Emily Anne

I don't have any photos but you are right and I did lower the wick size and they seem MUCH better!!! Melt pools are are still making it to the sides within the hour but not that deep. I've been burning them all the way to the bottom as well so I know how they do as a whole. I have learned that stopping after the first couple of burns is a humongous NO NO because from that point on the candle could die or torch up.

I was testing those in 12oz tumblers and also in some 12oz status jars with 62's and they seem to be much safer and don't make the melt pool so fast, but still adequate. Much more controlled and SAFER! I'm such a safety freak and it's really important to me that they aren't torches because I refuse to sell anything or giveaway anything that's torchy and out of control. I feel like I have the wicks mastered on some scents. I have some that are harder though - for example Dragon's Blood seems to be harder to wick. It wants to die half way down the jar with 62's and 73s (HTP) - so I've ended testing on that for now. Just working thru what works with my 62's first and trying not to stop along the way for 'problem' scents. I'll get back to those later or just ditch them. =)

I did end up lower the wicks and going to htp 62's and it doesn't make the melt pool that fast. I've burned them all the way to the bottom. I've actually had some FO's stop about half way down and others make it. It's crazy how FO's react so differently. As they get to the bottom they seem fine and not too hot. =)

I wanted to thank everyone again who helped me with advice in this thread. Thanks to ALL OF YOU!! I have been testing, and being more patient. Things seem to be going a lot better. A few scents I have are harder to wick than others which is irritating, but overall - it's MUCH better! I think being able to vent on here while reading all of your replies helped me so much! Thanks!

I have never tried any Clarus and at this point there is no way I'm buying another wax to try =) I have seen so many love Clarus. I heard it was similar to 6006 isn't it? I have made a few 6006 candles and those were some that had wet spots on the jars and I didn't like they 'way they looked' well I'm over the whole appearance. I'm not going to toss any more candles based off of appearance. If they smell and throw the way I want then that's it. I'm done. I'm definitely not basing if they are good enough or not based off the way they look that's for sure. I don't know how the candles in walmart are so cheap either. They really aren't very good either. I've bought them so that I could compare to my own - a few different brands. I'm really was not impressed with them. I suppose many people love them or they wouldn't be on the shelves.

Hi Trappeur, You are right about tons of stuff for sure. My feelings are not hurt, I have to take any criticism I get and learn from it, and I'd rather have someone tell me like it is then beat around a bush. Yes, I definitely went in too many directions at one time. Trying to 'hurry' this up did nothing but set me back. Lesson learned. I am working with my parasoy. I did make some new candles last week and I made some different scents that I haven't smelled before. I'm hoping with the new scents it will also help me with the candle nose. I'm so tired of smelling the same scents over and over. I don't even like a lot of them anymore Lol - smelled them too many times and burned myself out. Back to getting into too many things at one time and all the different jars and things - You'll die when I tell you this. I even bought soap making ingredients thinking I was going to learn it all. Well thankfully my brain kicked in at one point and I never even touched any of those ingredients yet. I've had soap stuff here since March or so. There is NO WAY I'm going to attempt soaps or lotions (one day I really want to) until I finish these candles. I feel like I do know a lot about candles and it is sort of like starting over, but already having a decent knowledge base. PATIENCE is a huge key factor for me and I think it will be what helps me make this work. Not jumping around anymore. I want to work with this parasoy and raise and lower the FO by 1 or 2% and change the wicks by a size or 2 until it's the way I want. I really think I'm almost there.<--- probably should even say that. I have yet to make a candle without fragrance like some have suggested. Right now I have lowered my FO by a percent and lowered my wicks by one. They are burning and have been burning a few hours. Seem to be doing good so far (we know how that goes). About the candles I have heated up and poured out, I have 3 boxes that I still need to heat up and pour out. It's a lot of work and a huge WASTE. I like to keep my jars and re-use them so I'm not throwing out the entire candle. I thought about trying to re-use the wax but figured some of the FO is released when I heat it up and it would change the properties of the candle, so I never knew how much FO I should add back. Such a nightmare. I am all about safety. My 2 concerns are the candle has to smell good (of course) and be safe (100%). I do have insurance thru Brower, but I want to never have to need it. I have all the warning labels etc for my melts and for candles as well. I could never sleep at night if anything happened from a candle I made. I am huge on safety. Seems like the safer they burn the less they smell when the flames are smaller. That's the tricky part is finding a way to get them to burn safe and smell awesome - all of our dreams I suppose. As far as it being a business or a hobby. I'm shooting for business, and I already have everything in play for it online and set up. I'd rather have a storefront, but I've wasted too much money right now to attempt a lease. I did already price one though. I'll just have to see how these next candles go and my testing on some other scents. My melts are the way I want them. I have nothing else to add or test with those. I have about 50 scents approximately that I have tested and have passed 'my' approval. The people who have had my melts so far all love them, and I haven't had any negative reports (yet) about them being weak or not throwing. So, thankfully I'm not still testing melts. Thanks for taking the time to reply to me. I'm grateful for all the feedback I have received.

I really like the cake analogy. It makes perfect sense. The only oils I've ever used are from CS and a couple from the Candlemakers Store. That was my main question in starting the thread to get opinions on if less was really more. Just because at first thought it doesn't make sense. I can see where it makes more sense now. I have never made a candle with anything less than 8%, but I'm going to.

