Belinda

Yes, I"ve used 6006 alone in clams and it was fine for me. I've read where some think it's too soft on it's on but it has a melt point of 132-133 and worked fine for me when I used it like that. I get my dyes from Flaming, Lone Star, Rustic Escentuals and Texas Candle Supply. I use liquid dyes and have never had a problem with them mixing with the wax. I do know that soy wax doesn't seem to take color as easy as paraffin but even with using para/soy I've never had it not take color with white left in it. I stir for two minutes after adding FO and color. Are you stirring long enough after adding FO and dye?

Yes, those two waxes are the ones I use for clams. Curing helps the scent get stronger and gives the wax time to bind with the scent (I think that's right) and soy especially has to cure and from what I've read some cure theirs for two weeks before melting it. Paraffin doesn't need as long a cure time but I have noticed that clams I pour one day will smell much stronger say four or five days later after they've had time to sit and cure. Soy wax will get stronger the longer it cures. When you read the directions on different waxes it will usually say something to the effect that a cure time of two weeks or one week is suggested. I hope I'm making sense. When I pour clams I will tell my customers to let them sit for a few days before melting if I've used any soy in them at all and even with all paraffin I suggest a couple of days to cure and don't just melt them right away if I've just poured them.

Where are you getting your oils? Are you letting your clams cure because soy has to cure for a while in order to throw well. Paraffin require much less cure time. I get my oils from many suppliers and they all have great oils and they all have duds. Scent is also subjective. What I might call a light scent others may say it's strong. I get my oils from Aztec, Candle Science, Flaming candle company, Candle Wic, Natures Gardens, Indiana Candle Supply, Fragrance Buddy, Just Scent and Rustic Escentuals are my usual suppliers.

Yes, they look creamy with the added soy from the 6006. I've been doing this for 8 years now and have tried MANY different wax blends for shapes and clams and my personal favorite for clams is 4625/6006 mixed at 50/50. I've actually used 6006 alone in clams and they were fine but I do prefer the addition of a harder wax. I usually get my wax from Lone Star, Aztec and Flaming.

Some of the clams made with all soy that I've seen in stores and even given to me from friends have looked the same way as yours and even looked dry. I don't know what causes that because I've never tried all soy. If you're not dead set on using all soy then I would try a different wax or like I said add some paraffin. KY and Flaming carry the same para/soy tart wax and it's really great for clams. I've used it many times on it's own and as a blend and have never had any issues with it. I hope this helps you!

Personally, I would defiantly add some paraffin. I love the look of 4625 and 6006 (which is 30% soy and 70% paraffin) mixed 50/50 for clams. That's actually my favorite blend for clams. Both of those waxes have great scent throw and the combination comes right out of the clams very easy which is something I've struggled with getting to happen with other wax blends except KY para/soy wax which is really great too only it has a little more soy but it's still a great wax and pops right out of clams.

I have never used all soy but I have seen others clams do this same thing and they've been 100% soy wax. I've used all paraffin and a para/soy mix with mostly paraffin and I've never had that happen. Maybe play around with pouring temps? I know there are plenty on here that do use all soy and can probably give you some tips that will help you. I'm sorry I'm not much help. Maybe add some paraffin in there and see what happens. You'll get a stronger scent throw with paraffin from my experience.

Mixing your own is what a lot of us do. I've rarely mix more than two scents but some are very successful blending several and making their own unique scents. sometimes I will go on a wax vendors site and look at their own blends just to get ideas but I haven't put too many of them in use yet LOL!

What wax are you using?

What I got from Keystone smells great OOB! I ordered a sample from NG and it's more floral. I don't care for it one bit.

They have some good oils so I really hope they open back up! I might have a sample of that one. I'll have to look later and sniff it if I find it and see if I recognize it from someone else.

I'm not sure if any of the suppliers I've used would be considered High End but every supplier I've ordered from has great fragrances and duds. Some good suppliers are Candle Science, Fragrance Buddy, Flaming Candle Company, Aztec, Candle Wic, Lone Star, Just Scent, Rustic Escentuals and many more. I've only ordered a few from Bramble Berry (can't even remember what) but I don't remember anything I ordered being any better than a lot of the FO's I've bought from all of the other suppliers. Maybe order some samples from some of those and you'll get an idea of what you like from each one. I hope this helps.

@Darbla, I have so many oils from JS plus samples and not one of those that are on your list! I may have to order a few of those you have on there though.

Thank you! I ordered a pound from Keystone but I’ll definitely give BCN a try.

Just Scent has one too. Her dupes are usually pretty good. I don't know what the others smell like or the original though so I can't compare.

Thank you! Cherry Cheesecake sounds like something I'd love!

Just Scent has some good dupes as well as Aztec that smell good to my nose but I can't really say they all smell exactly like the ones from B&BW's though because some of them I've never smelled. I read somewhere that Flaming has the best Baja Cactus Blossom but the one I have is from JS. It smells good to me though but I can't say it smells like the original because I've never smelled that one. Sorry I'm not more help!

What scents did you get?

Thank y'all!

Who has a good bird of paradise? I'm placing an order with NG but theirs sound more floral and I'm wanting the one that smells like the Circle E candle. I had some from Cajun (they call it something else) but it wasn't sweet enough to my nose. The one from Buy It Ship It was good and sweet but I don't like their prices but I guess I can order from them again if I need to but I'd really like to stick with a more established supplier. Thank you!

I've ordered from them several times and have been pleased with everything I've gotten but I only get their perfume dupes. I've never tried any of their fragrance oils.

I've ordered several of their oils, especially when they have a good sale and what I have I love, but quite honestly, I don't get the prices of some of their oils that other suppliers charge a lot less for. What I have from them might be good but I don't think their oils are any better than anyone else's that I've bought. All have great oils and all have duds. I will probably buy from them again when they have a sale but there's only a couple of their oils that I use and really love that I can't get anywhere else.

I've never tried their wax but I've liked every scent from them that I've bought, which hasn't been that many, but I've liked the ones I've got from them.

I used polyethylene bags at first, not knowing that's what they were and then switched to polypropylene bags but I can honestly say I couldn't tell a difference in the scent of my aroma beads when using the polyethylene bags versus polypropolene. I use polypro now because that's what I've read over the years that you're supposed to use. I don't think I'd use a ziplock bag though.

I love the dyes from Flaming, Lone Star and Rustic Escentuals. They all have good liquid dyes to me.