Candle Making Glossary: Key Terms Every Maker Should Know

Candle Making Glossary: Essential Terms for Every Maker

Creating candles is both an art and a science. To craft beautiful, long-lasting candles, it helps to understand the key terms that define materials, processes, and techniques used in the industry. This glossary offers clear, concise definitions of the most commonly used candle making terms—ideal for beginners, hobbyists, and experienced artisans alike.

Additive
A material mixed into wax to enhance burning performance or alter properties such as opacity, scent throw, or hardness. Examples include vybar, stearic acid, and UV inhibitors.

Afterglow (or Aftersmoke)
The light or smoke emitted by a wick after the flame is extinguished. The wick may continue to glow and burn slightly.

Aroma Compound
A chemical used in fragrance oils that emits scent. Different from aromatic compounds, which refer to specific molecular structures unrelated to fragrance.

Bridging
Occurs when a burning wick curls so far that its tip touches the surface of the melted wax pool.

Burn Cycle
Burning a candle for 4 hours, extinguishing it, and allowing it to cool. This cycle helps evaluate wick performance and calculate burn time.

Burn Rate
The rate at which wax is consumed, measured in grams per hour (g/h). Example: If a candle burns 16.8g of wax in 4 hours, the burn rate is 4.2 g/h.

Burn Time
The total time it takes for a candle to burn through all its wax.

Burn Test
An informal assessment to check how a candle burns, including flame behavior and scent throw.

Burn Test Cycle
A complete sequence of lighting, burning, extinguishing, and cooling during a candle’s burn test.

Burning Period
The time span between lighting a candle and blowing it out.

Cavity (or Sink Hole)
A gap or depression formed when wax cools and contracts, often caused by trapped air pockets.

CLP Label
A legal label under EU regulations (EC No 1272/2008) showing safety warnings, hazard symbols, and usage instructions for candles and diffusers.

Clubbing (or Mushrooming)
Carbon buildup on the wick tip due to incomplete combustion, usually from an oversized wick or excess fragrance.

Cold Throw
The strength of fragrance emitted before lighting a candle. Cold throw varies by wax type—e.g., soy wax may need 48 hours to 2 weeks for full evaluation.

Container Candle
A candle poured directly into the container in which it will be burned.

Core
The interior of a candle or the inner material of a wick, which may include cotton, zinc, or paper.

Coreless
Refers to a wick with no internal core.

Crystallization
The process of wax changing from liquid to solid as it cures to a stable form.

Curing Time (Cure)
The resting period after pouring a candle, allowing it to harden and develop optimal scent throw and performance.

Diameter
The widest measurement of a candle, mold, or container.

Double Boiler
Two nested pans used to gently melt wax using steam heat from boiling water.

Double Scenting
Adding approximately 65 ml of fragrance per 1 kg of wax for enhanced scent intensity.

Essential Oil
A natural oil extracted from plants through distillation, capturing their aromatic “essence.”

Fire Safety Test
Evaluations ensuring that a candle meets fire safety standards (e.g., BS EN 15493:2019).

Flame Height
The vertical distance from the base of the flame to its tip.

Flashpoint
The temperature at which a liquid (e.g., fragrance oil) emits enough vapor to ignite when exposed to a flame.

Floater (Floating Candle)
A shallow, tapered candle designed to float on water.

Fragrance Content
The percentage of fragrance oil relative to the total candle mass. For example, 10% fragrance in a 220g candle equals 22g oil.

Fragrance Load
The percentage of fragrance oil relative to the wax weight. In a 220g candle with 200g wax, a 10% load equals 20g oil.

Fragrance Oil
A blend of natural and/or synthetic ingredients used to scent candles.

Fragrance Notes
Describes a scent’s layers:

• Top Notes: Light, immediate scents (e.g., citrus).

• Middle Notes: Core fragrance (e.g., floral, fruity).

• Base Notes: Long-lasting scents (e.g., woody, musky).

Frosting
White crystal-like patterns on soy and natural wax, caused by wax crystallization during cooling. Can be minimized by pouring wax at 43–46°C.

Gel Candle
A transparent candle made from mineral oil-based gel.

Glass Adhesion (Wet Spots)
Wax pulling away from the glass as it cools, causing visible gaps. Common in container candles.

Gutter
Wax that drips down the sides of a pillar or free-standing candle during burning.

Hang-Up
Wax residue remaining on the container walls after burning.

Hot Throw
The strength of fragrance emitted while a candle is burning, typically evaluated after 2–4 hours.

Hurricane Candle
A decorative outer wax shell with a high melt point. The inner candle is replaceable and burns separately.

IFRA (International Fragrance Association)
The global organization setting safety standards for fragrance ingredients.

IFRA Statement
A certificate listing the safe usage levels of fragrance oils in different product types.

Jump Lines (Chatter Marks)
Visible lines on candle sides caused by pouring wax too cold or into cold containers. Often seen in clear glass jars.

Liquid Dye / Solid Dye
Colorants added to wax for color customization.

Melt Point
The temperature at which wax transitions from solid to liquid.

Melt Pool (Full Melt Pool)
The liquid wax surface formed during burning. A full melt pool covers the entire top surface of the candle.

Mixing Temperature
The optimal temperature (about 65°C) for adding fragrance oil or dye to melted wax for proper blending.

Mold Plug
A rubber stopper used to seal the bottom hole in a candle mold.

Mold Release
A coating applied to molds to ease candle removal.

Mold Sealer
A clay-like substance used to seal wick holes in molds.

Mottling
A snowflake-like texture on the candle’s surface, often intentional for design.

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
A document detailing safety information about a material used in candle making.

