Candle Care 101: How to Make Every Burn Count

A handcrafted candle is a small ceremony waiting to happen — and like any good ritual, it has a few rules. Follow them and your TerraLuxe piece will burn longer, cleaner, and far more beautifully.

Master the First Burn

The first burn sets everything. Let your candle burn long enough for the entire top surface to melt — usually 2 to 3 hours. This 'memory burn' prevents tunnelling, where wax stays on the edges and the candle burns itself out in a hole.

Trim the Wick

Before every burn, trim the wick to about 5mm. A long wick creates a tall, smoky flame and soot on your vessel. A clean trim means a clean burn and a brighter scent throw.

Don't Chase the Flame

Burn sessions of 3 to 4 hours are ideal. Any longer and the glass or terracotta heats unevenly; any shorter and you invite tunnelling. Let the flame end on its own time — always extinguish with a snuffer or by dipping the wick, never by blowing across a soft flame into wax.

Keep It Clean and Level

Burn on a level, heat-resistant surface away from drafts, curtains, and little hands. Debris in the wax — burnt wick trimmings, matches, dust — should be removed while the wax is still molten.

Know When to Stop

Stop burning when roughly 1cm of wax remains. That last centimetre protects the vessel, which is the gift that stays. Clean it gently with warm soapy water, and let your TerraLuxe piece begin its second life as decor.