Your first issue is that you're using an unreliable testing method that could ultimately damage the smoke detector. Most smoke detectors have a built in verification feature to prevent false alarms, and it can take up to a minute of smoke obscuring the sensor chamber to initiate an alarm in some cases.

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Burning solids/liquids, and introducing the particulate matter can leave behind a smoke residue that may ruin the sensor inside of the smoke detector. If present inside the chamber the residue left behind will make the detector more sensitive, and in some cases the detector may not be able to be reset at all.

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For your case, I'd recommend using the test button, which simulates an alarm and puts the detector through a test process to make sure all the internals are working. If you want to go further than that, and test using smoke, you need something like this that leaves behind zero residue and won't ruin the detector.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B3BL0S/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_U\_1rXqCb7YFAER0