olives

1 minute ago, moonshine said:

...I may see this as well down the road when I settle on a wick and test again - or get a different lot number 🙈

...or the moon is full, or the wind is blowing in a certain direction...LOL!  The inconsistencies are making me nuts!

I'm doing more testing today and my first plan of attack is to lower my pouring temp to see what that does. Every day, it's back to the drawing board!

2 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

I live for single pour. 

 

 

 

 

 SAME! 

But this whole tunneling issue has got me a bit panicked and re-thinking my whole process. My candles could look perfect and smooth on top, yet have air cavities inside that would essentially make it a dud candle. So I feel like I need to now go the relief hole route for every candle I make...time-consuming, but I can't let candles go out the door that could possibly be duds.

@TallTayl - do you poke relief holes in every single candle you make to sell? If so...are you filling the holes with a repour of wax, or hitting the tops with a heat gun and letting the wax melt into the holes?

Honestly, I often wonder how some of these smaller-scale makers (P.F. Candle Co., for example, or Seawicks) who aren't Yankee, yet are still running businesses, deal with the quirks that we do...I can imagine that they don't have time to do repours on the thousands of candles they make every week! 

3 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

Lower temps may help a bit. But 444 for whatever reason is known lately for cavities. It might be worth poking holes after it cools and doing a repour  just to be certain. Then start testing wicks again. 

 

In that width jar I would provably start with an eco 10 or 12 depending on the fragrance. 

Thanks @TallTayl, I will give that a go. The air cavities would also explain the inconsistencies in the wick performances during my testing. Always something!!

I don't poke relief holes, but I'm thinking you might be onto something with the air cavities. 

Would pouring at a lower temperature help prevent air cavities? I like the smooth tops that the higher pour temp seems to give me, but I'd gladly trade that for candles without air cavities. 

I've been ordering 5 lb bags from TFCC so unfortunately no lot number on those...and the largest ECO I've used is the ECO 16 in a 16 oz straight-sided jar with a 3.58" diameter. Same tunneling/extinguishing! I'm going to give that one a try it again, though.

I've been testing a blend of GB 444 wax (75%) and coconut slab wax from Candles & Supplies (25%) and wicking is proving to be almost impossible. I've been testing every size imaginable of rrd, CD, hemp wicks, ECO, and even ribbon wicks with completely inconsistent results from test batch to test batch. I'm adding 8% FO, and pouring each batch between 140 - 145. Edited to add: I'm heating to 185 and adding FO at 185 as well.

My most common issue seems to be severe tunneling that ends up extinguishing the flame. Example photos are below. This happens no matter if I size up or down in follow-up batches. 

Any guidance would be much appreciated! 

42 minutes ago, Lana said:

Well this is quite the list of impacted FO's from RE....They just posted this on facebook a while ago and I think also sent out an email. YIKES

 

CONFIRMED LIST
Fragrance oils that will be unavailable (until approx. May 2018) once our current stock is depleted.

