We’ve all been there: lighting a fresh candle only for it to be down to a stub hours before the burn time should be up. In some cases, it might be the candle itself. But if you’ve got a Stella Candle, made from sustainable soy, coconut, plants, and beeswax, you’re almost guaranteed to have light and scent to last all night. Still, there are some tricks you can do to extend your candle’s longevity and make the most out of your tapers.

Tip 1: Trim the Wick

A wick that’s too tall might cause black flames, high flames, and even smoke stains. To prevent this, we recommend trimming the candle wick down to 1/4-inch using a wick trimmer like this one (specially designed to look like a duck!). This will maximize the life of your candles and stop the wax from burning too quickly.

Tip 2: Snuff the Flames

Blowing out your candles can cause wax to spray or, worse, push the wick down into the wax. If you don’t want to cut into your candle's burn time by lessening the wax or shortening the wick, we recommend extinguishing flames with a douter. Not only will this method help your candle last longer, but keep the candle wick area and your space cleaner.

Tip 3: Sharpen your Tapers

Sometimes your tapers aren’t the right fit—but there’s no need to put them away! Simply use this solid copper taper sharpener the same way you would a pencil sharpener to whittle down your candle so it’s the right size for your holder. Then light them up to make an impression over a romantic dinner, or to create a warm glow at weddings and parties.