What Are Wax Melts? How to Use Them and When to Choose Them Over a Candle
Wax melts have been around for a while, but they remain one of the more misunderstood home fragrance formats. People who have never used them sometimes assume they are a cheaper or less effective alternative to candles. In practice, they are just a different tool, and for certain situations they genuinely outperform a candle.
Here is how they work, how to use them well, and how to decide whether they are right for you.
What are wax melts?
A wax melt is a small, solid piece of scented wax with no wick. It is designed to be melted gently in a wax burner, releasing its fragrance as it liquefies. Because there is no wick and no combustion happening in the wax itself, the fragrance is released through heat alone rather than burning.
They are sold in various shapes - bars, clamshells, tablets, and decorative forms - and are used with either a traditional oil burner (heated by a tealight candle underneath) or an electric wax warmer.
The fragrance load in a wax melt is typically higher than in a candle. Because the wax is never actually burned away, all of the fragrance is released purely through the warmth of the heat source. This means a small amount of wax can scent a room effectively.
How to use wax melts
What you need: A wax burner or electric wax warmer. If you are using a traditional burner, you will also need unscented tealight candles to heat it. The Ralph's Orchard Wax Melt Starter Kit includes a burner, soy tealight and a melt to get you started.
How much wax to use: For most standard burners, one or two small pieces broken from a bar is enough for a single room. Start with less than you think you need - you can always add more. Overloading the dish makes it harder to clean and does not significantly increase the scent.
How long does the fragrance last? A single melt typically releases fragrance for several hours. Once the scent fades, the wax itself has not disappeared - it has simply released all its fragrance. At this point it is ready to be swapped out.
How to remove used wax: The easiest method is to let the wax solidify after use, then pop it out of the dish. If it is being stubborn, placing the burner in the fridge for a few minutes will cause the wax to contract and release cleanly. Wipe the dish with a piece of kitchen paper before adding a new melt.
Do not mix melts in the same session. Combining two different fragrances in the same dish is fine if you have intentionally chosen them to work together, but pouring a new melt on top of an old one that still has scent left tends to muddle both. Use one at a time for the best result.
When wax melts make more sense than a candle
No open flame. The only naked flame in a wax melt setup is the tealight underneath the burner, not the wax itself. This makes wax melts a better choice in rooms where a larger open flame feels unsuitable.
Scent intensity control. With a wax melt, you decide how much wax to use and can adjust the amount each time. With a candle, the fragrance load is fixed. If you want a stronger or lighter scent, you have more control with melts.
Cost per use. Wax melts tend to offer good value relative to candles, particularly if you like to switch fragrances frequently. They are an accessible way to try a new scent without committing to a full candle.
Trying a new fragrance. If you are curious about a scent but not sure whether you want to live with it in a candle, a melt is a lower-commitment way to test it at home. Our Wax Melt Bars are available in most of our fragrances, so you can explore the range before deciding on a candle.
When a candle is the better choice
Wax melts do not replace candles - they complement them. A candle does things a wax melt cannot.
Ambiance and light. The visual quality of a candle flame is a significant part of what makes candles appealing. Wax melts produce no light of their own. If you are setting a mood for an evening, a candle is the more obvious choice.
Sustained, background fragrance. A candle burns slowly over many hours and can be left to do its job with minimal attention. Wax melts require a little more management - choosing how much to use, swapping out spent wax, keeping an eye on the tealight.
Gifting. A well-made candle in a beautiful vessel is a more considered gift than a wax melt, for most people. It has presence in a way that a bar of wax does not.
A note on wax melt safety
Wax melts are generally very safe when used correctly, but a few things are worth knowing.
Never leave a lit tealight unattended. The same basic rules that apply to any candle apply to the tealight underneath a burner. Do not overfill the dish, and make sure the burner is on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
Electric wax warmers remove the open flame entirely and are worth considering if you want to use wax melts in a bedroom overnight or in a space with young children or pets.
Avoid burning wax melts for more than four hours at a time. The fragrance will have largely dissipated by then, and continued heating of spent wax serves little purpose.
Ralph's Orchard wax melts
Our Wax Melt Bars are made from the same soy, coconut, and rapeseed wax blend as our candles, with the same phthalate-free fragrances. They are available in most of our scents. Our most popular in melt form are Zen, Amber & Rock Salt, Vintage Bookshop, and Cardamom Coffee - a good starting point if you are not sure where to begin.
New to wax melts? The Wax Melt Starter Kit includes a burner and a melt to get you started, and makes a simple, thoughtful gift.
Not sure which scent to try first? Visit our Fragrance Guide for a full overview of every fragrance we make, or take the Fragrance Quiz for a personalised recommendation.