Alchemy of Candles
Luxury scented candles are now as coveted as the fragrance itself, “What is less widely appreciated is just how much careful craftsmanship and immense patience goes into creating them,” says Celine Roux, Global Product Development, Jo Malone™ Creative Studio. “Made entirely by hand, our candle connoisseurs use both age-old skills and the latest technical knowledge to translate the olfactory genius of some of the world’s master perfumers into the Jo Malone™ candles.”
The Jo Malone™ candle making process begins in the English countryside, on the estate of Lord Cowdray, in a converted dairy. Creating a candle can require 2 years of creative planning and development, involving intensive testing and blending. As many as 16 people will play a role in its handmade creation. No two fragrances burn in exactly the same way, waxes are custom-blended for a specific scent and then married to the perfect wick; which is why Jo Malone London has over 400 varieties of lead free wicks at its disposal.
The process starts with precise measuring of the quantities of fragrance to be used. Blended into slowly warmed wax, the molten mix is hand poured into individual glasses. After settling, every wick is placed centrally into the still-soft wax. Then, the candle is left to cool and crystallise. After 72 hours, the candle is flashed with intense heat, melting it to a depth of 5-10mm from the surface and the sides of the glass to ensure the top of the candle is pristine. Wicks are trimmed to 6mm, labels are applied and glass is polished before they are wrapped in cellophane and secured with the iconic black grosgrain ribbon.
The wick forms the heart of the candle, drawing the liquid wax up through its core. It is vital to the performance of a Jo Malone™ candle, which contains such a high percentage of fragrance. Even more so if amber, woods or citrus essences are incorporated, these elements being harder to burn. In such cases, a wick with a different core – perhaps one that includes paper – might be selected.
The flame must also consume the components of the wax at the same rate as the fragrance. If, for example, the wax was burning off faster, the amount of botanicals left in the remaining wax would increase. And the candle would go out. If the wax doesn’t burn out far enough, tunneling occurs (when a rim - and eventually a wall - of wax develops and surrounds the centre of the candle). Jo Malone™ candles have a Clean Burn Finish, designed to leave minimal wax at the side of the glass. “We use Liquid Burn Technology and what we want to see is an 80 per cent wax pool within one hour,” explains Roux. “If we can achieve this, we are close to obtaining an optimum burn pattern.”
Testing never ceases. Even when a candle formulation has been finalised, monitoring continues because a different harvest of raw materials – a new supply of basil or bergamot - could affect this delicate balance.
The flame must also consume the components of the wax at the same rate as the fragrance. If, for example, the wax was burning off faster, the amount of botanicals left in the remaining wax would increase. And the candle would go out. If the wax doesn’t burn out far enough, tunneling occurs (when a rim - and eventually a wall - of wax develops and surrounds the centre of the candle). Jo Malone™ candles have a Clean Burn Finish, designed to leave minimal wax at the side of the glass. “We use Liquid Burn Technology and what we want to see is an 80 per cent wax pool within one hour,” explains Roux. “If we can achieve this, we are close to obtaining an optimum burn pattern.”
Testing never ceases. Even when a candle formulation has been finalised, monitoring continues because a different harvest of raw materials – a new supply of basil or bergamot - could affect this delicate balance.
Through its intricate candle making process, Jo Malone London celebrates traditional artisanal skills adapting them for the modern market place. The attention to detail, quality and skill of its craftsmanship establishes Jo Malone London as a pioneer of new British luxury.
Create a seasonal ambience for your guests; Grapefruit is uplifting and fresh in the summer months whereas Pomegranate Noir is perfect to warm up winter evenings.
To Fragrance Combine, start with a light floral or citrus fragrance and then switch to a richer, spicier scent. Travel candles make original table favours. When you are a guest yourself, instead of taking wine or flowers, a scented candle makes a very welcomed gift.
Safety Tips
• Never leave a lighted candle unattended.
• Keep out of reach of children and pets, in a suitable container on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
• Never burn a candle near anything flammable.
• If you group glass-filled candles together, keep them at least four inches apart.
• Allow the candle to solidify before moving or transporting to avoid spillage of hot wax.
• Don’t touch the outside of a candle once it has been lit. Wait until it has been extinguished and cools before moving.
• It’s best to extinguish candles with a snuffer. Always check the wick is no longer glowing before you leave the room.
• Never use a candle as a night light.
• Do not burn candles for longer than 1 ½ hours at a time.
• Never leave a lighted candle unattended.
• Keep out of reach of children and pets, in a suitable container on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
• Never burn a candle near anything flammable.
• If you group glass-filled candles together, keep them at least four inches apart.
• Allow the candle to solidify before moving or transporting to avoid spillage of hot wax.
• Don’t touch the outside of a candle once it has been lit. Wait until it has been extinguished and cools before moving.
• It’s best to extinguish candles with a snuffer. Always check the wick is no longer glowing before you leave the room.
• Never use a candle as a night light.
• Do not burn candles for longer than 1 ½ hours at a time.
Care Tips
• The first time you light your candle, allow it to burn until the wax melts and pools right out to the edge. In fact, you should always let your candle burn long enough to produce a nearly full molten surface – this helps to keep the top of the candle smooth and prevent tunneling.
• You may see a little smoke appear when you first light the candle. Give the wick time to draw up the liquid wax properly and this should cease. However, if excessive smoking appears any time during burning, extinguish the candle, let it cool thoroughly, trim the wick to a quarter of an inch and re-light.
• Always place candles in a well-ventilated room, away from drafts, air currents can cause the flame to soot or smoke.
• For optimal diffusion, try not to burn candles for short periods of time.
• The best way to extinguish a candle is with a candle snuffer.
• Keep the wax pool free of debris, cleaning the candle only once it has cooled.
• Always trim the wick to a quarter of an inch before each burn, when the candle is cold. This will promote optimum burning, help prevent smoking and also help keep residue from dropping into the wax pool.
• Remove dust and excess wax on the sides. Ensure the candle is cold and use a soft cloth.
• Never use a knife or sharp implement to try to remove wax from any candle holder. Place them in the freezer and the wax should come free easily. The containers can then be reused as a keepsake box.
• Store your candles in an upright position and avoid direct sunlight and heat.
• The first time you light your candle, allow it to burn until the wax melts and pools right out to the edge. In fact, you should always let your candle burn long enough to produce a nearly full molten surface – this helps to keep the top of the candle smooth and prevent tunneling.
• You may see a little smoke appear when you first light the candle. Give the wick time to draw up the liquid wax properly and this should cease. However, if excessive smoking appears any time during burning, extinguish the candle, let it cool thoroughly, trim the wick to a quarter of an inch and re-light.
• Always place candles in a well-ventilated room, away from drafts, air currents can cause the flame to soot or smoke.
• For optimal diffusion, try not to burn candles for short periods of time.
• The best way to extinguish a candle is with a candle snuffer.
• Keep the wax pool free of debris, cleaning the candle only once it has cooled.
• Always trim the wick to a quarter of an inch before each burn, when the candle is cold. This will promote optimum burning, help prevent smoking and also help keep residue from dropping into the wax pool.
• Remove dust and excess wax on the sides. Ensure the candle is cold and use a soft cloth.
• Never use a knife or sharp implement to try to remove wax from any candle holder. Place them in the freezer and the wax should come free easily. The containers can then be reused as a keepsake box.
• Store your candles in an upright position and avoid direct sunlight and heat.