Frequently Asked Questions

I get a lot of questions about candles and wax melts so wanted to compile a little list with some helpful info for you. If you do have a question that isn’t answered here please feel free to get in touch!

Tip: if there is a specific question or answer you are looking for, on your laptop/computer keyboard press ctrl + f and type your keyword e.g. “scent throw” or "reed diffuser".

 

What are your candles/wax melts made from?

I use CB-135 Soy Wax for my candles, and GoldenWax 494 Soy Wax for all melts and snap bars. I have tested a few wax varieties and these two soy waxes have produced the best results for me.

My wax melts & snap bars are coloured with dye chips, or mica powder, and biodegradable glitter.

The glitter I use comes with all of these amazing eco-credentials: 
✔️Made from plant cellulose (that's stuff found in trees to you and me!)
✔️Biodegradable 
✔️Eco-friendly
✔️Compostable  
✔️Marine and waste water biodegradable 🐬
✔️Environmentally sourced, renewable raw ingredients to FSC® Standards 
✔️Cruelty free 
✔️Vegan friendly

I don’t use dyes in my candles (I love the creamy natural colour that soy wax gives!) Mica powders can clog up wicks so I avoid using them in candles too.
I will never create candles with bits in them, even for custom order requests. These candles (with gems, dried flowers, spices, glitter, etc.) look lovely but they are a serious fire hazard.

 

Why soy wax?

Soy wax is derived from soy beans and being natural and non-chemically derived, is considered among the more eco-friendly types of candle wax. It has a long burn time, which means your candle will last longer and will also burn cleaner as a result.

 

Why not paraffin wax?

Paraffin wax emits 11 known toxins while burning, including toluene, benzene, and formaldehyde, which are known carcinogens. Inhaling these carcinogens can have adverse reactions such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, and has been linked to causing asthma and even lung cancer.

 

What is a "scent throw"?

The term "scent throw" is used to describe how well a candle distributes its intended smell. This can be further described by hot or cold scent throw.

A "cold scent throw" is how well the scent travels when the candle or wax melt wax is in its solid form. I'm proud to say that my products have an amazing cold throw and don't need to be lit to smell great.

A "hot scent throw" is how well the scent travels when the candle or wax melt wax is in liquid form (or heated). I have meticulously tested each recipe for all of my candles and melts to ensure they produce an excellent hot throw.

 

My candle has a bumpy texture on the surface after its burned and then solidified. Is that normal?

In short, yes! Due to the characteristics of soy wax, after you’ve burned your candle or melts, and it solidifies again it may have a bumpy/uneven or “cratered” surface. This usually happens if it cools down too quickly after being extinguished. Thankfully this doesn’t affect the scent of the wax, it just isn’t very aesthetically pleasing!

Keep your candle/wax warmer out of draughty areas, off of windowsills, or in a room that's at a steady temperature, and in future this shouldn’t happen.

 

How can I get the most out of my candle?

Simple - always trim your wick!!

Trim the wick to 5mm before your first burn.

The first time you burn your Medium or Large candle it should burn for 4 hours to ensure a good melt pool and to prevent candle tunnelling. For Mini candles it should be approx. 2 hours so the glass doesn't overheat and explode.

You will find that if you have cut your wick too short that it will not give you the correct flame height and as a result you will also not get enough heat to melt the wax. A candle flame should be around 2.5cm(1") high.

If you find that the flame begins to flicker or that it is too tall you should make the wick shorter before you light the candle. If you find that your melt pool does not extend to the edge of your candle container you should try burning the candle for up to three to four hours.

Do not burn for more than four hours. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Once there is about 1cm of wax remaining in the glass please discontinue use.

Do not use if the candle container is cracked or in any way damaged.

Please note, leaving your candle to burn to the very bottom of the glass can cause them to overheat and explode. 

It is your responsibility to ensure you burn your candle safely.

 

My candle isn't burning all the way across! Can I fix it?

I test each batch of candles thoroughly so this should not happen when burned correctly and hopefully doesn't happen to you!

