Decorative Candle Care & Burn Guide
Our candles are designed for ornamental purposes. However, if you choose to burn them, please follow these guidelines to ensure a safe and optimal burn experience:
✨ While Unlit
-Do not put your candles in direct sunlight and keep them away from heat sources, to preserve their beautiful shape.
-Although we do our utmost to ensure this is avoided, the handmade nature of our candles means that tiny air bubbles or delicate irregularities may appear — quiet signatures of the artisanal process that make each piece truly one of a kind.
-You may notice a light, powdery layer on your candle - this is called 'frosting', and it’s completely normal with natural, plant-based waxes like coconut or soy. It’s simply a sign of pure, clean ingredients. It doesn’t affect how your candle burns or smells, but if you’d prefer a smoother look, just gently rub the surface with clean hands or a soft cloth.
🕯️ First Burn Matters
-For container candles, allow the wax to melt across the entire surface on the first burn — this creates a full melt pool and prevents tunnelling.
-Sculptural candles are designed to tunnel slightly, preserving their ornamental charm while controlling wax spillage.
📏 Trim Your Wick
-Before each burn, trim the wick to about 0.5cm. This helps ensure a clean, even burn.
💡Top Tip - With our larger, symmetrically shaped candles, if you notice any wax spillage - which may cause flickering or a high flame - it could be a sign that the wick needs trimming. In this case, extinguish the candle, allow it to cool fully, trim the wick, and relight. Once trimmed, these issues should resolve.
⏳ Burn Time
-Never burn your candle for more than 3-4 hours at a time. For our larger designs, around 3 hours tends to be ideal.
-Allow the wax to solidify completely before relighting.
-Smaller or intricately detailed sculptural candles are fleeting by nature - often lasting up to a single burn. For those who wish to preserve their beauty, they can be kept as timeless decorative pieces, scenting your space gently even when unlit.
🏠 Burning Environment
-Keep lit candles away from drafts and anything flammable.
-Allow at least 10cm between burning candles.
-Always place sculptural candles on a heatproof, level dish with raised edges to catch any wax that may drip.
-Allow candles to cool before moving.
♻️ Reuse & Repurpose
Sculptural candles that leave behind a decorative wax shell can be treasured as a keepsake or reused in a wax melter to enjoy the fragrance even further.
⚠️ Safety First
-Never leave a burning candle unattended.
-Stop burning when 1cm of wax remains.
-Keep out of reach of children and pets.
-Keep the wax pool clear of matches and other debris.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email at: theornamentalcandlecompany@gmail.com or via our 'Contact Us' page on our website.