The First Burn: Creating Ritual with Your Candle

Lighting your new candle is more than the first gentle flicker and trace of fragrance in the air—it’s a beginning. An invitation to slow down and ease into a ritual that begins with how you light your candle for the very first time.

Kitchen Witch natural soy candle with a lit wick and flame

🕯️Why the first burn matters

Soy wax, like memory, holds onto what it experiences. If the wax only melts partially during its first burn, it forms a “memory ring”—a subtle groove that causes future burns to follow the same narrow path. This can create a tunnel down the centre of your candle, leaving precious wax untouched and shortening its life.

To give your candle a long, even burn, let the wax melt all the way to the edges on that very first burn. This sets a smooth foundation for every glowing ritual that follows.

Kitchen Witch scented natural soy candle being lit with a long stick match

🔥 The first burn: A simple ritual

Let this moment be slow and sensory. Settle into your space with your current book, your journal, or a warm cup of tea. Then, light your candle and:

  • Set your candle on a flat sturdy surface, placing a coaster under your candle can also help protect the surface below from heat.
  • Let it burn for at least 3 hours, or until the melted wax reaches the edges of the jar, to form an even wax pool and prevent tunnelling.
  • Avoid drafts from windows, fans, or vents that might disturb the flame.

This isn’t just care—it’s presence. It’s choosing to create something lasting from the start.

✂️ After the first burn: Keep the flame intentional

  • Trim the wick to 6mm (¼”) before each burn and remove any trimmings to keep the flame steady and clean. Our wick trimmer makes a beautiful and practical addition to this ritual.
  • Avoid burning for too short a time, which can reintroduce tunnelling.
  • Let the act of lighting a candle become a small return to your ritual.
  • When your candle reaches 6mm (¼”) of wax at the bottom, the ritual is complete. Burning the last bit of wax risks overheating the jar.

Blackett & Co. scented natural soy candle having its wick trimmed with a matte black wick trimmer

🌙 Candlelight as slow living

The experience of lighting your candle becomes a gentle pause. A quiet act of care for your space, your senses, and your inner self. 

Let the flickering glow guide you back to what matters. May each burn be slow, intentional, and beautifully yours.

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