How to Make Your Candles Last Longer

(5 simple habits that make a big difference)

Choosing a candle you truly love is such a quiet act of self-care.

You fall for the fragrance first. Then the jar. The way it looks on your shelf. The way it fills the room. You light it at the end of the day almost as a signal — you can rest now.

And then… it doesn’t burn the way you expected.It tunnels. It soots. It disappears faster than it should.

It’s strangely disappointing, especially when something that’s meant to feel calming suddenly feels wasteful or frustrating.

If you’ve ever wondered why some candles seem to last forever while others vanish in weeks — the good news is this:

It’s usually not the candle. It’s the habits around it.

A few small shifts can make a noticeable difference in how long your candle lasts — and how beautifully it burns.

Here are five simple ways to get the most out of the candles you love.

1. Use a Candle Warming Lamp

If your goal is maximum longevity, a candle warming lamp is your secret weapon.

Because there’s no flame:

• The wax melts more slowly

• There’s no direct combustion

• You’ll often get longer overall burn time

You still enjoy beautiful scent throw, but without the wick burning down.

Pro tip: Put your lamp on a digital timer so you never worry about forgetting to blow it out.

It’s one of the easiest upgrades you can make.

2. Trim Your Wick (Every Single Time)

This one matters more than most people realise.

Before lighting your candle, trim the wick to about 6mm.

Why?

• A shorter wick burns cleaner

• You get less soot

• The flame stays stable

• The candle lasts longer

• 
  

Long wicks create oversized flames, which burn through wax faster and can cause black smoke or mushrooming.

A simple trim = a slower, more even burn.

3. Placement Matters

Where you place your candle affects how quickly it burns.

Avoid:

• Open windows

• Air vents

• Fans

• Drafty hallways

Moving air makes the flame flicker and burn hotter on one side, which melts wax unevenly and speeds up burn time. A steady flame = slower wax melt = longer life.

4. Choose Pure Soy Wax (Not Soy Blends)

Not all candles are created equal. Many “soy blend” candles contain paraffin wax, which burns hotter and faster.

Pure soy wax:

• Burns slower

• Produces less soot

• Has a cleaner melt

• Typically lasts longer

Wax quality truly makes a difference in how long your candle lives on your shelf.

5. Burn It Properly

This is the golden rule. Each time you light your candle, allow the melt pool to reach the edges of the jar before blowing it out.

If you extinguish it too early, you risk tunnelling — and once a candle tunnels, it becomes harder to burn evenly.

That said, avoid burning longer than 3–4 hours at a time.

Too long and:

• The jar overheats

• The scent can fade

• The wick degrades faster

Balanced burns are key.

Small Habits. Big Difference.

And at the end of the day, lighting a candle isn’t about speed — it’s about slowing down.

Want More Candle Tips?

In our once monthly emails, I share slow-living tips, scent education, coupons and practical tips to help you get the most from your candles.

You can subscribe to our cozy emails here!

Our Goodbye To Summer: Rock Salt & Sage Collection

Rock Salt and Sage

Sea salt and lemon open bright and clean — like mineral air rolling in off the water.

Then driftwood and sage settle in. Earthy. Grounding. Calm.

When you light Rock Salt & Sage, it feels like walking barefoot along the shoreline at sunrise.

Available in both 220g and 400g pure soy candle sizes, each one is hand-poured in our warehouse studio and finished with our signature lino-cut label design.

Let’s unbox it together!

This Month’s Cozy Gift: A Handmade Trinket Dish

For February, I wanted something tactile. Something earthy.

So we partnered with Bex of R Ceramics, who creates from her family farm in the Hunua Ranges, just southeast of Auckland.

Inside each box is a small ceramic trinket dish — made by hand, one at a time.

A place to rest your tea light sample.Your rings at the end of the day. Or the little everyday pieces that gather beside the bed.

I love including pieces that live on in your home long after the candle is gone.

To learn more about Bex and her journey with clay, read our journal post here.

What our subscribers say:

"Absolutely ADORE this month's box omg I think it's my fave (but I say that every month lol)" - Natalie 

OH MY GOODNESS!! This months candle is amazing! Calming and took me straight to the beach. And... Next month - cannot wait. Is it too early to stalk the postman again??" - Anne-Marie 

"Thank you SO much for delivering my candle box Beth! I have the new candle burning already. It's devine!" - Kiri

"I especially love the box this month and next month's scent is 10/10" - Tini

Want to See the Full Unboxing?

