Candle Testing

I've been working on starting my candle business and have made quite a few candles. Just getting overwhelmed with all the testing. Does anyone have a testing "plan" that they've used and would like to share.

Thanks

Welcome! I know it can get very overwhelming. And, you'll probably get several different answers on this. One thing we do is have a form that we keep with each candle. This form has everything from the wax, wick, scent/and how much, liquid dye or chips as well as the pouring temps. We write down when we light the candles, observe the melt pools. We also note whether there is any "dancing flames" or soot and note the scent throw. Sometimes we pour the same scent in the same size jar, just different wicks in each jar for testing. Other times we may pour the same scent in several different types of jars and test a variety of wicks. We've had success doing it both ways if we keep up on our notes. I'm sure others will jump in to help. Again...welcome

I use big index cards with forms printed on them. I make a card for each batch with the date & time I made the batch, the amount of wax (brand, lot#, supplier & date purchased), additives (name, supplier date purchased), highest temperature to which the wax is melted; ambient room temperature and humidity. I assign a code number to each batch.

From there, I note the pour temperature, FO quantity (name, supplier, date of purchase), the dye amount & type (brand, supplier, date purchased), wick type & size (brand, supplier, date purchased), container (supplier, date purchased). I assign a lot number (different for each FO/dye combo) to each candle at this point that includes the batch#. I write this on the card and on the candle label.

In short, everything that goes into the candle is carefully recorded so that I can track any issues back to the source. That's simply good manufacturing record keeping. I can look at the lot# on a candle I made and track it back to the day the batch was made as well as all the ingredients in it in case there is a problem.

As for testing, I note the date, ambient room temp, duration of test, weight before burning, flame height, MP width/depth, throw rating 1-5, and any other observations (flame changing height, smoking, sputtering or dancing, etc.). I burn for a prescribed time (1 hour per inch of diameter), extinguish and allow the candle to completely cool before relighting for subsequent tests. If I abandon a test for some reason, I note this on the card.

I use one color index card for the batch; another for pour (lot) data; another for wick testing; another for container testing and yet another color for testing FOs in various waxes. At the end, I have a very fat index card file with all the data I need to repeat successes or analyze failures.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it has kept me straight and made my life simpler because there's no way I will remember the details of something I tested a year or two ago... It also has made analyzing problems easier (ie. which colors or FOs tend to frost & under what circumstances, etc.). HTH

Thanks alot for your help....very helpful.

I have a follow up question -- How do you use your testing? Do you test every time you want to change scents or sizes? How do you adjust when you have a slightly imperfect burn?

For example: I know that I should adjust the wick for the candles I've been working with. I know that the wicks I have work perfectly in my tea light containers, but have a little bit of tunnelling and flickering in my larger ones. What I'm not sure of is does that mean I increase my wick size or switch to an equivalent wick in a different style. Do I buy all of the possible answers and test them all? Will I need to do this again when I use a different scent and color in the same container? This looks like it gets expensive fast.

Welcome to the world of candle making. Like many of us in the beginning it seemed like a great idea at the time, make some candles and make some pocket money - if only

We tested very extensively prior to even thinking about selling a candle and I reckon I could have had a couple of nice huge flat screen TV's for what it cost us then.

Even now that we are selling the testing never stops. regardless of how long you decide to let this bug bite you, you do need to be aware of the costs involved and they are definitely not small.

We are in the middle of summer and the heat here in AUstralia right now and candle season is all but over for the next few months. yes we will still supply some of our retailers, however the additional time we now have, besides being spent with family and perhaps a week away camping will be and has already been used towards testing new scents and new product lines to add to our range for next year.

You do keep evolving in this business, hence testing is a continual process. Not to mention differences between wax batches, oil batches, wick batches and even varying glass in the jars. It is a love hate relationship sometimes I have to say, and unfortunately you do have to be somewhat scientific and diligent in how you test and record everything.

As Stella pointed out, she can go back to the source of either the success or the failure right down to batch numbers and pouring date.

Good luck with it. It can be a great hobby or business whichever way you decide to go with it.

I do things kinda like Stella. Every single candle I test is recorded on a large index card. I include jar size, wick, FO, wax (including batch number), date, temperature, etc. (different times of year can affect your burn if all other things are equal). Also note which supplier all materials are from and when purchased (helps trace any batch problems). File cards by FO, ordered by container size. Pillars and votives have their own files (again by FO). On the cards I keep track of each time lit and put out (I generally do 4 hour burns if not power burning), and all notes for each burn. Lots of precise notes will go a long way when looking over cards months from now. I know I have test burned over 600 candles this year!

Of course, this is just a basic outline of how I do things. It will take lots of money to make good candles. And lots of time. Don't get discouraged and don't jump in too quick. Lots of learning involved.

