Not all candles are created equal. A quality candle burns evenly, holds its scent without overwhelming a room, and doesn’t produce excessive soot or drip. A poor one tunnels down the centre, smokes when lit, and burns out in a fraction of the time stated on the label. Here’s what actually separates a quality candle from one that isn’t — and what to look for when you buy.
Wax Type
Wax is the most fundamental component. The main types used commercially are paraffin, soy, beeswax, and coconut wax — each with different burn characteristics.
Paraffin is the industry standard for good reason. It’s stable, holds colour and fragrance extremely well, and produces a consistent flame. The claim that paraffin is toxic is a myth — paraffin wax is approved for food, cosmetic, and medical use by the US FDA. Our taper, pillar, and church candles use high-grade paraffin.
Soy wax burns at a lower temperature and is popular for container candles. It has a softer, more matte appearance and a good scent throw. Our scented glass jar candles are made from 100% soy wax.
Beeswax has the longest history and produces a natural honey scent. It’s expensive and typically used in premium or specialty candles.
The specific wax grade matters more than the wax type. A low-grade paraffin can perform worse than a premium soy blend. Reputable manufacturers — including Golden Glow — use only highest-grade raw materials regardless of wax type.
Wick Quality and Size
The wick is often the difference between a candle that burns beautifully and one that tunnels, drowns, or smokes. Cotton wicks are the standard — they provide a stable flame and minimal soot when kept trimmed. Metal-core wicks (typically zinc or tin) are used in some container candles to keep the wick upright, and are safe and non-toxic. Lead wicks have been banned in New Zealand for many years.
Wick sizing relative to candle diameter is critical. Too thin and the wick drowns in its own melt pool; too thick and it produces a large, sooty flame. Established manufacturers test wick-to-diameter ratios for each candle design. Golden Glow has been calibrating wicks to candle sizes since 1969 — that institutional knowledge is part of what you’re buying when you choose a candle from a manufacturer with a long track record.
Candle care tip: Always trim your wick to 5mm before each lighting. This is the single biggest thing you can do to improve burn quality and reduce soot, regardless of candle brand.
Fragrance Load and Quality
For scented candles, fragrance quality and load matter enormously. There’s a maximum percentage of fragrance oil that wax can hold — exceed it and the candle can’t burn cleanly, producing mushrooming wicks and soot. Reputable manufacturers carefully balance fragrance load to ensure clean burn performance without sacrificing scent throw.
The fragrance oil itself should be approved for candle burning — not all fragrance oils are. Look for candles from manufacturers who explicitly state they use candle-approved fragrances. Our scented soy candles at Golden Glow use only fragrances tested for candle applications.
Burn Time Claims
Stated burn times are a useful benchmark but should be taken as approximate. Actual burn time varies based on wick trimming, draft exposure, and how long each burn session lasts. A candle burned continuously will typically burn faster than the same candle burned in multiple shorter sessions.
As a rough guide for Golden Glow products: our 250mm dining taper candles deliver approximately 8 hours; our 9-hour tea lights are rated for 9 hours of continuous burn; pillar candle burn times scale roughly with diameter — a 100mm pillar will outlast a 60mm pillar of the same height significantly.
How to Get the Most From Any Candle
- First burn matters: Let the melt pool reach the edge of the container before extinguishing. This prevents tunnelling on all future burns.
- Trim the wick: 5mm before every light. Non-negotiable for clean burn and low soot.
- Avoid drafts: Drafts produce uneven burn and increased drip on tapers.
- Burn time limits: Maximum 4 hours per session for most candles. Let the candle cool fully before relighting.
- Stop at 5mm of remaining wax: The heat at the base increases significantly as wax runs low. Discontinue use before the wick becomes unstable.
For a more comprehensive guide, see our Candle Hints & Tips and FAQ.
Buying Quality Candles in New Zealand
Golden Glow Candles has been manufacturing in Auckland since 1969 — longer than any other candle company in New Zealand. Our candles are made from highest-grade raw materials using formulations developed and tested over more than 55 years of production. Whether you need dining taper candles for your restaurant, pillar candles for a church, scented soy candles for home, or tea lights for events, our full range is at candles.nz with free shipping on orders over $99.
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