Got questions about our soy wax candles, reed diffusers or room sprays? Find answers to common queries about scent, burn time, care, and sustainability. We're here to help you get the most from your Forest and Flow products.
If you have any further questions that haven't been answered below, don't hesitate to use the contact us page to ask your query.
Candle FAQ
How long will my candle burn for?
Our 20cl candles burn for approximately 35 hours. Environmental changes can alter how long a candle will burn for in total.
Why does my candle look like it is pulling away from the glass?
This is a completely normal, cosmetic phenomenon known as wet spots or delamination. It happens when the wax shrinks slightly as it cools and releases its grip on the glass container. It does not mean your candle is faulty, and it will not affect the safety, burn quality, or fragrance throw of your candle in any way.
What causes it?
Changes in room temperature and humidity cause the glass and the wax to expand and contract at different rates.
Is my candle ruined?
No. It is purely visual and very common with natural waxes like our soy wax
Will it affect the burn?
Never. Once you light the candle and the glass warms up, the wax will expand again naturally.
Can I fix it?
No fix is needed, but storing candles at a consistent, warm room temperature helps minimise it.
Why is my candle tunnelling?
The most common reason a candle tunnels, is down to how long you let it burn before extinguishing the flame. Candles need to burn until there is a complete melt pool that reaches the glass. Otherwise, if the melt pool is partial, it will act as a burn memory and form a tunnel on the next burn. The first burn is the most important. Burn the candle for atleast 2-3 hours, to ensure the liquid melt pool reaches the edges of the container.
My candle has sink holes
Post burn sinkholes happen because the melted wax pool cools unevenly after you blow out the flame. When you extinguish a candle, the liquid pool cools from the outside edges inward, while the wick retains heat longest, creating an uneven cooling pattern that traps shrinking wax. Because soy wax is a completely natural vegetable product, it expands when warm and shrinks as it cools, making it prone to these surface irregularities.
Is there something wrong with my candle? Absolutely not!
Rough tops prove your candle is 100% natural soy.
Surface cavities do not ruin the candle quality and have no effect on the performance of the candle.
An initial smooth surface on a new candle, only lasts until the first burn.
How long should I burn my candle for?
A candle shouldn't be lit for more than 4 hours at a time. Any more than this and it can cause damage to the candle. It can both affect safety aspects and cause performance issues to the wax and fragrance oil.
Why is the Wick mushrooming?
Mushrooming can occur from a number of factors. With our candles, if the Wick mushrooms, it may be that the candle has been burning for too long, or that the Wick hasn't been trimmed to 5mm before being lit. However, with high fragranced candles, small mushrooming is a perfectly normal occurance and you shouldn't worry. If the mushroom becomes too large, extinguish the flame and trim the Wick.
Why is the wax frosting?
Frosting is a white, crystalline layer that forms on the top and sides of soy candles. It looks like a white film, a cloudy coating, or tiny snowflake patterns.
Why does frosting happen?
Frosting is a natural characteristic of 100% soy wax. It occurs because soy wax is a vegetable oil that wants to return to its natural, solid state. Over time, the polymorph crystals within the wax grow and shift, creating a visible texture on the surface.
Why is the wax sweating oil?
Fragrance oil sweating from the candle wax is a completely natural occurrence with plant based waxes. The main reason for this is due to temperature changes, that cause the wax to expand and contract. This does not affect the performance of the candle. Always wipe away any fragrance oil before lighting the wick
How do I care for my candle?
Candle care is a very important thing when it comes to getting the most out of your candle.
- Ensure the first burn is for atleast 2-3 hours, so the liquid wax pool reaches the edges of the container
- Always trim the Wick before lighting the wick. This limits the possibility of a high flame and mushrooming
- Wipe away any oil spots on the surface. This is known as sweating and is perfectly normal. Wipe away with a dry paper towel.
- Burn for a maximum of 4 hours to get the most out of your candle. This provides optimum performance and reduces safety risks.
- Place the lid on the container after use. This locks in the cold throw fragrance and prevents dust from settling on the surface
- Dispose of candle when wax reaches approx 1/2 inch from the bottom of the container. This prevents overheating of the container.
Reed diffuser FAQ
Why can’t I smell my reed diffuser anymore?
Olfactory fatigue: Your nose adapts and goes blind to constant scents.
Dry reeds: Reeds require regular flipping to refresh the fragrance.
Clogged reed pores: Dust particles block the channels in the reeds over time.
Low room airflow: Diffusers need gentle air movement to distribute scent.
