candle care

We pour our candles with meticulous care, crafting them to burn beautifully and fill your space with gentle fragrance for hours on end. Because a hand-poured candle is an elevated experience, and because they contain an open flame, they thrive when used mindfully. These gentle reminders ensure your NORTH EMBER candle burns its cleanest, longest, and most beautiful every single time, giving you the best return on your investment in our handcrafted cement and glass vessels.

The perfect flame.

1. The Critical First Burn (Memory Burn)

This is the most important step for maximizing the life of your candle.

  • For the first burn, allow your candle to burn until the entire top layer of wax has melted all the way to the edge of the vessel.

  • This sets the "memory" of the wax. If you extinguish it early, the candle will tunnel down the center on subsequent burns, wasting wax and fragrance.

  • This usually takes 2–4 hours, depending on the vessel size.

2. Wick Trimming (Before Every Burn)

This prevents soot and ensures a clean, steady flame.

  • Trim your wick to 1/4 inch (6mm) before lighting the candle every single time.

  • A long wick causes a high, dancing flame, leading to excessive heat, soot, and "mushrooming." Trimming ensures a clean, slow, efficient burn, especially important for your sealed cement vessels.

  • Use a dedicated wick trimmer for the best results.

3. Burn Time and Heat Safety

This protects the vessel and your surfaces.

  • Never burn the candle for more than 4 hours at a time.

  • Why? Burning longer than four hours can cause the vessel to overheat and can lead to wick instability. Allow the candle to cool completely (at least 2 hours) before relighting.

  • Safety first. Always place the candle on a stable, heat-resistant surface, away from drafts, vents, children, and pets.

4. When to Extinguish (The Final Burn)

This protects your valuable vessel and prevents heat damage at the bottom.

  • Stop burning the candle when there is only 1/2 inch of wax remaining in the vessel.

  • Burning down to the very bottom can cause the vessel itself to overheat and possibly crack, (more relevant for our glass vessels) as the flame gets too close to the base. This ensures the safety of the vessel and your surface.

COTTON WICKS: For optimal candle performance, trim your cotton wick 1/4” in the beginning of every burn.

CRACKLING BOOSTER WICKS: So that your flame isn’t super high, or produce too much soot, be sure to keep your wick to 1/4” high. We use a tissue to grab the charred ends from the previous burn.

North Ember Candle Studio

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