Candle Information

How to get the best candle burn:

• Start by trimming the wick to 1/4 inch (discard the excess wick – never leave it in your candle)

• Place the candle in a safe place to burn.

• Light your candle with a long match or candle lighter (never tilt the candle to the side when lighting. Wax will melt quickly. It can and will burn you.)

• Allow our candles to burn until the entire top layer of the candle is liquid, reaching from edge to edge across the candle (this can take anywhere from 3 to 4 hours depending on the jar size. * Please note this may not happen until the 2nd or 3rd (4hour burn cycle) time you burn your candle. This is normal!!!

• Always burn candles away from open windows, fans, or drafty areas. These can cause a candle flame to dance, smoke, bend, flame high and cause soot. All of which cause an uneven burn and unsafe conditions.

• Never burn a candle on an uneven surface. The candle could knock over at any time and start a fire. If you have a pet or little one in the house choose a surface that is out of reach.

The most important thing – never burn your candle more than 4 hours at a time. Bear with me, this is important. If you burn a candle longer than 4 hours, the scent throw could be reduced, and the candle wick will likely mushroom (a little black top) due to the excessive carbon buildup. When a wick mushrooms, it becomes unstable, and the flame will grow very high. Another thing to consider is that the jar may become too hot and could risk exploding the container. I take great care to ensure your candle jar will not overheat. That said, if at any time your candle jar ever feels too hot to touch, please blow it out immediately. Once the wax has cooled, trim your wick to 1/4 inch and relight. This should resolve the issue. Let’s say it’s the weekend and you want to burn your candle all day. You can! But, please follow the 4 hour rule. Every 4 hours, extinguish the candle flame, allow the wax to cool and harden (typically 2 hours). Trim the wick and light the candle again to enjoy for another 4 hours. Remember, if you overheat your wax and wick, it can and will cause problems with scent throw. Allowing the candle to cool after a 4 hour burn gives the wax and wick a rest.

Frequently Asked Candle Questions

Please reach me at suzie@suziesbubbles if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What kind of wicks do you use?

I use CD wicks for my chosen wax. After much testing, they produce the best burn.

What kind of wax do you use?

I use different waxes for things. But, for most of my jar candles I use Problend 600 (also called JoyWax) with the addition of a couple other waxes to make it my own.

Will my candle soot?

The short answer is yes. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Moving your candle to a less drafty area should immediately resolve the issue and keeping your wick trimmed to 1/4 inch. The longer answer is that a small amount of soot produced by a candle is the natural by product of incomplete combustion caused by a tall flame. Keeping your wick trimmed to 1/4 inch and away from drafts will stop any soot issues.

Is a High Flame Bad?

Great question. The answer, like so many is a yes and no. If at any time your candle flame is larger than 2”, please blow out the candle, trim the wick and relight. When candles are lit for the 1st time it is not uncommon to have a high flame, but after an hour the flame should calm down. If on the 2nd burn the flame is still high, contact the candle maker right away. When a candle reaches the middle of the jar, the flame can also get a little high because it is reaching for oxygen. This is normal. But if during the process the flame is more than 2” and producing a lot of soot, please blow it out immediately and contact the candle maker. Bottom line - regardless of where you buy your candles, if the flame is higher than 2" reach out to that brand and report it. The National Candle Association sets guidelines for candle makers. A flame higher than 2" is a no-no.

Candle Flame Take Away: Bad batches can happen. This is why you never see me on social media - I bang my head on the wall way too much...i'm kidding...maybe. Candles are all about combustion. Even the most seasoned candle makers, and big box retailers will tell you they have candles fail. If you have every heard me say, “making candles is not for the faint of heart,” I meant it. Making candles is a seriously stressful job. It takes a lot of time, and concentration.

Are soy candles as good at scent throw like those well-known big brands who use 100% Paraffin wax?