How often should I flip the reeds?
For new reed diffusers, we recommend to flip the reeds 24 hours after first placing them into the container. This allows plenty of time for the reeds to absorb the fragrance oil.
Weekly schedule: Flip them once a week for consistent scent.
Special occasions: Flip right before guests arrive for a boost.
Evaporation control: Flipping more frequently drains the liquid faster.
How long should a reed diffuser last?
How long does a 100ml diffuser last?Average duration: Typically lasts between 2 to 3 months.
How long does a 200ml diffuser last?Average duration: Typically lasts between 4 to 6 months.
What makes a diffuser empty faster?
Frequent flipping: Flipping reeds daily accelerates liquid evaporation.
Warm room temperatures: Radiators and underfloor heating speed up drying.
Direct sunlight: Windowsill placement in direct sunlight, causes the oil to heat up, speeding up the evaporation process.
Heavy drafts: Air conditioning and open doors strip fragrance quickly.
Where is the best place to put my diffuser?
Reed diffusers work best in small rooms when used individually, to get the most out of the fragrance. To use in larger rooms, we would recommend using more than one at opposite ends of the room, to fill the larger space with the aroma.
Recommendations:
High traffic zones: Entryways and hallways spread scent via movement.
Below eye level: Fragrance rises naturally with warm air currents.
Away from heat: Keep off radiators to prevent rapid evaporation.
Out of reach: Keep away from children and pets.
Why is my diffuser leaving marks?
Our reed diffusers use an eco friendly vegan base oil. Besides this, we use a high concentration of fragrance oil for the ultimate scent release. Therefore the fragrance oil has potential to cause damage when proper care isn't taken.
Ensure any spills, drips or any seapage is cleaned thoroughly to prevent any damage. Fragrance oils can permanently damage, strip, or stain polished surfaces, wood, plastic, and painted surfaces.
Always use coasters under your reed diffuser to prevent any potential damage from the oils.
Room spray FAQ
How do I get the longest scent throw from my spray?
All you need is a couple of sprits in the middle of a room and it will create a beautiful aroma in the atmosphere. To get the most out of your room spray, try spraying on curtains or upholstered seats (please refer to the staining FAQ to avoid any unintentional damage to fabrics)
Never spray any painted, polished or wooden surfaces as the oils in the rooms spray can cause damage
Is the room spray safe to use around pets and children?
Our room sprays are completely safe to use in homes with children and pets when handled correctly and sprayed into the air.
Because we use a high strength fragrance load, the raw liquid inside the bottle is highly concentrated. The safety and hazard warnings on your bottle's label refer strictly to the concentrated liquid in its raw form, not the fine mist floating in the air.
Is the room spray safe to use around pets and children?
Safe when airborne: Sprayed mist is perfectly safe for households with kids and pets. As it is a high concentration of fragrance oil, you only need a couple of sprits to get a great scent release. We recommend to not spray the bottle more than a few times in one location as it could be quite overwhelming.
Concentrated liquid risk: The hazards only apply if the wet liquid is swallowed or touched. Always seek medical advise if ingested and wash any parts of the skin that come into contact with the oils as it could cause irritation.
Keep out of reach: Always store the bottle safely away from curious hands and paws.
Will the room spray stain my furniture or fabrics?
Directions for use, are to spray the bottle into the centre of the room. However we know that people love to spray curtains and upholstered seats to allow the fresh scent to linger for longer. Our rooms spray uses an eco friendly vegan base oil, paired with fragrance oil. Taking this in mind, be mindful where and what you spray, as it could cause damage or be slippery on hard surfaced flooring.
Ensure a patch test is carried out first: Always test an inconspicuous area first, before committing to fully spraying visible parts of the fabric.
Distance matters: Spray at least 30cm away from fabrics and never spray more than once in the same area
Delicate fabrics: Avoid spraying silk, leather, or suede.
Hard flooring: the room spray is made using oils. We therefore strongly recommend to never spray above hard flooring as it will create a slippery surface.
Never spray directly on painted, polished or wooden surfaces as the oils in the room spray can cause damage
Why is my room spray leaving marks
Our room sprays use an eco friendly vegan base oil. Besides this, we use a high concentration of fragrance oil for the ultimate scent release. Therefore, the fragrance oil has potential to cause damage when proper care isn't taken.
Ensure any spills, drips or any seapage is cleaned thoroughly to prevent any damage. Fragrance oils can permanently damage, strip, or stain polished surfaces, wood, plastic, and painted surfaces.