time. Everything we make is hand-poured in small batches in Glasgow, and is vegan and cruelty free.

Common questions

How do I stop my candle tunnelling?

Always let the first burn reach the edges of the glass. Once a candle has tunnelled it is hard to recover, so the first light matters most.

Why is my candle smoking or sooting?

Usually the wick is too long. Trim it to about five millimetres before each burn and keep the candle out of draughts.

Explore our soy candles, or read more in our care and tips.