GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR SOY WAX CANDLE

This may seem like some basic information, I mean who doesn’t know how to burn a soy wax candle? You just light it don’t you? Well, that’s one way of doing it but soy wax is magical stuff and it’s important to set aside the right amount of time to burn and get the most from your soy wax candle.

How much time have you got?

If you have four hours of uninterrupted candle time then lighting a brand new large Mella candle tin is ideal. Only got three hours, a small Mella travel candle is perfect….anything less then consider lighting a tealight! If you have unexpected guests turning up and you just want a wee burst of fragrance, try a wax melt!

Soy wax is magical stuff, it has a memory and lighting a candle is all about memories, creating them and bringing them back to life through a beautiful scent. You see, the first time you light your soy candle the wax memorises how far it melts to reach the side of the container, amazing huh?

To get the most from your soy wax candle it’s really important to make sure you have set aside enough time for the wax to reach a full (or pretty much full) melt pool. This way the wax will melt to the same point the next time you light it and you will get the most from your gorgeous scented candle. If you blow out your candle before it’s reached a full melt pool it will only remember to melt as far as the first burn. The wax around the edge will stay solid and the candle will begin to tunnel and the pool of wax will mean the wick won’t have enough oxygen around it to burn and your poor candle will never reach its full potential.

SOME BASIC CANDLE RULES

Having said that here are some safety rules for when you burn your Mella soy wax candle. Never burn a candle for more than four hours and always make sure that the container isn’t getting too hot to touch.

Keep your wicks trimmed. The ideal length that the wick should be is 5mm. Your candle is made by me so the wick will be at the perfect length for the first time you light it.

Why is trimming the wick so important? Having a trimmed wick each time you light it means that prevents a build up on the wick, this is called mushrooming, it looks like a little nobbly bit on the end of the wick. If your wick is too long it means your candle will burn faster and you’ll have less time to enjoy your lovely scented candle.

Also, a longer wick will make the flame dance and flap around, which might look cool but is not safe.

The other rules are pretty basic. Never leave your candle unattended or around unsupervised children or pets. Place on a heat resistant surface, coasters are pretty good and keep out of drafts.

So, make the first burn count and make sure you have enough time to get the most from your soy wax candle, keep the wick trimmed and enjoy!

The summer is whizzing by……hope you are managing to enjoy it! Restrictions are pretty much fully relaxed now and I don’t know about you but I’m still feeling nervous about it all. I’m probably washing my hands more than ever……good thing I have access to lots of really amazing soap! I’ll be keeping my face covering for a while too. My favourites are made by good pal Amy Britton check out her face coverings and other products here www.amybritton.co.uk…..her face coverings offer the best protection and are pretty stylish too! I'm not just telling you about them because she's my chum....they really are the best!

It's PLASTIC FREE JULY this month and I have been trying to find ways of reducing plastic at home and being super careful with recycling. I have been looking at ways to cut down on my use of plastic and I really try and make sure Mella Handmade Soap’s impact on the environment is kept to a minimum too. My soaps are wrapped in compostable paper use aluminium tins for my skincare and candles. 

Here are THREE Easy Eco-swaps you can do TODAY for Plastic Free July and beyond!

1. Use a bar of soap instead of a bottle of liquid soap. Even swapping one bottle for a bar   of soap at home will make a huge difference. 

 
2. Swap your Chapstick for a Mella lip balm in a recyclable tin. It’s much nicer too.

3. Ditch bottles of shampoo and conditioner and use a Mella Shampoo Bar. Mella Shampoo bars come in a handy tin (perfect or taking with you on your next staycation)! If you’re buying a replacement then you can opt to but it without a tin, save some money AND reuse your tin! 

  Mella Shampoo bars are fab, no transition period just lovely clean hair! The bonus is that shampoo bars last much longer than bottles of shampoo too and there is virtually no waste!

 It’s that EASY…….and by doing these things you can massively reduce your plastic bottle use in your own home! I would easily get through at least two bottles of shampoo and conditioner and 2 or 3 bottles of shower gel a month – that’s a massive 60 plastic bottles! There are another two people in my household………it’s amazing!

So, to help you make some changes to reduce your plastic bottle use there is SALE on shampoo bars until the END of July! There’s no code just a saving for you! There are two to choose from Tea Tree and Pink Salt (my favourite) or Lemongrass and Tea Tree If you haven’t tried a shampoo bar before now this is the time! CLICK HERE to get yours now

What else can we do to reduce the use of plastic in our lives? Here’s a few eco-friendly businesses you should check out

Amy Britton Accessories – Speaking of facemasks, Amy has designed re suable and complaint face coverings with THE most stunning designs, check them out her stunning products. www.amybritton.co.uk I love the nature inspired designs.

Tiree Tea – I’m a tea fanatic and was delighted to discover Tiree Tea! Delicious teas from a classic Crofter’s Breakfast blend to Earl Grey and herbal infusion in plastic free teas bags. A guilt-free cuppa. Visit www.tireetea.co.uk

Be Planet Kind is an online eco shop run by Rachel. She is a passionate promoter of eco-friendly products and eco swaps. All the products on her website have been tried and tested by her. Easy ways to reduce plastic in your home. Check out her website and sign up to her newsletter to hear about offers and new products. Visit www.beplanetkind.co.uk

 Cascayde – I LOVE these plantable greetings cards! Such a  great idea for a letter-writing obsessive like me! They have lots of plastic-free products, gift wrap and reusable facemasks. Visit www.cascayde to discover more.

That's it for this month, stay safe and keep washing your hands AND don't forget there's 10% off with code TEAGREENTREATS until the 31st July.

Mel x