Pillar candles are made without a container such as a glass or ceramic pot so they need to be burned on a candle holder or plate to protect surfaces and catch any drips. Having said that, if burned properly, you shouldn't get any drips!
Here's how you do it!
- Put your pillar candle on a candle holder or plate on a flat and level surface, away from drafts, small children, and pets. Make sure there are no overhanging plants or other objects near to the candle.
- Use a wick trimmer or a pair of scissors to trim the wick to 1cm long.
- Light the candle and give the flame 30 second to settle. If there is any smoking, blow the candle out and slightly trim the wick again before re-lighting.
- Follow the instructions with your candle for how long it should be burnt each time you light it. This is important because if you burn it for too little time it will tunnel and you'll need to discard the candle after only a few hours. If you burn it for too long, it will drip and the sides may burst, leaking wax.
- For our super sized pillars we recommend that you burn them for 6 hours each time you light them. Pillar candles should not melt all the way across the top to form a full melt pool as with container candles. Instead you should be left with 1-1.5cm of wax all the way around the side of the candle which is unmelted, but warm enough to be flexible.
- As the candle melts and the sides become flexible, use your hand to "hug" in the sides of the candle. This means that you shape your hands around the top of the candle, and gently push the sides in a little. Continue to do this at the end of each burn and it will ensure you get the best from your pillar candle. The candle below is our smallest size, and it's been burning for over 72 hours at this point. You can see that the top of the candle is curving inwards - that's where I've hugged it in. With "hugging", your candle will get shorter as it burns and you can discard it once you have 2cm of wax left.
