Just2BHappy

YAY, thank you Siren! After I saw this I went immediately to CS and placed my order (including 28 1oz samples). Thanks for posting this here!

OOOOOHHH, that's awesome! My eye is, of course, drawn to all the pretty bags of melts, but I also love the "Yay coffee" sign! I would definitely stop at a booth like that and do some SHOPPING!

Hi Malikh!

Thank you OldGlory! I started with the "standard" of 1 oz FO pp, but my next batches I will max out. I need to place another order for some different waxes I want to try, and I will have to order a few larger bottles of FO (I only have 1 oz samples right now). Having used wax melts for a while now, I am familiar with candlenose! It kinda sucks! And I know it will only get worse as I keep doing this. I don't know if I'm ready to send anything out for testing yet! I don't have that kind of confidence in my stuff! Not yet! I'd just like to find something I'm happy with first. Besides, I'd have to actually find some testers first; I don't personally know any hard-core wax melters, or even casual ones. I can't tell you guys how much I appreciate all your help. You are AWESOME!

I know, I just couldn't wait! I HAD to try one! I pulled out my small box of melts that I have purchased from others, and I'm melting those while I wait!

I got my first wax order! Yay! It's a boring picture but I was excited! I ended up making my first test melts over the weekend. I made 4 batches, each using 100 grams wax and 6 grams FO (Peaks Fruit Slices), in the following blends: 50/50 4794/4627 50/50 4794/6006 and 75/25 4794/4627 75/25 4794/6006 Mixed at 180, poured at 150, approximately (the batches were so small it was hard to get the probe of the thermometer very deep, so I'm not sure I was getting accurate readings.) I got 3 portion cups from each batch. They weren't poured quite to the top. None of them came out of the cups without a good deal of effort (I kind of expected this, due to the softer waxes). And they all had a bit of a dip on top, I'm guessing from the 4794. I'm having a hard time judging the cold throw, I think by the time I sniff the 4th cup my nose has already tuned out the scent! I've only melted one so far, the 50/50 4794/4627. I melted half of the portion cup (because that is what I am used to melting from vendors) in a 20 watt hot plate warmer, and the HT was okay, about medium, and it only lasted about 5 hours or so. I'm waiting a while to test the 6006 blends, to give it time to cure. Not quite sure where to go from here! If I'm not thrilled with the HT or longevity, what do you think should I adjust first? The wax percentages, or the FO%? Thanks! Having fun so far!

Hello Passion!

Thank you everyone! I have to believe that this isn't an intentional thing on the part of the vendor. But perhaps they need better quality control! On a related note, is it the wax alone that determines the max FO load? Or does the type of FO come into play as well? For instance, let's say the max load for a wax is 10%. Is is possible that one FO will do fine at 10%, while another will seep at 10%? I know some FOs are heavier than others; is that something to consider when deciding what percentage to use?

Oooohh, those are so pretty! I love them! Birthday Cake with Fresh Strawberry sounds wonderful. Very inspiring!

Thanks puma! Glad to be here!

I have seen this too, that's why I am puzzled. When I saw the videos I referenced above, I thought, "that must be messy, I wouldn't want to get that on my hands". At that point, I knew nothing about the process of making wax melts, so since the person making the video thought this was a good thing, I figured it must be (although I couldn't wrap my head around why). Now I know better!

I've been wondering about this. I have watched youtube videos made by customers of a certain online candle/melt vendor. Often, they would speak admiringly about melts that had oils almost dripping from them. These were melts in portion cups. They would show the wax and the cup, and there was indeed a lot of oil on the surface of both. They felt this was a good thing. I am wondering what you all think about this. Have you ever made melts like this and offered them to customers? Do you think customers see melts seeping FO as superior to ones that don't? In other words, do you think what a candlemaker would see as a problem, a customer might perceive as a sign of a better product? (I should say that I have ordered from this vendor and have not received any melts like this. This isn't a review or comment on the vendor!)

I am *planning* on using paraffin or a parasoy (my testing will determine, I might switch over to soy, I'm open!). Since I am just starting out, I will do my testing with 6%, to start, and go from there. I don't really want to make melts that are TOO strong. Two reasons: 1) I am personally sensitive to some fragrances when they're really strong, and 2) I'm cheap! Hahaha! I'm not averse to using more FO, just only if and when necessary! (I'm not really that "cheap", I just want to make the most effective use of my resources, if that makes sense. Sometimes you gotta spend more to get more. Sometimes, you're not getting more, just spending more!)

