The scents of jar candles are many and varied. Burning a candle for too long or too short of a period can cause a tunneling effect where some wax doesn’t melt, essentially wasting it.įinally, be sure to snuff your jar candle before leaving the house or going to bed. This helps the candle burn more cleanly and safely and reduces the amount of soot that can blacken the jar, especially beneficial when using paraffin wax candles.Īlso, time the burns to make sure the wax melts evenly: keep the candle lit for an hour per inch of candle width. It’s a good idea to trim the wick to 1/4 or 1/8 inch before every burn. Jar candles are simple items to keep on hand and enjoy, but they do require some attention and care. Because the width of the candle is appropriately sized for the added wicks, the burn time isn’t necessarily shorter. While most candles come with a single wick, larger candles may have two or three. The wax, any additives, and wick all affect a candle’s burn time. Votives burn for up to 9 hours per ounce of wax, while a large 12-ounce candle might burn for up to 84 hours. Large candles burn more quickly than smaller candles. The better the quality of the candle, and the better you take care of it, the longer it will burn. Burn timeīurn time is important in a candle. Beeswax candles have a brighter, purer flame than other candles. Burning beeswax candles produces negative ions, which help clean impurities from the air. Beeswax candles burn cleanly, without soot or smoke. Also, the scents tend to be milder and will likely have less fragrance throw (release of scent).īeeswax: Similar to soy wax, beeswax is a natural, nontoxic product with no chemicals added. Soy candles take more time to warm up and give off their scent than paraffin candles. They leave less residue and soot and rarely smoke, and they’re better for the air because they don’t give off any harmful fumes. Jar candles with soy wax burn longer and cleaner than those made of paraffin wax. Soy: Soybean wax is a renewable, sustainable resource. Some studies have found that burning paraffin wax candles gives off some harmful fumes, such as toluene. Oils can be added easily to paraffin wax, so the candles may have a wide variety of especially potent aromas. Paraffin candles tend to be cheaper than soy candles, but they likely won’t burn as long. Paraffin: Most jar candles contain paraffin wax, derived from various fossil fuels, a nonrenewable resource. Soy candles have a softer scent and won’t overpower your meal like some more potent paraffin wax candles can. A candle makes a lovely complement to a romantic dinner but go with a soy one.