lovelyscents

On 11/12/2017 at 10:56 PM, Ravens said:

Belinda, I no longer make clamshells; I make wax brittle and package it in the 1/2 lb. coffee bags that I buy from Uline or PaperMart. 

The wax combo (4786 & 650) is hard, hard enough it would easily pop out of a clamshell, I believe.

Welcome back!  I remember you seemed to of been an all paraffin gal.  Do you just like the looks of parasoy better?  I bet this blend is creamy!

Ima thinking it is wishful haha, especially since I never seen the slab form.

@Ravens I wonder if the manufacturer they used the first 10 years was your beloved prior to switching?

Well I did ask Loren if manufacturers were changed and where I could find the wax if they were to close.  This is the response I had gotten (below).  I am sharing because it is nothing secret and it may help others not ask them the same thing... 

"Unfortunately we won't disclose who makes our wax now...  we did go thru about 8 different samples and 3 mfg's before we were happy with this blend, we actually had a mfg that made our wax for about the first 10 years, then they changed some of the base ingredients with out checking with us first, so we had problems with it not setting right and causing issues for some of our customers using certain fragrances, so we started searching for a new company to make our waxes again for us, and some of the ones you listed IGI and CJ Robinson are actually a couple of places we tried, but were not happy with, so I do understand your search for information, it's the same thing we have dealt with over the past 17 years also...  I wish I could be of more help to you, but we will not disclose where or who makes our products...   please let me know if you have any other questions..."

Just now, katmeltswax said:

It is certainly less expense to settle on 1 wax or blend ,shipping is expensive .I need to cut my oil suppliers down as well. I end up spending a small fortune on shipping. 

It reminds me of Astorlite V with other wax added.

Just now, Sarah S said:

@lovelyscents and @katmeltswax, my wax came in the tear shaped nuggets. I've never gotten it in the shreds before. @Ravens posted just yesterday that she stopped using this wax because she felt like it had changed for the worse. Maybe she had been getting the shreds? I have also heard that some people have gotten it in slab form.

Yes, and from my understanding, the slab was the best overall.  TCS states it is the same wax, just ran through a machine to keep it easier on us.  However, longterm wax makers would prove that wrong.  

Just now, Sarah S said:

I agree that inconsistency batch to batch is a big issue and definitely worrisome. Why does wax have to be so complicated? I just want my house to smell good! 😭

Lovelyscents, I have no idea what those particles could be, I'm pretty clueless about additives.

no kidding!  My niece just asked when I would want to try a craft show coming up and I am like nope, still testing.  She was shocked and I am like yeah trust me, never knew it was so complicated either!!  If you care to have a good product that is.  I also have not researched additives in depth, came across some here and there.

Just now, Sarah S said:

 

As far as salvaging the rest of the wax, I think it mixes pretty well with just about everything, so maybe a container wax would improve the throw? If you have any 464, I'd try that 50/50 and give them a good long cure to see if that helps.

 

Good luck!

 

Now I'm thinking maybe I need to give the CBL129 another chance...

Good luck to you as well!  The 129 puts you back to one supplier once again though and I believe some stated the 129 is close to an IGI wax, cannot remember off the top of my head at this very moment.

12 minutes ago, katmeltswax said:

I will Google and see what what I can learn about the particles in the bottom .Lol I Google everything if I need info on almost any subject ,worth a try .You are so right ,no telling what we may be breathing in .I use CW 129 alone for many scents.I also use 4630 & 4625 blend ,never had issues with any if these . I know thru testing some scents just perform better in different type waxes .This is the reason I use different blends .It takes time and testing ,but worth the effort .I also have some 4786 ,think that's the one ,want to experiment with this one as well.Possibly add a lil this a lil that ,see if I can get a good melt from this wax .

Yes, oils play the largest part in my honest opinion, with wax being next.  Some do perform better in different blends, but in order to be consistent if selling in the future and not being like TCS from batch to batch, vendors settle on the same wax blend for all of their oils they offer.  

@Sarah S what form did your wax come in?