Cheers,

Steve

Will a certain wick that works for one fragrance oil and container size, not work for another fragrance oil of the same container size? If not, then that makes testing a bit more difficult. :smiley2:

Will a certain wick that works for one fragrance oil and container size, not work for another fragrance oil of the same container size? If not, then that makes testing a bit more difficult. :smiley2:

I have found that sometimes yes, sometimes no. You have to retest any candle whenever ANYTHING is changed. That includes some retesting when you get a new batch of wax (even same wax from same supplier) or new batch of FO. Yes, it is a large pain in the butt and costs money. But if you want to have consistently good candles, you have to constantly test and retest. That's what takes so much time and money. There is definately no easy money in candle making, LOL.

Cheers,

Steve

I know I have test burned over 600 candles this year! Steve

Steve, I am wondering something. I'm assuming when you test that many candles in a year, that you have several (or more ) burning at the same time, which works well for wick testing, rate of consumption, etc. But do you also test for HT this way? Just wondering how you test for that when you do soooo many in one year. I'm afraid I wouldn't smell anything after awhile and my HT test would never pass! Thanks.

Most of my HT testing is done by volunteers, LOL. I test several candles at a time for wicking. When I have the wicking where I want it, I "send out" a candle to two of several people who will burn it for HT. My sniffer is not what it used to be, so I can't rely on it (IMO). I do some testing for HT here, by putting the candle in my master bath(about 120 square feet), closing the door and coming back to it in 5 or so minutes. If it fills the room in that amount of time, I consider it good and only send out to one tester. So far, the ones that pass my testers have gotten rave reviews, so I am happy. If a candle is "pretty good", I shelve it and will revisit it later (except for the seasonal scents, which I concentrate on). I have to admit that some excellent FO's I have not been pleased with and have not offered (Pumpkin Souffle among them, love it but can't get a really consistent burn).

I do currently make 12 different sized containers (hence so many candles tested). Yes, way too many, but I love the testing part and love lots of different jars. Have narrowed selection down, BTW. Plus votives and pillars (pillars take a LONG time to test, LOL). And beeswax votives and tapers. Next year I think I will start testing tarts. Can't wait to start that wasp nest up, LOL.

Oh, and just went back to see how many I have actually tested (by counting my index cards) and it is not 600, closer to 500. It may seem like alot, but you have to consider that the same candle is tested at least 3 times. Oh, and I have so many bottles of FO here that have not made the grade, need to put them on classified, LOL!

Sorry for the ramble...

Cheers,

Steve

...some more testing observations and tips for getting started without breaking the bank and becoming totally confused and discouraged...

Once you hit on a wick that works for a particular container & wax combo, then test each FO. Once you have that dialed in for each FO, then test with dye. Each new FO should be tested the same way, but once you have tested a FO from a certain supplier, you need only make a candle by the prior results to verify that the new batch of FO is behaving the same (manufacturers & suppliers DO reformulate FOs, so don't assume). The same goes for wax. Each new batch should be tested for verification. Once you have settled on wicks, try to buy them from the same supplier each time as there can be subtle (but important) differences in the same wicking purchased from different suppliers. When deciding on a wick, many suppliers offer sample packages - several of each size of a particular wick they carry. VERY helpful!

Don't buy more FO than you will use in 6 months, even though the larger amounts are less expensive by unit. FO degrades over time. You don't save anything by using old FO. The scent not only can fade, it can change and turn into something pretty nasty as compared to the original.

Is it expensive? Well, yes, IF you start out trying to test several different waxes, several brands of wicking, a bunch of different containers and a long list of fragrances. Use an organized approach so you won't overspend.

First, I strongly suggest that you do some research and make a decision about which ONE wax you want to begin with. Stick with it long enough to "learn" it. Again, do some research and try 2 or 3 kinds of wicks. Pick ONE kind and go forth with that one for a while. When I say "do some research," I am not talking about a popularity poll. Get on the manufacturers' and suppliers' sites and read about different waxes and wicks. Use the search tool here and read the experiences of others. Don't just start a thread and ask "which is your favorite wax and why," 'cause the answers you may get will not necessarily be ones you will find most valuable. A good place to start is to find out what waxes are available closest to your location to keep the price down (shipping's a killer). Then research those, looking for problems, complaints, compliments, etc. from other users of the wax. Understand that EVERY wax has shortcomings and many folks don't use a wax because it's so wonderful, they use it because it is the most economical and readily available to them. Some folks don't have much choice because there are no suppliers close enough to them to avoid shipping costs. If one has to pay shipping anyway, a few dollars either way on a case of wax will not matter a lot if there is a distinct difference in quality or performance.

