How to Care for a Hand-Dipped Beeswax Taper

Trim the wick

Before each lighting, trim the cotton wick to about 6 mm (a quarter inch). A long wick gives a smoky, uneven flame; a trimmed wick burns clean and steady.

Burn long enough to pool

Beeswax has a high melt point. If you only burn a taper for a few minutes, the flame can tunnel. Give it at least thirty minutes so the top pools evenly.

Mind the draft

A draft is the main reason a taper drips. Set it away from open windows and fans and it will burn beautifully to the very bottom.