2 minutes ago, katmeltswax said:

 

Would love to know what the particles could possibly be in the bottom of your pot .I will melt mine and take a look as well .

I was hell bent on knowing for awhile too because I THOUGHT it was the miracle wax, even now that I am most likely going to pass on reordering, it still baffles me on what it could be.  I know for sure this batch was the bottom of the bag, so whatever "crumbs" that settled in the bag, just doesnt melt in wax.

4 minutes ago, katmeltswax said:

Yes this is identical to my last shipment ,nothing like the shreds I used to get .I know this wax is totally different .This wax has issues and does not perform the same as the shreds .I do love many of their oils and have had good luck with most ,only a few duds. Such a bummer the wax is so inconsistent ,love the shreds ,but this tear shape wax is useless for me .I hope I can doctor it up with something and use the remaining 7 or so lbs I have left .To scared to order any more  in the future ,never had this issue with TCS in the past darn it 😣

See it performed very well for me, but again I only tested about 5 oils in it and they were all strong oils so maybe that's why I was thinking it was good.  

13 minutes ago, katmeltswax said:

Did you receive tear drops or shreds ?I know the waxes have to be different ,have tested both .I cannot good results with the tear shaped wax .I feel like I wasted my money on 10 lbs including the shipping cost .Think your right CS has to have 2 separate suppliers going on .I am scared to order again ,due to the fact it may not be the shredded wax that works so well.

You know, I understand suppliers that want to keep a hush on their "propriety blends" and manufacturers and that's ok.  However, I honestly though just feel like it hurts them in the end to keep things so secretive.  For example like me, since I have no idea if I am getting the same wax each time or where it is even coming from in the first place, I think I will pass.  If I knew I could get it from other places as well, I would be more open to it for the comfort in knowing that I could still get it if they close shop.  This is most likely why certain waxes are more commonly used and the manufacturers plus suppliers that sell the waxes to us are more successful longterm.  For example: waxes such as 4625, 4630, 4786, 6006 are highly used because we all know the manufacturer is IGI.  The KY waxes we know are from CJ Robinson and even waxes like 3022 are from Clarus.  There is no secret in this but they are still thriving from us, so no reason really that things have to be that locked down.  Candle Source site doesnt even state what the wax is.  Yes we all know its a "paraffin blend" from inquiring directly and from one another, but how do I truly know what else I am melting and breathing in.  I know all waxes arent good to breathe, but perhaps there are definitely worse ones out there depending on the additives....   

13 minutes ago, katmeltswax said:

 

It's expensive to take such a gamble .I will melt some of the tear shape wax  down today & see if I have particles in the bottom. It is a shame the tart wax varies from each shipment . I am thinking the same as you ,not going to order again ,to risky .There are to many other waxes on the market that are dependable .

I agree with you with the expense, I am still testing over a year and not 110% settled on a wax blend yet.  I just dont want to make this my main wax after all of this time and money, to have to expect such huge variations in products.  Also agree with you on other waxes being more dependable and more readily available to go through this constantly.

This is what I received...

1 hour ago, katmeltswax said:

Belinda ,Have you noticed a difference in the CS wax between orders ? My last shipment was tear shaped.I usually get shreds when ordering their tart blend.I have a huge issue with the throw when the wax is tear shaped.I only used 3 pounds of the tear shaped wax and it is sitting in a box .I was just curious if you have noticed a difference  in the wax at all ?

I actually would like to know this as well.  I have only tested about a handful of oils in it and it performed VERY well, but once I got down to the bottom of the batch, I had particles or some type of additive that did not melt in my presto and it even transferred into my finished product (photos attached).  I love their oils and the tart wax I tried (aside from the last amount that had the unmelted pieces in it), but I tell ya I will not be trying more of it if it is this inconsistent.  It almost makes me feel like they just switch the wax, maybe even bounce around with suppliers whenever it is convenient since its a propriety blend.  I emailed the owner on my issue of the particles and they stated "we dont know what it is and will check with our supplier".  I emailed again later on asking for updates and got no response.  Does anyone know what it could be?    

