Unhappy with wax.

[SavannahJane]

I've been making tarts and testing fragrance oils/waxes for about 4 months now. Before I started making tarts, I did a lot of research on waxes and decided I wanted to use all soy so I went with EcoSoya Pillar Blend. I've tested loads of fragrance oils in it and it's a pretty decent wax for me. I get pretty good cold throw and decent hot throw.. but it doesn't seem to last. I'm just not satisfied with it. 

 

I like that it's a smooth wax. I've never had bumpy tops. I like that I can use a lot of fragrance oil and it'll still accept it. I have recently purchased three other waxes, two of them being a parasoy blend. I don't know a whole lot about parasoy blends but in my opinion, both of them are similar. I tried Celestial Parasoy Votive Blend and ProBlend 650 Parasoy Votive and Tart Wax. They have cured for about a week. The cold throw is disappointing and the hot throw is better than cold but nowhere near great. I have one more new wax to test though.. it's a soy tart blend, so we will see how it goes after curing. 

 

I know people tend to be very protective over revealing info on waxes they use.. but is there anyone that can suggest some good waxes for me to try? I'd like to use 2 ounces of fragrance per pound and I'm really looking for a great hot throw. Like with the EcoSoya, a lot of the time, the cold throw was great but hot throw was just blah.  

 

Either a straight parasoy blend or a paraffin wax that's good to mix in other waxes would be great. I just want something that will throw like a champ hot and cold. And I thought it would be good to get advice from people here who know what they're doing than myself going and spending a fortune on a ton of different waxes.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Guest OldGlory]

Hi and welcome to Craft Server!

I would like to ask a few questions so that we know your frame of reference:

To what are you comparing the wax you are currently working with regarding cold and hot throw?

What kind of warmer are you using? Does it have a light bulb?

What % fragrance load are you using. You stated that you would like to use 12% (2 oz pp) - did you mean to say that's what you are using? And if so, what other % have you tried?

[kandlekrazy]

Are you sure you're not just getting used to the scent so don't smell it.  I honestly have trouble smelling my melts but people walk in our store and comment on them so I know they smell.  Sometimes using

testers is better than trying to do it all yourself as we tend to get candle nose and even coffee beans or a walk outdoors does not completely cure it.

[SavannahJane]

Thanks for the welcome!

 

I have two testers that use the wax melts I make (these are just kinda "recreational" wax users I'd say. I'm toying with the idea of finding a tester who's a die-hard melter).. they are usually pretty happy with the results but they aren't too familiar with vendor wax. Both usually use store bought and yankee. I'd really just  like a stronger hot throw that lasts longer than 4-ish hours. I don't really have anything to compare the throws to. I guess just what I consider strong. 

 

12% is the highest fragrance load I have used. I've also experimented with 10% and 8%. I have two hotplate warmers and a tealight warmer. I recently got rid of my bulb warmer.. I really am not a fan of them.

 

I appreciate your help!

[Guest OldGlory]

My suggestion is to read thru about a years worth of old posts about melts and warmers. I think you'll find almost all of the answers to your questions there.

[kandlekrazy]

I've found that tea light warmers will burn off your scent fairly quickly especially if they are not tall enough (like those short coffee cup warmers), sometimes even make it smell burnt.

I also don't like the hotplate warmers, just feel they get too hot and they are scary to me.  There are tons of light bulb warmers out there and it took me a while to find ones I liked.  I honestly feel they are the safest to use and the melts

last the longest in them.  Again, you will need to find ones that work for you and your wax, some are too hot for soy imo, but you may be able to change out the bulb which is another plus

of using light bulbs. You might check Levine Gifts, I used to buy a lot of their warmers.  Now I use the mason jar warmers from Colonial Tin mostly because they sell well, I don't really like the metal reservoir as it gets too hot to touch and I

like to dump the wax while melted.  So pros and cons with every type.

[justajesuschick]

Sounds as if you've done some research already which is great. The secret is research, loads of testing and keeping good documentation. I would suggest reading up on waxes on Peak Candle's and perhaps investing in some of their 2 pound samples.

http://www.peakcandle.com/category/Waxes/Wax-Samples.aspx

 

I tested a dozen waxes, in innumerable combinations but I have to say that I have never heard of either Celestial Parasoy Votive Blend or ProBlend650 Parasoy Votive and Tart Wax. I am not  a fan of "tart waxes" that are blended by companies. I prefer blending my own.

