Cissy

I don't use essential oils, but accidentally ran across this website: http://www.rainbowmeadow.com Some of you might already know about it, but probably some don't. I use FO's only, but saw a few blend combination ideas I might want to try in FO's. It gives blend names with ratios. Should be very helpful to those who like to try new blending ideas. Added later: I found this website as I said, accidentally. I was actually googling for an entirely different product and can't figure out how it came up, but it came up directly to the "Blend Recipe" page, not the home page. After submitting this post, I then clicked on the above link which took me to the home page. I hope I'm not giving out info I shouldn't have. If so, the a moderator can delete this post. The owner of the above website might just be a member of this board. I am not trying to solicit for anyone and wasn't even familar with this website and don't even use EO's.

If I can't casually ignore, change the subject, or pretend I didn't hear them, I give these "weasels" (as Stella appropriately called them), one or more of the following answers: "I can't give you a crash course in five minutes. It takes hundreds of hours of research and testing to learn to make a safe, quality candle. OR... I don't give out my trade secrets or I'd have to kill you. OR... It gets very expensive finding the right products for a good quality candle, so you need to be prepared to spend and lose a lot of money getting started. OR... Another one I picked up from this board was "I teach candlemaking classes for a fee of $500.00. I'll be happy to sign you up for classes". It doesn't bother me quite as much now as when I first started doing shows, when these people asked nosey questions. These are usually the ones who waste a lot of your time, but will never spend a dime. (Those are the ones I don't want to sell to anyway). You will get used to it a little, the longer you do this. Some are more irritating than others. I prefer the more direct questions, although rude and ignorant. The sneaky ones are the most irritating. The worst of all, though, are so-called friends you give free samples to and the next thing you know, they are trying to copy you. I even had a lady recently who had the nerve to call me at 10:30 PM (blocking her phone #) and asking unusal, suspicious questions about my products. Some will even ask you for a list of your fragrances with no intentions of buying, just so they can try to copy your fragrances. They have no idea how the same name FO can smell so different from each supplier. They'll learn this the hard, expensive way. It's unbelievable what length some people will go to sometimes to pump you for information. You will just have to try to get used to it. If you have good products people like, then they want to copy you. I suppose we should take it as a compliment, but it's difficult to think of it that way when these people remind you of greedy weasels.

I've never had mine to "arc" or spark when I unplugged the cord from the pot itself, and I've never knocked it loose (knock on wood), but it might be a good idea as a safety precaution to unplug from the outlet before removing the magnetic cord from the pot.

Gingered Pumpkin from JBN is by far my favorite out of four suppliers I've tried. It's not a straight pumpkin. It's so strong.

I use a Pyrex candy thermometer (from Walmart) which has a clip. I slide one side of the clip into the space between the Presto pot and it's handle...stays in place if you're using a ladle or whatever, or with a spigot. I also keep two 32 oz Pyrex pots heated in the oven, reheating one while I fill the other one. Your wax won't cool off too quickly if you pour into a heated Pyrex pot. You will even have time to add FO and color if you pour into Pyrex, 10 or so degrees higher than you need to add FO/color. If your are making a Presto full of the same FO/color, then you might prefer adding FO/color to the Presto instead of the Pyrex. I have a separate thermometer to check the temp of the wax after pouring from Presto into the Pyrex pot. I do not remove the clip-on thermometer until I get down to my last Pyrex pot of wax, then pick up Presto to pour out remaining wax. I also use a wooden spoon to stir my wax. Stir carefully, as you do not want to scrape the Teflon from your Presto. You don't want specs of Teflon in your pastel colored candles or tarts. Also if you clip your thermometer onto your Presto, do it carefully, so as not to scrape the Teflon. BTW: I would have given up candlemaking long ago if I had kept using the double broiler method. One day, if I go big-time, then I would want to move on to something even better than the Presto, but I'm not that big yet. The Presto will suffice for now until I start making lots more $$$.

I''ve never had much luck selling perfume type scents in candles and tarts, but when I smelled SOS's Pink Sugar, it smelled good enough to eat, not your typical perfume scent. I have to reorder some for candles, since I used the sample all up in roll-ons.

Their Lime Cooler is so strong in tarts. One oz per lb is almost too strong, and I do like mine strong. I mix it with a pie crust FO and call it Key Lime Pie. Haven't had a chance to try it yet in soy candles.

So, whose Harvest did you find that will throw strong in your soy?

