We love chatting with our customers about all things home fragrance! Over the years, we have noticed a few common questions popping up about candle safety, wax quality, and care.
To help you get the most out of your luxury home fragrance, here are the top 5 questions we get asked at Dukeswickflame, along with our expert tips for a clean, safe burn.
1. Are Some Scented Candles Bad to Light Often?
You might have seen videos online claiming that lighting candles frequently can be bad for your health. When it comes to clean burning, the key is always the ingredients.
Most of those warning videos are focused primarily on mass-produced paraffin wax candles (which suppliers have recently started labeling as 'mineral oil wax').Paraffin is derived from crude oil, and these candles may emit soot and toxins when lit. When you couple paraffin with low-quality fragrance oils containing parabens etc and cheap wicks, you create a lot of indoor pollution. They are cheaper to buy because they are mass-produced by machines with cheaper ingredients. .
At Dukeswickflame, we do things differently. Artisan, small-batch candles use the finest quality, clean-burning ingredients, all carefully sourcedwithintheUK. Our candles are hand-poured using 100% pure soy wax with paraben-free, cruelty-free, and vegan-friendly oils. It takes years of rigorous testing to get the perfect balance for a clean burn. We never use soy 'blends' or hide mineral oils or other ingredients in our wax—just pure, natural ingredients you can trust.
2. Why Don't You Make Candles That Look Like Food or Drink?
We often get asked why we don't make novelty candles that look like ice cream sundae desserts or gingerbread lattes. While they look beautiful, there is a very important legal and safety reason why we don't.
In the UK, we are governed by the Food Imitation (Safety) Regulations. This law strictly prohibits the marketing and sale of non-edible products—like candles and wax melts—that could easily be confused with real food or drink. This is a vital safety measure designed to protect children and vulnerable people from accidentally consuming wax. Simply putting a "Do Not Consume" label on the jar is not legally sufficient. At Dukeswickflame, your safety is always paramount above anything else.
3. What is Candle Sweating? (Tiny Beads of Oil on Soy Wax)
If you notice tiny, wet beads appearing on top of your candle, do not worry! This is called "sweating," and it is actually the ultimate proof that your candle is made of 100% pure soy wax.
Natural soy wax has a relatively low melting point and is highly sensitive to outside temperature changes. When the environment shifts during a heatwave or a sudden cold snap, the wax's natural plant oils try to reform, causing them to pool slightly on the surface. It does not affect the quality or burn of your candle at all. To minimize this, it is always best to store your candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
(Note: In some lower-quality candles, sweating can also happen if the fragrance oil and wax weren't mixed at the exact right temperature or stirred long enough to bind properly during the curing stage. We rigorously test every batch to ensure a perfect molecular bond!)
4. Is There a Maximum Burn Time for Candles?
Yes, absolutely. Adhering to maximum candle burn times is incredibly important for both safety and performance.
Some people think they can just light a candle for 20 minutes (which is too short and causes tunneling), while others leave them burning all day. Both habits damage your candle.
Every candle size has a specific safe limit for how long it can stay lit at one time. Burning a candle for too long overheats the glass container and degrades the fragrance oils, ruining your scent throw. Our burn times are thoroughly tested before any candle is released. You can easily find the exact safe limits for your specific jar size stated on the CLP safety label at the base of our candles, on the back of our luxury packaging boxes, on your included Care Guide, or under the "Care" dropdown menu on our website product pages.
5. How Do You Remove Leftover Wax to Reuse Candle Jars?
One of the best things about natural soy wax is how eco-friendly and easy it is to clean up. Unlike stubborn paraffin wax, soy wax is water-soluble.
Once your candle is finished, simply wash the container out using warm, soapy water and a soft cloth. The remaining wax will melt away effortlessly. Once dry, you can completely upcycle and reuse your beautiful glass containers as makeup brush holders, small plant pots, or stationery storage around your home!
Thank you so much for sending in your questions! If you have any more candle care questions, feel free to drop us a message.Lisa x