When we launched Sorelle Candles, we set out to create the kind of candle we always wanted to burn: luxurious, clean, beautifully fragrant, and powerful enough to scent a whole room—but without synthetic shortcuts or harsh chemicals.
We knew we wanted to work with coconut wax for its clean burn, creamy texture, and sustainable edge. But what we didn’t know was that coconut wax is… well, a bit of a diva.
The Diva of Waxes
Coconut wax doesn’t behave like other waxes. It’s soft. It melts at lower temperatures. It wants specific wick types and long cure times—longer than most manufacturers originally suggested. Think of it like wine: it needs time to mature, to let the fragrance and wax blend together just right before it’s ready for you.
And when you start mixing coconut with a harder wax—like palm, soy, or beeswax—it changes the personality of the candle. The balance shifts. That’s what we discovered the hard way last fall.
Lessons from Last Year
In 2024, we switched to using 20% palm wax in place of beeswax to give our candles better structure in warmer weather. This helped our candles survive shipping in the summer heat—but we later noticed something unexpected.
Months after testing, some of those candles were hardening more than anticipated. Their burn wasn’t quite the same. The scent throw wasn’t as powerful. Something had changed—not right away, but over time.
We realized we needed to go deeper.
What We’re Doing Differently
We’ve completely revamped our testing, sourcing, and quality control process to ensure every candle performs beautifully—not just when we make it, but long after.
Here’s how we’ve leveled up behind the scenes:
🕯️ Longer Testing Timelines
We used to cure and test candles after two weeks. Now, we test for up to 12 weeks before approving a scent. We want to know how our candles age—because they need to perform months after purchase, not just when they’re fresh off the pour.
🕯️ Shelf-Life Burn Testing
We simulate what happens when a candle sits in your home, your cabinet, your gift closet. If it doesn’t light beautifully and smell amazing after 6 months, it doesn’t pass.
🕯️ Refined Wax Blends & Future Sourcing
We’re researching more stable coconut blends and actively talking to local and ethical wax suppliers. One day, we hope to have even more control over the sourcing process from the ground up.
🕯️ Still Clean. Still Strong. Still Coconut.
Sure, we could’ve avoided these hurdles by using paraffin or synthetic waxes—but we’re not interested in easy shortcuts. Our commitment to clean-burning, coconut-based candles remains as strong as ever.
We’ve learned so much—and every challenge has made us better candle makers.
We’re proud of where we are, excited about where we’re going, and deeply thankful for you—our community of loyal, scent-loving candle enthusiasts—who continue to support us.
Here’s to stronger, smarter, better-burning candles.
With love,
The Sorelle Candle Sisters