 

​I would seek out testers who are more familiar with wax melts as you have suggested. I do not utilize friends and family to test. I would also test with both bulb warmers (the hardcore wax melt fans will not use these) and also hot plate/dish combo warmers. The most popular in the online wax community is the Glade warmer which is only about $10. 

http://www.glade.com/en/products/candles/wax-melts-warmer

 

Hope that helps as you discover a blend that works well for you!

[SavannahJane]

Thanks so much for all your help, everyone! I really appreciate it!

 

I'm going to order some samples of different waxes. I've read through posts, like OldGlory suggested, and found some waxes that people have said work well. 

I do have a Glade warmer and I have another hotplate warmer that I think a lot of vendors sell along with their waxes (it looks the same to me although I purchased it at Magic Mart).

With my tealight warmer, I can only get good results when the warmer is placed in a spot with absolutely no air circulation or fan of any kind. I know things like fans and air conditioning can alter the scent throw... but I will continue using it to test as well. I think I'll get another bulb warmer just to see.

 

I have done a lot of research.. I love learning about waxes and melts and all that so it's helping. 

 

Thanks again for all your help! 

[Guest OldGlory]

Are you unhappy with the fragrance throw you are getting - is that the real issue? If so, that may or may not be caused by the wax, and I lean toward NOT caused by the wax. Where are you buying your fragrance oils? Can you list some of them by name and supplier?

Have you purchased melts/tarts that you are comparing with the ones you are making, and finding yours inferior?

I may have lots more questions. Since you are relatively new, we need to understand your frame of reference.

If you live in a hot climate and have air circulating constantly may I suggest that you close off the fan/ac vent in a bathroom and test your melts in there?

Edited August 18, 2015 by OldGlory

[SavannahJane]

I've ordered the majority of my fragrance oils from Nature's Garden and Lonestar Candle Supply. 

A lot of the fragrance oils I've tested seem to be good. I've only had a small handful of duds.

I've tested them in a room with the fan/ac off and the throw wasn't impressive.  

I don't really compare them to any other melts.. just my opinion. My testers haven't been wowed yet so I guess that's what I'm aiming for. 

[TallTayl]

To test a new Fo i often use a few drops in just plain salt over the warmer.

[SavannahJane]

Maybe I should try that, TallTayl.. I've never heard of that before. I've done fragrance testing in tiny 4oz batches of wax. Thanks!

[TallTayl]

Here's a thread that some members shared salt experiences with: http://www.craftserver.com/topic/104452-i-need-new-ideas-for-room-fresheners/?p=981021

What i like about the salt is that the variables are super easy to narrow down.

[SavannahJane]

Awesome.. thanks so much! Reading it now.

[Guest OldGlory]

Something else to consider, since the failure is based solely on your expectations-

Not all fragrances are strong. They just aren't. Doesn't mean they're not good and loved by many, but maybe they don't blow the doors off. Every supplier has weaker fragrances and stronger fragrances. You can read a lot of fragrance reviews (which are still somewhat subjective, but at least a good start) in the Fragrance discussion thread.

[sporadic]

Here is a great wax for tart making:  http://rusticescentuals.com/Ky-Para-Soy-Tart-and-Votive-Blend.html

[Faerywren]

Just my 2 cents on this topic. 2 oz of FO per pound is really unnecessary. Most of us, myself included, stick to the 1 oz per pound rule primarily because it's cost effective. If I can't get great throw from 1 oz per pound, I'm pitching that fragrance and trying something else. As OldGlory mentioned in an earlier response, some fragrances are just softer, no matter what you do they will still be soft. The Grace fragrances from Philosophy (Pure Grace, Baby Grace etc) come to mind. They are just naturally subdued, light smells. My personal blend of wax is 50/50 soy and paraffin that I blend myself. I have some tarts that last almost a week (Berry Bewitching Brew from NG!) on a hot plate warmer. While some start off gang busters but mellow out for the rest of their melt.

[SavannahJane]

Thanks for all the help!

[Faerywren]

Oh, and I wanted to add. More FO won't guarantee a killer throw. Sometimes it leads to funky fuel smells etc. Good luck!