Candles in Nova Scotia: local makers, soy vs beeswax and candle care

Some of the best candles Nova Scotia has to offer are hand poured a short drive from our stores, in Halifax studios, a home studio by the beach in East Lawrencetown and on Cape Breton Island. We also carry LightWater candles, made in Halifax and the only ones on our shelf scented purely with essential oils. Here's who makes them, how soy candles and beeswax candles differ, and how to care for a candle so it burns evenly to the end.

Hand poured: the candles Nova Scotia makers bring to our shelf

Our three biggest local candle makers all hand pour soy candles, and each has its own idea of what home should smell like. Buying from them supports small local businesses, and smelling two or three side by side in store is the easiest way to find the one you'll love.

Alben Lane Candle Co, Halifax

Two best friends started Alben Lane in 2020, and they still hand pour every candle in small batches in their Halifax studio. The candles are 100% soy wax, vegan, phthalate-free and paraben-free, made with materials from Canadian companies. Each scent tells a story from an East Coast memory: The Cottage is spruce, musk, amber and vetiver, inspired by summers at the cottage, and Secret Beach is bergamot, sage, jasmine, amber and musk. Alben Lane makes perfume to match its candles, and our natural perfume guide covers the scents.

Circle & Wick, Halifax and Dartmouth

Circle & Wick is owned by two friends in Halifax, Brittany and Courtney, who started it in November 2018 and designed the first line in one of their old Dartmouth homes. Morning Light, Lavender & Sage and Forest were the original three scents, and they're still on our shelf. The candles are soy wax with phthalate-free fragrance oils and cotton wicks, in 9 oz jars and larger 16 oz jars for some scents. Circle & Wick also takes empty jars back through its jar return program and reuses them for the next candle, which cuts down on waste.

Lawrencetown Candle Co, East Lawrencetown

Lawrencetown Candle Co hand pours 100% soy wax candles, each one crafted in small batches in a home studio in East Lawrencetown, right by the beach. Most scents come in 7.2 oz jars, and a few seasonal favourites come in a bigger 12.4 oz size. The range runs from warm woods and vanilla to fruit and spice, and Red Cedar + Suede is the one we suggest to anyone who likes a woodsy candle.

Two more local favourites

Lillian Co candles are hand poured on Cape Breton Island; Coffee Shop blends espresso, Irish cream and a touch of maple syrup. Wild Witch Potager's Wildflower candle pairs bergamot blossom with Nova Scotia wildflowers, and each one is dressed with petals and small crystals on top.

Candles scented only with essential oils

If you love the smell of real spruce, lavender or bergamot more than a perfumed candle, start here. LightWater also makes essential oil blends with the same names as the candles, so you can sniff a blend you like in the aromatherapy section before you choose. Our essential oils and diffusers guide covers LightWater's blends and rollers, how to dilute and how to choose a diffuser.

Soy candles, beeswax candles and paraffin

The wax is the biggest difference between candles, after the scent. The Alben Lane, Circle & Wick and Lawrencetown candles are all soy wax, but it helps to know how the main waxes compare.

Beeswax candles are harder, with a higher melting point, which usually means a longer burn time for their size. If you prefer beeswax, check the label for "100% beeswax", since some candles blend it with other waxes. Soy wax sometimes shows a white, crystal-like "frosting" on the surface or along the jar. That's normal for natural soy and doesn't change how the candle burns.

The right candle is the one you'll want to light again tomorrow night.

Find your scent

Start with the mood you want to create in a room: something bright for the kitchen, or soft warmth for an evening on the couch. Many people change scents with the season, too. Scent families overlap, but these starting points make the candle shelf easier to explore, for your own home or for a gift.

For a dinner table, or a home where someone doesn't enjoy fragrance, ask us about an unscented candle: you get the soft light without a scent competing with supper.

Size and burn time

Ounces tell you how much wax is in the jar, not how strong the scent is. Jar width, the wick and the fragrance matter too. As a guide, Alben Lane's 8 oz Vanilla Santal gives 40 to 45 hours of burn time and Circle & Wick's 9 oz Fireside 40 to 50 hours. You'll get the most hours from any candle by following the care steps below.

Candle care for a clean burn

1. Trim the wick. Remember to trim it to about ¼ inch (5 mm) before every lighting. A long wick burns faster, smokes more and leaves soot on the jar.
2. Make the first burn count. Let the wax melt all the way to the edges the first time, usually one to two hours or more. Short first burns leave a ring of hard wax, called tunnelling.
3. Keep it to four hours. Burn for no more than four hours at a time, then let the candle cool before you relight or move it.
4. Keep the wax clean. Fish out bits of wick and match, which can cause black smoke and soot.
5. Stop at ½ inch. When about ½ inch of wax is left, the candle is done. Burning lower can overheat the jar.

Keep candles out of direct sunlight between burns so the wax doesn't discolour. When the candle is finished, wash out the jar and give it a second life (it makes a handy container for our household refillery), or return Circle & Wick jars through their program.

Questions we get a lot

Are there candles made in Canada?

Lots. Every candle in our makers section is hand poured in Nova Scotia, by makers in Halifax, East Lawrencetown and on Cape Breton Island, and we carry them at both stores.

What's the best brand of scented candles?

The one whose scent you love. Alben Lane, Circle & Wick and Lawrencetown Candle Co all hand pour soy candles here in Nova Scotia, so the choice comes down to scent, jar size and style.

Is beeswax or soy better?

It depends on what you're after. Beeswax is harder and golden with a light honey scent, and suits pillars and tapers. Soy is vegan, carries added fragrance well and suits jar candles. Whatever the wax, a trimmed wick and a draft-free spot keep the flame steady. If scent or smoke bothers someone at home, an unscented candle or a flameless light, like a Himalayan salt lamp, is the more comfortable choice.

How do I get a clean burn from a candle?

Trim the wick before every lighting, keep the candle out of drafts and keep the wax pool free of debris. A long or crooked wick and a drafty spot are the usual reasons for a flickering flame and black soot on the jar.

What are the downsides of beeswax candles?

They cost more, they aren't vegan, and they have a honey scent of their own, so they're less common as scented jar candles.

What should I know about soy wax?

Soy is a soft wax, so it's poured into jars, and it likes a full first burn so it melts evenly to the edges. A little white frosting on the surface is natural for soy and doesn't change how the candle burns.

What is the four-hour candle rule?

Burn a candle for no more than four hours at a time. After that, the wick can get too long and the jar too hot. Blow it out, let it cool, trim the wick and light it again later.

You can buy local candles at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. See more of the local makers we support, or find a candle for someone on your list in our Halifax Christmas gift guide; a bar of fair trade chocolate makes it a complete gift. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free.

Sources: Alben Lane FAQs and candle care; Circle & Wick, Our story; Circle & Wick candle care; Lawrencetown Candle Co candle care tips; product labels.