Candle Questions
Wet spots!!! Every candle maker has them, and if you don't believe me, I bet you a dollar the next time you go to a big box candle store, look closely at their candle jars. Many jars/vessels are wrapped in design, so the eye does not recognize the wet spots, but they are there. Oh yes, when I started looking, I found them everywhere.
Wet spots or areas that appear to have air are very common in jars. Usually, you find these spots that look wet or appear to have air in certain areas or pockets in jars/vessels when the temperature fluctuates during the candle-making process. "How was I supposed to know I couldn't pour hot candle wax in a cold room?
Wet spots are also found when hot wax is poured into a cold container. "Here we go again with the temperature thing."
Wet spots can also be found when candles cool too fast. "I was so excited when making candles that I attempted to speed up the process. This attempt left wet spots in my jars. "Did I ever tell you I was new to this candle-making thing?"
Ultimately, wet spots in NO WAY will limit the performance of your candle. The spots may not look appealing, but who cares as long as the scent carries, and you can close your eyes and travel to the place of the unknown… at least unknown to everyone else. I already said I was new to making candles, right????"
Let me provide you with an "OMG, I never knew that," response to this question.
Did you know candles have a memory? When a candle is burned for the very first time, the initial burn creates a wax pattern. For each burn after the first, the candle wax will only burn in the areas in which it initially burned, causing it to have a memory. Knowing this, "be sure to burn your candle for the first time at least for two hours, although it does depend on the size of your candle. If you don't have two hours to spare, choose a time to burn your candle when you have more time, thus creating a longer-lasting candle. You want the candle to burn, stretching across the top (diameter) of the candle. If not, your candle will start and stop in the same areas where it started and stopped during your initial burn. Usually, a candle burns for one hour for every one inch in width. "Yup, I told you this was mind-blowing information. Who knew? Lots of other people may have known, but I didn't and thought I would share this secret."
This process is called tunneling. Tunneling happens when the center of the candle burns at a faster rate of speed than the outer rim of the candle. There are many causes for a candle to tunnel. Variables include the size of your candle, the wick size, the wax type used, and... back to candle memory "if the candle wax when melted has not stretched or reached its diameter of the candle." This will cause the candle to burn only in certain areas, thus creating the appearance of a "tunnel" in the center of the candle.
Interesting Candle Facts
Some people may experience a phenomenon known as "phantosmia," or phantom smells, where they think they smell something that isn't there. At times, the brain can trick us into thinking we smell a candle when none is burning at all.
September is recognized as National Candle Month in the United States, where the art and enjoyment of candle-making and candle use are celebrated.
It has been estimated that Americans use an average of 1.5 billion pounds of wax each year, much of which is for candles used during power outages.
The world's largest candle was created in 2014 in Mexico. It weighed over 8,000 pounds and was more than 50 feet tall.