What’s your Candle Etiquette like?

As long as I can remember, I have loved candles, owning them, making them and burning them.

My earliest memories (at age 6) include going to a beautiful candle shop in Goa when we were on holiday and begging my mum to get the most beautiful candles. We came home with at least 6-8 handmade candles.

As a teenager, I continued my love affair for candles, to the point where I took a class to learn how to make my own.

All in all, its safe to say that I am a candle enthusiast and I admit at times I can be a candle snob.

A few weeks ago, I was at my friend Emily’s house and she has some beautiful candles, but it was only when I saw a couple of unevenly burnt candles, did I realise that not everyone is as obsessed about candles as I am.

If love candles like me, then it is important to remember that if one takes care of their candles, it helps to better the diffusion and increase the longevity of the candle.

So I thought I’d share all my top tips on how to enjoy your candles for longer and make your home smell lovely instantly.

Ideal Burn Time

Never burn a candle for less than an hour or more than four hours. The minimum time however depends on the candle and wax used. Some candles can even take up to two hours.

Use a Candle Snuffer or Wick Dipper

These might sound like an incredibly posh and a totally extra items to own, but in reality, they are highly practical device. Imagine lighting a beautiful smelling candle and then only to have that smell replaced with one of smoke when one blows out the candle. It is extremely counter productive.

A candle snuffer, ensures that the candle is dimmed immediately.

A wick dipper helps accomplish the same without any smoke at all as the wick is immediately extinguished once dipped in the wax. This is also my favourite way of putting out a candle.

Try to use a cohesive smelling strategy

Again, while it might seem like a lot to have a “cohesive strategy”, it’s really not. It is something as simple as deciding how you would like your home to smell like. Would you like each room to smell different or would you like one smell to linger throughout your home.

Personally, I go through phases. Sometimes I like different rooms to smell different while other times, I use multiple candles of the same scent in throughout the house so the whole place smells like same ? like home.

However, when I do discover a scent that I really like, I try to burn it in the largest open area of the house, so it covers more area. In my case, this is the living room.

Recycle and Reuse

Candles often come in beautiful jars that can be recycled for storing things.

Usually it is also best to not burn a candle down all the way, to project the candle jar and also the surface the candle is being brunt on. However, this does not mean, one has to waste the wax.

I also always reuse the unburnt wax at the bottom of the candle. Usually I collect 5-6 candles that are near the end of their life to melt them and re-make a whole new candle. Alternatively, I melt the remaining wax of one candle and split it to top up a few tea lights to ensure the little tea lights become fragrant.

Enjoy Your Favourite candles! Here are all time my favourites ?