Mushrooming (or Clubbing)
Carbon buildup on the wick after burning, often due to improper wick sizing or excess fragrance.

Natural Wax
Typically refers to plant-based wax or blends of plant and mineral waxes.

Nature Identical
Lab-made fragrance components chemically identical to natural plant extracts, offering consistency in scent production.

Neck
The vertical shaft of a wick tab that attaches it to the wick.

Opaque
A surface that does not let light pass through.

Out of Bottle (OOB)
The initial evaluation of a fragrance’s scent immediately after opening its bottle.

Overdip
Dipping a finished candle in colored or clear wax for decorative or protective purposes.

Overwicked
A candle with a wick that causes wax to burn too quickly or intensely.

Palm Wax
A natural, clean-burning wax derived from palm trees. Often used as an alternative to paraffin wax.

Paraffin Wax
A refined petroleum-based wax, commonly used in commercial candle making due to its affordability and excellent scent throw.

Pillar Candle
A freestanding candle made in a mold, typically cylindrical or square, that does not require a container.

Pouring Temperature
The temperature at which fragranced and colored wax is poured into a mold or container. Ideal temperatures vary by wax type.

Power Burn
Burning a candle for more than 4 hours at a time, which is not recommended as it can cause overheating or container damage.

Pull Away
This occurs when wax contracts and separates from the sides of the container.

Relief Holes
Small holes poked into wax during cooling to release air pockets and prevent sink holes before a second pour.

Repour (or Double Pour)
A technique used to top off candles after cooling, filling cavities caused by wax contraction to create a smooth finish.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A document that provides detailed safety and handling information about a specific substance or product.

Secondary Ignition
An unintended flame forming somewhere other than the wick, often due to excessive fragrance oil or debris.

Scent Load
The maximum amount of fragrance a wax can hold, typically expressed as a percentage of the wax weight.

Scent Oil
See Fragrance Oil.

Scent Throw
The strength and reach of a candle’s fragrance. It includes Cold Throw (before burning) and Hot Throw (while burning).

Second Pour
It smooths the candle surface by topping off wax after the first pour has cooled.

Single Pour Wax
A type of wax formulated to cool without shrinking, eliminating the need for a second pour.

Sink Hole
A depression or cavity on or below the candle’s surface, caused by wax contraction during cooling.

Smelly Jelly
A non-heated air freshener made from water-absorbing crystals infused with fragrance.

Soy Wax
A natural, clean-burning wax made from soybeans. Popular for its eco-friendly qualities and smooth finish.

Soot
A black, powdery residue resulting from incomplete combustion of wax or fragrance oil.

Soot Test
A test ensuring a candle meets soot emission standards (e.g., BS EN 15426:2018) using specialized equipment.

Sustainer
The metal base that holds the wick in place at the bottom of container candles.

Stearic Acid
An additive used to harden wax, slow burn time, and increase opacity. Common in pillar candle formulations.

Synthetic Oil
Fragrance oil created from lab-made compounds by perfumers for consistency and variety.

Sweating
When excess oil (fragrance or wax-based) leaches to the candle surface, often caused by heat or over-fragrancing.

Taper Candle
A long, slender candle designed to fit into a holder. Narrower at the top than at the base.

Tart Burner
A device with a compartment for a tealight or heating element below and a dish on top to melt scented wax tarts.

Tart
A small piece of scented wax designed to be melted in a tart burner. Available in various shapes.

Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
A document providing specifications and technical details about a product, including physical properties and recommended usage.

Tealight
A small, typically round candle in a metal or plastic cup, designed to liquefy completely while burning.

Transition Temperature
The temperature at which cooling wax shifts from a liquid to a crystalline solid.

Triple Scenting
Adding 98 ml of fragrance per 1 kg of wax for an extra-strong scent load.

Tunneling
When a candle burns only down the center, leaving unmelted wax on the sides. Often caused by an undersized wick.

Underwicked
A candle with a wick that burns too slowly or weakly, resulting in incomplete melt pools and tunneling.

UV Stabilizer
An additive used to prevent color fading in candles exposed to sunlight or fluorescent lighting.

Viscosity
A fluid’s resistance to flow. High-viscosity liquids (like honey) flow slowly; low-viscosity liquids (like water) flow easily.

Votive Candle
A small, free-standing candle designed to liquefy fully when burned inside a votive holder.

Vybar
A polymer additive that helps retain fragrance oil, enhances color, and improves wax opacity. Often used instead of stearic acid.

Water Bath
A method to cool candles quickly by placing them in a container of cool water.

Wick
The part of a candle that draws wax to the flame via capillary action, allowing the candle to burn.

Wick Wax
The wax used to coat wicks, often to stiffen them and improve handling during candle making.

Wick Bar
A tool used to keep the wick centered and stable during pouring and cooling.

Wick Clip Assembly
A pre-tabbed wick ready for use, with the wick and metal sustainer already crimped together.

Wick Down
Switching to a smaller wick size in the same series (e.g., from Stabilo 10 to Stabilo 8).

Wick Pin
A tool that holds the place of a wick in mold candles. It’s removed after cooling so a wick can be inserted.

Wick Stickum
A double-sided adhesive pad used to secure a wick sustainer to the bottom of a container.

Wick Tab
The flat metal disc that holds the wick in place at the candle base.

Wick Up
Using a larger wick size in the same series (e.g., from Stabilo 8 to Stabilo 10) for stronger burn.

Wick Yield
The thickness or weight of a wick, typically measured by how much a length of wick weighs. In imperial units, this can be expressed as ounces per foot (oz/ft) or feet per pound (ft/lb)