How long do Souvant wax melts last?

It’s one of the most common questions people ask about wax melts — and it’s an understandable one. Unlike candles, wax melts don’t visibly burn away, which can make it harder to know how long they should last, when to change them, or whether they’re still working as they should.

The short answer is that wax melt longevity depends on how they’re used. The more useful answer is a little more nuanced — and that’s what this guide is for.

Below, we explain how long Souvant wax melts last in real-world use, why scent fades even when wax remains, and how to know when it’s time to refresh your burner.

The short answer

In our testing, one standard 10.5 g Souvant wax melt cube provides around 8 hours of strong fragrance, followed by roughly 2 hours of softer scent and up to 2 hours of very light fragrance, depending on the fragrance and your own sensitivity to scent.

That’s up to 12 hours of fragrance per cube, typically enjoyed across multiple uses rather than all at once.

Wax melts are designed to be enjoyed gradually — not left melting continuously — which is why understanding how fragrance is released makes such a difference.

Why wax melts don’t all seem to last the same amount of time

Wax melts don’t behave like candles. They aren’t meant to disappear as they’re used, so longevity isn’t about how much wax is left — it’s about how much fragrance remains in the wax.

A few everyday factors can influence how long a wax melt feels like it lasts:

• The type of burner used

• Room size and airflow

• How long the melt is heated in a single burn

• The style of fragrance

• How quickly your nose becomes familiar with the scent

Because of this, two people can use the same wax melt and describe slightly different experiences — even when everything is working exactly as intended.

How wax melts release fragrance

When a wax melt warms, fragrance oils slowly evaporate into the air, leaving the unscented wax behind. This happens in stages:

1. Strong fragrance
   The scent is noticeable and fills the room fairly quickly.

2. Softer background fragrance
   The scent is still present, but gentler and less dominant.

3. Very light or barely noticeable fragrance
   At this point, most of the fragrance has already been released, even though the wax itself remains.

The important thing to know is this:
Leftover wax doesn’t mean there’s still fragrance left to release.

Once the fragrance oils have evaporated, the wax is simply acting as an unscented base.

How often should you change a wax melt?

A wax melt should be changed when it no longer scents the room, not when the wax disappears.

In practical terms, this usually means:

• Changing the wax after 8–12 hours of total use

• Replacing it once warming the wax no longer noticeably releases fragrance

If you find yourself leaning close to the burner to smell it, that’s usually a sign it’s time to change it.

Why shorter burn sessions work better

We recommend enjoying wax melts in shorter sessions of around 1–4 hours, rather than leaving them melting all day.

This helps for two main reasons:

• Your sense of smell adjusts quickly
  When a fragrance is present for a long time without a break, it’s easy to stop noticing it.

• Heat stays more balanced
  Shorter sessions help avoid overheating, particularly when using tealight burners.

In simple terms: the longer you keep a scent melting continuously, the more likely you are to get used to it. Taking breaks between burns allows you to enjoy the fragrance more fully each time.

Do different burners affect how long wax melts last?

Wax melts can be used with both tealight burners and electric burners, and the overall fragrance lifespan is broadly similar with both.

Tealight burners tend to heat quickly and strongly, while electric burners usually provide steadier warmth. The difference is more about how the scent is released, rather than how long it lasts in total.

We primarily test Souvant wax melts using tealight burners and recommend 4-hour tealights for balanced, consistent performance.

Do different fragrances last for different lengths of time?

Across our range, overall longevity remains consistent. However, some fragrances — particularly deeper or woody blends — can feel as though they fade sooner.

In reality, this is usually due to scent adaptation rather than fragrance loss. Our sense of smell naturally adjusts after prolonged exposure, which can make a scent seem weaker than it really is.

In everyday terms, the longer you burn a fragrance without a break, the more likely you are to stop noticing it. Giving your nose time to reset helps keep the scent feeling fresh.

How do you know when a wax melt is finished?

A wax melt is generally finished when:

• The wax melts fully but no scent is noticeable in the room

• Re-melting it doesn’t bring the fragrance back

• It only smells faint when very close to the burner

At that stage, it’s ready to be replaced, usually after around 10-12 hours.

Final thoughts

Wax melts aren’t designed to overwhelm a space. They’re meant to gently enhance a room and create atmosphere over time.

Once you understand how long they realistically last, why fragrance fades gradually, and when to change them, using wax melts becomes a far more enjoyable and intuitive experience.

If you’re also interested in responsible use — particularly in family homes — you may find our guide “Are wax melts safe around children and pets?” helpful.

A quiet thank-you for reading

If you’re curious to experience Souvant wax melts for yourself, we offer 10% off your order as a thank-you for taking the time to read this guide. This isn't a sales pitch, just a thank-you.

You can use the code MELTGUIDE10 at checkout.

If you’d rather take things slowly, you can also join our mailing list for occasional guidance on fragrance, care, and seasonal launches — we share far more education than promotions.