Cissy

Lime is a much more potent FO than coconut, so I would start out at 25% lime and 75% coconut or you might not be able to smell the coconut as well as you wish. It all depends on which you want to be the predominent scent.

If you want to get started with selling, start off with your tarts and spend lots of time testing your candles (for safety and proper burning issues). Even with tarts, you will need to make sure they last a decent length of time or customers will complain that they are no good, won't come back, and complain to others to keep them from buying form you. Ironically, many customers expect as much from a 1-oz tart as they do from an 8 oz candle. If you start off with poor quality tarts, it will be difficult to save your reputation even with making improvements. Test your tarts out in the warmer you plan to sell, so you'll know how long they will last in your warmer. Customers will ask you this. It will vary from warmer to warmer how strong they smell and how long they will last, depending on how hot they get. Some FO's just will not last long in tarts, so you might not want to sell these. Don't put any tarts out to sell until you are satisfied with it, because once you sell it, you need to remain consistent, not changing you ratios, unless to improve it, because customers expect the same quality or better each time. Your tarts/warmers will bring in some money for you, then you can test your candles as time and money permits. HTH

Wow! You sure learn fast.....guess I'm just a slow learner. My DH tells me I'm too much of a perfectionist. I spent 4 months just reading the boards, learning all I could, before I even decided on which wax I wanted to use because I couldn't afford to waste any money sampling everything. I spent waaaaay more time learning about tartmaking than you have on making candles. I've only perfected some of the scents I sell in candles. The rest I get from a seasoned wholesaler until I can perfect a full line of candles which I know will be safe and burn properly. I really don't see how you have had time to test any "quality" tarts properly, much less any candles unless you started looooong before you joined this board. When you start getting complaints on your products and have ruined your reputation, you will realize you should have waited and learned much more. No one is brilliant enough to make safe, quality products as quickly as you appear to have done.

That's funny, I've been thinking about switching to soy because it's cheaper than my J50. (really, I prefer paraffin, though). Some paraffin wax prices have increased tremendously. I just reviewed my invoices from CS. In July, 2006 a 55 lb case of J50 was $54.95. In Dec. 2007, (supposedly a 60 lb case) was $69.95. This is a 17 cents per lb increase in 1-1/2 yrs. Sounds like a lot more, though, when you figure it at $15 more per case. Thank goodness, not all paraffin wax prices have increased this much. It's much easier for the wholesalers to raise their prices than it is for us retailers. They know we have to adjust or call it quits. We don't like the increases, but do understand they are necessary when the wholesalers have to pay more, but the average customer just doesn't comprehend or really care that we have to pay more for supplies and shipping. I haven't raised any prices in almost 2 yrs......with several wax and shipping increases during this time, I am making less and less profit. I just can't get up the nerve to address these increases with my customers. I'm afraid I will just come across as 'whining', and they certainly don't want to hear that. Most of them just want a low price for a high quality product, whether we make much profit or not. I thought this through when I started, and set my prices accordingly, knowing how difficult it would be to increase for a while. I just don't know how much longer I can continue selling at the same price. Now with people getting more concerned about the economy, it's hardly a good time to raise prices. I'll call it quits before I will compromise the quality, though. Maybe half of us should get into soy bean farming and the other half into processing soybeans into wax. Then we can keep it all for ourselves and forget about China!

Don't keep us in suspense!!!

http://packcoinc.com Their's cost more, but is better quality. With orders over $25, you get free shipping, so the difference in the quality is well worth the total difference which ends up not being that much since your shipping is free. They also have a good quality of shrink wrap (rolls) which lasts a long time, so if you need a sealer and shrink wrap, you will pay no shipping whatsoever.

BCN's WYW Vanilla Grapefruit has no fuel smell to me. It is more expensive, but you don't have to use as much. I've only tested it so far in J223 in a jelly jar and it has a strong hot/cold throw. Grapefruit is not one of my favorite scents. I haven't made up any of this scent to sell yet, though, so don't know how it will sell. It's probably one of those scents that only certain people will want.

I have no idea where she gets her MK products. She sells on a large scale and has been doing so for two or more years. She does have repeat customers. Another MK rep looked at her products and told me she is selling out-dated stuff. She has several MK signs up stating 30 to 60% off. This is not an occasional sale to clear out stock. She is a permanent year-round vendor. I thought MK, Avon, Home Interior and such companies had a policy not to sell their products this way at a flea market. Wherever she gets her MK products from seems to be a vast unlimited source. She is definitely hurting other reps and taking away some of their business. If I was an MK rep, I would certainly be highly upset over this.

I started selling the last half of 2006. I am dreading and procrastinating taking my tax info to my accountant this year. He really ticked me off last year (for 2006). I was asking him about estimated taxes, FICA, etc. and he said he would look at that for 2007. Then what he said that really ticked me off was, "if you don't show some profit for next year, then you'd better find another business." I was explaining to him about costs of testing candles, etc. and he said, "why do you have to do all that, why don't you just make them and sell them, why do you have to waste anything?" Little does he or most people who've never made candles know, or will never understand until they do it themselves (if they make quality candles, etc.) I chose him because he has been several other family member's accountant for years.............wish I had chosen someone else. I didn't know he was such a smartace. I'm still comtemplating getting someone else to do them this year. Anyway, what is considered a reasonable length of time (for IRS), for a new candle business to show a profit? I know many people who start other businesses who've said it took them 2 or 3 years to show a profit. Is the candle business supposed to be any different, or does IRS expect more from us?