This is a tough question. One person’s opinion of a strong scent may be another’s idea of a weak scent. For me, I believe if done correctly, a Soy Candle can smell just as wonderful as a Paraffin candle. You should smell scent within the first hour of burning your new candle. Once a candle reaches its full melt pool (1 inch per hour - my jars are 3 inches so you should have a full melt pool within 2.5-3.0 hours by the second burn) the scent should fill the room. If not, make sure your wick is trimmed to 1/4" and try moving it to another spot in the room. Trust me, there is a perfect spot for your candle in your room based on the candles size.

I cut my wick too short. Can I save my candle?

Yes! Light your candle (if possible) and let a little wax build up. Blow out the candle and dip a rolled paper towel end into the wax to absorb. You may need to do this a couple times to get the wick freed to a 1/4 inch. You want to be sure you have the right size wick otherwise your candle will burn too slow and this lower your scent throw. If you happen to cut the wick level to the wax, don't worry. Use the edge of a fork or screwdriver to dig out a small area around the wick. Then, proceed as noted above.

What is a dancing flame?

Great question! Honestly, for me, there are 3 types of flames. One that flickers, one that dances, and one that bends. The first one is the best one. A little flicker with your flame is a good thing. They are pretty and very normal. A dancing flame is a bit different. Those flames move around the jar a bit too much. I call those the flames that have the Zoomies. Move that candle to another spot. Chances are it’s in a draft. The really bad flames are the ones that bend like a gymnast going for the gold. You’ll know when you see it – it will be the one going sideways. Blow that flame out immediately. Trim the wick back to 1/4 inch, and place your candle in a new spot. More than likely there was a heavy draft and your candle got the zoomies, but then it got out of control. It happens. The problem with zoomie flames that bend is they can heat up your candle jar, which in turn can cause them to shatter. Bottom line - when it comes to candles, zoomies bad.

Will You Teach Me How To Make Candles

I get this question a lot. My answer is - No. But before you call me a bunch of names, here is why. Honestly, you don’t want me to teach you how to make candles. Every candle maker has their own way of making candles. Besides, I am still learning every single day and will be for the next 20 years. There are plenty of other people out there who would love to take your money and teach you "their" way. I'm just not one of them. But, if you have a question, ask me. I will try to help.

What I will tell you is to get a 2", 3-ring binder and fill it with a full pack of note paper. Invest in a ton of pencils (not pens – seriously). Create a folder for each of your candles (fill those with paper too). Create a candle testing sheet filled with everything you think you need to know about your new candle. Then, use it. Take more notes than you think you should. In the end, each new candle you make should have pages of detailed notes. You should know your new candle backwards and forwards. Plus, if you are ever sued, these notes will help you because you can hand them to your attorney and the judge will see that you tested this candle every possible way. And I will tell you to learn from every single mistake you make. Write them down, note how you figured it out, and then how you fixed it.

Believe me when I say you will make a ton of mistakes. But that’s the best way to learn. Just don’t sell a candle until you are ready. Don’t be in a rush. Too many people think candle making is an easy way to make money. What a joke. This is the farthest thing from the truth. It is expensive and takes tons of time and most of all patience. If candle making is something you really want to do, then do it. Just be ready for a wild ride.

What are those wet spots on my candle?

In a nutshell, those things are the stuff of my nightmares and every other candle maker. Either way, let’s talk about it. Those are exactly what you said, they are called “wet spots” and are almost impossible to get rid of during cold months. Even big brands who make millions of candles each year get them. Why does it happen? Well, the wax gets cold and shrinks is the best answer. Even under the perfect conditions when making the candles – meaning warm temperatures during pouring the candle, and warm storage temperatures, there is these things called “Winter, and then shipping.” The minute the cold air hits the candle, that wax shrinks up (kinda like we do when we go outside when it’s really cold…burr). However, even once it arrives at your home where it’s warm inside, that wax will probably never re-adhere to the jar in those areas. Yup, welcome to wet spots. And they can happen during summer months too. Remember, most delivery trucks are super hot so the wax has expanded. Then, the candle is brought inside to a nice and cool home. You get the point. Most people say they don’t see them. I do, and I dislike them more than I can ever express in the written word.