7 Ways to Store Candles the Right Way (And Why It Matters)

Don’t Just Toss That Candle in a Drawer

Let’s get one thing straight: how you store your candles plays a huge role in how they burn, how they smell, and how long they last. At Willis Candle Shop, we put a lot of effort into designing handmade candles that are slow-burning, clean, and full of fragrance—but storing them wrong can undo all of that.

Whether you stock up on bulk candles, rotate scents by season, or gift your favorites to others, knowing how to properly store your candles will protect your investment and keep every flame performing like new.

1. Why Candle Storage Matters

Candles aren’t just decor—they’re chemistry in a jar. Temperature, sunlight, and even air exposure can affect wax texture, color, and scent. A poorly stored soy wax candle may lose its fragrance faster, sweat oils, or burn unevenly.

When you buy high quality candles, you’re paying for premium ingredients like phthalate-free candles and coconut soy candles—but even the best wax blend won’t hold up if it’s stashed near a heat vent or in direct sunlight.

For more in-depth guidance, our Proper Candle Storage Tips page breaks down seasonal storage, container safety, and how to spot a candle that’s been damaged before you even light it.

2. How Heat and Sunlight Affect Your Candles

Extreme heat is the enemy of long burning candles. It can cause the wax to soften or even melt, especially with natural candles made without stabilizing chemicals. This can cause the fragrance to evaporate or pool on top, damaging your candle’s scent throw and burn cycle.

Direct sunlight can fade the color of your glass candles or tin candles and degrade fragrance oils—particularly in lighter scents like citrus, florals, or fruit-based blends. If you want your great smelling candles to actually stay that way, cool and dark is the name of the game.

3. What Causes Fragrance Oil to Pool on Top?

One thing some candle buyers notice—especially if their candle has been stored for a while—is a thin layer of oil resting on the wax surface. This is fragrance oil separation, and while it might look unusual, it’s not a manufacturing issue or product defect.

At Willis Candle Shop, we don’t use unnecessary chemical additives or artificial binders. That means our phthalate-free candles and coconut soy candles are poured clean, cured for 10+ days, and shipped at peak condition. But once the candle leaves our hands, how it’s stored plays a big role in how it holds up visually over time.

Here’s what happens: fragrance oil and wax, while fully blended at pour time, have different flash points and molecular weights. If a candle is exposed to heat, sunlight, or fluctuating room temperatures, the wax can soften slightly—causing some of the fragrance oil to separate and rise to the surface.

This doesn't impact the way your candle burns, smells, or performs. In fact, if anything, it’s a sign that your candle is rich in real fragrance—not diluted with fillers.

4. The Best Way to Fix It? Just Burn It.

Yes, you could wipe the surface with a paper towel or gently reheat it with a heat gun—but we don’t recommend either. Those methods can distort the clean, creamy look of your candle’s top layer and create more mess than it’s worth.

The best solution is also the simplest:
Light your candle and allow it to burn until it forms a full wax pool.

As the wax melts, the surface oil will naturally reincorporate into the wax body, releasing its scent as a hot throw—just like it was designed to do. Not only does this restore balance to the candle, it activates the fragrance the way your wick was meant to deliver it.

So if you ever forget and put the lid back on right after blowing it out—don’t sweat it. Just light it again and let it burn until the wax pool reaches edge to edge. That alone will correct any temporary surface pooling of fragrance oil.

5. Should You Keep the Lid On?

Yes—but with some important exceptions.

Keeping the lid on your good candles helps protect them from dust, pet hair, and air exposure, all of which can dull the fragrance or mess with the wax surface. But timing matters.

When Not to Lid Your Candle

There are two key times you should not place the lid on your candle:

• During the curing period – At Willis Candle Shop, we let all of our handmade candles cure uncovered for a full 10 days before sealing them. This allows the wax and fragrance oil to bond naturally without trapping any residual heat. Only after this period do we apply the lid—locking in that scent for maximum cold and hot throw.

• Immediately after burning – Once you extinguish your candle, let the wax cool completely before replacing the lid. This usually takes 1 to 2 hours. Re-lidding too soon can trap heat and vapor, disrupt the wax surface, or cause sweating.

And yes—don’t forget to put the lid back on once the wax has cooled. It helps preserve that top layer, prevents scent loss, and keeps everything clean and ready for the next burn.

6. Where (and Where Not) to Store Your Candles

Good spots:

• A cool, dry shelf

• A drawer away from direct heat

• A cabinet near your entryway (great for rotating seasonal candles)

Bad spots:

• Next to windows or radiators

• Inside a car (seriously—don’t do it)

• Attics, garages, or basements with temperature swings

You wouldn’t store chocolate next to a heater. Same goes for your chocolate candle. Treat your candles like something worth protecting—because they are.

7. Store It Right, Then Style It Right

Here’s the cool part: properly stored candles are always ready to use—and ready to show off. Whether you prefer luxury candles scented for the bedroom or outdoor candles for the porch, you’ll get the most out of them when they’re well-kept and display-ready.

Once your candle stock is preserved, check out this guide on ways to decorate your home with candles for ideas on placement, grouping, and styling. Because part of the fun is turning your collection into a vibe.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Store—Preserve

The goal isn’t just to keep candles tucked away—it’s to preserve the burn, the scent, and the experience. With the right conditions, your non-toxic candles will burn cleaner, last longer, and smell as good on Day 90 as they did on Day 1.

If you’ve invested in candles made in the USA, it makes sense to protect that quality with smart storage. Treat your candles right, and they’ll treat you to hours of clean-burning ambiance—every time you strike the match.