Candle Tips

 

All the tips to get the best from your candle!

Have you bought a Peonies candle or have you stumbled upon our page from your search engine? Either way, these tips apply to all candles :)

So read on without further delay!

First, a quick note on safety tips. We're not here to tell you what to do, but it's still better to avoid starting a fire :)

  • Do not leave your candle within reach of children or pets. Obvious, yes, but always good to remember!
  • Always leave a burning candle unattended.
  • Protect the surface on which the candle rests with a heat-resistant mat.
  • Do not light near flammable objects (yes, it seems logical but it's better to repeat it!)

That being said, here are some tips to make your candle burn for a looong time!

  • Our candles are made as they go. So they may burn out very quickly if you light them upon receipt. We advise you to let them "dry" for a few weeks, so they will burn longer. (The longer you let them dry, the longer they will burn).
  • Always trim the wick to 5-8mm (cotton) and 2-5mm (wood) before burning it (the first time and subsequent times). Indeed, an overly long wick will consume the candle much faster, making it burn for a shorter time. In addition, an overly long wick creates a large flame, which also creates a fire hazard! The best is to use a wick trimmer, but scissors or nail clippers can do the trick.
  • During the first use, let the candle burn long enough for the entire surface to melt. Otherwise, the candle will hollow out as it burns, creating a tunneling effect and never burning to the edge.
  • Regarding dried flowers: Once you light your candle, remove bulky flowers. However, small petals can remain (cornflower, jasmine).
  • Make sure the candle is not in a draft. In addition to the risk of fire, the wick will create black marks on the container and the candle will burn out much faster.
  • Do not burn a candle for more than 4 hours at the risk of the wick drowning in the wax.
  • For cotton wicks, when you extinguish the candle, take the opportunity to recenter the wick; it's prettier and prevents the flame from blackening the glass (just like the risk of fire, again and again!)
  • Never let a candle burn completely! Yes, we all want to burn them to the very end, but that's a bad idea! Here's why: Once the candle reaches the end, the container starts to heat up, then becomes boiling hot, risking breaking or damaging the surface on which the candle is placed and causing a fire at the same time... So, no! Do not light the candle when there are 5-7mm of wax left at the bottom of the container. However...

Recover the wax and put it in a diffuser! This way all the wax can be used :)

  • To enjoy your mini candles for as long as possible, they should not remain lit for more than 1 hour. After this time, they will burn out much too quickly!

Special wooden wicks:

Wooden wicks are beautiful and emit the pleasant sound of crackling wood like a fireplace. However, they can be a bit temperamental. Here are some tips in case of trouble!

  • First, lighting. The wooden wick needs to heat up a bit before catching fire. It's like starting a small fire! Slightly tilt your candle and light the entire wick. It may take several seconds. The wick may go out. Don't panic, try again! (For ease, use a long match or a long-reach lighter/gas lighter)
  • If the candle flame is too small / there is no flame (embers only) / the flame goes out, the wick may be slightly submerged by the wax. Blot a small amount of wax with absorbent paper, then burn for a few minutes, making circular movements with the candle, so that the liquid wax covers the surface of the candle (instead of staying in the center). The flame will be the right size again! Be careful, you shouldn't absorb everything either; it's the melted wax that keeps the candle burning!
  • Before the next use, trim the excess black wood and leave the wick at 2-5mm.
  • Good to know: the wooden wick rests on a base of a little less than 1cm. Once the base is reached, the candle goes out. This is completely normal and even corresponds to the perfect time to extinguish the candle (see tips above).
  • When extinguishing your candle with a wooden wick, do not leave it in a draft. Because like an extinguished fire, with a little wind it can reignite. Yes, you read that right, the candle can relight itself! (This is very rare but obviously all precautions must be taken).

 

Nota bene: You may have noticed on our safety labels (on the back of the box and on the glass) the mention: "decorative candle, do not light."

This is a mandatory safety warning when there is an insert in the candle (flowers, stones).

But of course, you can light your candle safely by removing large flowers such as roses, for example. This is also why the above statement is followed by the phrase: "To light the candle, please remove the dried flowers." This may seem a bit... special, it's true, but it's important for us to be irreproachable in the eyes of the law!