Search the Fragrance section and you will get a lot of advice on the best liked, etc., FO's. I've ordered from several suppliers and probably use only approximately 10% of the ones I've ordered in my tarts. Opinions are as different as noses are. What I like, you may not prefer, vice versa. Unfortunately, that is the downside to candlemaking, spending lots of money on products you might end up not using.....especially if you are particular about the products you like and sell. I am just as particular about the throw and longevity of my tarts as I am my candles. Actually, many customers expect a one oz. tart to smell stronger and last longer than an eight oz. candle will..........and at a fraction of the cost.

I also use Packco's impulse sealer ($59, I think). I previously ordered one from Harbour Freight, but had a problem with it. Many others on this board have had good service out of HF's, though. HF's is cheaper, but with shipping, I ended up paying around $37 anyway. Packco's is a better product IMO. Sometime in the future, I want to try the one they have with the cutter. For now, mine doesn't have the cutter. I also ordered the extra replacement kit (teflon, etc) to have on hand. I haven't needed it yet, though, with Packco's sealer. Edited to add: I'll be more specific with the products I ordered from Packco: 8" Hand Operated Impulse Heat Sealer (MP-8) - $59 Hand Bag Sealer Maintenance Kit for the MP-8 - $6.75

You will find by testing out your tarts that some FO's will just last longer than others. I use different percentages in all my tarts. Some just won't last as long as others no matter how much FO you put in them and of course, as mentioned above, the warmer has a lot to do with how strong and how longlasting your tarts are. I won't sell a tart, though, that doesn't last much longer than Yankme's.

I use with great results the 3" 100 gauge shrinkwrap tubing from Packco. If you can get your order up to $25, shipping is free. http://www.packcoinc.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD7ProdID=83

BCN has a great Harvest. I've only tried in paraffin, though. It's very strong. Stronger than NG's. Those are the only two I've tried. I sell a lot of BCN's. Some customers buy it all year.

Handstands (company) has a "Summer Breeze" scent in their "The Bug" car air fresheners: http://www.handstands.com/retail/air-freshener/bug.php IMO, this is the best summer breeze scent I've ever smelled. I've ordered a couple of summer breeze FO's which smell nothing like this one. Has anyone tried this scent in the "Bug", and if so, have you found an FO comparable? Edited to add: I bought the "Bug" from Walmart.

I've seen one vendor at a tourist flea market with heavy traffic who has for years, put the original name on her bottles, never "type" or any other info posted on a sign and she has apparently never had a problem doing this. I am surprised she has never been caught at this, since so many tourists visit the market. I am not willing to take that chance when I start selling. I haven't decided yet whether to list "type" or change the names. I wonder if changing the names completely will disinterest some customers in even looking closer. I like the idea of putting on a sign "If you like ...., you will like......... Also, what do you all think of this idea on a sign? "Our Version of the Original Designer Perfumes" Do you think this would be legal? Then put original name and the word type {Ex: Lovespell (type) } on the bottles.

Speaking of Dixie cups, I always use the small ones to pour wax & FO into when testing out my first sample tart when I try a new fragrance.

I should have added that I use a paraffin blend (my personal preference), which can't be melted in microwave.

I use the 32 oz Pyrex. I keep (2) Pyrex pots heated in oven at app. 150 degrees, up side down on cookie tray with paper towels, rotating my pouring from one pot to the other. While I pour one pot, the empty one is re-heating. I fill pot with approximately 28 oz wax, add dye, place on scale to weigh, adding FO while still on scale, then stir carefully 'til desired temp, and pour (re-stirring each 6 to 8 tarts). I have never had a major problem with wax dripping on pot as I pour. If you do, you can always keep a paper towel handy and wipe side of pot quickly. I place molds on newspaper. I don't worry about wax sometimes running over a little on sides of molds or newspaper. When I first started, I would clean my molds meticulously inside and outside after each pour. (so time consuming). Now I just wipe out inside of molds with Kleenex, only if I am changing scents and I occasionally clean off wax build-up on outside of molds by placing them up-side-down on paper towels, on cookie sheet, in oven. Some of my molds have 3 or 4 scents of wax build-up on outside. It doesn't matter as it doesn't affect the tart you are pouring on inside. Unless the wax build-up on bottom of mold causes the mold to be unlevel, then I don't clean the outside every time I pour. Make sure your counter or table top is level that you place your molds on. Edited to add: I went into a lot more details than you asked for, but thought more info might be of help to you or other newbies. Some answers to questions I had when I started.

