Candles are simple: you light them, the room shifts, your brain calms down for five minutes. Then tunneling happens and suddenly it looks like your candle gave up on life. Good news: that’s usually not the candle. That’s technique.

Here’s the Barrel & Bloom ritual we recommend. It’s not fussy, it’s just… correct.

1. First burn: go long enough to reach a full melt pool (usually 2–4 hours, depending on size).
2. Trim the wick: keep it around 1/4 inch before each burn for a cleaner flame and less soot.
3. Keep it centered: if the wick starts leaning, gently nudge it back when the wax is soft (not liquid lava).
4. Drafts are the enemy: fans + open windows can cause uneven burn and smoking.
5. Don’t marathon it: avoid burning longer than 4 hours at a time. Let the wax reset.

We build our candles to throw scent without needing to choke the room out. If you’re not smelling it, try moving it to a smaller space first (bedroom, bathroom, office), or give it a second burn after the first full melt pool. Wax needs to “open up” a bit.

That’s it. Not mystical. Just a small ritual that makes the chapter last longer. And if you’re the kind of person who cares about the details, you’re going to love what’s coming next.