How to get a clean first burn
The first two hours decide how a candle burns for the next sixty. Here is how to get them right.
Start with time, not with a match
Wax has memory. On the first burn the melt pool should reach the edge of the vessel before you put it out, which usually takes two to three hours. Stop earlier and the candle tunnels, leaving a ring of unused wax that never comes back.
Trim the wicks to five millimetres before every burn. A short wick gives a calm, steady flame and keeps the glass clean.
Putting it out
Use a snuffer or dip the wick into the pool and straighten it again. Blowing scatters soot and smoke across the scent you just spent two hours building.