olives

On 7/13/2017 at 6:34 PM, jbradshaw said:

Until I find the oil dupes for these and can make them myself...Cozy Night (got it from Target years ago) and BBW Radiant Red Maple

 

But my favorite that I make is with Peak's Tuscan Nights. 

@jbradshaw You got me hooked on Tuscan Nights from Peaks...I just love it! Now that Peaks has closed, do you have any idea who might have a similar scent?

6 hours ago, Clear Black said:

I dont dye my candles so you can hardly notice the frosting if at all. The 444 melts I made 7 months ago were bright red and pink when first made, the color has all but faded out and whats left you can just see all the frosting on them. Thats when I decided to try them without color and I liked the look of the natural wax so kept going that route.

That's great, glad to hear that frosting isn't an issue for you. I don't dye my candles either, and still deal with frosting after a month or so with certain scents. Frustrating! 

I use 464 soy wax, and the one consistent issue I seem to have with my candles as they age is frosting on the tops. I keep them stored in boxes with the lids on, but the frosting happens nonetheless.

Otherwise, TallTayl is right...that bit of aging does seem to make the scents stronger.

oooh....somehow I missed the Peach, Grapefruit, and Thyme...going there now to snag that one! 

6 hours ago, TallTayl said:

People say the darnedest things... to me, it seems like a total waste of $ when less can do s much more.

 

like you, I notice candles that are overscented can burn less cleanly.

I completely agree. And I had to eye roll a bit at the use of the word "skimping". ha! 

I was doing a little bit of competitive research and noticed this on a fellow maker's website:

"Most candle companies cut costs by skimping on the amount of fragrance oil they pour into each candle...we pour our candles with a high Fragrance Load. 

Fragrance Load refers to the percentage of fragrance oil to wax.  We don't disclose the exact percentage we pour for each scent as the exact formula varies depending upon the scent... plus it's also one of our trade secrets but we can say that it's between 12% and 15%."

Wowza!

They say that they are using a "using a proprietary blend of soy wax". I use GB 464, and I know that when I've gotten close to even a 9-10% FO load in any testing that I've done, I've ended up with seeping oil and too much smoke when burning. 

I've had great results with my 6-7% FO load so I'm not looking to increase it, but I'm so curious about seeing someone make a claim like this. I'd love to know if this seems legit? Thanks for your thoughts.  

18 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Soy waxes and soy blends, IMO/IME look nicer when cooled more quickly.  slow cooling creates large grains.

 

I cool my waxes in a pour pot in front of a large box fan to get them quickly from mixing temp to pouring temp, stirring every few minutes to keep he whole pot the same temp-ish. The difference in finish is noticeable.

 

now, once burned, those smooth, shiny tops will revert back to ugly soy cauliflower grains, but at least they look nice for sale. 

TallTayl, I recently started stirring the wax in my pouring pot periodically as it cooled, and I agree - it definitely makes a difference in how the tops set!

Hi Jackie, I use GB 464 wax exclusively and I almost always have to do a second pour. Over time, I have learned that certain oils like to be poured at a cooler temp and certain oils look better when poured at a higher temp. Some oils are finicky no matter what and will always require a second pour. I agree, the extra work can be frustrating!

Looks fabulous, and your product photos are amazing!

On 3/23/2017 at 0:57 PM, Jcandleattic said:

I get mine semi-custom printed by Peak and buy them hundreds at a time, so I don't have to keep re-buying. They are like a few cents more per label (or less) than the standard labels. Not very expensive at all for the extra detail. 

I use these too, and just ordered a big batch since Peaks just sent out a coupon code for 25% off UPS shipping: APRILUPS17, expires 4/15/17.

3 hours ago, GoldieMN said:

@Olives  

I contacted Golden Wax and am being asked to supply the following in addition to how I made my candles.  Would you share with me your answers to these two questions?  If things match up with my box of 464, it may help them to pinpoint a problem.

 

 "Could you let me know what the lot code(s) of the product is? (date printed on the side of the box) 

 "Could you give me the name of the distributor that you purchased the product from?"

 

Goldie 

Thanks Goldie! The sides of the 3 boxes I have left say Lot F, 12/20/16. I purchased them from Jedwards (http://www.bulknaturaloils.com/)

I look forward to hearing what they say!

I'm having issues as well with my Lot F wax - sinkholes and cottage cheese tops. It's been driving me crazy and causing a lot of stress and re-work!

10 hours ago, infertilemyrtle said:

Well all I can say is I went for what I was drawn to ??‍♀️

I love, love the kraft tag and grommet...and your color scheme is great. I would be drawn to this in a shop. It is hard to see the word "handcrafted"; maybe make that the same color as "soy wax candles"?

Congrats on moving to the next level of production, craftyzke!

I'm interested in following this thread because I'm also at that point and, frankly, am feeling paralyzed about how to proceed in a way that will make me more efficient/productive without too much added cost. I feel like aside from getting a larger melter, my real need is to have more space to spread out. That will allow me to prep/wick a larger volume of jars in advance, and allow me more room to pour more jars at a time. I've grown out of the small spare room in our house, but I'm not exactly ready to pay monthly rent somewhere.

Looking forward to hearing what others have done!

On 12/14/2016 at 5:49 PM, Omegacandles said:

So back to the wax, anyone worked with this or coconut wax? I know they both have high melt points, probably the same issues.

I haven't yet worked with either wax, but I'm also very interested in hearing more about it from anyone who has. I bought a candle a few months ago and the reason why I bought it (besides loving how it smelled) is because the label said that it was made with "100% apricot wax, blended with coconut and soy". As someone who has always burned (and makes) soy candles, I was intrigued. It was probably the best candle I've ever burned, and the scent throw was awesome!

So from both a consumer and maker standpoint, I want to learn more. In my neck of the woods, soy candle makers are a dime a dozen - customers are informed, and will seek out and will buy candles/products that are perceived to be non-toxic, sustainable, etc. - so I'd love to blend apricot and/or coconut wax into my 464 soy wax as not only a brand differentiator, but also because I think it will result in a better quality product.

Omegacandles - have you tried blending apricot wax with soy wax?

I'm familiar with PF Candles, but not their Amber Moss scent...however, I saw the same question on another candle making forum awhile back, and someone replied that they swore Candlescience's Oakmoss and Amber oil was a perfect match. I have used that oil before, and found it to be very strong in 464 soy wax...

Their Sweet Grapefruit scent is really lovely! I've made candles using CS Grapefruit and Mangosteen oil, but there's something different about PF's version. I agree that they've probably got a bit of blending going on...and they hit the mark with that one!

While we're on the subject of PF Candles...I'm dying to know where they source the 14 oz. jars from that they use for their double-wicked candles. I would love them in clear glass.