Last week I wrote about the life of a candlemaker and promised to add some “hot tips” for caring for your candles. Which I’m doing! But first I have to tell you about three films I saw in the last week. First, I saw the new Bruce Springsteen film Deliver Me From Nowhere. Saying this will endanger my “born in Jersey” card, but I’ve never been a huge Springsteen fan. However, I am a Jeremy Allen White fan, and ended up liking Springsteen more in learning about his backstory. The film made me want to listen to what I hadn’t realized was a sort of tragic, melancholy album written in solitude. The mood of the film is morose, and Rolling Stone notes the mixed reviews.
Next I saw Black Phone 2. I’d seen Black Phone at home and was surprised at how good it was— enough to see the second one. Ethan Hawke is great as the “Grabber” villain in both: a nuanced, almost sympathetic villain— more developed than the old-school Freddy and Jason types. Finney Shaw, played by Mason Thames and his sister Gwen played by Madeleine McGraw, are also fantastic in both films as we see them age from kids to young adults as the “escapees” — a horror film that’s pretty well-written and acted. Finally, I had a fun experience seeing Nosferatu at the historic Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, PA, the site of the filming of the movie The Blob where the movie scene filmed there is recreated each year at “Blobfest.”
Watching Nosferatu now, accompanied by a live vintage organ music, was fun. I was stricken by the “silent film overacting” effect that made some parts unintentionally funny (my god the melodrama of Ellen!)— how can you not laugh at this goofy-eared vampire tip-toeing around carrying his own coffin?
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As a candlemaker, I’m often asked for tips on how to make candles last and perform their best. With just a few easy tweaks, you can keep them burning beautifully from the first light to the last flicker. 1. First and most importantly: always trim the wick. Before you light up, grab some scissors or a wick trimmer and snip that wick down to about a quarter inch. It makes a bigger difference than you’d think—shorter wicks keep the flame steady, prevent sooty black marks, and stop that weird mushroom shape from forming at the top. Clear away the little bits of trimmed wick from the wax before lighting.
2. The first burn sets the tone for every future burn. The first time you light your candle, let it burn until the melted wax reaches all the way to the edges of the jar. Depending on the size, that can take a couple of hours. Candles have memory, and this step trains your candle to melt evenly in the future and prevents tunneling—the annoying crater effect where wax builds up along the sides and wastes half your candle.
3. If tunneling happens, don’t panic. Even the best of us have candles that tunnel. Luckily, it’s an easy fix. Take a piece of aluminum foil, wrap it loosely around the top of the candle, and leave an opening in the middle so the flame can breathe. The trapped heat helps the wax on the edges melt down and even things out again. Keep an eye on it, and in about an hour, it’ll look almost new.
4. Keep your candles out of the wind. Drafts are the enemy of an even burn. If a window’s open or the air conditioner’s blowing, the flame will flicker, the wax will melt unevenly, and you might even get smoke. Set your candle somewhere still so it burns clean and steady.
5. Store them smart. Heat and sunlight are candle killers. Keep your stash in a cool, dry spot—away from windows or radiators. Store scented candles with lids, in boxes or in a cabinet or drawer to protect the fragrance. Candles can absorb other household smells.
6. Don’t overdo the burn time. As cozy as it feels to keep a candle burning all evening, try not to go past four hours at a time. After that, the wick can start to droop or smoke, and the glass might overheat. Snuff it out, let it cool, trim the wick, and relight later for a fresh, clean burn.
Candle care isn’t fussy—it’s just about a little routine. A quick trim here, a steady spot there, and you’ll be amazed how much longer your candles last and how much better they smell. Think of it as self-care for your candles.
— Follow Mary McCarthy on Substack, Instagram & Bluesky or visit her candle Etsy shop.