If you’d like to see everything included in the Rock Salt & Sage box and hear more about the inspiration behind it, you can watch our live unboxing here.

Limited One-Off Boxes Available

Our Candle Club boxes and scents are exclusive and one-of-a-kind. Each month, we release a small number of extra boxes as one-off purchases.

Once these Rock Salt & Sage one-offs are gone, they won’t return.

If this sounds like your kind of late-summer moment, now’s the time.

And if you never want to miss a scent, you can join Candle Club here and receive each collection as it’s released.

Meet the Maker: Bex of R Ceramics

When planning our February (final summer) collection, Rock Salt & Sage, I knew I wanted to include something locally handmade and special.

Something that would live in your home long after the candle had finished — holding rings by the sink, a tea light on the coffee table or those tiny treasures that gather beside your bed.

That’s when I thought of Bex.

How I First Met Bex

I first met Bex, the maker behind R Ceramics, years ago at a “Your Local” Christmas market. I was right next to her table and was impressed by how beautiful her pieces were, and how quickly they sold. I was immediately drawn in by the soft neutral tones, the unique designs and the little details.

I since purchased two of her signature dimple mugs and I use them every single morning.

There’s something so cozy about starting your day with home brew coffee in a handmade mug, candle lit.

So when I began dreaming up this month’s box, it felt right to reach out.

Bex now creates from her studio on her family farm in the Hunua Ranges, just southeast of Auckland.

The ceramic trinket dishes tucked inside this month’s Candle Club boxes were made by Bex — each one slightly unique, each one formed and finished by hand.

A small place to land your rings, earrings, tea light samples or everyday treasures.

An Interview with Bex of R Ceramics

I wanted you to meet the hands behind the clay, so I asked Bex a few questions about her journey.

Beth: Hi Bex! To begin, how did your journey with clay begin?

Bex: The first time I sat at a potter’s wheel, I was completely hooked. Not long after, I was gifted an old wheel that had been tucked away in someone’s garage — and that really set things in motion.

Beth: You left your job as a magazine designer to pursue ceramics — how did that leap feel?

Bex: Equal parts terrifying and exciting. Design has always been part of who I am, but clay offered something more tactile. I wanted to explore where that feeling could take me — and I’m so glad I listened to that nudge.

Beth: Your work is beautifully functional and your design eye really shines through. What draws you to creating pieces meant to be used every day?

Bex: I love the idea that something handmade can become part of someone’s everyday. A small dish, a mug, a bowl — these are the pieces we reach for again and again. There’s something really special about that.

Beth: I completely agree — your mugs make me smile every time I reach for them. Tell us about your studio space where you create these pieces.

Bex: Thanks to my very handy husband, I now work from a small but beautiful studio on our family farm in the Hunua Ranges, southeast of Auckland. It’s quiet, surrounded by nature, and feels like the perfect place to create.

Beth: When you’re not in the studio, what fills your days?

Bex: I spend a lot of time with our two sons, waiting for pots to dry or cracking open the kiln. I still design for a few clients, grow flowers and vegetables in our garden, and love hiking in the ranges whenever I can.

Beth: What do you hope people feel when they use one of your pieces?

Bex: I hope they feel a sense of calm and connection — and maybe a small moment of joy. That’s always the goal.

Why We Included Her Work in Rock Salt & Sage

This month’s scent is windswept coastlines, mineral air and earthy sage carried on a cool breeze. It’s clean, beachy but grounding — our gentle goodbye to summer before cooler days arrive.

Pairing that with a handmade ceramic piece just felt right. Clay is grounding, earthy, tactile. Reaching for a handmade object signals something to your nervous system — you can relax, you're looked after, you deserve a moment. And that’s what Candle Club has always been about.

A Gift for Our Community

Bex has generously offered our community 10% off her online store until March 31, 2026.

Use code:

LITTLEBATCH10

If you’ve been eyeing her dimple mugs (highly recommend), a serving bowl or another trinket dish — now is the perfect time.

You can explore her work at rceramics.co.nz or follow along on Instagram at @r__ceramics.

Closing

I’m so grateful to collaborate with makers like Bex — women building beautiful things slowly, thoughtfully and with intention.

If you’re a February subscriber, I’d love to know — how are you using your trinket dish? Beside the sink? On your bedside table? Holding your tea light sample?

And if you’re not yet part of Candle Club, we’d love to welcome you.