Frequently Asked Questions

Price and Quality: Why are Nirvana candles more expensive than other candles I see at grocery, drug, and mass market chain stores? What makes them unique?

Nirvana candles are made from high melt-point, long-burning wax. Our food grade paraffin will burn 120 hours in a 3x6” pillar. That’s incredible, compared to cheaper candles that burn down in only a few hours. Our soy and palm waxes are also extremely long burning. Some people have Nirvana candles that last for years! Our candles are also engineered not to leak or smoke, and all are handmade in the USA. They also contain real essential oils and high quality fragrances, as opposed to lower quality artificial scents like those found in cheaper candles. Plus, you get those striking Nirvana images and symbols that add beauty and meaning. With Nirvana, you get your money’s worth, and then some, or your money back.

Burn: How can I get the best burn out of my Nirvana candle?

Candles are meant to be long burning and ought to perform better the longer you let them burn. To get the most life out of any candle, you should always burn it long enough for the wax to melt all the way out to the edge. That way you encourage the entire candle to burn down evenly. If you blow out the candle prematurely, the next time you light it, the center of the candle will be lower than the outside. And if you do this repeatedly, you will gradually form a tunnel down the center of the candle each time. As a guideline, a pillar candle should be burned at least one hour for every inch of its diameter. A candle in a container should be burned until it has developed a pool of wax that extends to the furthest edges of the container.
Also, be sure to trim your wick before each use, down to 1/8”. Keep your candle away from drafts and always burn it on a plate or unburnable surface.

Lead in wicks: Do Nirvana candles contain lead? What about this issue?

There has been a lot in the news regarding candles that have lead in their wicks, and the toxic emissions that they create. These days pretty much all candles that have lead wicks are manufactured overseas. The lead serves to help keep the wick stiff and upright while burning. Nirvana candles have never contained lead wicks or any other unsafe ingredients. Our wicks are made of cotton and contain a stiff paper core.

Waxes: What’s the difference between Soy wax, Palm wax, and Paraffin?

Let’s start with paraffin. Paraffin is the most common type of wax used in candles today, and has been used for over 100 years. It is a petroleum product and is highly refined. Recently, the candle industry has introduced vegetable waxes, such as soy which is made from soybean oil and palm which comes from palm oil. These oils are turned into wax in much the same way as vegetable oil is turned into margarine. The advantages of these natural waxes are:
Environmental: Vegetable waxes are biodegradable and are made from renewable resources.
Health: While any candle can be poorly engineered so as to create soot, vegetable waxes tend to be easier to make clean burning than paraffin, and thus generally tend to burn cleaner. However, the cleanliness of the burn and the purity of the emissions has as much to do with the type and content of the fragrances or essential oils being used, and the choice of wicks, as it does with the type of wax.
Social: If you prefer to give your “dollar vote” to soybean farmers or palm growers, as opposed to multi-national petroleum corporations, vegetable waxes are the choice for you.
The main disadvantage of vegetable waxes is that they are more expensive than paraffin.

Which of your candles are made from soy or palm wax, and which are made from paraffin?

Soy wax: Vase candles and Spa candle tins. (These are scented with essential oils)

Palm wax: Spa candle pillars. (These are scented with essential oils)

Food-grade Paraffin wax: All other candles.

Can I choose a particular scent or candle color for the image I want? (eg. Can I get the Dragon symbol on a green candle instead of on orange?).

Yes, however this would be a custom order requiring certain minimums (200 - 400) depending on the size of candle ordered. Please contact Nirvana customer service for details.

Custom candles: Do you make custom or private label candles?

Yes! For stenciled candles we have a minimum of 200 pieces for medium pillars, and 400 pieces for karmic cubes, which brings most custom orders to at least $1000. While most of our clients are businesses or non-profit organizations, we have done some candles for weddings and other private use. If you have a custom logo or message you would like on a candle, feel free to give us a call to discuss it. (888-422-5663).

Soot: What about candle soot and how do I prevent it?

