As you might already see it by now, making candles is a creative and complex process which requires broad knowledge. As unique as it is to make a living by an activity that is also your hobby, you have to take it seriously in order to succeed. Not only do you have to invest in quality equipment and ingredients, but you also have to pay special attention to the process itself. This can ensure your candles to turn out perfectly and are also safe to use.

However, there are a few issues that can happen even if you do everything by the book. In most cases these problems only affect the aesthetics of your candle. One of these issues is when the top of your candle is uneven. This can easily ruin your otherwise perfect candle. So let’s see why your candle wax dips in the middle!

Reasons and effects of wax dip

First of all, you should know the most common reason why your candle wax dips sometimes. This can happen when you pour your wax at a lower temperature than the right one. Lower temperature of the container itself can also worsen the result. In these cases, the wax will stick to the sides during cooling, leaving a hole in the middle. In other words, the wax on the outside will harden faster than in the middle.

Equally pouring the wax too hot can cause candle tunnelling for the same reason as the above, so trying to get the temperature of the wax down to the right levels is important. I tend to pour my candles at around 50 – 55.c – That’s with CB Advanced Soy Wax – one of the best soy waxes I’ve used.

But is it only a matter of aesthetics or can it ruin its functionality as well? Unfortunately, a deeper dip can make your candle burn irregularly or faster than normally. Also, it can cause your flame to flicker as well. I believe we don’t have to explain why these features can ruin the candle burning experience.

Some other common problems with soy wax candles can be sweating, here's a guide on why and how to fix soy wax candle sweating.

Avoiding and fixing it

Now that we know the reasons, it will be easier to avoid this problem. As we learned it above, the temperature is the key of the process. Firstly, you have to pay attention to the right temperature of your wax. But make sure to choose the proper temperature for the type of wax that you use. As you must know, different types of wax have different melting points. Secondly, you have to pay attention to use a warm container as well. You can do that by putting it in the oven or using a heat gun for a bit before pouring the wax into it.

It’s also worth knowing how to fix the problem when you couldn’t avoid it. The easiest method would be to use a heat gun or a hair dryer as you can easily smooth and even the surface of your candle. However, if the dip is too deep, you might be better off with pouring a bit of melted wax on top to even the wax.

Or sometimes if the dip isn't too bad you can heat gun the top and you can achieve a smooth candle top.

All things considered, it can be truly annoying when your candle wax dips in the middle. However, as you can see, it can easily be avoided by paying special attention to the process itself. So make sure to perfect your candle making technique and consider all steps along the way.