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Winding down with your favourite scented candle is one of the best ways to end a day, but after a while, do you ever notice that your candles aren’t burning as efficiently as they used to? The truth is that most people have never been taught at-home candle care and neglect their used candles until they replace them with newer ones. Learning how to take care of your candles is the best way to extend their lifespan and enjoy the sweet scents for longer.

Taking care of your candles will make them:

◦ Last longer
◦ Smell stronger
◦ Look nicer
◦ Burn slowly

What are you waiting for? Here are our top 3 tips for at-home candle care:

Ensure you are burning your candle safely.

Whenever handling an open flame, it is important to consider all safety precautions – especially for candles that you burn inside your home. Burning a candle safely allows you to relax and enjoy the sweet aromas without worrying about what could go wrong. Here are some important factors to keep in mind when burning candles:

Avoid lighting your candle where there is a draft or air vent.
Never leave a lit candle unattended.
Wait until hot candle wax solidifies before moving a candle that was lit.
Make sure your candle is far from anything that could catch on fire, such as curtains, furniture, carpet, or books.
Keep candles far from pets and children.

Safety is the most important aspect of candle care to consider to ensure an enjoyable burning experience, so make sure to take all of these factors into account.

Trim your candle wicks to promote an even burn.

This essential aspect of candle care is one of the best methods to ensure your candle will burn evenly. When a candle wick gets too long it can become crooked which can encourage smokiness or soot debris in the candle wax and along the candle container, so by maintaining a short, clean wick, you can optimize your burn and extend your candle’s lifespan.

Let the surface of your candle melt the first time you burn your candle to avoid the “tunnelling” effect.

The first time you light a candle sets the tone for how your candle will burn for the rest of its lifespan, so it’s important to do it the right way. Letting the candle burn until the entire surface of wax melts instead of blowing it out when only a small circle has melted helps prevent tunnelling and promotes an even burn going forward. For the best effect, it is beneficial to allow your candle to melt completely across the surface every time you burn it, so you don’t waste any wax.

Learning how to take care of your candles will not only make them last longer but will also optimize your candle-burning experience. When you follow our candle care tips, you can enjoy the sweet-scented aromas of your candles without waste and feel comforted knowing you are safe and secure. For more candle care tips or to add to your candle collection, check out Forever and More Candles today!

Romanticizing the seasons of the year in whichever way you can is a great way to remain present in the moment, and one great way to soak in the summer vibes is to invest in scented candles that remind you of this time of year. Candles are commonly associated with the cooler seasons as a way to get cozy when you are stuck indoors, but if you choose your scent wisely, candles can be just as enjoyable to create a soothing ambience during the summer months.

Here are some ideas for summer scented candles that you can enjoy during the warmer months:

• Fun and Fruity

Summer is the perfect time of year to eat copious amounts of juicy fruits and veggies, so why not continue the trend by adding a fruity-scented candle to your collection? Whether you prefer a rich berry blend or something softer and sweeter, there’s no doubt that you will embrace the summer mood with a fresh and fruity aroma in the background.

• Zesty and Energizing

If you prefer something a little funkier, a zesty candle scent may be the perfect summer fragrance to introduce to your home. The hot summer sun can drain the energy from us, but the lively scent of a citrus candle can give you that subtle boost of energy to get you ready for the day. Whether you choose a pure fruit scent or a blend of lemongrass and citronella fragrances, your summer atmosphere will be complete with a zesty-scented candle.

• Dreamy and Sophisticated

For a scent that is compatible with the relaxing nature of summer but provides an extra level of sophistication to your environment, candles with notes of chamomile and green tea leaves may be the perfect option for you. Scented candles can be strong and distracting or subtle and soft, so why not impress your friends with a pleasant fragrance that sits somewhere in the middle?

• Clean and Refreshing

Although much of the summer is spent having fun with loved ones and enjoying the warm weather, this can also be a great time to reset your home with a clean and calming scented candle. A calming scented blend of jasmine, vanilla, and cedarwood is a great option to create a refreshing atmosphere that still embodies the liveliness of the summer season.

