The most crucial step in getting your candle off to a good start? "Trim those wicks!" When you first light your candle, the wick needs to be trimmed per most instructions, otherwise it will burn and smoke until the flame melts the wax underneath it. " Uh, no thanks” And you shouldn't forget about the wick after the first time you light it, either. As the wick burns it becomes black and sooty by nature, That soot will rise up when you re-light the wick." So to avoid finding yourself in a cloud of black smoke, trim the wick every time you light.