1 hour ago, Nickie said:

You're going to need to get much closer to 30% on the container wax to see any change in them leveling out. 

 

It sometimes helps if you pour as low as you can....maybe around 150 and cover them for approx. 15-30 mins while they cure. 

Container does help some, but I didn't add much when trying clams so I had the same result as you and she's right about temperatures, it seems to shrink up and sink more if cooled too fast.

39 minutes ago, Moonstar said:

is TCS The Candle Source ? Which blend is it ? 

Yes, the tart blend.

25 minutes ago, Velma said:

I talked to someone today, they told me they are using 50% GW415 and 50% pure paraffin ( no details given on that) for both their melts, tarts and containers. Said it works great with no frost and great hot and cold throw. and they sell it constantly.   The GW416 has been pure frost hell for me, so I'm about willing to try this mixture.  I made clamshells last week with the Q230 and it is creamy, with just one small almost unnoticeable spot of frost. Cold throw is good, but since its all soy I'll need to wait a while to test melt it.

I see many in which blend 50/50 pure soy and paraffin.  I am not ruling out having soy in the mix (doing parasoy), but I sure am worried about the performance of soy after this year of horrible test results from long-term wax makers.  The inconsistencies seem to be out of control lately.

25 minutes ago, Velma said:

 

For me, I used to use a 70/30 para soy mix years ago.  I'm inclined to use a mix using paraffin in melts for both throw and to cut down on cure time.  If I can sell the parasoy mix in containers, I would be happy to, but so many people are hung up on the idea that soy = healthy

That sounds like a good %, maybe even 80/20 depending on how much you like to work with soy waxes vs paraffin.  I know what you mean by soy still taking the lead on "unhealthy" speculations.  However, there are many successful all paraffin vendors and many online wax customers who do not mind what it is as long as it throws well.  Do what you want to do and go from there.  After all, this is supposed to be enjoyable and the more you have a passion for this craft/art and what you believe in to be great, the better your products turn out and the better attitude you have about selling your product because you are proud of it.

4 hours ago, Sarah S said:

Ok, first round of testing the 133 mix is done!

I will apologize in advance for the terrible pictures, I have the very first iPad ever made and the camera is really crappy. 😂

 

My my wax blend was 80% KY 133 from RE, 10% GW 415 from CW, 10% CBL-125 (CW's in house production of IGI 4630)

 

I used the 6 cavity clamshells, 2oz cups, and a silicone daisy mold.

 

I heated my blend to 180 using the double boiler method, and added my fragrance at 175ish. I did use a couple different fragrances, but all were at an 8% FO load.

 

The brown tarts were poured at 150

 

The white tarts were poured at 140

 

I could see no visible difference between the ones poured at 150 vs 140, both were still quite bumpy on the top surface. It wasn't quite as bad as the KY 133 by itself, but still noticeable.

You'll see in the pictures I have a couple purple and green tarts, they were all made the the Candle Source's tart wax at 90% and the 4630 at 10%. Their tops are very smooth, although the 6 cavity clamshell does dip a bit in the cavities.

 

 

The bumpiness was not very noticeable on the daisy tarts, but of course we are looking at a much smaller surface area.

 

The HT is good for 8%, and I do think these last a long time. I'm on day 2 in the melter in my bedroom, scent is still strong, and I melt for solid 4-6 hour intervals.

 

The 80/10/10 blend is really hard, so I think I have room to try 80/10/20 and still be able to pop it out of the clams. Maybe that extra 10% 4630 will smooth everything out.

 

I will try another round of testing, but so far I feel like the TCS wax gets better results with less hassle. Maybe I'll have to test some more of their FOs to make the most of the shipping costs 😉😄

 

I get the exact same look as you with 133, even when blended with another wax, I usually get dimples like crazy!  I wish the wax would share some dimples on my cheeks ha!  Anywho, I know it isnt a one pour wax so I expected to do repours if needed, but TCS definitely is less headache for a better result.  Maybe we should all email them to update their site and shipping methods better.  I like some of their oils and their tart wax was pretty good in my testing as well, but a shipping calculator vs choosing my own and and updated site would be appreciated as I feel even the oil selection has been the same FOREVER.  Not to mention, some oils still dont have descriptions and their "New fragrances" have been new and the same ones FOREVER as well lol.  Either way, I will not judge product from a website setup, but it sure doesnt help the way it is now.  Back to 133, I had decent throw results on this wax as well but didnt test many oils in it yet. 

