Your Burning Questions about Candles

Claire Burke Home Fragrance - Answers to Your Burning Candle Questions from Experts

Candle intro here.  

Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions

01

Are all candles safe?

It depends what kind and amount of each wax is used to make the candle. When candles only have paraffin wax, it will release toxins into the air at extremely low levels while burning. This might make some people uncomfortable, (and you have options if you prefer no paraffins), but paraffins help your candle burn better and more evenly. 

Many candles on the market today still have paraffins, sometimes in small amounts, but are often blended with one of the other waxes mentioned below.

02

What are paraffins?

We have all heard of paraffins. Are they good or bad? Less expensive candles are made strictly from Paraffin wax because it is inexpensive to produce. It is a white or colorless soft, solid wax. It's made from saturated hydrocarbons. 

Typically, Paraffins are used cosmetically in spa treatments to soften the skin on the hands, cuticles, and feet because it is colorless, tasteless, and odorless.

It can be used to provide pain relief to sore joints and muscles. Paraffin wax can also help open pores and remove dead skin cells. The issue is, what happens when a candle burns made from paraffin wax.

Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions
Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions

03

What are candles made of?

Soy wax, beeswax and coconut wax are all great options. Look at what your candle is made of, because several companies like to create blends with paraffin wax because it helps the candle burn better. Soy and coconut blended wax work best. Coconut wax is the best plant-based option creating a candle with a long-lasting burn. Say goodbye to black smoke inside your old candle vessels. Coconut wax offers a way cleaner burn too. Non-GMO soy wax is non-existent. In addition, soy can sometimes contain pesticide and fertilizer additives. Soy wax alone, doesn't have the ideal burn qualities; it burns slowly, but it looks unsightly and has trouble creating the desired fragrance while burning. 

04

Do candles go bad?

They do not go bad like food that will spoil and become moldy and make you sick if you eat it. However, overtime, candles can lose their fragrance. 

Colored candles might fade over time, some as quickly as 4 months. An old candle will not make you sick, but it can dry out and burn poorly, and you just might not be able to smell it.

Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions

05

Why is my candle popping and flickering?

A super long or crooked wick can cause your candle flame to sway back and forth or create a popping noise. It can be quite alarming when this happens

06

What should I do if my candles flame is too high?

Blow it out, better yet if you have a candle snuffer then immediately use it. Now, let's start the process of lighting your candle over and attempt to eliminate the super high flame. Tip: 

Claire Burke Answers to your burning candle questions
Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions

07

Why is my candle smoking?

The primary cause of black smoke is an overly long wick. We recommend that you cut your wicks down 1/4 inch. 

When you blow out the candle, the heat remains and continues to vaporize the candle wax.

Shop Claire Burke Wick Trimmer 

08

Why does my candle wick look like a mushroom?

Ratio of the candle wick isn't balanced. A mushroom wick can make relighting your candle difficult. Ratio of the candle wick isn't balanced.

Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions
Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions

09

Why is my candle cratering?

Tunneling happens when a candle burns down its center, leaving hard wax around the outside.

Sooty glass and tunneled wax can take even the best of candles (that's us) from high- to low-brow in a matter of hours.


10

Why is my candle sweating?

A "sweating candle" is a term that refers to the dripping or puddles of oil that develop on the surface of a candle. 

Candles can sweat naturally, and some sweat due to the fragrance oil load, but most candles typically sweat due to an excessive amount of fragrance - aka fragrance overload. 

Claire Burke Answers Your Burning Candle Questions

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