Almond Crème
Alpine Frost
Amber Romance
Amber Type
Amish Quilt
Angel Heart
Apple Butter & Caramel
Applejack 'n Peel
Apples & Oats
Atomic Fireball Cinn.
Baby Powder
Banana Cream Pie
Banana Walnut Cake
Bayberry
Bird of Paradise
Birthday Cake
Birthday Cake
Black Velvet
Blackberry Sage
Blackberry Sage
Blissful Blackberry
Blue Skies
Blueberry Muffin
Blueberry Parfait
Bora Bora
Butter Cream
Butter Rum Capp.
Cabana Coconut
Caramel Pecan
Cashmere Woods & Tonka Beans
Celtic MoonSpice
Celtic Moonspice (BODY SAFE)
Cherry Slush
Children's Room
Chocolate Layer Cake
Christmas Cheer
Christmas Fantasy
Christmas Tree
Cinna Vanilla
Cinnamon
Cinnamon Bun
Cinnamon Styx
Citron & Wild Spices
Clean Green
Coconut Cream Pie
Coffee House
Cool Citrus Basil
Cotton Candy
Country Clothesline
Country Gift Shop
Cranberry
Creamy Cinn. Vanilla
Creme Brulee
Cucumber Melon
Cucumber Mint
Downey Rose & Violet
Dragon's Blood
Driftwood & Sea Salt
Essence of Jesus
Eucalypt. & Thyme
Eucalyptus
Fiji Dates & Lemon Peel
Forbidden Fruit
Forget Me Not
French Vanilla & Oak
Fresh Squeezed Oranges
Frozen
Gardenia
Gingerleaf Plum
Golden Opium
Grandma's Kitchen
Green Tea & Cucumber
Harvest Moon
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle & Wht. Patch
Hot Apple Pie
Hot Apple Pie
Iced Lemon Cookie
Intense Almond
Issey Miyake
Just Peachy
Kettle Corn
Key Lime Pie
Lavender Vanilla
Lemondrop Pucker
London Fog
Luscious Vanilla
MacIntosh Apple
MacIntosh Apple
Macintosh Apple
Malibu Heat
Mango
Maple Glazed Bacon
Marijuana
Midnight Pomegrante
Ming Fern & Lavender
Molten Spark
Monkey Farts
Mulberry Frost
Muscadine
Muscadine Vineyard
Neroli
Oatmeal Milk 'n Honey
Orchid Rain
Oud Wood
Paris Nights
Passionate Kisses
Patchouli
Patchouli Oud Wood
Patchouli Saffron
Pearberry
Pearberry
Peppermint Bark
Pina Colada
Pineapple Brown Sugar
Pineapple Cilantro
Pink Berry & Tonka Bean
Pink Lilac & Willow
Pink Sugar
Pink Sugar
Pizza
Plumeria
Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Crème Brulee
Rapture
Raspberry
Raspberry Lilac
Red Hot Banana
Red Saffron
Redwood
Rosemary Mint
Rosewood & Musk
Salted Caramel Ginger
Sea Island Grapefruit
Sea Salt & Rice Flower
Sea Salt & Yuzu
Serene Waters
Shangri-La
Silver Birch & Vetiver
Snickerdoodle
Snowkissed Sugar Type
Southern Vanilla
Sparkling Ginger
Sparkling Pomegranate Prosecco
Strawberry Musk
Strawberry Taffy
Succulent Aloe
Sugar Cookie
Summer Breeze (Gain Island Fresh)
Sweet ‘n Creamy (Peanut Butter Cookie)
Sweet Amber Musk
Sweet Potato & Brown Sugar
Sweet Potato Spice
Sweet Tarts
Sweet Tooth
Toasted Marshmallow
Tropical Oasis
Vanilla Lace
Vanilla Lime
Vanilla Type
Velvety Vanilla
Very Sexy for Him
Vetiver Type
Vineyard
VL-Cherry Almond
White Pumpkin & Lilac
White Velvet Bow
Wild Tuberose & Jasmine
Winter Hideaway
Yuzu

-----------------------------------

POTENTIAL LIST
Fragrance oils that may have limited availability (until approx. May 2018) once our current stock is depleted.