I know this is old, but that is me...queen of reviving since I spend TONS of time researching.  LOL.  Anyhow, has anyone else tried this again lately?  I was having very good luck with it as far as throw and the CT is amazing by the way, but still determining longevity.  Interesting thought, I wonder if palm is added to their wax?  I ask because I dug out testers I poured months ago and the ones with TCS wax seem to have a glitter/sparkle like frost.  It also seems to be a bit brittle/dry if that makes sense, I have no idea what additives do that to wax.  Any update from others would be interesting to hear, I am debating on ordering more for even more testing.  The woman I spoke with said she is not looking to go out of business anytime soon at all, so it may be worth using.  Thank you!

Thank you all!  Now if they can come back so I can try it!!  I wonder if the country berry hotcakes from JS is similar...

On 7/23/2016 at 11:39 PM, mindy5140 said:

Ohhhh I need to move lol.... Western PA is jam packed with Direct Sales such as Scentsy, pink zebra, etc... I understand they are working their business but I gotta work mine too.. It shouldn't be called a craft show, instead a Direct Sales show. I know a lot of people will be disappointed with shows just full of them instead of actual crafts. I have been thinking of adding onto my line, maybe I should so next summer I'll have something else to offer..

 

 

 

I also understand women who are in direct sales need business as well, but I 210% agree with you regarding people being disappointed in shows being full of direct sales vs handmade crafting.  I actually used to be in direct sales MANY years ago for a short period of time and had several comments of people that were downright annoyed being asked to purchase direct sales items.  That is what brought me back to making my own items and I feel so much better that I can be proud of something I made and not trying to sell what I dont fully stand by just to make a buck.  I give some of those women credit though, their persistence pays off as some of them are at the top of the ladder getting company cars, trips n such.

I've heard good things about the EL version also I want to try.  Loving grandma's cupboard!

I know I know, goodluck to me right 

11 minutes ago, moonshine said:

My 2 cents is soylutions is ridiculous in shipping - at least for wax 

Yes!  Like I said, it was exactly $37 more in shipping than ASO and that's just 25 pounds!

11 minutes ago, moonshine said:

I wish I had known about ASO before I had placed my order it would of saved me a lot of money and got here quicker - but I did order clearanced jars from soylutions so I can't complain too much but if ASO is cheaper I would go with them

years ago I used oils from soylutions and wasn't impressed but that was a long time ago and could if been a combo of wax and oil together  

I guess like all suppliers, there's good and bad.  However, I really need to slap my hands and limit suppliers as much as I can since costs of everything is rising and it makes it almost very little profit margins nowadays for our crafting.  I need to stick with ones that have more than say 5 good oils that I would use to justify shipping etc.

Well it looks like ASO is more limited on selection, but much more cost effective.  For example, I put 25 pounds of oatmeal cookie in my cart from both suppliers.  The oil price itself was $131 difference and shipping is a $40 difference.  Soooo, it is hard to justify almost a $200 difference even though I would love to try many from candlesoylutions.  However, I will consider them still if the oils are great.

6 hours ago, Darbla said:

I don't have a business depending on suppliers being reliable, so I can consider being more forgiving and giving another chance to someone who looks like they've had a bad patch and have been struggling to keep it together for a couple of years.  Going through hell and then trying to heal from it and get back to normal can take quite a long while, and some never get back to the way they were.  If I were running a business, I'd probably think differently.

 

From what little I've seen on their Facebook page, both parties (wife included) were pulling some immature public drama crap that seemed unnecessary, but there's a lot we won't ever know.

Well said