Do you know the ‘secret’ of aromatherapy candles emitting black smoke?
The phenomenon of aromatherapy candles emitting black smoke directly hits
Black smoke scenes in daily life
In daily life, many friends have encountered situations where aromatherapy candles emit black smoke, which is truly distressing. For example, some consumers, driven by their pursuit of a high-quality life, spend a high price on scented candles, intending to create a warm, romantic, and elegant atmosphere at home. However, after lighting them for a period of time, wisps of black smoke emerge, greatly ruining the scenery and instantly dissipating the original good mood. And this consumer found that this is not an isolated case. On social media, many people have mentioned that the brand’s fragrance candles emit black smoke, and even some people have shared smoked fragrance candle jars. https://stateneoones.com/?product=crystal-scented-candle-moliere-candle-free-shipping
Some consumers also purchased aromatherapy candles at the duty-free shop in Japan, which not only emitted black smoke but also made people feel dizzy after being lit. Compared with the same type of candle purchased from other channels before, the quality is significantly different, and the lid has been smoked black, leaving a black mark even after wiping.
People buy aromatherapy candles to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere and pleasant aroma they bring, but the black smoke that comes out often occurs, whether it is from well-known brands with high prices or products purchased through ordinary channels, seriously affecting the user experience. What exactly causes aromatherapy candles to emit black smoke? Let’s explore together below.
Analysis of the Causes of Black Smoke from Aromatherapy Candles
Wick factor
Aromatherapy candles emit black smoke, and the factor of the wick cannot be ignored, among which the wick being too long is a common reason. When we light aromatherapy candles, the wax produced by the burning of the candle will be sucked onto the wick. If the wick is too long, the wax cannot be completely burned. It should be noted that the carbon element in the wax needs to fully react with sufficient oxygen in order to achieve complete combustion. However, the excessively long wick prevents the carbon element from receiving enough oxygen to react with it, which releases unburned carbon particles and forms black smoke, affecting the user experience and destroying the intended beautiful atmosphere.
However, solving this problem is not difficult. Before lighting the aromatherapy candle, you can use scissors to trim the wick to the appropriate length, usually around 0.6 centimeters, which can greatly avoid the occurrence of black smoke caused by the wick being too long.
The problem with the wax material itself
The characteristics of wax materials themselves have a significant impact on whether aromatherapy candles emit black smoke. There are various types of wax materials commonly found on the market, each with its own characteristics and varying combustion behavior.
For example, paraffin wax is a byproduct of petroleum refining, which contains impurities from crude oil and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Some unscrupulous businesses use this low-cost crude paraffin wax to save costs. Paraffin produces a large amount of black smoke when burned, and the synthetic fragrances and dyes contained in it also emit harmful particulate matter when heated, which is harmful to our body and the surrounding environment.
Coconut wax has unique properties. The substance produced after burning can be used to apply to the body and has a certain skincare effect. However, its melting point is only around 40 degrees, and its texture is soft and easy to melt, which makes it very difficult to store and prone to spoilage. Fortunately, coconut wax produces relatively less black smoke when burned.
And soy wax is more ideal, it is non-toxic and has no black smoke, burns relatively slowly, and high-quality soy wax can achieve a good fusion state with plant essential oils, especially in the effect of “aromatherapy”, which cannot be achieved by other wax materials, so it is widely praised in the aromatherapy market. Greer aromatherapy candles use pure natural plant soy wax, and its “Wonderland Journey” aromatherapy candle series specially uses food grade natural soy wax, which not only meets the requirements of safe combustion and environmental degradation, but also reaches edible level.
The differences in the composition of different wax materials result in different outcomes during combustion, so when choosing aromatherapy candles, you can pay more attention to the composition of wax materials.
Other factors affecting
In addition to the factors of the wick and wax material itself, there are also other situations that may cause aromatherapy candles to emit black smoke.
Firstly, candles are prone to emitting black smoke when the temperature is too high. Because excessively high temperatures may cause the candle to burn unstably, beyond its normal burning state, resulting in incomplete combustion and the production of black smoke.
Secondly, if there is dust or debris on the surface of the candle, these impurities can mix into the combustion reaction during the burning process and interfere with normal combustion, leading to black smoke.
Furthermore, adding too many spices or other additives is also a reason. Some businesses, in pursuit of unique fragrance or better appearance, excessively add related substances, which may alter the original burning characteristics of the candle during combustion, ultimately resulting in black smoke.
In addition, using zinc containing wicks may also cause problems. The performance of zinc containing wick during combustion is different from that of ordinary high-quality wick, and its chemical properties may cause insufficient combustion, resulting in black smoke.
There are also environmental factors that affect the placement of candles. If there is airflow interference around, the flame will shake, the candle will burn unevenly, and local overheating may occur, increasing the possibility of black smoke.
Finally, the prolonged ignition time should not be ignored. Long term burning will expose more candle cores, causing the flame surface to be too large and uneven heating on the surface of the candle, which can lead to black smoke, odors, and accelerate the lifespan of the candle.
Solution to Black Smoke from Aromatherapy Candles
Correct use of small tricks
Mastering some correct tips when using aromatherapy candles can greatly reduce the occurrence of black smoke. Firstly, before lighting the aromatherapy candle, it can be refrigerated for a few hours in the refrigerator. This can slow down the burning speed of the candle and prevent the flame from becoming too high due to burning too quickly, resulting in black smoke. For example, when we are ready to enjoy a pleasant aromatherapy time at night, we can put the aromatherapy candles in the refrigerator for refrigeration in advance, and we will find that the effect is significantly different when we use them later.
When lighting aromatherapy candles, one should also pay attention to the method and approach. Use appropriate tools, such as long handled matches or professional lighters, to light the candle. Avoid using regular lighters as much as possible to prevent uneven burning on the surface of the candle. Moreover, it is important to avoid placing candles in the windward area, as the flames may tilt and shake, leading to the occurrence of wax dripping and unstable combustion, resulting in black smoke. We can place candles in open areas that are sheltered from wind and in fire-resistant containers to ensure safe use and reduce the production of black smoke.
When we want to extinguish aromatherapy candles, don’t just blow them out with your mouth. This is the same as not being able to blow out alcohol lamps. Blowing them out directly may not only cause black smoke, but also easily lead to fires. It is best to use a professional candle lighter, push the wick into the melted wax, and then quickly lift the wick up; Alternatively, you can use a candle extinguishing cover to directly cover the wick and isolate it from oxygen to extinguish it. This operation can effectively prevent the production of black smoke during extinguishing and also prevent the burnt smell from affecting the originally beautiful aroma atmosphere inside the house.
Key points to note when making a purchase
When choosing aromatherapy candles, be careful and try to choose high-quality products based on natural plant wax. Aromatherapy candles based on soy wax are a great choice. Soy wax is non-toxic and has no black smoke, burns relatively slowly, and can blend well with plant essential oils. Its effectiveness in aromatherapy is also outstanding. For example, Greer aromatherapy candles use pure natural plant soy wax, and its “Wonderland Journey” aromatherapy candle series specially uses food grade natural soy wax, which is not only safe to burn, but also environmentally friendly and biodegradable, even reaching edible level.
