The first time you light a candle, the wax has a memory. Soft, soy-based waxes set the boundary for every burn that follows. If the first burn doesn't reach the edges of the vessel, you'll get a tunnel - a column of melted wax in the middle and a hard wall around it that never melts. The candle burns for a fraction of the time it should, the scent throw weakens, and you spend the rest of its life trying to coax wax out of the sides.
Here is the only rule.
Burn it long enough for the wax pool to reach the edge.
That's it. For our 200g tin, this usually takes about two hours. For the 500g vessel, about three. After that, blow it out. The wax cools, the boundary is set, and every subsequent burn melts the surface evenly from rim to rim.
Three small things that make a big difference
- Trim the wick to 5 mm before each burn. A long wick smokes. A short wick burns clean.
- Never burn for more than four hours at a time. The wax overheats, the scent oils degrade, and the vessel gets uncomfortably hot.
- Stop using the candle when about 10 mm of wax remains. Past that, the flame can damage the vessel - and the scent has already given you what it can.
Treat the candle like a small, slow ritual. It rewards the attention.