• Balmy and Relaxing

For many people, summer is all about the breezy evenings spent outdoors near the salty ocean air, so why not find a candle scent that embodies a peaceful summer night? Soothing scents containing a floral and honey blend will help you unwind at the end of the day with a unique, relaxing aroma.

Finding your favourite scent to match the season is an excellent way to spice up your living space and appreciate the current time of year. Ditch the connotation that candles belong to autumn and check out the natural summer scented candles at Forever and More. Enjoy the present moment and embrace the summer season by choosing a scented candle with a unique blend of fragrances to optimize your atmosphere.

Introducing fragrance into your living space is a great way to make yourself feel at home, and reed diffuser sticks are a trendy method that allows you to create a dreamy aroma without the worry of having an open flame. While the quality of oils you are using with your diffuser affects the efficiency of scent dispersion, the type of reeds you use may be the most impactful factor in creating a fragrant aroma in your home. Bamboo reeds and fibre reeds are two of the most common reed sticks that are utilized for diffusers, so when choosing your diffuser approach, it is important to understand how diffuser reed sticks work and the differences between reed sticks so you can find the best option for you.

How Diffuser Reed Sticks Work

As opposed to burning a scented candle or incense to create a fragrant-smelling atmosphere, reed diffuser sticks are an excellent flameless method that produces similar results. To use a diffuser stick, fill a jar or vessel with your favourite fragrant oils and place your diffuser reed sticks inside as if you were putting flowers in a vase. The structure of the reed sticks naturally absorbs the fragrance up into the stick before the scent evaporates and disperses into the air.

Different types of reed sticks that can be used for diffusing essential oils, but two of the most common forms are bamboo reed sticks and fibre reed sticks.

Bamboo Reed Sticks

Bamboo reed sticks are one of the most common forms of diffusers used to disperse fragrant molecules into the air. Bamboo reeds contain tubular hollows up the length of the stick that allows the oil to inherently travel up the tube and diffuse into the surrounding space. Unlike other forms of reeds, the channels in natural bamboo reeds also contain nodes, which can inhibit the efficiency of scent diffusion. Bamboo reeds can be a more affordable option for a diffuser even though the wood material of the bamboo reeds disperses a milder scent when compared to other forms of reed sticks.

Fibre Reed Sticks

Fibre reeds are manufactured for the specific purpose of diffusing oils, and for that reason, this is one of the most efficient materials for absorbing oil. Although fibre reeds are manmade and cannot be found naturally like bamboo reeds, the uniform layout of the pores allows for optimal oil distribution. Additionally, the fibrous threads of these reeds are more compatible than wooden reeds are at soaking up and diffusing a strong scent. Another benefit of fibre reeds is that they are sometimes available in different colours, allowing you to match your diffuser with the aesthetic of the room.

If you are looking for an alternative method to elevate the atmosphere in your home, fibre reed diffuser sticksare a great way to disperse your favourite fragrances without worrying about having an open flame. When you grow your collection of diffusers, there is no limit to the sweet smells you can bring to your home. For more tips on how to bring fragrance to your living space or to shop a stunning collection of fibre diffuser options, head to Forever and More Candles for all of your scent-spreading needs.

Scented candles are a great way to tie a room together, but when filtering through the abundance of candles on the market, it can be difficult to determine which candle will work best for you. Not all candles are built the same – in fact, the different materials that can be used to create candle bases can significantly impact the functionality of a candle as well as its environmental impact. The most common candle base ingredients are soy wax and paraffin wax, and while burning either of these scented candles is a fun way to add dimension to a living space, it is important to evaluate the differences these waxes can make before making the decision of which candle to buy.

• Soy candles are made from different ingredients than paraffin wax candles

Soy candles are considered natural because they are made from, you guessed it, soybeans. This sustainable candle base is an environmentally friendly option because there is always the possibility to grow more soybeans to create more natural candles.

Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum, and though this original wax base is effective for candles to burn, this non-renewable resource emits fossil fuels in the air which causes more harm to the environment compared to soy candles.

• Candles made from soy and paraffin wax burn at different rates

Soy candles have a low melting point compared to paraffin wax candles, meaning the candle wax turns to liquid at lower temperatures. With less heat required for a candle to burn, a soy candle will burn more slowly, allowing you to enjoy the candle for longer.

Paraffin wax has a large crystalline chemical structure that causes it to have a higher melting point than soy candles. When these candles require a high temperature to burn, these candles not only put you in danger of getting burned by the hot wax, but they also melt much more quickly than a soy candle of the same size and shape.

• The strength of the fragrance varies between soy and paraffin wax candles

The purpose of scented candles is to enjoy the beautiful fragrance released while it is burning, and the natural base of soy candles is known to release a stronger scent than paraffin wax. Compared to paraffin candles, the natural ingredients of soy candles have a pure, rich scent that travels throughout a room.

Although the toxins found in paraffin wax candles are in low enough quantities that they aren’t thought to be harmful to human health, the chemical byproducts emitted while burning these candles often have smells that compete with the fragrance of the scented candle when lit, making the fragrance less pure than soy candles.

When you are choosing between soy or paraffin wax candles to add to your collection, choosing a high-quality soy wax candle is the perfect option that is environmentally friendly, slow-burning, and strong-smelling. Scented candles can change the atmosphere of your home, so if you are ready to fall in love with your living space again, treat yourself to a natural soy candle from Forever and More Candles!

Buying someone a candle as a gift is one of the most reliable options out there – after all, everyone can agree that there is nothing sweeter than making your home smell nice. Although there are staple candle scents available at every store that can be good options, it is much more meaningful to choose a personalized scent for that special someone that you know they will enjoy. While it may seem daunting to figure out which scent will be the perfect option to gift your loved ones, here are some tips to make the process more approachable:

1. Remember that favourite scents are not always best suited for candles.

The first tip may be the most important because although you may like a scent on some occasions, not all fragrances are desirable when in the form of a candle. For example, even if your favourite food is chocolate and the smell alone makes your mouth water, this might not be the ideal smell for your home. Instead, it is good to take a practical approach and think about where and when you like to enjoy scented candles.

2. Imagine where you think this person will put and light their scented candle.

There are many different places within a home where a candle can be placed, such as the kitchen, living room, office, bedroom, or bathroom, and each location may be more compatible with a certain type of scent. By considering where a person would put their scented candle, you can decide whether they’d prefer a scent on the soothing side or something more lively smelling.

3. Make a list of everything you know about your gift recipient.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself about your friend’s interests when brainstorming the perfect candle scent:

◦ What are their favourite foods and drinks?
◦ What are their favourite hobbies?
◦ What is their ideal way to spend a weekend?
◦ Are they a morning person or a night owl?
◦ Are they a homebody or social butterfly?
◦ Do they prefer a sweet or savoury snack?
◦ Would you consider them clean or messy?
◦ What is their favourite season?

Once you have put some thought into some (or all) of these questions, it is time to consider different scents that may be compatible with their interests.

4. Identify which scents may correlate with their likes

While this step is subjective, you can use your creativity when matching candle scents to your gift recipient’s favourite things. If they are a neat freak who loves waking up early, an earthy twist on a classic vanilla candle may be the perfect option. Alternatively, if they love hiking and the outdoors, a refreshing floral-scented candle may be perfect for them.

Although many candle scents are universally popular, everyone has a preference, so personalized scented candles are one of the best ways to treat your friends and family when it comes time to get them a gift. This thoughtful present highlights just how well you know that person, and by considering who your gift recipient is before browsing scents, you can follow your intuition to find a scent you know they will love. What are you waiting for? Check out Forever and More Candles to get started shopping for a personalized gift.Mar