PSA: You can easily find the burn times for most candles by checking the label

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When you stock up on candles, what factors do you take into consideration? For most people, the most important aspects of a candle are scent, size, price and aesthetic. However, arguably one of the most important candle qualities is also one that usually goes ignored — and that’s burn time.

A candle’s burn time refers to how long it will take for the candle to completely burn out. You can refer to it to figure out how long your candle will last and whether you’re actually getting a good deal when you compare the price tag to the candle burn time.

On Nov. 9, lifestyle blogger Adriene Davidson shared a helpful TikTok further explaining how candle burn times work, plus how to find one for each candle.

According to Davidson, burn times are usually listed on the label found on the bottom of the candle. If they’re not, you can also Google the name of the candle you’re interested in buying + “burn time” to find the same information.

Armed with both the price of each candle and its burn time, you can make more informed decisions about which candles you want to buy.

For instance, let’s compare a $30 Capri Blue candle to a $25 Bath & Body Works candle. Though the Bath & Body Works candle is $5 cheaper, it only has a burn time of up to 45 hours, while the Capri Blue candle has a burn time of up to 85 hours. That’s a major difference.

Shop: Capri Blue Volcano Blue Signature Jar, $30

Capri Blue candle
Credit: Capri Blue

Another great comparison is the $25 Casaluna candle versus the $18 Voluspa candle. Though Target’s 30 oz. Casaluna candle is nearly 25 oz. bigger than Voluspa’s 5.5 oz. candle, it has the exact same burn time of 50 hours. The Voluspa candle is a steal.

Shop: Voluspa Gogi & Tarocco Orange Glass Jar Candle, $18

Voluspa candle burn times
Credit: Voluspa

What’s also important to note is that expensive candles don’t necessarily have longer burn times.

In her video, Davidson says that her “biggest regret” is buying a $130 Tom Ford candle. Its burn time? Just 40 hours.

“I know I’m stupid,” she noted in the video. “I learned my lesson the hard way.”

Fellow TikTok users were shocked to learn this new important information about their candles.

“This is the info I needed!” one person said.

“Great tips!!” another added.

“I just learned so much,” a third wrote.

Ultimately, you should buy the scents that make you happy, but it’s definitely important to factor cost (and, by association, burn times) into your decision.

If you enjoyed this story, check out these birthday candles that are customized with your personalized astrology in mind.

More from In The Know:

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