I was interested in selling Mary Kay, but found out they sell their outdated products to a lady in my area who sells them much cheaper (and at a flea market), than the other representatives can, so there was no point in starting since I couldn't compete with her prices by selling up-to-date products. She apparently has the exclusive on what she buys from them. She has a full-scale MK business, two booths full of their products. I had always thought MK products could not be sold at flea markets, but it's being done. You might want to check on that and see if you can get the out-dated products in you area. On second thought, you might want to give it more thought. I know a lady who purchased some mascara from her and got eye infection which required a doctor visit and antibiotics. Fortunately for Mary Kay, she was not the type to sue, but this rep could sell to someone eventually who will sue Mary Kay. Anyway, a company who will do this for one person and hurt the sales of other local reps, I wouldn't want to do business with anyway. Hope this doesn't offend any of you MK reps. I'm sure you are not selling the out-dated stuff that sits out in the heat all summer.

I really like KY's 'Fresh Cut Roses".....a very true scent. I can't say it's the best out there because I haven't tried them all, but have tried rose FO's from several suppliers. It is very strong, though, so don't overload.

Thanks Patka, I'll check out Sunburst's site for measurements. Alabaster has them "while supplies last" @ 50 cents each. As much as I 'love' testing , I don't think I will start with a clearance type jar that might not be available for a long time.

Yep! Make sure the lid is tight! Ask this dummy!. I once removed the dropper type lid from one bottle, was trying to get every last drop into my pourpot, placed the lid on top of the new bottle without screwing it on. (was buzy working fast before temp dropped too much). I then grabbed the new bottle and started shaking as always....FO went everywhere. What a mess to clean up and lost a few ounces to boot...all over my notes (they still smell good, just can't read them all!) Soooo! Remember to screw, screw, screw.....and shake, shake, shake! Seriously, though, I don't know that it's necessary, but I figure that the manufacturers sometimes blend several fragrances together to achieve the scent they want (as I do sometimes). If this is the case, then I want to be sure they stay blended before I pour. This might not be a fact, but I'd rather be sure than wonder about it. I like consistency in everything I make.

I thought about that too, Kristi, because of the wicking, but want to check out the measurements. Also, the thickness between the ribbing will be very important. Otherwise, with the design, they would probably make beautiful reflections while burning. I don't think they would be cost-effective, though, at the price you could charge for a 6 oz candle. Thanks. I'll do a search with the suppliers you mentioned.

Those are pretty jars. Can you share with us who carries these jars? I wonder if they have larger sizes, at least 8 or 10 oz. sizes.

Candybee, If you get a chance, blend BCN's Mulberry with CS's and I think you might like it better. It seems to tone it down a bit, smooth it out, and give it more base notes. It also seems to last longer in tarts when blended together (could just be that it doesn't desensitize my nose in the first 30 minutes as CS's does by itself). If anyone else has samples of both on hand, maybe they can blend the two 50/50 and give us their opinion. I will have to order CS's Black Cherry next time and blend w/NG's BC Bomb. Thanks for the black cherry review.

I like to mix BCN's and CS's 50/50. They are both quite different. I like them blended better than either by itself. To add: I like to take the 'nose hair burners' and blend them with same type FO that has more base notes. That way, you have the best of both worlds. Now I'm searching for another black cherry with more base notes to blend with NG's nose hair burner, Black Cherry Bomb.

I've only tried CRH from 4 suppliers, but like BCN's the best....in CBL 129, J50, 4627, 415 soy.....haven't tried it in 4625.

I saw a gentlemen at a Florida flea market using the glass rods to make personalized names designs that set on a desk or table and adding a design of choice to it, like a bird, frog, etc.. They had people standing in line. Looked like they were making a killing! I think they were charging around $15 or more (so much per letter).

For a device to keep the wick centered, check out this site....don't know if the wick centering tool for containers will fit the 2 oz tin or not, but you can email Robert or Stephanie with the top diameter of your tin and they will know. You will still have to wick each container individually, so you won't actually save much time. The WTC will at least keep the wick centered much better than anything else I have tried or am aware of........unless you find a expensive machine to do the work for you. www.wickcenteringtool.com

I found this site which gives great tax info and tips for those of us who are self-employed. http://www.1040.com Click on News & Articles, then articles for info on organizing your record-keeping. Also included is an article on "Smart Planning to Reduce Your Tax Liability" which can help you plan for ending 2008 (tips too late for 2007). Lots of other helpful info on this site. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If it's true that what you do on New Year's Day is what you'll be doing all year, then I'd better get busy making candles!

I have a bottle of old rancid FO that smells like "fish" if you want it. (just kidding! I've never heard of a fish scented FO. I doubt it would sell very well, unless as a gag gift (and I do mean 'gag'). Maybe you could make her a gel candle with some glass fish in it?

I knew this would probably sound like a stupid question to some of you when I didn't explain why I was asking, and I knew the flash point doesn't matter in a normal heat situation when FO was included in the wax already. I just wasn 't sure if the electronic waves or whatever a microwave puts out would be dangerous to any product that has a flash point at any stage. I have heard of microwaves starting fires before. It would only take a minute or so, I would think, to melt a small amount like an oz. or so of wax (with FO mixed in). I have an idea I was working on, and melting in a warmer or by other means wouldn't be the the solution I was looking for. I had thought about and read posts about the microwave and ovens smelling like FO's, but I was going to check that out once I thought it might be safe to even try. Just to heat such a small amount for a minute might not leave to much of an FO scent.

Would it be dangerous to melt a small amt (an oz. or so) of soy wax with 8-10% FO, in a microwaveable container. Could the flash point of the FO cause a fire, etc? I found one post that asked this secondary question, but it was not answered in the thread. Has anyone tried it? I would like opinions before I dare to try.

After the "black specks" thread, I bought myself a new Presto and did not having this problem anymore (from the same case of wax). Don't know how long it will last, although I am being more careful than ever when stirring the wax.