How to Care for Your Hand-Poured Candles
Simple habits that keep your Leelish candles burning clean, even, and fragrant — every single time.
The First Burn Matters Most
When you light a candle for the first time, let the wax melt all the way to the edges before blowing it out. This creates a full melt pool and prevents tunneling — those frustrating rings of unused wax that cling to the jar forever.
A good rule of thumb: burn for one hour per inch of diameter. For a standard Leelish tumbler, that's about 3–4 hours on the first light.
Trim Your Wick Every Time
Before every burn, trim the wick to about 5 mm. A long wick creates a tall, flickering flame that produces soot and burns through wax too quickly. A trimmed wick gives you a steady, clean flame and a longer-lasting candle.
A trimmed wick is the single easiest thing you can do to extend your candle's life by up to 30%.
Mind the Burn Time
Never burn a candle for more than 4 hours at a stretch. After that, the jar gets dangerously hot and the wax overheats, muting the fragrance. Extinguish, let it cool for at least two hours, trim the wick, and relight.
Store Candles with Care
Hand-poured soy wax is softer than paraffin. Store your candles:
- Away from direct sunlight — UV breaks down fragrance oils
- In a cool, dry place — heat can warp the wax surface
- With the lid on — keeps dust off and scent locked in
When to Say Goodbye
Stop burning when about 1 cm of wax remains at the bottom. Burning past this point can overheat the glass and risk cracking. Plus, that last bit of wax has absorbed most of the fragrance anyway — it's done its job.
Quick Reference
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Trim wick to 5 mm before every burn | Burn longer than 4 hours |
| Let first burn reach full melt pool | Extinguish by blowing (use a snuffer or dip the wick) |
| Store with lid on, away from sunlight | Leave in a hot car or windowsill |
| Stop at 1 cm remaining wax | Burn unattended |
Happy burning. 🕯️