Standards/Expectations for Wax Melts

[Sebleo]

I made candles many years ago as a hobby. Now I am making wax melts and have been testing and researching for close to a year. I would like to launch in the spring.

Most of my reviews have been great. But a few have been so so. The so so reviews come from people that are using them in very large, open spaces... kitchen and dining combo and kitchen, dining, and living room combos. They say they smell great but not as strong as they would like.

I have been researching forum and review sites like mad for the last 6 months trying to figure out what the norm is or what people are getting from other wax. I have purchased many wax melts to compare to mine as well.

Reviews are all over the place but one thing that is consistent is one person' "lasts a long time" does not equal the next persons "lasts a long time"

 

What is the norm? What do you set up as your parameters? As in, what size space do you try to fill and for how long?

[Sebleo]

Ok, a follow up question that may be easier to answer.  Is there a market for wax melts that last 25-40 hours per ounce with a throw in just one or two rooms? 

All the other melts I have tested seem to throw into a larger space, but only for 4 to 6 hours then they fade out. I feel good about the longevityof mine, but am concerned with the space the fragrance fills. 

Any thoughts?

 

 

[TallTayl]

Wax melt throw has a lot to do with the type of melter I find. Then add in the variable of the air current in the house itself. It may be that your melts perform vastly different in your house than mine. 

 

If you are confident in your product, and your brand, then you can find a market for anything. 

 

[Nickie]

On 1/5/2018 at 5:55 PM, Sebleo said:

Ok, a follow up question that may be easier to answer.  Is there a market for wax melts that last 25-40 hours per ounce with a throw in just one or two rooms? 

All the other melts I have tested seem to throw into a larger space, but only for 4 to 6 hours then they fade out. I feel good about the longevityof mine, but am concerned with the space the fragrance fills. 

Any thoughts?

 

 

That wattage is your warmer. Try melting them in 20 or 20w warmer and see if the throw and longevity changes. 

 

 

[kandlekrazy]

I think you're putting too much pressure on every melt scent performing the same.

Most of mine get melted in a 40 watt bulb warmer.  Specifically I have one of the mosaic glass  burners from Levine.  Some melts last for 5 days (8 hr days) and I can smell them in well over 1500 sq ft area of our store, others last 1 day and I can smell in maybe 500 ft area.  Not all fo is killer strong or will last a super long time.  Melters are not created equal.   People look for different things. So many variables with melts.  I don't give them out to test, I test myself in my 800 sq ft workshop using different light bulb warmers because it's the only type of warmer I sell in an electric warmer, I don't like hotplate warmers.  The light bulb warmers I sell range from 25 watt to 40 watt bulbs, but some have metal wax bowls so they get hot with 25 w.

[Sebleo]

Thanks for the input everyone. I use 20w hotplate and 25w bulb warmers from candlewarmers.com. 

 

My issue comes from my sinuses...they are always at least halfway stopped up. So, I'm never fully confident when it comes to throw and heavily rely on friends and coworkers reviews. 

I have noticed since moving into a new house that does not have ceiling fans that I will think something is a dud until the ac kicks on. 

 

Like I said earlier, on top of my own personal smell issues, I just don't know what the standard is...if there even is one. So Im not sure what I'm trying to aspire to.

 

But I appreciate your replies.

[Nickie]

There isn't necessarily a standard that I know of. From my perspective I think people are looking for more intense throw for a short number of hours. I don't know if you're getting the answer your looking for here, as this is a suggestive topic. And one that has many, many variables. All of which can be hard to pin down independently of each other. 

 

I've purchased lots (spent $1000s over the years) of wax from many handmade wax vendors who have successful businesses. As far as number of hours I have had with their waxes....it ranges from 0 to 24 hours. I have never melted anything in my very large, wide open space that has lasted beyond 24 hours. Ever. Typically I get around 5-6 hours. And in order to get this kind of throw I'm melting 2oz at a time, in 3 warmers going at the same time throughout the space. 

 

After my years of testing wax types, my own blends and loads of different oils by a range of manufacturers, I find that a particular oil is what determines the hot throw in melts over almost every other variable. If an oil won't throw for me for 5-6 hours minimum at a 5 (I rate then 1-5 for intensity), then I'll trash it and move onto another oil or oils. Now, this is all my opinion and as I have stated, I am not sure there are standards. It sounds like you might need to rely heavily on outside testers.