So this is our first blog post! I have been wanting to write a blog for many years but could never find the right subject or something that would keep me interested for long. But everything has changed now with Juliana Made This and I shall write many many posts about all things candles related. Since I have been binge watching Meredith Grey now for about 8 seasons, Greys Anatomy gave me the inspiration I needed to start writing. For this first post we will be discussing the anatomy of a candle.
How many parts of the candle can you name? Many people will name the wick and body but did you know there's so much more than that? For illustration purposes I will use one of our beloved Bubble Candles to show a few elements of the candle's anatomy.
Hang Up - It’s a rim of wax that is formed after burning a candle for the first few times. If the hangup continues to happen after the third burn, your candle might be tunnelling.
Gutter - Is the dripping lines of wax that runs on the sides of pillar candles while burning. Paraffin candles will generally drip less than soy candles but they all drip so make sure you burn pillar candles on safe surfaces where you can wipe away any excess wax if necessary. Avoid surfaces such as carpets or fabrics.
Melt Pool - It's the liquid pool of wax that gets formed while burning. To keep your candles healthy and free of tunnelling, they should be burned for long enough until a full melt pool is formed.
Tunnelling - It happens when a candle burns straight down through the middle leaving excess wax on the edges which resembles a tunnel. The most common cause for this is improper burning, especially on the first burn. The best way to avoid tunnelling is burning a candle until you have a full melting pool on the first burn.
Wick - It can be made with several porous materials such as cotton or in our case with wood and it is the conductor for the melted wax which is the fuel that keeps the candle flame burning. To prevent black soot from forming and releasing, keep the candle wick short by trimming before you light the candle.
Throw - It’s the release of the fragrance in the air. There are two types of throw - cold and hot. Cold Throw is when you can smell the candle before it burns like that first nice smell when you first open the container or remove the wrapping. Hot Throw is when the fragrance is released when the wax is melted.
Core - This is the interior part of the candle. Also used in relation to the inner material of the candle wick which can be made out of zinc, cotton or paper.
Frosting - A white, crystalline layer that forms on the surface of natural waxes such as soy. The wax is trying to return back to its natural form and as a result it begins to crystallize. It doesn't affect the performance of the candle in any way and also means your wax is 100% natural
Well, so how did you do? How many of these did you get right? These are only a few of the elements of a candle, I could go on forever about the different layers of the flame alone! Thanks Meredith for the inspiration. I will keep the flame conversation for another post.