By Antoine · LUVO Parfums · Updated May 2026

Wick guide Candle science Wooden wick

The wick is arguably the most important component of a scented candle — yet most people never think about it. It controls how the candle burns, how the fragrance is released, how much soot is produced, and even the ambiance the candle creates. Here’s a complete, practical comparison of candle wick types.

How Wicks Work

A candle wick works by capillary action: it draws liquid wax upward through its fibres toward the flame. The flame vaporises the wax, which then combusts to produce heat, light, and scent. The wick material and diameter directly control:

• How much wax is consumed per hour (burn rate)
• The size and stability of the flame
• How efficiently fragrance is vaporised (scent throw)
• How much soot or smoke is produced
• The overall aesthetic of the candle experience

Cotton Wicks

Cotton wicks are the industry standard — used in the vast majority of commercial candles worldwide. They’re reliable, easy to work with, and well-understood.

Trimming cotton wicks: Cotton wicks should be trimmed to approximately 5mm before each burn. If you see a large, flickering flame or black smoke, the wick is too long. Use a wick trimmer or scissors — don’t leave mushroomed carbon in the wax pool.

Wooden Wicks

Wooden wicks are made from thin slices of FSC-certified wood — typically cedar, maple, or cherry. They’ve gained significant popularity in premium candles over the past decade, and for good reason.

Maintaining wooden wicks: Instead of trimming, snap off the charred wood before each burn. Keep the wick at 5–7mm above the wax surface. Always hold the flame horizontally along the wick’s length to light.

Braided and Specialty Wicks

Beyond the two main types, there are several specialty wicks used in specific candle applications:

• Braided cotton wicks: Multiple cotton strands twisted together. More rigid than flat cotton wicks. Used in pillar candles and larger containers. Tend to mushroom more than flat wicks.
• Paper-core wicks: Cotton wrapped around a paper core. Creates a stiffer wick that stays upright in liquid wax. Common in votives and container candles. Generally perform similarly to standard cotton.
• Zinc-core wicks: A thin wire core gives the wick rigidity. Once common, now largely avoided by quality candle makers because of concerns about residue. Rarely seen in premium candles today.
• Multi-wick setups: Large containers sometimes use 2 or 3 wicks to ensure a complete melt pool. This is an engineering choice to compensate for large diameters, not an inherent advantage of a wick type.

Full Comparison Table

Which Wick Is Best for Scent Throw?

The wooden wick consistently outperforms cotton for scent throw in container candles — and here’s why:

A wooden wick creates a wide, horizontal flame rather than the tall, narrow flame of a cotton wick. This spreads heat more evenly across the entire surface of the melt pool, vaporising fragrance more uniformly. The result is a more consistent scent release throughout the burn, rather than a strong initial burst that fades.

Combined with a high-quality natural wax like coconut wax (which already excels at fragrance retention), a wooden wick produces a noticeably superior scent experience.

Why LUVO Uses Wooden Wicks

LUVO candles use FSC-certified wooden wicks in every format — 270g glass jar, 200g wine bottle, and 90g mini tin. The choice was deliberate:

• The crackling sound is a core part of the LUVO sensory experience
• FSC certification aligns with our commitment to responsible sourcing
• Wooden wicks perform better with our coconut wax blend — the flat flame creates an ideal melt pool in each container format
• Less soot means cleaner containers and cleaner air

270g Glass Jar — Juniper & Fir

FSC wooden wick · coconut wax · 55–65h

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270g Glass Jar — Pear & Magnolia

FSC wooden wick · coconut wax · 55–65h

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90g Mini Tin

FSC wooden wick · 8 scents · ~20h

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Written by Antoine, founder of LUVO Parfums. Hand-poured candles and natural perfumes made in Canada, with fragrances sourced from Grasse, France.