Alaskan Wilderness
Almond Biscotti
Almost Paradise
Amaretto
Amazon Mist
Amish Spice Loaf
Apple & Pumpkin Strudel
Apple Clove Butter
Apple Harvest Festival
Apple Jack N Peel
Apricot & Honey
Arctica
Asian Pear
Asian Pear Flavor
Autumn Rain
Awapuhi Seaberry
Baby Fresh
Badedas
Bahama Coconut
Bamboo & Sugar Cane
Bamboo Cypress
Banana Nut Bread
Banana Nut Bread
Bayberry Black Forest
Beachwood Vetiver
Berry Bundt Cake
Black Cherry
Black Currant Tea
Black Oak Currant
Black Raspberry Vanilla
Blackberry
Blackberry Scone
Blue Lagoon
Blue Sugar
Blue Summer type
Blueberry
Blueberry
Blueberry Burst
Blueberry Cobbler
Bonfire Bliss
Breezy Meadows
Brown Sugar
Bubble Gum
Bubble Gum
Burnin' Love Cinnamon
Butter Pecan
Buttered Rum Spice Cake
Butternut Pumpkin
Butterscotch
Butterscotch Marshmallow
Butterscotch Rum Brittle
Buttery Toffee Crunch
Cabernet Crush
Cake Bake
Calabrian Bergamot & Violet
Campfire Marshmallow
Candied Ginger
Candy Apple Sleigh Ride
Candy Cane
Candy Cane Cupcake
Cantaloupe
Cappuccino
Caramel Pretzel Bar
Caramel Sensations
Cardamom Cedar Blossom
Caribbean Day Spa
Carmelized Pralines
Cedar Sage & Blackberry
Cedarwood & Patchouli
Celebrate Christmas type
Chai Tea
Chardonnay
Cherries and Chestnuts
Cherry Berry
Cherry Mist
Christmas Bliss
Christmas Past
Christmas Tree Garland
Cider Barrel
Cinnamon
Cinnamon & Spruce
Cinnamon Glazed Baklava
Cinnamon Red Hot
Cinnamon Supreme
Cinnamon Toast
Clementine Lavender
Cleopatra
Clothesline Fresh
Clothespins
Coconut Grapefruit
Coconut milk & Peaches
Cool Water
Corn Husk
Cornbread
Cornucopias & Gourds
Cotton Candy
Cranberry Orange Scone
Cranberry Salsa
Cranberry Yuzu
Crème de Menthe
Cuban Tobacco
Cucumber Melon
da Lime in da Coconut
Danish Butter Cookie
Danish Vanilla Custard
Dill Pickle
Dreamcatcher
Earl Grey & Apple
Elderflower & Moss
Ezra
Farmer's Market Harvest
Fig & Cassis
Fizzy Pop
Flannel Sheets
Flower Child
French Toast
French Vanilla
Fresh Lemon Sugar type
Fresh Lilac
Frosted Winter Berry
Frosty Pines
Frosty Windowpane
Fruit Medley
Funnel Cake
Gilded Amber
Ginger Souffle
Gingerbread Brulee
Gingerbread Pumpkin
Gingersnap
Glazed Donut
Golden Sands type
Grand Marnier & Apricot
Grandmas Cupboard
Grandmothers Toddy
Grapefruit Tangelo
Green Apple
Green Apple
Green Grass
Green Irish Tweed
Green Pumpkin
Green Tea
Green Tea & Willow
Havana Nights
Hazelnut
Hazelnut Coffee
Hazelnut Latte
Hipster
Holiday Spiced Balsam
Home Interiors Baked Apple
Homemade Apple Pie
Honey Bee
Honeydew Melon
Hot Apple Pie
Hummingbird Nectar
Iced Pineapple and Tangerine
Icy Peppermint
Italian Fruit Parfait
Japanese Pear & Ginsing
Jasmine, White
Juniper Berry Cedar
Juniper Breeze
Karma Sutra
Key Lime
Kickin' Caramel
Kimono Flower
Lavender
Lavender Apples & Oak
Lavender Chamomile
Lavender Mist
Lavender Vanilla
Leather
Lemon Cheesecake
Lemon Curd
Lemon Éclair
Lemon Ginger Tea
Lemon Pound Cake
Lemon Sugar Bundt Cake
Light Blue
Lily of the Valley
Lime Freeze
Lingonberry Wreath
Little Black Dress
Love Spell
Love Spell (VS type)
Lovely type
Lumberjack
Main Street Christmas
Malted Milk Ball
Mandarin Orange
Mandarin Spice
Mango Lassi
Mango Peach Fusion
Manuka Honey & Saffron
Marshmallow Fluff
Mediterranean Fig
Merlot
Mint Truffle
Mittens & Mistletoe
Mochacinno
Molasses Cookie
Monkey Bread
Moon Shadow
Moonlight Path
Moscato
Mulberry ( HI type)
Nutmeg & Caramel Swirl
Oak Barrel Cider
Oatmeal Milk & Honey (CM)
Oatmeal Milk & Honey
Ooey gooey Caramel
Orange Dreamsicle
Orange Flower & Amber
Orange Sorbet
Passion Melon
Patchouli Blend
Patchouli Rain
Patchouli Raspberry
Peach
Peanut Butter
Peppercorn
Peppermint Swizzle Stick
Pickin' Pumpkins
Pie Crust
Pine Cone Wreath
Pineapple Supreme
Pinecone & Lime Type
Pink Frosting
Pink Hibiscus
Pink Lemonade
Pink Sugar type
Pipe Smoke
Pistachio Ice Cream
Plum Tart
Plumberry Spice
Pomelo Sage
Popcorn
Praline
Pumpkin Cheescake
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Cupcake
Pumpkin Ginger & Apple Slices
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pumpkin Souffle
Purple Sandalwood
Red Currant
Red Delicious Apple
Red Velvet Cake
Roasted Coffee
Rocky Mountain Memories
Rose Petals
Rosemary Citrus Spritzer
Rustic Lodge
Rustic Rose
Sage and Sweetgrass
Salt Water Taffy
Salted Caramel Popcorn
Salty Sea Air
Sandalwood & Shea
Sangria
Sauvignon Blanc
Sea Grass & Sand Dunes
Sea Kelp
Sex On The Beach
Shamrocks & Sunshine
Snow Cone
Snow Covered Pines
Snow Taffy
Southern Pecan Pie
Sparkling Pine & Bergamot
Sparkling Snowflakes
Spiced Autumn Wreath
Spiced Coquito
Spiced Pumpkin Latte
Spicy Apples & Peaches
Stone House Reserve
Strawberry
Strawberry Buttercream
Sugar Cookie
Sugar Frosted Plum
Sugared Spruce
Sugared Strawberries
Swedish Dream Salt
Sweet Pea type
Sweet Pumpkin
Teakwood & Fern
Teakwood Coconut
Three Wishes Tea
Tinsel Tree
Tis The Season
Tres Leches Cake
Tropical Fruit Slices
Tulips & Lilacs
Turquoise Sky
Tuscan Cypress
Tuscan Fields
Vanilla Bean
Vanilla Butter Fudge
Vanilla Crunch
Vanilla Ice Cream
Vanilla Kissed Chrysanthemum
Vanilla Pound Cake
Vanilla Sandalwood
Vanilla Snowflake
Vanilla Wafers
Very Sexy For Him
Victorian Pine
Violet Blush
Violet Leaf & Sweet Grass
VL Spa Fusion
VL-Pomegranate & Ginger
Volcano type
Voluspa Ambre Lumiere Type
Warm n Cozy
Warm Vanilla Nutmeg
Waterlily & Jasmine
Watermelon
Welcome Home
Whipped Cream
White Choc. Apple type
White Chocolate
White Jasmine & Pineapple
White Nectarine
White Peach Sangria
White Woods
Wild Honeysuckle
Wild Red Cherry Pie
Wine by Candlelight
Winter Linen
Winter Wisp
Winter Wonderland
Woolen Blanket
Zucchini Bread

