Why a candle's first burn is so important

Why a candle's first burn is so important.

The key to having your candle last the longest is in the first burn. It sets out the tone of your candle's life! Have you heard that your wax has memory, no? Well, it does, set a good example for your candle on the first burn.  Make sure to take note of what we are about to tell you!

Firstly, you need to trim the wick to at least 5mm before you light it.  Arbrook Candles does sell a lovely set of wick cutters and a snuffer, but you could use scissors as well. Keep trimming the wick after every burn this will aid in the prevention of smoking. Make sure when you trim the wick you have allowed the wick to fully cool down and return to room temperature and then trim before relighting. If there is wax on the sides, you can leave the wick slightly longer.

When you first burn your candle what should you do? You should allow the wax to melt from edge to edge so the whole top surface is melted. This is called the melt pool; the size and depth of your melt pool will determine the overall performance of your candle, having an even melt pool will ensure your candle will burn evenly. This can also prevent tunnelling. Tunnelling is when only the centre of the wax, right around the wick melts and burns down, leaving a band of hard wax around the outside of the candle.  Placing your candle in a draughty area, can also affect the overall burn and create tunnelling.  Turning the candle can help with this.

During your first burn, the fragrance oils within the wax will gain heat and release their scent into the air. Allowing the wax to fully melt and establish its melt pool, you will be able to experience the full power of the candle’s scent, this will also aid all future burns. At Arbrook Candles, we want all our customers to gain the full experience when purchasing a candle from us, so paying extra attention to the crucial first burn of your candle will help you be able to enjoy the full extent of each of our candles.