You have just finished your last candlemaking project for the day. You've
unplugged your candlewax melter, stored any excess wax and additives and
washed all of your utensils. Your candles have cooled nicely you have
stored them, boxed them or wrapped them for sale or to give as gifts.

What do you do? The answer is you relax and test one of those candles.
This is important especially if you are trying a new wax, scent or
additives. Granted you have established a relationship with your supplier and
trust the quality of the products your using but it is very important
that you test your new batch of candles. This is especially true if you
sell them commercially or just give them to others. Sitting down to relax
and enjoy your newly handmade candles will help you determine that it
is ready to distribute and that the recipe and products used meet your
expectations and your clientele.

Things to consider are scent throw, any detectable smoking issues,
flame quality, wax pool and burn time.
Scent throw is affected by quality of the scented additive you use and
wax. Also any vegetable type oil you may use to aid with your candles
scent throw.
Smoking can be caused by they type and thickness of your wick, the wax
itself and any additives. Whether it be the quality or amount.
Flame quality is affected by the thickness of your wick, quality of wick,
wax pool and wax.
Wax pool is determined by your wick. It's thickness and quality and your
candle wax.
Burn time is obviously affected by a combination of all your candlemaking
components. The wax, wick and additives. Primarily the wick and wax
will determine this.

Putting it all together the final step in candlemaking is going to be,
test, test, test. Always make sure that your candles pass your own personal use parameters. This is especially true if you are trying a new candlemaking recipe. The side benefit to this is that testing just requires us to sit back, relax and enjoy. So, after a hard day of candlemaking take advantage of the healing powers of your labor of love.