The petroleum soot emissions from burning paraffin candles indoors has become a growing public health concern, gaining the attention of the EPA and forming the basis for numerous lawsuits.
Soot results from an inefficient burn and it is often created when a candle flame exceeds one inch in length. The quality of wax, the type of wick, and the amount of fragrance will all determine how much soot a candle will produce. Imported candles often contain lower grades of wax and fragrance, making soot more likely. Although no candle is guaranteed "soot-free," Nirvana candles provide some of the cleanest burning candles on the market. Our high quality paraffin and vegetable wax blends, as well as rigorous testing, contribute to our clean burns and low soot levels.
In addition, it is important that you always trim your wicks. Before you light your Nirvana candle, always pinch off or trim the wick to 1/8”. And as a general rule, a wick should be trimmed after every 3-4 hours of burning. If you burn a Nirvana candle all day, you may have to blow it out at some point and trim the wick.

Sensitivities: Nirvana candles are among the few candles whose smell doesn't bother my allergies. How come?

Grace Gamboa, the founder of Nirvana, is extremely sensitive to scents. Thus, all our scents have to pass her approval, as well as the approval of our focus group, before becoming a Nirvana scent. We’ll evaluate as many as ten samples of a particular scent from various producers before settling on one that not only smells great, but keeps Grace from sneezing.

Aromatherapy: What is the difference between essential oil aromatherapy and synthetic perfume fragrances?

The science of Aromatherapy teaches that olfactory stimuli can affect all parts of our well-being, yet most candle companies use overwhelming, poor-quality synthetic fragrances equivalent to those found in furniture polish. Yuck!
Aromatherapy (aroma – therapy) is the science of treating yourself to the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of pure plant extracts, such as lavender or rosemary, which many people believe can have positive effects such as aiding relaxation or concentration. Synthetic scents or fragrances by contrast, are produced in a lab. They range in quality from those found in air fresheners and chewing gum on the one hand, to high quality expensive perfumes on the other. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Scents and fragrances are often less expensive than their natural counterparts, and they last much longer in the candle. Essential oils have cleaner, more soothing and beneficial scents, and tend not to cause irritation or allergic reactions as compared to synthetic fragrances. However, essential oils are highly volatile and dissipate quickly. A pure aromatherapy candle must be wrapped to contain the essential oils, or else it will barely smell within a few weeks, except on the inside and when you burn it. If you see a candle sitting on a shelf, unwrapped, and it still smells strong, it is not an aromatherapy candle, despite what the label may say.
Currently, there is no government regulation of the accuracy or labeling of candles, including the use of the word “aromatherapy.” Many candles on the market wrongly say “aromatherapy” on them, when they really should say “scented” or “fragranced” since they contain no essential oils.
Nirvana candles contain a range of high quality, hypoallergenic fragrances and pure essential oils. Many of our candles contain both essential oils and fragrances, giving you the therapeutic benefits of natural essential oils, plus a pleasing aroma that lasts and lasts for the life of your candle. Our vegetable wax candles contain almost exclusively essential oils and have been approved by some very discerning aromatherapists. You can find specific information about which of our candles contain essential oils by checking our Scent Descriptions page on this website.

What are Nirvana’s testing procedures?

Ever had a candle that leaked — perhaps on your carpet? We swore when we started Nirvana that our candles would never do that, and they don’t! You’d be amazed how many candle makers don’t bother testing for the best wick. You can burn a Nirvana pillar candle all day and it won’t leak!
At Nirvana, our candles are put through extensive burn testing, both at home and in the factory, to ensure our premium quality. First we burn them for at least 12 hours straight, to make sure they won’t leak if your party or romantic evening lasts into the next day. We compare the performance of dozens of wicks, judging them for the size and brightness of the flame, the cleanliness and efficiency of the burn, the diameter of the pool of liquid wax, and the length of the burn. Our fragrances also have to meet testing standards before they are mixed with our wax. Our candle packaging endures drop & ship tests to ensure your candle's safety during shipping.

What’s the best way to get wax out of a carpet or rug?

Heat up an iron, place a paper towel over the wax spill, and run the iron over the paper towel. As the wax liquefies, the paper towel will absorb it.