Hi, candle lover. It’s time for a crash course in the world of wax melts.

For years, you’ve been scenting your home with candles — which means by now, you’ve probably had a candle-related disaster or two. From forgetting to blow out the flame to seeing black soot coat your walls, you are not alone if you believe there must be a better way.

Lucky for you, there is.

(One way is to choose better quality candles from a supplier you can trust, like Milkie Co’s decadent dessert candles, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. 😉)

Soy wax melts are a safe alternative (or addition) to your candle burning addiction. They offer a ton of benefits, too: like customisable scents, lower investment up front, and no wick to deal with. It’s no wonder most candle fans also become wax melt OBSESSED.

Here’s everything you need to know before adding wax melts to your home scenting routine.

WAX MELTS 101

Let’s keep it short, sweet and simple, so you can get straight to scenting.

 

What are wax melts?
Wax melts are scented pieces of wax — basically a wax candle, minus the wick and flame. They are designed to be slowly warmed, giving off their scent as they melt, constantly making your space smell soo good.

What do I need to get started?
Only two ingredients. The first is your chosen wax melt warmer, which safely holds and heats the wax as it gives off its smell. There are two types of warmers: some that use tea light candles to warm the wax, and electric warmers that are plugged into the wall and completely flame-free.

Next, you need wax melts. Grab an assortment to find your new fave, or keep your go-to scents on hand. Milkie Co’s collection has everything you need: click here for warmers and here for wax melts. PS: All Milkie Co warmers come with free wax melts. You’re welcome.

How do I burn them?
Wax melts are simple to use. Pop them into your warmer, placing one or two wax melts on top. Now light it up: plug your warmer into the wall or ignite its tea light candle. Leave it for up to 4-5 hours as it gently scents your space (or turn it off whenever you want).

When you’re done, blow out the tea light or turn off the warmer. The wax will solidify and you can use it again — just turn your warmer back on.

What’s this ‘soy’ thing about?
This is an important piece of the wax melt puzzle: it’s important to choose soy wax over paraffin wax. While soy wax melts are made from completely natural ingredients (our friend the soybean), paraffin wax is a byproduct of petroleum. It’s known for side effects like nausea and headaches as it spread its toxic energy around your house (ew).

Luckily, soy wax melts are not only the healthiest and most eco-friendly option — they’re also the most effective. Natural soy wax melts burn cleaner than paraffin and typically last longer. They release their scent slowly and consistently.

If your warmer uses tea light candles, be sure to check the ingredients they are made from, too. Instead of paraffin wax, opt for natural waxes like soy wax, coconut wax or beeswax.

When should I change the wax melt? How do I clean up?
You’ve just stumbled upon another beautiful benefit: wax melts are super easy to switch out and clean. Over time, your wax melt will slowly lose its scent. When this happens (or you’re craving something new), feel free to swap it out.

First, be sure your wax melt has completely cooled down. Wait at least one hour after use, and make sure the wax has completely solidified. Now you can slide it out of your burner without any mess.

If the scent has been used up, you can safely put it in the bin. Soy wax melts are renewable, sustainable and biodegradable (yay, soybeans). Just be sure not to pour hot, liquid wax down the drain… in fact, don’t handle hot wax at all. Chill out, let it cool.

How do I store my wax melts?
Once you try wax melts for the first time, you’ll become addicted to building a fun collection to mix-and-match. This is totally do-able and recommended — just be sure to store your melts properly to maintain their scent.

Store your wax melts in a cool, dry place. Avoid direct sunlight, as it fades the scent and colour. Stored wax melts can last one year or more. They’re pretty stable when they’re treated well (aren’t we all?).

WAX MELTS OR CANDLES?

 It’s a tough question with a happy answer: both. You don’t need to leave your long-term partner (candles) to fall in love with wax melts. We believe each plays a role in your home scenting routine: burn candles when you crave ambience or a certain scent, and use wax melts for all-day-everyday good smells.

Here’s why we recommend adding wax melts to the mix.

Customise your scent
Wax melts can be mixed-and-matched in your warmer to create a unique scent that is completely you. Create a custom scent by putting not one, but two, wax melts in your warmer. Play around to find your faves… citrus and sage, anyone?

Ditch the open flame
Sometimes you just don’t want the stress. How many times have you woken up in the middle of the night wondering if you blew out the flame? Electric wax warmers are completely flame-free, and the tea light alternative uses only a teeny, tiny candle that burns out after hours of use. It’s perfect for peace of mind and (kinda anxious) gals who already have 1000 things to think about each day — or when you have a two-year old tornado storming around your house.

We love consistency
…in our relationships and in our scents. Wax melts offer a strong, consistent fragrance as they burn. They melt at a higher, more consistent temperature and gently spread your chosen scent throughout your whole space. You get to know your burner well, and can predict exactly how it will perform. Wax melts are the perfect go-to if you always want your home to smell amazing.

Add some fun to your life
For lovers of colour, texture and massive amounts of glitter (that doesn’t get stuck everywhere, like your kiddo’s latest arts and crafts project), our wax melts are a dream to play with. Like, is it just us, or is an adorably shaped wax melt so satisfying to hold in your hands? Not to mention pleasing to the eyes (and nose). It’s just FUN, and we could all use a bit more fun in our lives.

WHAT’S MY SCENT?

Milkie Co is the home of everything fun, bright and customisable — we want you to find your fave scent! We could go on and on about choosing the right smell… or you could just hop over to our website and take our quiz to find the scent that suits you. Thank us later.

Still not sure? We have Milkie Melts available in surprise packs and big collections, so you can try a whole bunch at once. You can also take a peek at our full list of scent descriptions here.

If you need more inspiration, try these tips.

Scenting by room

• Kitchen: Amalfi Coast smells like you’ve just stepped into a breezy seaside vacation home; Sugar Cookies brings a decadent just-baked scent (without having to slave away in the kitchen)
• Lounge: Clean Cotton for fresh laundry smell (we won’t tell anyone if you haven’t washed your whites) and Japanese Honeysuckle (our top seller!) for gentle florals
• Bedroom: 50 Shades to set the mood (😉) or French Lavender for that deep, peaceful sleep that can be so hard to find
• Bathroom: Lemon Zest for a clean, fresh smell or Shave & A Haircut for sleek barber shop vibes (your man will approve of this one)

Scenting by occasion

• For a party mood: Bubblegum Fairyfloss is as fun as it sounds, and it makes everyone feel nostalgic and playful again (PS: it’s a Milkie Co house blend you can’t find anywhere else)
• When you have guests over: Vanilla and Pear brings that familiar soo-goood scent when they walk in — with an extra fruity twist for something different
• When you’re sick: Sinus Relief uses eucalyptus and peppermint to give you a total clear-out
• When you need an energy boost: Fresh Coffee is like a hit of caffeine for your brain and body, without the jitters
• For movie night: Use Butter Popcorn for the cinema popcorn scent — but be sure you have real popcorn to munch on, too (this one smells unbelievably good!)

Hi, we’re best friends now!

This guide was written by Milkie Co — the home of everything fun, bright and customisable, including our wax melts!

If you’re intrigued by the wax melt world, come join us. Our melts are hand made using quality soy wax and premium fragrance oils. We use the maximum amount of fragrance that the wax can hold (any more than this will cause the wax not to set properly). There is no such thing as 'triple scented’… we’ll give you more tips like this over at our corner of the internet.

See you there! 💖