How Long Do Scented Wax Melts Last?

At Ava May Aromas our wax melts last for more than 4 hours per cube meaning 24+ hours per pack of 6 cubes! That said, the burn time can be affected by a number of factors.

This blog will explain the main issues that affect the burn time of your wax melts, from the production process through to the actual usage.

“Burn time” or “burn length” are the terms we use to measure how many hours it takes for the fragrance to fully evaporate into the room. This is not to be confused with scent throw – (the strength of the fragrance emitted from your wax melt).

How does the production process affect the burn time of wax melts?

1. The quantity of fragrance oil used

One of the main factors that contribute to a wax melt burn time is how much fragrance oil is added. The percentage of oil used is different for every manufacturer. Surprisingly, adding more oil does not necessarily mean a longer burn time. This is because adding too much oil can affect the structure, texture and bond between the wax and the oil and consequently reduce the scent throw and the burn time.

2. The wax

There are various blends of wax available to manufactures and the type of wax used can affect the burn time and scent throw. The majority of wax melt sellers use soy wax because of the length of burn time and its ability to work well with fragrance oils. However, studies show that beeswax holds the longest burn time but is considerably more expensive than other types of wax.

Click here to view our range of wax melts.

3. The making process

The manufacturing process can also affect the scent throw and burn time for a wax melt. An incorrect temperature of the liquid wax when adding fragrance oil can affect the binding process. Equally, a lack of stirring to blend the wax and fragrance oil together can also affect the quality of the wax melt produced.

How can I make a wax melt last longer?

1. The type of burner used

The hotter a wax burner becomes, the more intense the scent throw is due to the volume of fragrance that is released. This in turn shortens the burn time as the fragrance volume with the wax cube is used much faster. There are lots of different wax burners available with varying heights between the tealight flame and the bowl holding the scented wax. A short distance between the two will result in increased heat and conversely, a larger distance between the flame and the bowl will result in decreased heat.

Click here to view our range of burners.

2. The size of the tealight

Larger tealights will cause a wax melt to release its fragrance faster because the flame is closer to the wax bowl. For safety reasons we recommend pairing smaller tealights with smaller burners and advise against using 4-8 hour tealights due to the intensity of heat that they produce.

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To create your own idyllic wax melt set up, check out our range of ceramic and electric wax burners, tealights and wax melts. Our melts are renowned for being long lasting and giving an intense scent throw – why not see for yourself?