FAQs
In no particular order!
Why don't you make vanilla candles?
The simple answer is because I only use essential oils and vanilla is not available as an essential oil. It is classed as an 'absolute' ie an oil achieved by the use of a solvent. Essential oils on the other hand are extracted most commonly through steam extraction or cold pressing and so the nature of the essential plant oil isn't changed by the introduction of a solvent.
This is also the reason why you won't find essential oils of soft fruits (eg strawberry or raspberry) and some delicate flowers (eg freesia), or in other cases you will find two forms of oil, as in the case of rose, where 'rose otto' is the steam distilled essential oil and rose absolute is cheaper and slightly less authentic.
Is your packaging really eco friendly?
Yes!
All packaging is as eco friendly as possible....
Tins: First up, the tins are made in the UK, not imported by sea from China as most tins are, and they are made using solar power. After you've used up your candle the tin can be re-used for another purpose: wash with very hot water to remove any residue and to loosen off the wick holder, then wash with hot soapy water and dry the tin ready for its next incarnation. Alternatively they can be recycled with your kerbside recycling.
Cardboard boxes: most of the boxes we use are made from recycled materials. All are recyclable or biodegradable. Flatten them and they can go in your compost heap, particularly if you've been putting ;loads of green material in it. They can also be used to block weeds in your garden. Lay them over the weeds to block out the light and pop some compost or manure on top. By the time the cardboard has disintegrated, the weeds will be gone, or at least very dead and easy to remove. Finally, you're welcome to reuse your box for storage or to post something to someone else.
Packing tape: made of paper. Can be recycled on the box - you don't need to peel it off.
Packing paper: In the beginning, I went through two household paper shredders producing shredded paper from packaging paper from amazon and others. Not only did it make packing parcels messy and dusty, it wasn't great for the person on the receiving end either. Now you may still find that your parcel arrives safely because of our re-use of paper packaging from our own deliveries, but we promise not to do our own shredding again! And you can reuse it again.
My candle isn't burning evenly
The safety label on the bottom of the tin has the instruction that I give verbally to all my in-person customers as I hand their purchases to them: trim the wick to 5mm every time you light the candle and burn for no more than 2-4 hours at a time.
The other really important advice I give them is to be aware of draughts (this is also on the safety label). Draughts aren't limited to ill-fitting or open windows or doors. In our modern world we don't think of a boiling pan on a hob, an extractor hood on in the kitchen or a whirligig on a wood burning stove as creating a draught, but to a candle it really is a draught, as is the wagging of a dog's tail! Quite simply, candles don't like draughts.