Woodwick candles are all the hype these days and make for a super cozy mood with their crackling wicks. But, they can be a little tricky to burn if you’re not used to them! Here are some tips to get the most out of your candle: 

1. The first burn is the most important

Did you know candles have a “memory?” The way you burn a candle the first time determines how the candle burns for the rest of its life! On the first burn, ensure you allow enough time (2-4 hours max) to let the wax melt all the way to the edge of the container. If this doesn’t occur, something called “tunneling” can happen where a tunnel will essentially form, making it difficult for the wax around the wick to fully melt. At times, the tunnel can become too deep for the wick to “breathe,” and the candle will have trouble staying lit. 

Hot tip: Noticing a bit of wax "hang up" on the edge of the tin even though you've burned the candle for 4 hours on the first burn?  It's normal for coconut- soy wax! The wax will melt down and correct itself in the middle of the candle gets hotter over time.

This can be difficult to fully fix if this happens, but if it does, you can try these tricks:

• Scrape out the tunneled wax with a knife, until the wax is even with the surface of the wick. The wax should be level and the wick should be about 1/8" above the wax.
• If the wick is able to stay lit and tunnel isn’t too deep, let it burn for 4 hours to let all the tunneled wax hang up melt down and “reset” the memory of the candle. Flame height may dwindle but so long as it stays lit, let it burn! 
• If the candle won’t stay lit because it is “drowning” in the wax (maybe the wick was trimmed too short), you can use a paper towel to soak up excess melted wax to allow more room for the wick to breathe. Be sure to blow the candle out before using a paper towel to soak wax.

2. Trim your wick before every relight!

For best burn results, make sure to keep your wick trimmed to 1/8”- 1/16" and always make sure you're burning the candle between 3-4 hours at a time. You can trim the wick by breaking off the top black bits of the wick with your fingers! If you find that breaking the charred bits isn’t doing it, you can also use nail clippers (weird but it works!) to trim the wood a bit more. 

Other things to remember…

• Never burn your candle for more than 4 hours at a time! It reduces the life of the candle and the can may get too hot to touch, and may pose a potential fire hazard.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended.
• Light candle away from anything flammable and on a temperature safe surface, always.
• It’s time for a new candle when about 1/2” of wax is remaining! Do not burn the candle further as the can may get too hot.

… still have questions?! Email us hello@malathebrand.com :)