Monthly Archives: May 2024

One of the things that really ruins a display of tapers is when the candles are not standing straight in the holders.  In addition to looking bad, a leaning taper candle could eventually start to drip, even if it is the dripless kind.

There are 3 main reasons that taper candles lean.

• the taper candle holder is not straight
• the taper candle is crooked
• the base of the candle doesn't fit tightly into the holder

Crooked Taper Candle Holder

We will start with how to deal with the the crooked candle holder first because there are not that many options, however, there are a few things you can try.  If the holder is a metal one, like in the image above, you might be able to bend the arms to make them straight.  For holders that are sturdier or 1 solid piece, you could try placing a folded piece of paper under the base of it to straighten it out.

Two of the most common complaints about candles are that the fragrance isn’t strong enough and that they don’t burn right.

Candles, like most everything else, are made of multiple components.  The main 2 parts are the wax and the wick.  Then there can also be fragrance oil, additives, dyes, and a container (ie. jars, ceramic pots, buckets, etc).  All of these different parts of the candle can have an effect on how it burns.

But before we look at tips on how to fix a candle wick that is too short…

Let's examine some reasons it gets that way in the first place.

1. The wick was trimmed too short either by you or it came that way from the manufacturer.

Let's face it, we have all done it… oops.

2. The wick broke off.

After the wick has been lit and is black, it becomes brittle.  If it gets bumped it could break off and be too short to produce the right size flame.

3. The

I got a call the other day from a customer who had purchased a 4 inch candle ring to use with her pillar holders.  The problem was that the candle rings were just a bit too big to sit on the lip of the holder and would slide down to the bottom.  She wanted to return the rings since they wouldn’t work with the holders and I told her that would be fine.  I decided I should come up with a quick, easy, DIY solution using stuff nearly everyone already has in their homes… so here we go.

The Problem

The candle ring is too big to sit on the candle holder you want to use. For this DIY trick, I used a 4 inch candle ring with a 3 inch candle holder. You can see in this picture how much bigger the ring is than the holder, the red circle show where the inside diameter of the ring is.

What is Citronella?

Citronella is a clumping, lemongrass type plant which grows to a height of five to six feet; a plant which is native to southeast Asia and grown commercially in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Indonesia and Java. The plant is also grown as an ornamental in south Florida and southern California. Citronella is a perennial grass that flourishes in direct sunlight and well drained soil. In northern climate zones, people often grow citronella in large pots that they bring indoors for the winter.

The Citronella plant in and of itself, is not an effective mosquito repellent; rather it is the oil compound found within the plant that does the repelling. When the oil is extracted from the plant, it can be used in a number of product types, like lotions, sprays, soaps, incense, perfumery, cosmetics, and candles. It is also used in flavoring industries. The United States Environmental Protection Agency considers the oil of citronella as

The scent of a candle comes from the fragrance molecules in the candle wax being bounced off into the air. This process is generally called evaporation.

Evaporation depends on the weight of the molecules, their density, and the bond or attraction of the molecules to each other. If you increase the energy by heating the liquid, the molecules have a better chance of getting bumped off into the air. Typically the fragrance molecules weigh less than the hydrocarbon molecules in the wax and have a better chance to escape into the air.

The amount of molecules escaping into the air also depends on how much surface area of the liquid is exposed to the air. Evaporation of water molecules is the easiest to understand because we evidence this happening all the time. Ice will evaporate but at a much slower rate than water at room temperature – there is less molecular energy at colder temperatures but ice will evaporate. If a cookie sheet has the same amount of water on it that is in

Candle Safety

One of the biggest concerns when it comes to candles is safety. Wherever there is an open flame there is the possibility of fire so here are some tips and ideas that will help reduce that risk.  Follow these tips and suggestions to use good candle safety.

NEVER ever leave a candle burning unsupervised.

It only takes a few seconds for a candle flame to ignite another object that has come in contact or close proximity to it.  This brings us to the next very important tip to help you enjoy your candles safely.

Do NOT burn a candle in a drafty area.

Not only is a candle in a drafty area unsafe, but it also makes the candle not burn properly and also causes it to create a lot of soot (which I will address later).  A perfect example is placing a candle on a windowsill. If the window is opened, a breeze from outside could push drapes or curtains into the candle causing them to catch on fire.  There are circumstances

Three wick pillar candles are very popular to use as centerpieces in your home or for events.  One of the reasons is, that at 6 inches in diameter, their size alone makes an impressive display without much additional work needed.  Simply adding a floral candle ring or surrounding it with other decorative accents is enough.  However, with such a large candle comes the potential for a large mess if proper care is not taken to avoid it.  Here are helpful instructions to make your large 3 wick candles burn great and keep the liquid wax where it is supposed to be… inside the pillar.

First and foremost (and this goes with any candle) don’t place it directly on any surface that could be damaged by heat or wax.  Put your 3 wick pillar candles in or on a large enough holder to catch any melted wax that could spill over the edge. If the liquid wax pool gets too close to the edge, it may melt through the side wall and run out of the candle.  If not caught

One of the biggest concerns about candles of all kinds is in regard to the amount of soot that can be produced by them. There are a variety of ways to greatly reduce candle soot coming from your candles which will also help them to burn better. Today I will share some of these candle burning tips with you to help you have a better experience with your candles and save money. Let’s first understand what causes soot to come off of a candle.

What Causes Candle Soot

Soot from a candle flame is caused when there is incomplete combustion of the fuel. This can be caused by a number of factors. The fuel to the candle flame is the liquid wax which is being drawn up through the wick. Once the flame of the candle has started drawing the liquid candle wax up the wick, it does so at a steady rate. When the flame or the flow of fuel is disturbed, the rate at which the fuel is being burned is no longer happening at the optimal rate.  So how do you keep a candle from

For centuries, candles have been used to provide light. But over time, they have evolved in terms of their shapes, styles, and colors. One type of candle, the votive candle, has a specific origin. According to Wikipedia, votive candles were first used to signify the fulfillment of a vow. The word “votive” comes from the Latin term “votum,” which means “a wish.” Today, votive candles are commonly used in the Catholic church. They are lit in front of images or symbols of saints to seek their help and to offer prayers for the dead.

Modern Purpose of a Votive

Candles, especially votives, are not only used for religious ceremonies but are also popular for daily use. Votives are smaller in size and typically burn for around 15 hours, although some variations may have shorter or longer burn times. They are great accent candles and are often used on tables at glamorous events, such as weddings, to create a romantic ambiance. To avoid interfering with the taste of food, unscented

Since working in the candle industry beginning in 1997, I have been asked countless times by customers if we make dripless candles or more specifically, dripless taper candles.  The short answer, based on the industry definition, is “yes”.  So what is the industry standard for a dripless candle?  Basically it means a candle that when burned under proper conditions will not drip.  “Proper conditions” is the key phrase here.  We have all seen movies set in past centuries where candles are burning and wax is dripping down the sides and all over the holder, those were NOT dripless candles.

How Are Dripless Candles Different?

So how exactly does a dripless candle differ from one that drips and what does it mean to burn a candle under proper conditions?  Dripless taper candles are made by adding an extra step to the manufacturing process.  The candle is dipped one