The Lighting Solutions You Need to Burn Every Last Bit of Your Cozy Fall Candles

Photo: Getty Images/Martin Novak

Burning a candle down to the wick is bittersweet. On one hand, it means you're fully embracing peak hygge mode; on the other, it also means that your aromatic affair with particular (ahem) flame has come to end. But if the tiniest centimeter of wax is still lingering at the bottom of your candle, and your matchstick can't quite reach without scorching your hand, you don't need to say goodbye just yet.

By crowdsourcing the Well+Good office, I came up with a laundry list of items that will work in a butane lighter's stead should you want to enjoy every last ounce of your candle. And chances are, you have at least one of them at home.

Palo santo: With just a few more inches than your average match, this wood will reach the candle wick and use its good juju to clear the air of any bad vibes as well. Who knows? Maybe the smoke from the palo santo might just combine with your candle's scent to produce, like, the headiest night-in atmosphere ever.

Sage: On that note, if you're pulling triple duty with sage, palo santo, and a candle, you could use the smudge stick to light the candle, too. As an added bonus, every vampire and ghoul within miles will be deterred from interrupting your Netflix sesh.

A strand of spaghetti: Alright, so you're dealing with a tall and skinny candle-carrying vessel that's fit to line dining tables in the middle ages. Do not panic. Instead, solve this conundrum the same way you would so many others—with spaghetti. Simply light one end of the dry noodle, and shimmy it down the inside of the candle.

A wooden skewer: Now that summer has come to a close, you could also put any remaining barbecue skewers to task on igniting the wick stubs. (I mean, otherwise, they'll just crowd your kitchen's junk drawer.)

A long, crunchy breadstick: If stale, inedible breadsticks are lurking in the back of your pantry, they, too, will make an A+ flammable carb for seeing your candle to the bitter end.

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