Candles, explained — not sold
Section 04
How candles are made — the decisions, the tolerances, and the points where things go wrong before the candle ever reaches you.
The number on the thermometer shapes the candle more than most makers acknowledge — and most candle problems have pour temperature somewhere in their history.
Getting the wick right is the single most consequential decision in candle making — and the one most likely to be underdone.
The container is not passive. Its geometry determines how heat builds, how air reaches the flame, and whether the wax ever stands a chance of melting evenly.
Burn testing is the unglamorous, time-consuming work that separates a candle that performs from one that merely looks good on a shelf.