If you've ever wondered why candle makers don't just pour a candle, let it cool, and immediately call it finished, there's actually a little more to it.
One of those steps is curing.
And while it may not be the most exciting part of making candles, it can make a difference in how a candle performs.
So...What Is Candle Curing?
Curing is the period of time a candle is allowed to rest after it has been poured.
Even after the wax has cooled and the candle looks completely finished, the wax and fragrance continue to settle and develop.
One of the biggest reasons curing matters is fragrance performance.
The way a candle smells before it's lit (cold throw) and the way it smells while burning (hot throw) can change as the candle cures.
So if I test a candle too soon, I may not get an accurate idea of how it will actually perform.
Do Some Waxes Take Longer to Cure?
Yep!
Generally, paraffin waxes can be ready to test after just a couple of days, while more natural waxes tend to need more time...often a couple of weeks.
LẸWA candles are made with a coconut and beeswax blend, so patience is definitely part of my process.
But If the Candle Is Solid, Isn't It Finished?
Not necessarily.
This is probably one of the easiest things to misunderstand about curing.
Once the candle has cooled, it certainly looks finished. The wax is solid, the jar is ready, and you could light it.
But looking finished and being ready to properly evaluate the candle aren't necessarily the same thing.
That's why I give my candles time to cure before I start judging how they're going to perform.
So...What's After Curing?!
TESTING, OF COURSE!!
Curing is only part of the process.
Once a candle has had time to cure, I need to actually burn it and see how it performs.
I'm looking at things like the wick, flame, melt pool, tunneling, soot, fragrance, and how the candle behaves throughout the burn.
Sometimes everything looks great.
Sometimes something needs to be adjusted.
And sometimes... that means testing again.
So...What Do I Do Here at LẸWA?
I wait.
I test.
I take notes.
And I try not to get too impatient 😂
Because I don't want to simply make a candle that smells good. I want to know how that candle actually performs once it's lit.
LEWA candles are made in small batches, which gives me the opportunity to pay attention to those details.
I may get excited about a fragrance and want to move on to the next thing, but I would rather take my time than rush something just because I'm ready to call it finished.
Why Don't I Rush the Process?
I'll be honest...it's easy to get excited when you're making candles.
You have a fragrance you love. You pour it. You smell it and think, "Oh, this is going to be good!!"
And then comes the waiting😂
But that waiting is part of the process.
And sometimes...it doesn't go as you thought!
At LẸWA, I want to feel confident about what I'm putting my name on. And sometimes that means giving a candle a little more time, burning it, making an adjustment, and trying again.
You may never see all of that when you pick up a finished candle. And that's okay!
Because the goal is for you to simply enjoy the candle.
The Key Takeaway Here...
Curing is one of those behind-the-scenes parts of candle making that you may never think about when you're lighting a candle.
But it's part of what happens before that candle makes its way to you.
So the next time you light a LẸWA candle, know that there's a little (well, a lot😂 of) patience behind it.
Because making the candle is only part of the process.
Taking the time to make sure it's ready is part of it too ❤️