Are the candles safe?
Every candle, conventional or colourflame, must be treated with respect. Remember candles cause many household fires every year. Our colourflame candles have been tested by independent testing laboratories to both EU and American standards. We also repeat tests annually not just at the product launch. We have safety assessment certificates for the candles.
However, there are certain things you should avoid doing with any type of candle. These are:
- Never leave a candle unattended.
- Always keep out of reach of children and pets.
- Keep away from flammable objects. (Especially curtains and Christmas decorations)
- Do not put a candle on a heat sensitive surface e.g. on top of your TV or on a highly polished table. (Even some candle holders can be heat sensitive. Wooden holders can be varnished with flammable varnishes and any china or glass holder will always expand when heated. A hairline crack on the latter, can cause it to shatter while a candle is burning.)
- Do not burn in a draught. (This may make the candles burn faster, drip more and occasionally flare up.)
- Do not let your candle burn out completely. (If you let a candle burn right to the bottom you may run the risk of flaring or damage to the candle holder. Always extinguish a candle as it reaches the bottom.)
- Do not move the candle while it is lit. (This may cause it to drip or spill causing hurt or damage.)
There are also a few things specific to colourflame candles. These are:
- If your candle does spill or flare across the surface, cover it with a damp cloth. Unlike conventional wax candles, colourflame candles are made from a water soluble alcohol.
- Dim the lights after the candle has been positioned and lit and not before.
What makes them burn different colours?
Faerie Flames candles and lamps use mineral and metal salts to make them burn with different colours. For example, have you ever thrown table salt into a fire? Well, table salt is sodium chloride and that will create orange sparks.
What are the candles made of?
The candles are not made of wax. They are made of special crystals. They're similar to salt crystals and things like citric acid crystals which are used as a preservative in food and cosmetics.
How do you make the candles work?
To make the candles burn with a coloured flame just light them with a match like any other candle, but do not trim the wick. After a few minutes the flame will start to burn with a different colour.
Why shouldn't I trim the wick? It looks rather long.
The colour is released from the crystals only when the wick is hot enough. If you have trimmed the wick, the wick will take longer to reach the right temperature. The excess wick will burn off quite quickly.
Have they got batteries?
They are not battery operated. They work just like a conventional candle.
My candle doesn't burn with a colour - why is that?
Be patient! Each candle will take 3-5 minutes to reach the optimum temperature. The colour is released from the crystals only when the wick is hot enough. If you have trimmed the wick, the wick will take longer to reach the right temperature. Occasionally draughts may also affect the colour of the flame as draughts may cool the wick. (Draughts will also shorten the burning time of the candle.)
Will the taper candles like Snow Angels drip?
The candles will not normally drip. However, if they do, any drips or splashes can be removed by placing a warm, damp cloth against the drip for 3-5 minutes. However, burning them in draughts will cause them to burn faster than recommended and this can cause excess dripping.
What happens if I spill the candle on my clothes?
Just soak the cloth for 3-5 minutes in water (preferably warm water) and the crystals will dissolve.
What happens if the candle spills on to a table top or surface?
If you do spill a candle don't worry. Unlike conventional candles though, the 'wax' will not peel off. You will find it goes hard. Do not try to chip it off as you may damage the surface beneath it. As soon as possible after a spill, take a cloth or sponge, dampen it in warm water and leave it over the spill for 3-5 minutes. The crystals will dissolve and simply wipe away.
Are they suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
These candles do not contain tallow or any form of animal wax. Neither do they contain paraffin wax from petroleum. So they are suitable for vegetarians and the Hindu festival of Diwali.
Are they environmentally friendly?
There are no known environmental side effects. The crystals do not use petroleum thus depleting mineral resources. They are also water soluble. Some (red, pink and purple) contain tiny amounts of metal salts but the percentage is negligible.
Are the colourflame candles toxic?
The candles are non-toxic. Despite that we still don't recommend that you eat them though!
Is the colourflame lamp fuel toxic?
The lamp fuel contains strong alcohol (mainly ethanol and ethylene glycol) which should not be drunk, although it is not highly toxic. You must keep this out of reach of children and pets. If you do suspect that someone has drunk someone, please get emergency medical attention straightaway. Refill bottles are now supplied with childproof caps.
(Older stock pre-2006 of red, pink and purple lamp fuels used to contain a tiny proportion of methanol and this is very toxic. These have all been replaced but if you do suspect that someone has drunk fuel from old stock, please get emergency medical attention straightaway.)What if I spill the lamp fuel?
Just mop it up with a wet cloth and rinse it away with plenty of water. Usually any excess fuel can be flushed into the drain with plenty of water. However, do be aware that alcohol can sometimes remove certain paint, varnishes or lacquers so if any fuel is spilled wipe it up straightaway. Do not let any fuel come into contact with any treated surface.
How do I recap a colourflame lamp?
Your colourflame lamp comes with a black travel cork inside the lid to stop it spilling in transit. If you want to replace the cap with the wick tube inserted, you must remove the travel cork from inside the cap, to allow space for the wick and wick tube.
How long do they burn for?
Tealights burn for up to 60 minutes provided there are no draughts. If there are draughts, they may burn quicker. Eggstraordinary eggs burn for 3 hours. Eight inch long Snow Angels burn for 4 hours. Angel Flames party candles burn for 8 minutes - long enough to sing several verses of "Happy Birthday"!
Why didn't my candle didn't burn for as long as the suggested time?
The most common reason that a candle burns faster than the suggested time is if it has been in a draught. Even a light draught or air current through a room may cause the candle to burn faster. It is also worth remembering that each candle (including the tiny birthday cake candles) is made by hand. These special candles cannot be made by machine. As with any handcraft, there may be slight variations in size or thickness. This may also lead to occasional slightly shorter burn time, despite our best efforts at quality control.
Can I relight my candles?
You can relight your tapers, party candles and lamps. However, the tealights are hard to relight and we recommend you don't blow them out and try to relight them later as you may be disappointed. This is because, unlike wax, our crystal fuel is heavy and does not travel up the wick. So when you blow it out there is little fuel left in the wick to catch a flame with.
Are the lamps refillable?
Both Colourflame Glass Lamps and the Flower Candle Lamps are refillable. Both will generally burn for 4 hours when full before refill.
