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Our Wax Melts are full of shimmer, sparkle and scent, whilst also being eco friendly! Discover our collection of wax melts today!

Our wax melts are strong, long lasting scented melts in a variety of fabulous fragrance. Here are some of the most common wax melt questions & answers.

1. What are wax melts?

Wax melts are small scented pieces of wax, in various shapes, sizes and colour. Fundamentally, fragrance (in the term of fragrance oil or essential oils) are added to a wax mixture. They are then left to cure (to harden, and for the wax and the melt to fuse together fully). They are then popped into a burner (either an electric burner or a traditional tealight burner). As the mixture heats, the fragrance is released from the wax. Not all wax melts are created equally, and it’s important you choose wax melts that use natural wax sources, and certainly not those from brands which use paraffin (most commercial brands!) as these are full of nasties! 

2. How long do they last/ Why do wax melts lose their smell? How do I increase the longevity of my wax melt smell?

There are a number of factors that affect how long wax melts last. Different manufacturers use different levels of oil concentration, so if less fragrance is added into the mixture, then naturally it is likely to be used up quicker. Another key factor is the type of burner that is used. Traditionally, tea light burners burn hotter, meaning they give a stronger scent throw (the wax gets hotter), however, this high heat leads typically to a faster release of the oils from the wax.  Electric burners, which use a ‘lamp’ light to heat the wax, typically have lower scent throws, but as they often heat the wax to a lower temperature, mean the scent lasts longer. Other variables, such as using larger tealights which burn hotter can also mean a stronger scent throw but decreased fragrance release time. Often other variables such as a draughty room can disperse the fragrance emitted from the wax melt quicker, and thus cause it to smell weaker or not as strong  

3. What should I do when I can no longer smell the fragrance?

When the wax melt can no longer be smelt, it is likely that the significant majority of fragrance has left the wax. The wax should be left to cool before it is removed.

4. How do I remove the wax from a tealight burner?

The most effective way to remove wax from a tealight burner is to light the tealight for about 10-15 seconds and then blow it out. This will soften the wax that is held to the burner. Using one hand, hold the burner. Using the other hand, lightly press the wax to the edge of the burner. The wax should be removed in one piece ready for disposal.

5. Can wax melts be reused?

Yes! Wax melts can be used until there is no longer fragrance released. Please check the instructions on your burner, as there should always be a minimum amount of wax left. Never operate a tealight or electric burner with a small amount of wax left in the dish.

6. Are wax melts safe for pets? What is paraffin wax?

This depends entirely on each manufacturer, and what they use inside the product. Here at Oh My Melt, we use a natural wax blend, meaning we never use paraffin, which is basically a dirty by-product of the production of petroleum. We never, ever use it in our products! What is concerning is most wax melts you find commercially on the high street use paraffin wax.

Paraffin is coloured as it is a waste product and then bleached to make it white. We certainly wouldn’t want to breathe any fumes from this, or allow our customers or pets to!

As long as wax melts are kept out of reach and sight of children and pets, and are made out of natural wax (not paraffin) and are crafted correctly, they are a safe way to enjoy a strong cost effective fragrance solution for your home.

7. Can wax melts be used in an oil burner?

Each burner will have separate instructions so we always recommend you follow them carefully! The biggest issue that means often wax melts cannot be used, is the size of the dish. Most burners that are designed for wax have a large dish to accommodate the size of the melts. Oil burners often have a small dish, so if wax is popped in, as it melts it can often run down the side onto other furniture or clothing which can be damaging.

8. Why buy wax melts over candles?

We love both! However often wax melts can be more cost effective. A candle involves other ingredients to make (the wick, the wick stabiliser, the glass or jar) and therefore are often more expensive. A wax melt simply blends the wax and the fragrance at the correct ratio to provide a strong scent, which is a lot harder to get from a candle without spending more money!

9. Can wax melts go off?

Most things, over time can go off, including wax melts! Often with wax melts, a certain length of time ‘sat there’ can make the scent stronger and the fragrance and the wax really bond together. However, there is a limit, and like anything, the scent can start to evaporate into the environment. The wax may also start to degrade meaning the scent is no longer as strong or can be smelt.

10. Are wax melts environmentally friendly?

We believe that companies which responsibly create wax melts can be environmentally friendly.

We would avoid wax melt suppliers who sell in plastic. There’s no way of dressing it up, it’s not environmentally friendly!!!!! Even if the plastic is recyclable, it’s had to be created in the first place!

Wax melts can be preferrable to candles, as the glass jars that candles usually come in and take up to 1 million years to decompose! Producing glass is also energy intensive and takes a lost of resources and heat to produce. Wax melts are simply a small piece of wax that won’t be sitting in a landfill for the next million years!

We use fully biodegradable packaging and natural waxes to ensure we are as kind to our planet as we can be!

11. How can I make wax melts smell for longer?

This is a simple but completely effective cheat to make your melts smell longer! Heat is needed to enable the scent to be released from the melt, however, it isn’t continually needed! Our top tip is letting the melt fully turn to liquid in the burner, and keeping it going for another 3 minutes or so. This allows the wax to get to a good temperature, and you should be able to clearly smell the melt. At this point, blow out the tealight! The continued high heat can rapidly release the remaining fragrance from the melt, reducing its life. With the wax pool still hot and warm, it will continue to release fragrance until it cools!

12. Are wax melts supposed to smoke?

There can be a little clear/white smoke that can be seen when a wax melt is burning. If you are using wax melts that have been made in a natural wax (such as ours!) then this is harmeless. If you are using those by a commercial brand that uses parrafin or inferior waxes, then the smoke has been reported to cause a headache or blocked nose. This is why we always advocate using clean, natural waxes.

13. Will wax melts dissappear/completely go?

Eventually, if they were left burning then yes the whole of the wax would evaporate. However, the fragrance will be released a long time before this is the case and therefore most people remove the wax melt and replace it with a new one.

14. Can wax melts be used to make candles?

This isn't ideal. To make a candle safely you need to be fully aware of exactly what concentration of fragrance has gone in, and use the correct wick. If your purchasing wax melts you haven't made youself, then you will not know the detailed information (such as what temperature the wax was previously heated to etc). It is therefore never advisable to make a candle using a wax melt.