Good things take a minute. Coconut soy wax and a wood wick reward patience, and that patience shows up later as better scent, a cleaner burn, and a candle that goes the full distance. Here's how to get there.
How long should I burn my first candle?
Let it burn for 2 to 3 hours on the first light. This one matters more than the rest — it sets the tone for how your candle behaves every time after.
What you're waiting for is a full melt pool: wax melted edge to edge across the whole top of the vessel. Stop too early and the candle remembers that smaller shape, which is how you end up with tunnelling. So this first burn isn't the time to multitask and forget about it. Sit with it. That's kind of the point anyway.
Why is my candle tunnelling?
Tunnelling is when your candle burns straight down the middle and leaves a thick ring of wax untouched around the edges. Almost always, it traces back to one thing: the first burn got cut short.
The fix is more burn, not less:
- Light it again and let it run long enough for the melt pool to catch up to the edges
- Trim the wick first so the flame stays a consistent size
- Move it somewhere without a draft, which throws the melt off balance
A tunnelled candle isn't a lost cause. It just needs one long, unhurried burn to even itself back out.
How do I care for a wood wick?
Wood wicks ask for a little more attention than cotton, but it's a quick habit once you've done it a few times.
Trim it to about 1/4 inch before every single light. Left too long, it burns bigger and smokier than it should, and the flame gets uneven. If there's a bit of char left from the last burn, just snap or trim that tip off before relighting.
Once it's lit, a little crackle is completely normal — that's just the wood doing its thing, not a problem. What you want to see is a flame that's low and steady, not tall or jumping around.
A few safety basics, while we're at it
- Burn on a flat, heat-safe surface, clear of drafts, curtains, and anything else flammable
- Don't leave it burning unattended
- Keep it out of reach of kids and pets
- Once you're down to about 1/2 inch of wax, it's time to stop
- Trim the wick before every burn. Every time, no exceptions
- Cap it at 4 hours per sitting
It's a sloday. No rush, not even when it comes to lighting a candle. For more on what's inside ours, explore our scent collection.