runner14jc

Not sure of websites per se but you may want to check out Facebook. There are some candle supply destash groups that might be a good start.

CandleScience 1 oz sale started today and runs through Friday! 

I've been testing CD wicks in C6 and getting some decent results. Have you tried that yet before considering blending? Since the C6 is already mostly soy, adding more soy may decrease the benefits of having the small percentage of coconut in it.

Melt and pour soaps fall under cosmetics so you will have to label it with the ingredients. However, it can still be labeled as a soap, it is just not considered a true soap. According to the FD & C act if it has a detergent or surfactant it is a cosmetic not a soap and most melt and pour bases contain detergents or surfactants. 

"If a product

• is intended solely for cleansing the human body,
• has the characteristics consumers generally associate with soap, and
• does not consist primarily of alkali salts of fatty acids,

it may be identified in labeling as soap, but it is regulated as a cosmetic."

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/it-cosmetic-drug-or-both-or-it-soap#Define_soap

Most wick stickers operate about the same. The only ones I have found that have a real difference or advantage are the wick sticker Pro version from CandleScience. They have a thinner profile than most of the other wick stickers on the market which is really nice so that your wick sits a little lower to the jar. Otherwise, from a sticking standpoint, I haven't had any issues with any wick stickers that I have tried from any company!

I think paraffin is also a bit more stable in the long run --- in terms of less prone to lot variations. Those of us who have used soy wax have all seen how it can vary and fluctuate over time and from lot to lot. Companies that are mass producing are not wanting to spend time and energy on extra testing that is often required periodically with soy wax.

You may also notice some adhesion issues. Extreme temperature fluctuations can cause the wax to pull away from the sides of the container more. If you are using tins, this may not be as big of a deal but something to keep in mind still. 

Great post! I stumbled on this on the CandleScience site a few weeks ago and it fits what you are talking about. They are working to revise anything that is Prop 65 as well it seems which is wonderful news! https://www.candlescience.com/fragrance-oil-revisions

I usually start my testing with the LX wicks from what you mentioned. For that size container, probably something like the LX 22 as a starting point. Or the HTP can do well too, HTP 83 if I were to start testing. I haven't tried the CDs in that wax yet though.

I have seen it before but the guide specifically says at the top that all testing was done with paraffin so I don't think they have wick tested each specific wax. It makes me not trust the recommendations on the guide. I use 464 the most and there is no way that a CD 14 wick will burn a full melt pool in a 3-4" diameter container. I do like the layout and the options of different wick series but I just wouldn't trust the sizes they suggest since it doesn't appear to be backed by testing like some of the other wick guides I have seen are. 

This company is pretty new. Everything is imported but at least it is some new styles coming into the US for glassware. https://dreamvessels.com/

I love these: http://www.prestopotwaxmelter.com/

20 hours ago, Quentin said:

Same here. candlescience really seems to love those peanuts.

I love that they use the biodegradable peanuts though! Makes it an easy choice for me to reuse them for my own customers! https://www.candlescience.com/about/green-packaging

I usually run into issues with tins if I'm using a high fragrance load with fragrances that have a lot of citruses, vanilla, or cinnamon in them. 

Definitely by weight. Just to explain a bit though since I always want to know why  Fragrances are all made of different ingredients which means they will take up different amounts of space. Some fragrances are super light and will fill a bottle almost completely, others are really really heavy and do not take up a lot of space. If you measure by volume, you could over or under fragrance your wax which could cause issues. The first time, I really understood the weight concept was when I ordered a Vanilla fragrance. The 16 oz bottle arrived and looked less than 3/4 full but on a scale, it was 16 oz. Hope this helps you! 

36 minutes ago, birdcharm said:

 

Oh yeah, I was thinking about that!  I even mentioned that to my husband.  Nope ... not unless they have their own soy farm!

hahaha, even then, soy wax can't be organic. It goes through a chemical process to turn the soybean oil into a wax....organic soy wax is NOT possible.

I think that with some fragrances you can get away with not having any cure time, however, I have personally tested other fragrances that have no hot throw at day 3 but are super strong 1 week later. I feel the same way about temperature to add fragrance at. There are some fragrances that can add in at a lower temp and be just fine, but there are other fragrances that if added too low they don't bind to the wax and end up seeping out of the wax. It just makes more sense to me to cover my bases by adding fragrances at 185°F and to cure for at least a week that way I know every single fragrance will be good instead of trying to do different practices for each and every fragrance. Personally, I stand by that cure time is necessary and beneficial in most cases.

If you still have LX wicks, you may want to try the LX 16 and LX 18. It sounds like you just have too large of LX wicks so decreasing the size may be an easy fix.

I've never had any trouble with them. Typically, it is just the wax coating on them that is a bit messed up so the performance of the wick itself is not disrupted. At least not any time, it's happened. 

Definitely agree on trying to decrease the fragrance load. I usually don't go over 9-10% at the most. It's a little counter-intuitive but more fragrance does not always mean more hot throw. Also be sure you are allowing them enough cure time. I wait at least 1 week with 464 but get better results with 2 weeks if I can wait that long

16 hours ago, Jcandleattic said:

I signed up for this last Thursday and still haven't heard back for approval - and can't get in without it. Do you know how frequent he approves new people? No biggie, as I said I have spreadsheets and my SM3, but I like having ALL THE GADGETS! LOL 

I think it took 2-3 weeks for me to hear back and get access when I signed up.

Just to add in another suggestion....have you considered a presto pot instead of a burner?

9 minutes ago, Jcandleattic said:

I just checked this out, awesome.

Dean Wilson is out of AU is he not? I think he is/was a member here as well. Did a lot of M&P soaps. Nice guy and very 'giving' of his knowledge. (if it's the same Dean Wilson that is)

Yes! He is out of AU. I love his videos with soap they have been super helpful so when he launched this new tool I was quick to check it out. It makes things super easy!

I found www.soapinventory.com not too long ago. It is free and fabulous! You can track inventory. Recipes and it gives you basic cost of a product once you have recipes in. 

Just be sure that you test the accuracy of the IR one before you rely completely on it. Many of them need to be calibrated or at the very least know how far off it is from accurate so that you can compensate for it. Otherwise, they work great!