If you grew up around candles, you’ve probably heard some version of this rule: “Always burn a candle long enough on the first burn so the wax melts all the way to the edge.”
It’s been passed around for so long that it feels like candle law. So when a candle doesn’t do that, the first thought is naturally, “Something’s wrong.”
Here’s what I learned while developing Melt Me Candle Co. candles.
Getting an edge-to-edge melt pool on the first burn is easy. You can use a larger wick or even multiple wicks. More heat means the top of the candle melts faster. The problem is that the first burn isn’t the whole candle.
As a candle burns down and the flame drops deeper into the vessel, the jar naturally holds more heat. A wick that looks “perfect” at the top of the jar will become much hotter by the end of the candle. Trust me, I have done a lot of candle tests. A larger wick absolutely gave me the edge-to-edge melt pool i thought i wanted, but then it immediately failed in my eyes because the jars became hotter than I was comfortable with.
When a candle runs too hot, it doesn’t just affect the jar temperature. It can also burn through the fragrance you’re trying to enjoy. I didn’t want to design a candle around the first few hours of its life. I wanted to design a candle that performed well from beginning to end.
So I chose my wick for overall performance, not for a perfect-looking first burn. That means you will see some wax hang-up during the first few burns. Trust me, there’s a big difference between wax hang-up and tunneling.
That wax isn’t being wasted; it’s still in play. As the flame reaches the middle of the jar, the vessel naturally holds more heat, and the wax along the sides begins melting into the melt pool. The candle catches up naturally while continuing to provide a safe, enjoyable fragrance experience.
My goal is always to create a product that performs well for its entire life.
One final tip: Always trim your wick before each burn. Keeping your wick trimmed to about 1/4 inch helps maintain a cleaner, safer, and more consistent burn throughout the life of your candle. This also helps keep the heat down because more wick, equals more flame. Please do not burn your candles for more than four hours at a time 💛
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