Asked, answered, honestly.

Pavos is a small-batch candle studio based in Pune. Every candle is hand-poured by us, in small numbers, with fragrances built to feel familiar and a little unexpected at once. The brand is founder-run, which means the person picking your candle, writing the label, and replying to your DM is usually the same person.

Pune, India. We pour, label, and pack everything from our studio here.

Yes - @pavos.shop. That’s also the fastest way to see what’s about to drop, what’s sold out, and what’s on the studio table this week.

Soy wax, cotton wicks, and high-quality fragrance oils which means - no paraffin, no lead wicks, no shortcuts.

Yes. No animal-derived ingredients, and nothing is tested on animals at any stage.

Because hand-pouring in small batches with good fragrance oils and clean wax doesn’t scale the way mass production does. We’d rather make fewer candles, well, than cut corners to hit a lower price point. That said - we try to keep our pricing fair for what’s in the jar.

Almost, but not exactly. Most candles have a slightly different cold throw (how a candle smells unlit) and hot throw (how it smells while burning). We test extensively for both - but if you want to know what a candle will really smell like in your home, light it.

Our fragrance load is on the moderate side - strong enough to fill a room, soft enough to not announce itself from across the house. If you’re particularly sensitive, our lighter florals are a safer place to start than the smoky or gourmand options. Happy to recommend something - just message us.

A few small things that make a big difference:

The first burn matters. Let the wax melt all the way to the edges of the jar the first time you light it - usually 2–3 hours. This sets the memory of the candle and prevents tunneling.

Trim the wick to ¼ inch before every burn. Long wicks cause smoke, soot, and uneven burning. A small pair of scissors works fine.

Don’t burn for more than 4 hours at a stretch. Beyond that, the wax overheats and the fragrance starts to dull.

Keep away from draughts. Fans, open windows, and AC vents make the flame flicker and the candle burn unevenly.

Stop burning when ½ cm of wax is left. Burning below that can damage your jar - and your surface.

The longer version lives on The Burn Ritual.

Soy wax is temperamental - it reacts to temperature, humidity, and even the way it cools. A frosted, slightly uneven, or marbled top is completely normal and doesn’t affect the burn or the scent. It’s a feature of natural wax, not a flaw.

Tunneling happens when the wax only melts directly above the wick instead of edge to edge. To fix it: light the candle and let it burn for 3–4 hours, so the entire top layer liquefies and resets. If it’s badly tunnelled, you can also wrap foil loosely around the top to reflect heat inward and even out the melt pool.

Yes - please do. Scoop out the leftover wax (warm water helps), peel off the label, and the jar’s yours.

Orders are processed in 1–3 business days. Delivery within India is typically 3–8 business days after dispatch, depending on where you are. Full details on our Shipping & Returns page.

On a request basis - write to us at support@pavos.in with your address and what you have your eye on, and we’ll share a quote.

Yes, COD is available on orders with a ₹99 handling fee.

Yes. You’ll get a tracking link via email and WhatsApp within 24 hours of dispatch. If you don’t see one, check your spam folder, then write to us.

We pack carefully, but couriers are couriers. Share an Order Unboxing Video within 48 hours of delivery and email us at support@pavos.in with your order number. We’ll send a replacement or refund - details on our Shipping & Returns page.

We don’t accept returns based on fragrance preference - scent is too personal to make that workable. We try to describe each one as honestly as we can on the product page, and we’re always happy to help you choose before you order. Just DM us.

Because our candles are hand-poured, scented, and meant to be used in your home, returns are limited. Items damaged in transit, wrong items delivered, and manufacturing defects are eligible for a return or replacement. Used or partially burned candles, sale or limited-edition pieces, and customized orders aren’t.

Yes - for a full refund, any time until it’s dispatched. Once dispatched, our standard returns policy applies.

Because we make small batches. When something runs out, it actually runs out - we don’t keep silent stock. The upside: nothing sits around for months losing its scent. The downside: sometimes you miss a drop.

Most of our core scents come back. Limited-edition or seasonal ones usually don’t - they’re meant to belong to a moment.

Join our WhatsApp broadcast list - the link lives in our Instagram bio, @pavos.shop. Restocks and new pours are announced there before anywhere else.

Yes. We work with companies on curated hampers, branded candles, and custom packaging for events, client gifts, and employee appreciation. Minimum order quantities and timelines vary by what you’re after - write to support@pavos.in with what you have in mind, or start at the Gifting Atelier.

Custom labels - yes, for orders above our minimums. Custom fragrances - sometimes, depending on quantity and lead time. The honest answer is: tell us what you want and we’ll tell you what’s possible.

At least 3–4 weeks for standard customization, and more for anything involving custom packaging or fragrance development. Don’t ask us for 200 candles next Tuesday - we love you, but we will gently say no.