Thanks for the encouragement! I used to read on this forum when I first decided I was going to make candles. One of my mistakes was probably that I didn't join and ask for help along the way. I read what I thought was 'enough' and just ordered everything and took off with it. Learned the hard way I guess that I do need help

This made me laugh out loud. I know for SURE I've had candle nose and it's so annoying. 9% is the most I've ever tried in my parasoy that I've been testing. It seemed too much. When I made my VERY first set of candles with 100% soy I loaded them with the max just because I thought it would be better. That was many many months ago.

I really liked all of your advice. I've see so many say to make a candle without fragrance to understand the wax better and it's one thing I've never done. I just jumped in with the fragrance thinking I could adjust it based off of the burn. I am using HTPs right now. The only ones I've used so far are 73's and 83's. I have some 62's that I haven't tried yet. Right now the candles (2 are burning) both have 8% FO and double wicked 73's in a 3" diameter jar. The melt pool is about an inch deep a little over an hour burning. The hole house smells like the candle. It's throwing well. I question if it's burning too fast. The jar is hot of course, and I always question how hot is too hot. I tired to use my heat temperature gun and I don't feel like it gets a good reading on glass since the infrared light shines through it. It says anywhere from 145 to 188 degrees. The jar is too hot the touch which makes me think it's too hot, but flames seem controlled. Puzzling. I want to try with the 62's and see if it will make the melt pool a little slower maybe and maybe not be as hot. I guess I should make a candle with no FO also and see how hot it burns as a guide like you said as well.

I also hate mushrooms. I can deal with them if they are small. Right now I'm trying this double wicking with the HTP's and so far I am getting little to no mushrooms. (crossing fingers). They are making a fast melt pool though and so .. never sure what to think about that. I've seem people say they shouldn't do it on the first burn. These are doing it in about an hour and anywhere from 1/2 to 1" deep. Of course it's throwing scent like crazy. It's 8% FO. I started with 100% Soy (464) and I hated the frosting and bumpy tops. I worked with it for about 2 months then I started mixing in some 4627 and I liked the look of it. I have also tried 6006 (forgot to mention that one earlier). I didn't care for the after appearance. It seemed oily on the jar. Some of my candles if I didn't like the appearance I automatically considered them as 'out' and didn't really give them a chance. I wanted something I could pour and it look aesthetically nice without having to heat jars or do re-pours. With the parasoy that I am hoping to use I get that from it. I did try 100% 4627 once also and it smelled really good but the appearance was wet/oily spots. I used woodwicks in those and never tried any other wick in those. I need to take my 'best' candles (which I think is the ones I'm currently working on ) and just try to STICK with this. Pretty sure I bounced to much and too fast looking for quick answers.

I definitely would like someone to test burn my candles for me. A few people! I would greatly appreciate it so much!!! I want someone who knows what they are doing and understands the process of testing. Family so far for me with the exception of my sister who does give me good harsh feedback (lol love her for it too) usually just gives me basic feedback. I tell them I'd rather hear the truth even if it's bad rather than a lie of false hope! My mother in law is getting better at giving me feedback on my melts. I use her for that. In the beginning she wasn't good. She called to tell me she couldn't smell my honeysuckle melt she had burning. That's one of my strongest melts. So I drove 3 miles to her house (since she's so close) and I get there and she has her patio door open and windows open - Well NO WONDER she couldn't smell it. I also want to sick with one wax. I prefer a blend though which would technically be 2 waxes. I really like the 4627 mixed with soy. I have never made a candle without fragrance in it. What's puzzling to me is how come sometimes I look at my candles and think they aren't good then the next time I see them burn I think they are fine. I second guess myself so much. That's why I think I do need some of you to test for me if anyone would be willing. Right now I have 2 burning. Both are double wicked with HTP 73's - Both have 8% FO (I still need to make some with less maybe). Both are throwing well. Melt pools are about 3/4" to 1" deep and have been only burning about an hour. See? Isn't that too fast? but the flames are not out of control by any means. The jars are hot. The whole "hot jar" is something I don't get either. I would think any time you put a fire in a glass jar and let it burn it's going to make the jar hot. So many little things I just can't decide for myself if it's 'okay' or not.......

Thanks, I think I've heard of them. Wicks Unlimited maybe? Not sure. I'd have to google it. If I can't figure it out then I may consider giving that a try, but I want to keep working at it a little longer first.

I more than once thought I was 'ready' and even right now I feel like I'm so close. I've felt like this many times though. My husband, who is my biggest supporter, but also my biggest (not sure what word to use here) - pushes me to hurry, and says I'm taking too long. I took out a loan one of the times when I felt like we were ready. My husband actually set a date and said they have to be ready by xxxx - well I felt so much pressure to get them done and didn't want to let him down so I told him we were ready and was hoping I really would be by that date, but then I just couldn't bring myself to think they were good enough. I don't know if I made any sense here. It was a VERY dumb move on my part. My business plan is still in place. I make melts, but I really want to sell the candles too. I am going to take a few weeks here and focus on JUST candles. Before I was making and testing candles and melts at the same time trying to 'meet deadlines' - it just doesn't work that way. Most of my candles that I felt like had problems would be either they mushroomed too much or they smoked. Not all of them. I have made a couple that were fine. The mistake I'm pretty sure I made was switching immediately to a different blend or a different wick and NOT figuring out the problem. I switched so many times thinking it would be a quick fix. I know NOW that's not the way to do it.

Wow! I'm sooooooooo thankful (very thankful) for all the responses. Last night I saw some of them, but had to run to sports events and then do homework with my boys so couldn't respond. Went to bed early because I was emotionally drained yesterday! I think reaching out for help is what I needed to do. Only people that do this would understand how emotionally draining it really can be. I'll go look at the posts and reply to them. THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!