A candle, sweating?! Yep, you read it right. Candles, just like us, can get a bit hot and bothered when it's a scorching summers day. But why do candles sweat, and what can you do to stop it?
What is candle sweating?
Candle sweating is when small droplets of oil appear on the surface of the candle.
Why does candle sweating occur?
It occurs when a candle is exposed to excess heat. The oil, which is added to fragrance the candle, separates from the wax and sits on the top. It's more prevalent in natural candles, made from plant wax such as soy or coconut, as there's usually no additives to prevent it from happening. Most brands who use natural wax (like us!) don't add anything which can make it prone to sweating. You can add things such as stabilisers to harden the wax, but they're not made from natural compounds so it's big, fat no from us.
How does it affect the candle?
Apart from looking a bit unsightly, it doesn't actually affect the candles performance in any way. To get your candle looking tip-top again, just dab the surface with some kitchen roll or tissue to absorb the oil. Make sure you do this before lighting to avoid any potential fire hazards!
How can you prevent candle sweating?
As mentioned, candle sweating occurs when a candle is exposed to heat. Therefore the best way to prevent sweating is to keep your candles out of direct sunlight. Keep them off windowsills and away from radiators.
Now you know all about candle sweating. Who knew ey!