 

 

Wowza. Thanks for posting this...heading over there now to stock up!

FYI all...just got this email from Rustic Escentuals:

I like http://www.brownkraftlabels.com/ for my warning labels; you can customize them with your company name, candle scent name, size, etc.

I agree, go for it! I do still order my tin lid labels from them (since I don't make as many of those as I do jar candles) and I think you'll be happy with how they turn out. 

I've used Sticker You for a couple of years now and I have found them to be a good resource for short-run labels.

Just a heads up in case you're looking for larger-run orders: I did eventually switch to another company for my jar labels about halfway through this year, because I increasingly found that the turnaround time for any larger-run order I'd place (say, 150+ labels) would be delayed for at least 10 days past the promised date - even if I had paid for express production & shipping - and (in my experience) customer service wasn't always eager to provide updates or resolution. 

I do think you'll be very happy with the quality, and I love that you can upload and size your artwork yourself right there on their website. Makes ordering very easy!

Brambleberry sent this email out yesterday:

I've used Bayberry Black Forest from RE and really like it...it's more woodsy than just berry, which is what I was looking for. I do see they also have a Bayberry which they describe as a "traditional Christmas bayberry." 

2 hours ago, birdcharm said:

As if the entire thing wasn't bad enough, pouring that scent in like that threw me to the floor.

 

I know! I'm still shaking my head!

HGTV has posted this absolutely cringeworthy "tutorial" on their Facebook page. Thankfully, there are some pretty vocal comments alerting them that following this tutorial will result in a candle that will be dangerous to burn, so hopefully they'll take it down.

I just got another email back from Aztec re: my question on their new coconut wax:

"I’m so sorry, but I was just told I misread the information on the wax and it does contain paraffin. Sorry for the incorrect information.

Travis Forrester"

Sounds like they're finally getting the story straight after probably getting lots of inquiries for more info...

15 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

I hear you... seems coconut is the new trendy wax, prices on coconut products have risen sharply in the last year, my soaping oils rose $25 per 50# a few months ago. 😳

Yikes...that has a big impact on those of us with small businesses! I'm going to have to do some serious number crunching for 2018.

11 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

Hmmm I was leaning toward believing microcrystalline  is added to coconut as it has a high melt point - upward of 175*F.

 

candles and supplies has a new coconut pellet with a similar melt point.

