Trim the wick. Trim the wick to about 5 mm before every burn. A short wick burns brighter and cleaner, with less smoke and no black ring of soot on the inside of the glass.

Let the wax melt to the edge. Only extinguish the candle once the top layer of wax is completely liquid, right up to the edge of the glass. This takes 2 to 4 hours, depending on the size. That way the candle won't tunnel.

Don't burn it for too long. Four to six hours at a time is plenty. Any longer and the glass gets too hot.

Don't blow it out. Blowing sends soot particles into the wax. Put the flame out with a candle snuffer or by resting the lid on the glass for a moment.

Choose the right spot. Place the candle on a flat, heat-resistant surface, away from curtains and fabric, and out of any draught from fans, open windows or people walking past. Then it will burn evenly.

Leave 1 cm of wax. Never burn the candle right down: with less than a centimetre of wax left, the glass can overheat and crack.

Yes, every one of them. For the glass of the Knokke-le-Zoute collection there is a perfectly fitting refill with a wooden wick, for the concrete candles a concrete refill, and for mouth-blown glass and outdoor candles a refill bag of soy blend. Rather not do it yourself? Bring your empty glass (always leave 1 cm of wax) to the boutique in Knokke or the atelier in Brecht and we'll refill it for you.

Black smoke almost always has one of these causes:

The wick is too long. Trim the wick to no more than 5 to 6 mm, even if the candle is already burning (extinguish it briefly first).

The candle has been burning too long. Once the top layer is completely liquid, it's best to extinguish the candle within the hour. After that the wax gets too hot, evaporates faster and the flame becomes unsteady — and an unsteady flame produces soot.

The candle is in a draught. Moving air makes the flame flicker. Turn the candle or move it to a calmer spot.

The glass has never been cleaned. Soot from previous burns falls into the wax and burns along with it. Clean the inside now and then with a cloth and an alcohol-free cleaner.

The room is too small. Large candles with several wicks belong in a large room with enough ceiling height.

The wooden wick is a little thicker than average. Wood is a natural product. Feel free to send us a photo of the burning candle and we'll take a look together.

Our candles are made with the finest ingredients, but a candle is still an open flame. So always burn them responsibly:

• Remove all packaging before lighting.
• Place the candle on a heat-resistant, dry and level surface, away from anything that could catch fire and out of reach of children and pets.
• Keep the wick trimmed to about 5 mm.
• Is the candle smoking? Check for draughts and trim the wick. Extinguish the candle, trim, and relight.
• Keep the wax free of wick trimmings, matches and other flammable material. Keep the wick centred.
• Don't burn candles in a draught.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended.
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
• Leave 1 cm of wax in the glass.

OSCAR candles are known for their long burn time: a hard soy blend and wooden wicks that burn calmly and evenly. Burn time depends on the size and on the number and thickness of the wicks — more flame means a faster candle.

Knokke-le-Zoute collection
300 g up to ± 55 hours
190 g up to ± 35 hours

Concrete candles
small up to 40 hours
medium up to 80 hours
large up to 120 hours
extra large up to 150 hours

Mouth-blown glass
medium up to 80 hours
large up to 140 hours
extra large up to 220 hours
XXL up to 300 hours

Every candle is hand-poured and checked. If you're still not happy, send us your order number, the name of the candle and a few photos via the contact form. We'll find a solution straight away.

Good to know: wood is a natural product, so the thickness of a wooden wick can vary slightly and the flame may be a little larger or smaller. Just after lighting, the flame is always a little higher; after a few minutes it settles down. A modest flame is normal — it's what makes your candle burn longer.

We ship to Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Sweden, Monaco and Switzerland. In Belgium shipping is free from € 50, in the Netherlands and Luxembourg also from € 50, and in the rest of Europe from € 60. You'll see the exact shipping cost at checkout. Read more in our shipping policy.

We ship within 2 working days of your payment from our atelier in Brecht, with DPD. In Belgium your parcel usually arrives 1 to 2 working days after dispatch; elsewhere in Europe it takes 3 to 8 working days. As soon as your parcel leaves, you'll receive an email with a track & trace link.

First check your track & trace link: sometimes the parcel is waiting at a pick-up point or with a neighbour. If delivery takes longer than 8 days, email info@oscar.luxury with your order number. We'll look into it with DPD and send a new candle if needed.

You have 14 days from receipt to return an unused item in its original packaging; return costs are at your expense. We don't do exchanges: return the item and place a new order. Personalised candles (with your own text or logo) cannot be returned. Everything is set out in our returns policy.

From our own atelier in Brecht (Belgium), where every Oscar is hand-poured. Would you rather collect in Brecht or at the boutique in Knokke-Heist? Let us know at info@oscar.luxury and we'll have your order ready for you.