Even the most creative candle lovers make a few slip-ups — especially with something as unique as Foton Pearled Candles. A few small setup tweaks can make all the difference in how beautifully (and safely) your candle burns.

In this guide, we’re sharing the top 3 mistakes most people make - and how to fix them so your Foton glows longer, brighter, and better than ever.

1. Not Inserting the Wick Deep Enough

One of the biggest slip-ups we see? Leaving too much wick sticking out of the pearls.

When the wick is too far above the wax pearls, it burns down quickly, racing through the wick before it even reaches the pearls. This can cut your burn time from 12+ hours to just a couple of hours or even less.

✅ The Fix:
Insert your Foton wick deeply into the pearls—so that it’s anchored and surrounded on all sides. You want just enough of the wick exposed to light it (about 1/4 inch).

For wooden wicks, they need to go in even deeper, leave only a 1/8" tip out and to ensure it lights properly. This way, they'll last even longer than the regular cotton wicks. These are the typical burn times per Foton wick type: 

• Foton cotton wicks: ~12 hours burn time
• Foton wood wicks: ~20 hours burn time

2. Using the Wrong Container Size

We love how Foton lets you get creative and repurpose cool containers into candles—but not every bowl, vase, or jar is automatically candle-safe.

Unlike traditional candles, Foton Candles should never fully melt over. When you light a Foton candle, the pearls near the wick melt and make a small pool about 2–3 inches wide.

If the container is too small, the melted pearls (the melt pool) can reach the edge and overheat the glass or bowl. It can also make it stick to the container after cooling, making it hard to refresh your candle. 

✅ The 4–2–1 Rule:

• 4 inches wide – Use a container at least 4" across for a single wick.

• 2 inches of space around each wick – Keep at least 2" of space around each wick and from any décor. Pro Tip: Use your Foton wick to measure! 

• 1 inch below – Make sure there’s at least 1" of pearls under your wick (the wick should NOT touch the bottom of the container). 

For XL Wooden wicks, use containers at least 8 inches wide to keep the melt pool from reaching your vessel. Our Oversized Wooden Vessels & Oversized Luxe Concrete Bowls are the perfect size for the Extra Large Wood Wicks. 

What to watch for:
If the container is too small or narrow, your melt pool could reach the edge, overheat the glass, and cause damage (or worse, a fire hazard). Plus, cleaning gets messy when your melted Foton pearls stick to the sides.

✅ Container Checklist:

• Minimum width = 4 inches at the narrowest point for a single wick candle
• One wick per container unless you're working with something wider than 4”
• Don’t place the wick less than 2 inches from the edges or any decor

3. Not enough pearls

Another common error we see is not having enough pearls to keep the wick from touching the bottom of the vessel.

We recommend at least 3 inches of pearls to leave some space between the bottom of your wick and the container. This way your candle will self-extinguish once it reaches the end of the wick (after 12+ hours of total burn time) without overheating your container. 

Pro Tip: Cut your wick shorter to use a shallower container. Just keep in mind this will reduce your wick's burn time. 

🚫 Don’t:

• Use containers that are smaller than 4 inches in width/diameter in either direction.
• Place multiple wicks in small containers (use 1 wick for a 4 inches wide container).
• Let decor touch the wick or get closer than 2 inches. This could be a fire hazard.

✅ Do:

• Use containers wide enough for at least 2 inches of pearls around each wick
• Space wicks properly from edges and décor (2” of pearls around each wick)
• Trim your wick when you're using a shallow container to make sure you will have 1” in between the bottom of the container and the wick. 

Burn Smarter, Not Harder

Foton Pearled Candles are all about creativity, customization, and creating a cozy atmosphere that feels uniquely yours. And with just a little know-how, you can make sure every candle you pour burns beautifully, safely, and for as long as possible.

Need more guidance or have a setup question? We’re here for you. Reach out to us at info@fotoncandles.com or through our contact form here.