Tips for Getting the Most From Your Favourite Scents
By Kelly (Founder of Lewis Of London)
Lewis of London candles are hand-poured by local artisans who use natural soy wax and the most fragrant wax blends for each candle. Luxurious though it is, the candle still needs a bit of attention if you want it to be used up perfectly, from the first flame to the last flicker.
It doesn’t matter if you’re burning a scent you love such as Cassis & Fig, or if you want to wrap yourself in the cosy, romantic warmth of Velvet Peony & Oud—this is what you do to lengthen the life of your candles and make sure they burn well.
One of the easiest methods of getting more uses out of your candle is to cut the wick down to about 6mm (¼ inch) prior to lighting it. A bit of a shorter wick ensures a constant flame, it also prevents black soot on the glass, and it doesn’t create that mushroom-shaped tip that nobody likes.
Pro tip: Using a wick trimmer or nail scissors will make you get tighter control over the work, and remember, never trim a wick that is still hot!
On your first burn, allow the candle to form a full melt pool across the surface—this usually takes 2–4 hours, depending on the size. If the wax doesn’t reach the edges of the container, it can lead to tunnelling, i.e. the wax being burnt down only in the centre and that sensational smell it provides through the sides being lost.
Essentially, the first burn is like convincing the wax what it has to remember.
Open and uneven air can lead to a candle’s short life. Do not place your candle near an open window, fan, or any other area that might cause it to be in a draft. Due to the free air, the dancing of the flame may seem cozy, but it actually leads to uneven burning and, consequently, it can shorten the candle’s lifespan.
Pro Tip: Put your candle on a flat, heat-resistant surface that will allow it to burn steadily and evenly.
Even though it’s very hard to resist the warm sensation that can last all night, it is still recommended that the candle burning time should be in 2 to 4 hour sessions. Prolonged burning can not only make the wick move, but also overheat the wax thus leading to smoking or a waste of wax.
Put out the light when the wax reaches the edges of the candle—then let it cool down completely before turning it on again.
It might feel like the obvious thing for you to do, but when you blow the candle out, the wax will splash and the smoke will become more than you want. Thus a safe and easy way is to use a candle snuffer to put out the flame gently; this will allow you to save both the wick and the scent.
Particles of dust, bits of the wick, or match heads in the wax can impact adversely the way your candle burns. After the wax has been solidified, you can use tweezers to pick out all the parts which are at the surface to make your candle as good in its appearance and function as possible.
If you are not burning your candle, it is preferable to cover it with the lid and put it in a place which is cool, dry and away from the direct sun. Sunlight or high temperatures can lead to wax losing its colour, becoming softer, or even sweating—mainly if it is natural soy wax.
Always put on your candle with the Lewis of London lid that comes with it to keep the fragrance and prevent it from dusting.
A Little Care Goes a Long Way
By doing these simple things, you will be able to acquire a clean burn that lasts longer and utilize all the power of your Lewis of London candle. Honestly, every flame can be seen as a bearer of a story. Let yours burn bright and beautifully, every time.
Kelly, an interior designer who changed her career to become a fragrance artisan, established Lewis of London to convert spaces into emotional experiences. Her environment-friendly scented hand-crafted candles and diffusers are a perfect mix of design and perfumer’s precision, thus providing aromantic and evocative fragrances that turn houses into homes.. The scent, for Kelly, is the unseen part of the memory and the feeling of having a place to belong.
