Do Candles Expire? Best Tips on How to Keep Candle Last Longer?

In this article, we would like to share a guide about how long candles last. Many of us love candles and buy them, because of their beautiful scent or attractive packaging.

Do Candles expire?

They can complete your home interior and create a romantic and sensual ambiance. So if you adore a scented candle or candles you might be always getting one or more. Also, you may be thinking: How long do candles last? Can we buy more and store them for later? Do candles expire ? With the proper storage and care your candles can last long time. Here is what you need to know more.

How Long Do Candles Last Unpacked

The expiration of a candle depends on various factors such as the type of wax, fragrance oils, colors, storage, dye, etc. 

If the candles are exposed only to the center, without a seal, in direct sunlight, the colors and fragrances will fade away faster.

They must be stored properly in a cool, dark, and dry place to make them last longer. Candles that are sold inside the boxes last longer than unsealed. 

Here are a Few Reasons Why Candles Expire

Sometimes candles can expire even if you don’t use them when they are unpacked. Candles are made of a few ingredients:

 -wax, 

-fragrance oils, 

-dye. 

With time ingredients can change their properties and lose their benefits. This will cause expiration. 

Wax

Candles are made of different kinds of wax. Some waxes have longer lifespans than others. They are manufactured from natural waxes such as soy wax, palm wax, paraffin wax, etc. Waxes that are extracted from plant-based products won’t last forever.

candle wax

Paraffin wax lasts longer as it is made of petroleum. The shelf life on average of soy candles is two years, while paraffin wax candles are approximately five years. The beeswax candle’s life is the highest. The Beeswax doesn’t have an expiration date. 

Fragrance Oil 

During candle manufacturing, most of the time using synthetic fragrances, natural essential oils, or can be a combination of both. 

Sometimes those fragrances will have less scent. The type of wax in your candle can also be a reason for showing down or speeding up this process in candles. 

If candles make of natural fragrance essential oils, they will degrade like any other natural ingredients. With time the scent will change or disappear too. 

Dye 

Lots of candle brands use dye to color candles. Once those candles are exposed to direct sunlight or harsh light, the used dye will change color. 

Dye

How Long Do Candles Last Ones Burning

Manu factors can influence the candle burning time. 

Here are some of the most important, like the candle’s size, the length of the wick, and the quality of the ingredients used while making the candles (wax, essential oil, and dye). 

For example, if the candle is tall and large it will burn longer than small and short. So, the bigger the candle is, the longer it lasts. 

Candles with thin wicks burn faster than thicker wicks, and especially wood wicks last longer than older candles with usual wicks.

The paraffin candle made with wax has the shortest burn time as paraffin wax burns at lower temperatures and produces brighter and larger flames. Beeswax candles need a high temperature to melt, so they will last longer. Soy wax is non-toxic it is the safest for the environment and your health. Soy candles have better burning hours than paraffin candles but don’t last as long as beeswax candles. 

Tips on How Can You Know if a Candle Has Expired

Candles don’t have specific expiration dates. To recognize expired candles or not, first, you must check the candle’s packaging, look, smell, and wax texture. Does it look faded? If the candle wax turns to green, yellow, or brown colors with some moss-like drops. You have to check if the candle scent has not faded, changed, or just gone. 

Do candles expire

You might see that wax looks oily and the texture sticky when you touch it. This means that the candle wax has degraded. When you light this kind of candle the flame will look dull and dim. Now its shows that your candle expired. 

Do Candles Expire

Yes, scented candles expire. It takes a very long time for them to go bad before they get bad. The average lifespan for most candles is 3-4 years, but if you look after them and follow the storage guide, they can last much longer.

Here are some tips on how to extend the shelf life of your scented soy candles and others:

• Keep your candle cool, dry, and dark place. Avoiding direct sunlight because uv light breaks down materials over time. Then the candle will change color the fragrance will disappear. 
• Use a topper for a candle or a glass candle holder to keep the fragrance oil last longer.

• Avoid places where high humidity or moisture (bathrooms).
• Avoid storage near sudden temperature changes ( near the oven, vents, and radiators). 

You Can Still Use Expired Candles 

If you can burn your candle you can keep on using it. The candles may change the color or the original fragrance. As long as you don’t mind your candle now looks and smells, you should keep on using it and enjoy the romantic moments. 

do candles expire

Changes can happen not only with fragrance but in the wax too. 

It may block the wick. To know its happening, try to burn your candle and observe the flame. Is it small, sputtering, or does it keep going out? These signs mean your candle has a burning issue. It means that now is the time to melt the wax and reuse the jars.

Conclusion 

With the right care and storage, your scented candles can last many years. You can enjoy a memorable and romantic ambiance with no worries. I hope this article was helpful for you and you were able to take some helpful tips from it and get the answer to your question: Do candles expire? How do keep candles last longer ?

F&Q