I suggest limiting oneself to 2-4 containers (we began with 2) and no more than 15 fragrances (we started with 10) at first. Realize that if you choose large containers (16 oz. etc.), you have to test those large containers all the way to the bottom several times. I suggest starting with 4-8 oz. (net weight) candles.

I know it's tough, but that approach gives you some solid footing, experience and success upon which you can build. As you get your candles to the point where they are of consistently good quality, you can begin selling to friends & family, makng a little money to replenish your supplies and gradually buy more as time/money permit. Do not gift or sell until you have liability insurance! That's one of the larger expenses but necessary to protect yourself from product liability suits should your candle be involved in a fire.

Good luck

Hi, my name is Eric and I'm a candleholic... and so is my cat, Einstein, though she never really says so, at least, not in so many words, well, er, kinda like cat words, but I digress.

This is a great thread and if I had read half this stuff in a book when I got the crazy idea that making candles might be sort of fun, I would have saved a ton of money.

If you want to make just a handful, follow a formula in a book and/or go get a kit from Yaley or one of the candle supply companies.

If you want to make candles for sale, then this is the place to learn and be ready for the investment.

One advice that I have is to make some basic decisions about whether or not you want to make containers or pillars and pick one size and one size only. Start with a wax that you think is good to start with such as an IGI pillar blend or J50 for container. Make your first candles with NO additives and NO pigment and NO fragrance.

As Steve says, get to know your wax. Wick it based on what your research suggests as a starting point. Pick a series of wicks like flat braid CD or square braid, or numbered series such as 36-24-18. Decide if you want zinc core or cotton core. Buy wick kits so that you can go up or down as desired or change brands without a lot of expense. Don't buy spools until you have a lot of experience.

Do not change your wax or candle container while you are dialing in the wick.

When you get a burn that works well at 2 hours, 4 hours and a power burn of 6 hours, then start branching out. (Sometimes I do 12 hour burns just for fun and to make sure there are no adverse results.) Color has little to no effect on a candle so go ahead and add color and burn your "perfect" recipe and you'll see it doesn't change much. The diameter and depth of the melt pool is the same.

Then add the FO in the recommended amount. Most waxes tell you the max and you might want to not go that high. You might want to use the standard one ounce per pound. See how it burns. You may decide to wick up or down one number in your "type" of wick.

When you get it dialed in, have a nice dinner at the local 5 star restaurant.

If you change FO's, you probably will decide that the same wick is fine. Test, but you may be just happy with it.

If you add higher amounts of FO, you may or may not want to change the wick by one number.

If you change your color or the amount of dye, it won't mean much to your base formula. Test anyway, but you should be fine.

If you get a new shipment of wax, probably your formula will work, but test it anyway.

If you add vybar or some other wax additive, you may have highly different results so expect a wick change after testing. Vybar tends to demand one size larger wick over the basic wax.

If you get a new batch of the same number wax, test it, but most always you will find it the same. Sometimes you might want to change the wick size, but rarely.

If you change the size of your jar, start over from scratch.

If you change your wax type, start over from scratch.

If you change from pillar to container, or vise versa, start over from scratch.

If you change molds to a different shape, size, depth, etc, start over from scratch. (And this is a great reason to pick one or two basic shapes/styles to start out. You can expand later once you have that special intuition that chandlers have developed.)

Hope that helps.

Thanks a lot for your help...my next question was about wax, which was covered in a recent post. My supplier discontinued the pillar wax I was using, so I need to find a new supplier for at least the pillar wax, most likely both, just to keep things simple. And thinking about using a popular wax in case this happens again. Haven't noticed a difference in shipping for buying multiple cases from one supplier, seems to just double. It makes sense to put location on my list of priorities when choosing suppliers.

What wax are you using? As far as shipping cases, 1 case will go in one box. So each case you order is just another box, so no price breaks. If you order by the pallet, or LTL (less than truckload), you can usually get better shipping rates. Same goes for the hundredweight deals through UPS. Ask your supplier about these.

Cheers,

Steve

I'm using soy wax..I was purchasing from genwax. I just found that the jar store has an outlet in LA (I'm in CA) and has the lowest shipping so far. Very excited. Next in line is Peak. But thanks for the advice, I will look into that too.

Great questions try2chme. After reading responses I'm not so sure now I'm clear on F.O and wicking. If you increase your F.O. your wick size changes? And wick should be changed for each different fragrance? If this is true what about the wick should be changed (size, brand..?) I thought the wick size was only based upon the candle jar size. Hope its ok to piggy-back on this. I am learning the ropes also.

Thanks!

Hope its ok to piggy-back on this

Replied in the new thread you started.