Please note that one of the characteristics of soy wax is that it has “memory”. This means that if you extinguish the candle before the pool of wax has reached the edge of the container, the wax will only burn to that point the next time you light it. This will cause the wick to burrow down without reaching the edge and creating a vertical hole (or a tunnel - hence the name of tunnelling!)

However, if you do find that your candle hasn't burned all the way across don't worry as it can usually be fixed!

Simply wrap a strip of tin foil around the edge of the candle, leaving a hole in the middle so that the wick can burn through properly. After a couple of hours, your wax should melt to an evened-out level. Be sure to check on your candle periodically to ensure the flame is still burning well.

 

 

How do I use wax melts/snap bars?

To get started you will need a tealight wax warmer (available here) or an electric wax warmer.

Note: Our in-house testing is carried out using a traditional tealight burner. Burn times are calculated based off of this testing method.

Place the required amount of wax melts in the well of your melt burner - Just be mindful not to overfill your burner or the wax may not melt properly or produce the best scent throw. Less is more. For smaller rooms, use 1 shape or half a segment from a snap bar. For larger rooms, 2 shapes or 1 segment would be better. Your room should be filled with gorgeous scent within 10 minutes.

The wax will not evaporate, so once the scent has burned off you can pop the used wax in the bin. To clean out the wax you can carefully use a cotton ball to soak up the melted wax. If your wax is solid light the tealight for about 30 seconds and apply pressure to the wax - it should just pop out. If not, leave it another 15 seconds and try again. Wipe the burner pool clean with cotton wool or a bit of kitchen roll. The wax and decoration we use is fully biodegradable so it can be put in the bin.

Stored in their glass jar (or an airtight container), your wax melts will remain good for use for up to 2 years.

 

Wax Melt Safety Information:

Use with an unscented tealight or an electric burner, always use in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Please note that electric burners do not always produce the best scent throw.

When in use the burner will be hot to the touch. Do not move the burner when a tealight is lit. Allow the burner to cool before touching/moving. Only burn this on a level, heat resistant surface.

Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Mixing scents is not advised and I would never recommend it.

Do not add water to the wax.

I know the wax melts smell great, but please do not eat them.

 

My wax burner is giving off a white smoke, why is that?

The white smoke you may see is actually vapour, and is caused by the fragrance in the wax evaporating. This is totally normal!
(Black smoke, on the other hand, is not normal - please discontinue use ASAP in the event of black smoke being emitted from your wax burner. Contact the burner manufacturer if this happens)

 

What is a Reed Diffuser?

Reed diffusers are those glass bottles that have sticks (reeds) poking out of them. They are a great alternative to candles and wax melts - the main reason being they are flameless! Simply unscrew the cap, carefully remove the stopper (but don’t throw it away!!) and pop the reeds in. For best results see the ‘Care Tips’ section below.

 

What’s actually in a Reed Diffuser?

I make my diffusers by using high quality fragrance oils (diffuser friendly versions) and Augeo Clean Multi Base.

Augeo reed diffuser base is a state of the art diffuser base pioneered using innovative technology and is (in my opinion) the best base on the market. Suitable for use in reed diffusers and a wide variety of home fragrance products. Non-toxic, low carbon footprint and low odour, producing a superior performance.

 

Reed Diffuser Care Tips:

Place your reed diffuser in a high traffic area in your home. This encourages the fragrance to circulate beautifully. I usually supply you with 7 reeds, but if you are placing your diffuser in a smaller room (bathroom/small entranceway for example) then you may only need to use 3-4 of those reeds.

Turn the reeds once every 7 days to encourage fragrance release. Be careful not to drip the oil on yourself or your surface, and thoroughly wash your hands after turning the reeds. 

Place a coaster underneath the bottle to avoid the oil damaging your surface.

Do not place in direct sunlight OR near a heat source.

Do not light the reeds.

Keep out of reach of children and pets.

 

Can you do custom orders?

I can create candles and wax melts as wedding favours, corporate gifts, showroom fragrances, etc.

If there is something you have in mind get in touch via email (waverleycandlecompany@gmail.com) and we can look at options together.

 

Product Disclaimer: As my products are all lovingly handmade, there may be slight variations in colour and/or craftsmanship therefore no two products will be exactly identical.