Gourmet Candle

Nothing is more disappointing than falling in love with a candle scent that doesn't fill your room.  These 5 hacks should help you get the most out of your favorite candles!

Candles should never be burned when you're in a rush.  The perfect time to burn your candle is when you know you'll be home for awhile. You must have at least 2 hours to dedicate to burning your candle if you really want to smell it's scent as well not create that ugly tunnel down the middle (that'll ruin your candle).

1. BURN FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. First things first, burn your candle for AT LEAST 2 hours. I seriously cannot stress that enough.  You need to have a full melt pool before the scent of the candle can travel the air. 

2. MOVE YOUR CANDLE TO A SMALLER ROOM. Try moving your candle to a smaller room like a bathroom, home office or bedroom and allow it to burn there for awhile. Rooms with open spaces take more time to fill since the scent will continue to travel the air. Some scents may be lighter than others, but even lighter scents can fill the right sized room.

3. STEP OUT THE ROOM. Sometimes our noses can become "nose blind" (or "olfactory fatigue") to scents that we get use to and we tend to not notice them anymore. If you can no longer smell your candle, it does not mean the scent has disappeared; more than likely your brain had enough and switched off so you no longer notice the scent. After burning your candle for 2 hours, try stepping outside for about 15 minutes to clear your scent palate and come back in. You should notice the scent almost immediately!

4. PUT YOUR LID ON. If your candle comes with a top, use it to cover your candle when it's not being used. Candle tops are not just great for keeping dust and other airborne particles out of your candles. They are great for helping to preserve your candle's fragrance.

5. ALLOW YOUR CANDLE TO CURE. Candle curing is the process where the wax and fragrance bind into one and settle.  The process can take up to a couple of weeks to actually cure. Curing is important because the longer the wax and fragrance get to bind, the stronger the scent can become. Think of it like spaghetti.  Spaghetti is yummy on the first night, but when you reheat it for dinner the next day, after the seasoning and sauce have marinated together overnight in that big ol pot, its even BETTER! If you purchase "made to order"/ freshly made candles, you're likely to get a stronger scent if you let your candle cure for a couple of weeks before burning it.

ALWAYS make sure that your candles are burned safely on a heat resistant surface and away from anything that can catch fire. Please keep away from children and pets.