Candle safety is one of the tricky things we need to pull together when first learning about the candle business. Because I've been buying candles and wax melts for years, I considered myself a bit of an expert - I'm sure many of you are the same and can spot a certain fragrance or shaped jar a mile off and know who made it but in reality, making your own candles and most importantly making them safely was a little bit of an eye opener.
Of course, daytime TV programmes don't help when they suggest shoving any old wick and any amount of fragrance into some wax, served up in a wine glass to look fabulous - most candle makers want to curl up and die when we see the massive risk they are putting people in! If that glass explodes during the evening meal, making sure you have enough wine in is the least of your problems!
Fortunately, the British Candle Federation and the National Candle Association are very clear on what is required when making and selling your own products!
The absolute priority of every product we produce is safety - yes even more important than the fragrance throw! Here at Honey & Herb Candles every single product is fully tested before it goes live on the website. I purchase everything from reputable candle suppliers that conform to all European safety standards using good quality glass that will not crack or break when burning a candle the correct way. Each candle arrives with clear instructions on safety at the top of the candle in the form of a cover and on the bottom of the candle, you will also receive a care card in your package.
During the testing process I constantly check the temperature of the glass. All my jars are fully safe and approved for candle use and all wicks have a sustainer at the bottom that is glued onto the glass that ensures you won't burn all the way to the bottom and burn dry - then scorch your lovely worktops! The H&H Gem Candle range also comes with a beautiful engraved wooden lid - this is not just to look gorgeous but it's also to use as a coaster to protect your surfaces.
Now as a consumer of goods we all need to remember some basics around buying these jars of lusciousness - we need to ensure we don't have them lit near lamps, curtains etc. or that the cat can waft past and catch his tail in the flame or little ones find them easy to reach. If you have pets and kiddies and worry about where to put a candle then look into wax melts, they could tick a box for you. Also, I know that a candle looks fabulous on top of your fireplace or a log burner - but think about the heat element before placing them anywhere - if your fireplace gets hot and certainly your log burner will get hot, placing a glass jar and then lighting it will have heat top and bottom and cheaper quality glass jars could explode. Make sure you take a look at your care card to get the absolute best out of your candle.
Whilst I think that the candles with shiny pebbles and dried flowers/petals look lovely, they do need a little attention before lighting them. So, if you have treated yourself to one, remove the pebbles before lighting - they aren't dangerous but if they slide towards the wick they can clog, and you won't get the best out of your candle. For dried flowers, herbs wood embedded etc - grab a teaspoon and remove before lighting. The dried items act as a second ignition and the whole lot can flame up - a reputable candle maker will tell you to remove them before lighting. The National Candle Association has done considerable research on this with some shocking videos of botanicals setting on fire.
Finally, the bain of a candle makers life is ensuring our labelling is accurate and follows the guidelines set out by the Regulator. We are constantly checking changes to regulations to ensure we are fully complaint and getting all the information to fit onto the label that still looks good on the product is a real challenge!
The CLP (Classification of Labelling and Packaging) legislation is required on all fragrance products like candles, wax melts, diffusers, hand wash etc being made and sold in the UK. A fragrance can be harmful depending on the chemicals/hazardous substances so it's essential to make this clear. Not every CLP will look the same though, some require a Red Warning, some Yellow Warning, some very little, some will require pictograms whilst others don't - it all depends on the composition of the fragrance and the % used in that product.
The format of this label is also clear - you must have your product name, then the ingredients listed with allergens highlighted with any signal warnings added. Then you must be clear on where these were made, so the company name, address and phone number.
Finally, a reminder that these are my thoughts, based on my research and I'd recommend anyone starting out as a Chandler to go read as much as you can before selling.
Amanda x