Questions people ask

Up to 50 hours for the 30cl Amber Jars and up to 40 hours for the 20cl Walled Garden and Garden in Winter candles. Those figures come from an independent burn test of each wax, wick and jar, so they are "up to", not a promise of the full number in every room. Give the first burn two to three hours, until the melted wax reaches the glass all the way round, and it will burn evenly from then on. Trim the wick to about 5 mm before each burn and burn for no more than four hours at a time.

Candle Shack CS1, a paraffin/mineral wax blend with added plant wax, made in Germany. It is vegan-friendly. We chose it for its scent throw: the fragrance is held at 8% of the wax, on a cotton wick (LX 16 in the 30cl jar, LX 12 in the 20cl), which is the pairing the burn test was run on.

Not on the evidence we have seen. A 2007 study that tested candles of every major wax type found the emissions from each were virtually the same, and a peer-reviewed 2014 study of scented candles concluded that, in normal use, they pose no known health risk. How a candle is burned matters more than the wax: trim the wick to about 5 mm, keep it out of draughts, burn for no more than four hours at a time, and let some air into the room. A flickering, smoking flame is the one to put out.

The Amber Jars come in a 30cl amber glass jar holding 220 g of wax; the Walled Garden candles come in a 20cl frosted glass jar and the Garden in Winter candles in a 20cl black glass jar, each holding 160 g. The jar is yours to keep once the candle is done: stand it a minute in hot water, wipe it clean, and it makes a good glass.

The core range is the bigger candle and will carry a sitting room or a kitchen. The 20cl collection candles suit a bedroom, a hall or a bathroom. Light it half an hour before you want the room to smell of it, with the door shut. Two candles in one room fight each other, so one in each room is better than two together.

Every jar carries a printed base label with the hazard and allergen declaration the law requires, the net weight, the burn time, and a batch number written by hand at pouring. The full declaration for each scent is on its safety page. Never leave a lit candle alone, keep it from children, pets and draughts, and stop when a centimetre of wax is left.

Candles are hand-poured in small batches, so we aim to dispatch within 2–3 working days, Monday to Friday, by Royal Mail tracked. You get an email with the tracking number when it is on its way.

UK delivery is a flat £4.95, shown at checkout before you pay. Orders of £40 or more are delivered free. We deliver within Great Britain, which is England, Scotland and Wales. We cannot send candles to Northern Ireland or outside the UK at the moment.

Any two candles for £45, any three for £65. Delivery's free too. Mix any of the candles; the saving comes off automatically in your basket, with nothing to enter.

Yes. If you change your mind, email hello@theluminary.uk within 14 days of the candle arriving and we will arrange a refund; it needs to come back unused, unburned and in its packaging. If a candle arrives damaged or faulty, tell us within a few days with a photo and we will replace it or refund you in full, postage included.

Rich & Leigh, in a garden studio in Holyport, Berkshire. Every candle is poured by hand in small batches and numbered from its batch on the base.