 

 

Very interesting...I'm thinking about ordering a box of the IGI from Aztec and trying it out. Also, I just realized that the cost listed on Aztec's website is actually for 25 pounds (not 50 pounds like I had assumed), which makes it comparable to the other coconut waxes I was looking at...so scratch what I was saying about it being more affordable!

So I just got this reply from Travis at Aztec - my question to him was whether or not the blend contained any paraffin:

"No it is a vegetable and coconut oil based wax."

I'm skeptical, too, and noticed that they didn't reply to a comment on their post asking whether or not there was any paraffin in the blend. I just emailed them and will report back if/when they answer...

The price point is comparable to what I'm paying for my 464 wax, so I am intrigued because the coconut wax options I've been looking at are all almost double that...but the fact that it's more inexpensive also leads me to question what it's blended with. Hopefully they'll provide some more info soon!

1 hour ago, jbradshaw said:

Does anyone ever add salt? I was looking at a Martha Stewart DIY for pine cone firestarters and they are dipped in different salts to change the flame color. Seemed like it could be cool but not sure if it would work or not.

 

I am thinking of collecting pine cones, dipping them, and selling them in sets of maybe 5-6 to use up leftover wax and just add some variety to my holiday market booths. 

I'm thinking the same thing...I have a market the first Friday in December and think these would make perfect gifts/stocking stuffers. I haven't heard about adding salt, but that sounds interesting!

Try StickerYou.com. You can get any size you want, and low quantity minimums which is always a good thing! I've never printed them myself - always worried about the ink smearing!

I've been following this thread with great interest, since I'm interested in moving to a soy-coconut wax blend candle myself. 

I am about to start testing the coconut container blend wax from Candles & Supplies. I was told by C&S that although the coconut to soy ratio in that blend is proprietary, they suspected that it was more coconut than soy. I am going to blend this with 464 at different ratios to test.

I'm very curious about wet spots, as well as frosting issues - both of which I have severely with 464, especially as the candle ages (and by "ages", I mean only after a couple of months!) I sell my candles mostly via wholesale, and these are the two top complaints I get from my accounts...and one reason I'm experimenting with a coconut wax blend.

1 hour ago, CaraWannaMaker said:

I just made a list from the Fragrance Twins thread of all the Peak FO's listed there for all of us to use.

 

Peak Jamaican Me Crazy and JS Paradise Island

Framboise Citron Cheesecake-AH, Iced Lemon Danish-Peak

Peaks Amish Harvest and Aroma Haven's Celtic Moon Spice- Very very Similar

NG"s Watercress and Aloe and Peak's Green Clover in Aloe

AGE's Salty Mariner and Peaks Ocean

Peak's Casaba Mist & AH's Badedas

Peaks Spruce Xmas Tree and AH's Ozark Forest

Peaks Fresh Linen and BCN Angel Wings

BW Sandalwood Cardamom is the same as Peaks Sage & Citrus

Peaks Clean Cotton and The Candle Source Clean Cotton

CS Black Rasp Vanilla and Peaks Black Rasp Vanilla

Peaks Amish Harvest & Tenn Amish Harvest are very similar 

Also Peaks country berry hotcakes and ICS Wildberry Mousse. Also, Peaks country berry hotcakes smells just like JS cbh

Peaks & Candlewic Black Raspberry Vanilla

Peaks Blueberry Cobbler and Candlewic Blueberry Pie

Peaks & AH/RE Orange Chiffon Cake

Wild Mountain Honey-Peak, Flaming Candle Company & Elements-Honey  L'Occitane Type

Peaks (Winter Orange Spice) & Lonestar (Autumn Harvest)- same

 

 

Thank you! This is a big help. Who is AGE? Couldn't find them on the supplier abbreviation list.

1 hour ago, kfintoni said:

Scented here is the description.

An enchanting blend of spruce, apple cider, cranberries, and plum form the top layer of this jovial scent. Grapefruit, mandarin, cinnamon, and clove notes intertwine to rejuvenate the holiday spirit in all of us, as the light essence of vanilla beans and musk provides a delicate finish. Get ready to sparkle and shine at all your Holiday celebrations with this fragrance!

 

Karen in MA

I see a FO on Candlewic's site called Holiday Sparkle with the following description: 

Cedar and Fir Needle create a base for spicy cinnamon and clove, with light sparkling orange and lemon top notes.

Not sure if it's the same, but some similar notes. Peak's sounded fabulous, though!