FAQs
The world of luxury, handmade candles is a bit different than what you may have experienced before. Here we've compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions in an effort to give you the best tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Alchemist Candle Studio products.
Why are the prices higher in your Etsy shop than your official website?
Unfortunately, Etsy made the decision to raise their seller fees at the beginning of 2022. This means that with each sale I make through my Etsy store, I see less of the profits than ever before.
After officially launching my website, I decided to raise my fees on Etsy (and on Etsy alone), in an effort to combat the higher percentages they are pocketing from sales.
The official Alchemist Candle Studio website (where you are right now) will always have the lowest prices on our items. I want to keep my candles and other handmade products as attainable as possible, while still profiting from my labor. This is leads perfectly into my next point:
I can buy cheaper candles somewhere else. Why should I buy from you?
You absolutely can find cheaper candles elsewhere! The tradeoff, though, is that you won't be purchasing something that was created entirely by hand, poured with love, researched and tested rigorously with you in mind, packaged with care, and smells so unique and luxurious your friends will be dying to know where you purchased it.
While we aren't in the market of trying to convince you to purchase from our store, our past customers understand exactly why we charge the prices we do, and are happy to keep coming back time and time again.
Where can I purchase your products?
Currently, our products are available exclusively online. Our official website will always have the lowest prices, but you can also purchase through our Etsy shop!
What is the meaning behind your logo?
Our logo is the chemical structure of Dopamine. Known as the "feel-good" neurotransmitter, this hormone plays a crucial role in the brain's pleasure and reward system, all while serving as a messenger between neurons. Dopamine helps to elevate our mood, motivation, and attention, along with regulating movement, learning, and emotional responses."
Candles are one of my most treasured self-care tools and have helped me through some of my darkest days. Because of this, I decided to use the chemical structure of Dopamine as the logo for Alchemist Candle Studio as a reminder of how this all started.
How long will my candles last?
The longevity of your Alchemist Candle Studio candle depends on a few factors. First, the size of your candle is very important in estimating how long it will last. Our 4 oz. concrete candles last around 20 hours with proper burning care (more about this in a moment), while our 16 oz. tin candles can last over 75 hours. As a general rule of thumb, 1 oz. of candle should equate to around 4-5 hours of burn time.
Arguably the most important factor in determining your candle's lifespan is how well it is taken care of. Proper care of a candle looks like:
- Allowing the melt pool to reach the edges of the vessel before extinguishing the flame. This is to prevent tunneling, which wastes wax and can injure your wicks.
- Trimming your wicks before each use. We recommend clipping or pinching down to 1/4" for the best burn!
My candles are burning out quickly and are producing lots of black smoke, what's going on?
This is a result of not trimming your wick after each use (or potentially not trimming it short enough). To maximize your candle's lifespan and reduce the amount of smoke, be sure to trim your wick to 1/4" before you light it.
What are the benefits soy wax candles?
Soy wax is a natural, renewable resource made from soybean plants, and thus is vegan and non-toxic. Paraffin wax, on the other hand, is made from petroleum and is non-renewable. Soy wax also burns slower than paraffin wax, meaning you get a candle that lasts longer.
TLDR: Soy wax is cleaner and healthier for burning, while also better for the environment.
What should I do with my concrete container once my candle has burnt out?
One of our favorite things about our concrete vessels is the fact that they are so versatile in the ways you can reuse them. We like to use them to store cotton pads or Q-tips, to organize our jewelry, as a pen holder, or even as planters!
For a visual guide, check out this video on our Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaXgw1RJLGD/