When the Clocks Go Back: A Candle Care Guide for Darker Evenings

This Sunday the clocks go back, and by teatime it'll be dark outside. I know some people dread it, but I've always loved this part of the year. The house feels a little smaller and a lot cosier, and lighting the first candle before tea becomes a tiny ritual that marks the end of the working day.

Our candles are going to work a lot harder over the next few months, so this felt like the right moment to share the candle care tips we give everyone who visits the shop. A few small habits make a natural candle burn more cleanly, smell better and last a great deal longer.

Why candle care matters more in winter

Our natural botanical candles are hand-poured in our perfumed workshop in Stratford-upon-Avon, using pure essential oils and sustainable plant waxes. Plant wax burns softly and slowly, but it has a memory. How you burn a candle the first few times decides how it burns for the rest of its life.

Through the darker months most of us light a candle most evenings rather than now and then. Good candle care is the difference between a candle that tunnels and is finished in a few weeks and one that sees you through to Christmas.

How to burn a candle properly: the first burn

If you remember only one thing from this guide, make it this. The first time you light a new candle, let it burn until the melted wax reaches the edge of the glass.

That usually takes a couple of hours, so light a new candle on an evening when you're settling in rather than popping out. If you blow it out early, the wax sets with a ring left around the edge. From then on the candle will only melt down the middle, a problem called tunnelling.

How to stop a candle tunnelling

Tunnelling is the most common candle complaint we hear, and it's nearly always down to short burns. To prevent it:

• Always let the melt pool reach the edge of the glass before you blow the candle out, not just on the first burn.
• Choose the right size for the moment. If you only have half an hour, a travel candle is a better choice than a full-size one.
• Keep the candle out of draughts, which push the flame to one side and melt the wax unevenly.

If a candle has already started to tunnel, a longer burn of a few hours on a quiet evening can often help the wax level out again.

How to trim a candle wick

Before every burn, trim the wick to about 5mm. A long wick burns too hot. It flickers, smokes and leaves soot on the glass, and it uses the candle up faster too.

Trim it when the candle is cool and the wax has set, using wick trimmers or small scissors. Tip the trimmings into the bin rather than leaving them in the wax.

How long should you burn a candle for?

Long enough for a full melt pool, but no more than about four hours at a time. After that the wick can mushroom and the flame can grow too large. If you'd like candlelight all evening, blow it out, let it cool, trim the wick and relight it.

Candle safety for darker evenings

• Never leave a lit candle unattended, and keep it out of reach of children and pets.
• Place candles on a heat-resistant surface, away from curtains, shelves and anything that might catch.
• Don't move a candle while the wax is liquid.
• Stop burning when about 1cm of wax is left in the bottom of the glass.
• Snuff the flame or dip the wick rather than blowing hard, which avoids spraying wax and smoke.

Our favourite candles for when the clocks go back

These are the candles that come out at our house once the evenings draw in:

Winter Spice

Warm and comforting, it's the candle that tells everyone the season has properly turned. Shop Winter Spice.

Oakmoss & Sandalwood

Woody and grounding, it's perfect for a living room on a dark evening. Shop Oakmoss & Sandalwood.

Frankincense, Lavender & Geranium

Our calmer choice, it's the one to light in the bedroom as the evening winds down. Shop Frankincense, Lavender & Geranium.

Patchouli Deep

Rich and deep, for the evenings when you want the room to feel enveloping. Shop Patchouli Deep.

All of our full-size candles are £36. If you can't choose, the Grounding Candle Trio Gift Set is a lovely way to try more than one, and it makes a thoughtful early Christmas gift.

When your candle is finished

Once your candle reaches the last centimetre, don't throw the jar away. Have a look at our Recycle Scheme to find out how to give it a second life.

Shop all candles here.