Why not incorporate "Jazz" as part of the name. Maybe "Citrus & Jazz", "All That Jazz", or some other variation that includes jazz.

I have tried it only from two suppliers, but preferred BCN's. My customers keep coming back for it, saying it makes their house smell fresh and clean.

No, neither one of them could have assumed I was not planning to use carrier oils. (think I mentioned this in my lst post). I told them both I already had some FCO and Jojoba oil...that I wanted to make them to be safe, but strong and as long-lasting as possible. The 2nd rep thought it was necessary to correct what the 1st rep told me (use mfgr's grade) by saying I needed to use cosmetic, not mfgr's grade for roll-ons (with or w/out carrier oils, depending on the strength of oil). That's why I started this thread (when I got two different rep. opinions, one different than info on their site). Since I first posted, I ordered approximately (40) 1-oz samples, cosmetic grade, some of them Ultra. Wish I had waited, but I was in a hurry to get started after researching this for awhile) and ordered before you posted. Your post reminded me of my original confusion, so I reread the site and got confused all over again. Looks like I should have spent some time researching SOS more, though. Mystic (above post) seems to have quite a bit of experience with the cosmetic grades, though, so my confidence is in her advice. I think I probably made the right decision ordering cosmetic grade...have a lot of testing to do, though, to be absolutely sure.

Their descriptions for Mfg'rs grade and Cosmetic grade is confusing (as I mentioned in my first post.) What's even more confusing is that their Mfgr's and cosmetic grades both list perfumes and colognes, but one rep told me I needed to use cosmetic grade in roll-on bottles, even if I blend with other carrier oils. I really wish they would explain this better on their site so that it corresponds with what they tell you on the phone. I tried to place an order on-line, went to check out, then got confused, so canceled what I had done...then called. The first rep told me I could use mfgr's grade in roll-ons with carrier oils. I called back next day to place order, told the 2nd rep what the lst rep had told me. He disagreed, put me on hold to talk to the other rep (I assume). He then told me I needed to use the cosmetic grade and could use without adding anything. I listened to him, placed a $160 order.........AND NOW I'M CONFUSED AGAIN WHEN I LOOK AT THEIR SITE AGAIN. It just doesn't make sense to hear one thing on the phone and read another on the site. So....please don't make any decision based on what I've said. Talk to somebody else before you place an order

I would just call them @ their toll free #. Everyone I have talked to has been really nice (even with different advice). When I need a quick answer, I prefer calling rather than waiting for someone to return an email. Maybe you can speak to the master perfumest Mystic suggested. I might give him a call myself soon. Both reps I spoke to, did tell me that the cosmetic grade and the manufacturer's grade had nothing to do with the strength of the FO's (which I still don't totally understand, unless as I mentioned, they are actually referring to skin safe when they call it cosmetic grade). They said that the strength is determined only by SOS , Ultra, or Extreme concentrations. If this is the case, it would help make things clearer for their new customers, if they would just drop the cosmetic & mfgr's descriptions, classify as skin safe or not skin safe,(like most other suppliers do), and list the three strength grades. It would probably save them answering a lot of questions from dummies like me....(or maybe I'm one of the few who's had questions about this). Well, I don't mind sounding dumb, as long as I find out what I need to know. (LOL)

Most suppliers say their FO's are either skin safe or not skin safe. SOS must call their's cosmetic grade instead of skin safe grade (which makes this a little unclear when I am use to thinking in terms of skin safe or not). I have never made products to put on the skin before (just tarts and paraffin candles), so never paid much attention to this until now that I want to make the roll-ons. I have ordered from Natures Garden, but not any perfume types yet. Thanks, ya'll. I appreciate your advice on this.

Bumping up, hoping to get a response: There must not be a lot of perfume makers on this board, but for those who have order from SOS, can you explain the difference between the cosmetic grade and the manufacturers grade, which they offer. I am really confused moreso now, since I was told two different things by reps at SOS. (maybe one of them was new & just guessing). One told me I could use the mfgr grade for roll-ons, the other one said I need the cosmetic grade. I explained in detail exactly what carriers I would be blending with FO. Now I'm really confused. That's why I trust the end-user's advice sometimes more than the supplier's. I think, sometimes, some new employees (with any company) don't want to appear to not be able to answer a question, so they just guess at it.