It’s not broken. It just needs a little care.
This is one of the most common things I hear from customers and I get it. You light your new candle, you’re excited, the scent fills the room… and then the flame goes out. You try again. Still nothing. And now you’re wondering: is it defective? Did I do something wrong? If this sounds familiar, and you’re not alone. More importantly, you’re not doing anything wrong.
Start here: Trim the wick. Every time.
The truth is, wood wicks are different. They’re meant to be short. Like, ⅛ inch short. If your flame won’t stay lit, 9 times out of 10 it just needs a fresh trim.
Even if it looks short already, trim it again, that charred part isn’t pulling wax anymore. It’s done its job. What the wick needs is fresh wood.
You don’t need special tools, just pinch the top with your fingers once the wax is cooled, or use a wick trimmer or nail clippers. If the wick is too long, it can’t pull the wax up fast enough to stay lit. If it’s too coated in old wax, it drowns.
Let it burn long enough
That first burn? It matters. A lot.
Wax has memory and if you blow out your candle too early (before it melts to the edge), it might tunnel. That means wax builds up around the wick, trapping it and making it hard to relight later.
Give it time to melt all the way across. Light it when you know you have at least 1–2 hours to let it settle in. You’re not just burning a candle, you’re setting the stage for every burn that follows.
If the wick is drowning
Sometimes a wick looks fine, but it still won’t stay lit. You might notice wax pooling around it or the flame flickering out even after trimming. If that happens:
- Let the candle cool
- Scoop a little wax out from around the wick with a spoon or tissue
-
Trim again and try relighting
It’s just giving the wick space to breathe.
Still won’t light? I’ve got you.
At Luceria, we test every formula for clean, even burns but if something’s off, I want to make it right. Just reach out. I’m a real human behind this brand, and I’m here to help you get the most out of your candle.