Yes, this makes sense, Moonshine! So what you're saying is you don't reduce the amount of wax by the amount of FO (for both candles and melts). But you do use a different FO% for candles than you do for melts.

Yes, this is where I got my understanding that you're supposed to add 1oz of FO to 16oz of wax (opposed to 15oz of wax). This makes sense to me, so this is the way I will do it. I'm a beginner so the simpler the better. I should be receiving my very first order of sample waxes and FOs from Peaks tomorrow!!! I'll be placing an order at Candlescience for some more wax types and FOs soon, I hope. I'm pretty excited!

Wowsers! I can understand why they last for days! LOL

That makes me feel a lot better! Thank you! Even though I'm sure I'll be doing what is simpler for me, I want to know more, like why people prefer one method over the other! I'm sure there are pros and cons for both. Since I suspect this has been debated before, I'll be searching! I won't ask that you all go through it again! Just one quick question, though, before I start: is this more of an issue for making candles versus melts? I've been reading mostly in the Wickless forum, so far, and have only run across one or two brief mentions of this topic. Thanks!

Ooohh, that WILL be helpful! Awesome, thanks for sharing, Becky!

If that's the case, I choose the non-subtracting method. I don't know how I can possibly do the math otherwise! Thanks!

I know there's GenWax in North Hollywood. I'm a newbie, but I'm also in California and bemoan the lack of suppliers in our area just like you do! I've never ordered from GenWax, but I've heard good things on this forum about two of their FOs, that I can remember: Watermelon and Juicy Bits of Orange. I don't know if they have the ones you're looking for, or if they're any good if they do. (They have 2 websites, GenWax sells actually candles, but there's a link on GenWax that leads to their supplies site.) There's another supplier in Glendora, I think, Cal Candle. I haven't ordered from them either; neither supplier has the waxes that I want to use. I've done google search after google search trying to find some "hidden" or "secret" supplier of wax or FO in SoCal, with no luck. Candlescience has the best shipping I've found, so far. I hope someone here can help us Cali folks!

Hi everyone, I'm sure this is going to come off as a dumb question, but I really am confused. When adding FO to wax, I know the "standard" is 6%, or 1 oz FO per pound of wax. This will vary, I know, but for the sake of this question, this ratio will be assumed. The way I understood this, if you were using 16 oz of wax, you would ADD 1 oz of FO. I've been reading a lot here today, and I've seen where some are saying that you should SUBTRACT the amount of FO you are using from the wax. In this instance, you would only use 15 oz of wax to the 1 oz of FO. I'm not as good at the "maths" as I used to be, but wouldn't this now be closer to 7%? I can't even fathom trying to calculate my FO% this way. I'm not that smart! Someone please tell me where I'm going wrong, because I'm sure I'm missing something here!

Hi Marlene!

This is apparently a common thing among some online vendors. I have never ordered from those who do it, but I have seen where it's sort of expected to receive some kind of "extra love" in your order. If you watch some youtube videos made by people who collect wax (the ones who have "stashes", and make "haul" and "collection" videos), you'll see it. I've even seen "Extra love received" as a permanent category on some wax review websites. ETA: I've never purchased from the vendors who do this, and as a customer I certainly don't expect it. There are also those vendors who don't include samples at all, or are upfront that they include one free scent shot per order (and it's random). I don't think any less of the vendors who don't send freebies.

I wish MY garden weeds looked so pretty!

I agree, don't send them anything! As a customer, I know I'm taking a risk buying something scented online. I can't evaluate the product until I receive it, and relying on reviews only goes so far, as scent is so subjective. However, I would be willing to pay for small samples, along the lines of what Vicky suggested. Imagine walking into a brick and mortar store and just asking for free stuff! What kind of response would those people expect to get? "Hi Best Buy, can I have some free stuff?" (BTW, I worked in retail for a long time, and not ONCE did I have anyone do this. I've had people ask for discounts, or try to bargain to get product A free if they bought product B, but never straight up free. If they want it free, they just try to steal it.)