Candle Hunting: How to Sniff Out the Most High-Quality Options
When it comes to differentiating between premium and lower-quality scented candles, appearances can be deceiving. While an eye-catching design and a hefty price tag might suggest luxury, these factors alone don't guarantee a high-quality product. Instead, it's essential to delve deeper into what actually matters: the materials and craftsmanship behind the candle.
Luxury candles stand out due to their longer burn times, which are often a result of using high-quality waxes such as soy or beeswax. These waxes not only burn cleaner but also last longer compared to paraffin, a common ingredient in cheaper options. Additionally, premium candles use higher concentrations of fragrance oils, ensuring a more potent and enduring scent. The complexity of the fragrance blend is another hallmark of luxury; premium candles often feature layered and sophisticated scents that evolve over time, compared to the more straightforward and fleeting aromas of their lower-quality counterparts.
However, it's crucial to remain vigilant, as some candles may mislead consumers with their high prices, fancy names, and elaborate packaging. These aspects can create an illusion of quality that doesn't necessarily correspond with the actual product. Therefore, when evaluating scented candles, focus on the ingredients list, the type of wax used, the concentration of essential oils, and customer reviews. By prioritizing substance over style, you can better discern which candles are truly worth your investment.
Cleaner ingredients
Type of Wax
Paraffin wax produces more soot compared to other waxes, leading to the black residue around candle jars. To minimize air quality impact, consider opting for non-toxic candle waxes like soy, beeswax, or coconut wax.
All Bencao herbalist scented candles are crafted from 100% natural soy wax, feature wooden crackling wicks, and are lovingly hand-poured in Williston Park, NY.
Type of Wick
The wick stands out as a crucial factor to keep in mind when purchasing candles. Many inexpensive scented candles utilize lead wicks, which can pose health risks.
Bencao Herbalist candles exclusively feature wooden crackling wicks, offering a more sustainable option than traditional cotton wicks. These wooden wicks distribute heat evenly, promoting a cleaner, soot-free burn and extending the candle's lifespan. Unlike cotton wicks that require pesticides and water during production, wooden wicks are environmentally friendly. The lower flame of a wooden wick warms the surrounding wax instead of rapidly burning it, enhancing the candle's fragrance dispersion.
Having said that, it's crucial to ensure that the candle wick is neither too large nor too small. If the wick is too small, it might not generate sufficient heat to create a melt pool, leading to it being extinguished by the melted wax each time it's lit. On the other hand, a wick that is too large could result in soot production and a faster burn rate, reducing the overall burn time of the candle. Moreover, in the case of glass or container candles, an oversized wick could overheat the container, potentially causing cracks or breakage.
Type of Scent
An unlit candle with a strong scent may not distribute the fragrance effectively when lit. Excessive fragrance or low-quality synthetic scents can be overwhelming and unpleasant. A high-quality scented candle will have the right amount of fragrance, use a high concentration of essential oils, blend notes harmoniously, disperse the scent evenly, and avoid causing headaches.
All Bencao herbalist scented candles use phthalate-free fragrance and essential oil blends.
Cleaner Burn
A high-quality candle can be identified by its clean and even burn, forming a pool of liquid wax across the entire surface within 2 to 4 hours. Remember to adhere to the product guidelines, including the recommended initial burn time, which can be found on our packaging.
Burning Hours
The burning time of a candle is determined by its composition, not its size. To ensure a longer burn time, opt for a candle crafted with a precise blend of quality wax, a generous amount of fragrance oils, and appropriate wicks selected based on the specific wax type and candle size ratio.
The Bencao Herbalist Candle has a burn time of over 40 hours for our 7oz candle. We conduct thorough testing on all batches to guarantee product quality before introducing them to the market.