Will a certain wick that works for one fragrance oil and container size, not work for another fragrance oil of the same container size? If not, then that makes testing a bit more difficult. :smiley2:

For me personally, I only have a couple FOs that I have had to change wicking in and it's b/c they are thicker FOs. All of my others I am able to use the same in wick in the same container. I wicked up 1 size w/those FOs and haven't had any problems. I purchase almost all of my FO from 1 supplier which may also contribute to only using 1 wick size per container. I would start by testing 1 FO in 1 container with a few different wicks/sizes. See if any of them work for you and go from there. If it drowns, go a size bigger, if it soots or smokes try a size smaller. Trial and error. I started by getting a few different types of wicks and using the supplier's wick guide. I bought small packs of wicks in the recommended size, size larger & size smaller. I tested the same FO w/all the wicks to see which I prefered. Then I test that same wick w/each new FO I bought. Very rarely I would have to adjust the wick. It's not as scary as it seems!

Hi, my name is Eric and I'm a candleholic... and so is my cat, Einstein, though she never really says so, at least, not in so many words, well, er, kinda like cat words, but I digress.

This is a great thread and if I had read half this stuff in a book when I got the crazy idea that making candles might be sort of fun, I would have saved a ton of money.

If you want to make just a handful, follow a formula in a book and/or go get a kit from Yaley or one of the candle supply companies.

If you want to make candles for sale, then this is the place to learn and be ready for the investment.

One advice that I have is to make some basic decisions about whether or not you want to make containers or pillars and pick one size and one size only. Start with a wax that you think is good to start with such as an IGI pillar blend or J50 for container. Make your first candles with NO additives and NO pigment and NO fragrance.

As Steve says, get to know your wax. Wick it based on what your research suggests as a starting point. Pick a series of wicks like flat braid CD or square braid, or numbered series such as 36-24-18. Decide if you want zinc core or cotton core. Buy wick kits so that you can go up or down as desired or change brands without a lot of expense. Don't buy spools until you have a lot of experience.

Do not change your wax or candle container while you are dialing in the wick.

When you get a burn that works well at 2 hours, 4 hours and a power burn of 6 hours, then start branching out. (Sometimes I do 12 hour burns just for fun and to make sure there are no adverse results.) Color has little to no effect on a candle so go ahead and add color and burn your "perfect" recipe and you'll see it doesn't change much. The diameter and depth of the melt pool is the same.

Then add the FO in the recommended amount. Most waxes tell you the max and you might want to not go that high. You might want to use the standard one ounce per pound. See how it burns. You may decide to wick up or down one number in your "type" of wick.

When you get it dialed in, have a nice dinner at the local 5 star restaurant.

If you change FO's, you probably will decide that the same wick is fine. Test, but you may be just happy with it.

If you add higher amounts of FO, you may or may not want to change the wick by one number.

If you change your color or the amount of dye, it won't mean much to your base formula. Test anyway, but you should be fine.

If you get a new shipment of wax, probably your formula will work, but test it anyway.

If you add vybar or some other wax additive, you may have highly different results so expect a wick change after testing. Vybar tends to demand one size larger wick over the basic wax.

If you get a new batch of the same number wax, test it, but most always you will find it the same. Sometimes you might want to change the wick size, but rarely.

If you change the size of your jar, start over from scratch.

If you change your wax type, start over from scratch.

If you change from pillar to container, or vise versa, start over from scratch.

If you change molds to a different shape, size, depth, etc, start over from scratch. (And this is a great reason to pick one or two basic shapes/styles to start out. You can expand later once you have that special intuition that chandlers have developed.)

Hope that helps.

Yes this does really help..I started out testing with fragrance and dye, but to "get to know my wax" I think I will restart with no fragrance, makes sense to have a starting point, rather than getting confused when switching between fragrance oils...thanks alot.

For me personally, I only have a couple FOs that I have had to change wicking in and it's b/c they are thicker FOs. All of my others I am able to use the same in wick in the same container. I wicked up 1 size w/those FOs and haven't had any problems. I purchase almost all of my FO from 1 supplier which may also contribute to only using 1 wick size per container. I would start by testing 1 FO in 1 container with a few different wicks/sizes. See if any of them work for you and go from there. If it drowns, go a size bigger, if it soots or smokes try a size smaller. Trial and error. I started by getting a few different types of wicks and using the supplier's wick guide. I bought small packs of wicks in the recommended size, size larger & size smaller. I tested the same FO w/all the wicks to see which I prefered. Then I test that same wick w/each new FO I bought. Very rarely I would have to adjust the wick. It's not as scary as it seems!

Thanks...makes the whole process seem "nicer". Do you test all of your containers/sizes with the new fo or does it make sense that if you test one size and it comes out the same, it will work with the rest.

Thanks...makes the whole process seem "nicer". Do you test all of your containers/sizes with the new fo or does it make sense that if you test one size and it comes out the same, it will work with the rest.

Yes, I do test each new FO w/each container just to be sure.