Amelia

I'm so at wit's end right now. I currently use a silicone chocolate mold to make my wax melts. They pop out easily and the fronts come out shiny.  Everything was going fine up until about a week ago. Whenever I try to use my molds to make melts now, the top layer (the front of the melt) is peeling off into the mold. The whole top layer is staying in the mold. I've tried cleaning them with just water, then water with dial soap, alcohol. It's getting so frustrating to the point where I wanna just switch to clams and the thought of that makes me upset.  Anyone have ANY advice?

On 2/23/2018 at 8:20 AM, Trappeur said:

Just beautiful pictures Shari and Amelia......

 

Amelia in your picture there is a wood grain base.  Is that your table?  And what about the looks like wallpaper back, is that yours or are they part of the package?

Also do you use a flash with your camera when taking these pictures?

 

Trappeur

 The wood grain base and the background is actually fabric from joanns. I ironed them out to be as smooth as possible especially the base so it looks like a peice of wood. I needed something I could fold and put away without using too much space. I dont use flash with the camera because it becomes a little harsh. I bought 4 "studio lights" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071G23KWS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and i place one in front, on top, in the back and on both sides. The lights are really bright and leave little to no shadow. I got a bigger light box that didnt have any lights included because I wanted to be able to set up like a whole stage. 

On 2/23/2018 at 8:34 AM, Trappeur said:

Those frosted jars Amelia are gorgeous. What spray paint did you use if you don't mind me asking?

 

Trappeur

 It is the rust-oleum Specialty Frosted Glass spray in Semi- Transparent finish. 

18 hours ago, GoldieMN said:

I spray paint all my Ball pint canning jars with Rustoleum's Painters Touch 2X.  The paint sticks really well even through dishwashing.  The frosted spray paint has come off in some places on the jars for me in the dishwasher.  Maybe I didn't spray those jars as well as with solid paint, though.  Paint will scrape/chip off if they rub together.

GoldieMN  

 I have some jars where the frost is kinda coming off is rubbed the wrong way.  I'm thinking of doing solid white but I dont want it to look worse if rubbed the wrong way. 

18 hours ago, Trappeur said:

Can you post a picture of the jar so we can see what your talking about as I don't understand.

 

I've painted my jars but not spray painted.

 

Trappeur

Thats what they look like frosted with spray paint. I'm thinking of spraying them like a solid white. 

I actually bought a Light box the other day ( not the same one) as well as some lighting and I was able to take really nice pictures with it. Makes a huge difference. 

Does anyone spray paint their jars? Ive been spray frosting my jars and I like the way they look, but I honestly cant get past glass separation and frosting. I'm a perfectionist to a fault and looking at them that way makes me batty. So ive been considering a solid colored jar to eliminate that completely. I'm currently using the  Anchor country comfort jars and jars.com seems to offer them in colors, but only in large quantities and it says color spray on the order sheet. So i just want to see if anyone sprays their own and what the outcome is. 

28 minutes ago, Trappeur said:

Ahhhh Jane, your gonna make me cry........  Thankyou for such a nice compliment....You are always so kind.........

 

Hi Amelia,

Yes as JC said my candles are not dyed.   Actually I just got done posting quite a few pictures of candles I've been making under the business section just this moment.  I sell to shops and none are dyed.  Years back I did dye them, but because I use soy 464 wax and another wax c3 at the time when making them dyed and selling they all eventually frosted and  badly and they looked old and ratty after a while.  And I have always used uv inhibitor, but it is not 100% foolproof with the uv, especially the vanillas, blueberries and lemon fragrances.   I believe paraffin (which I don't use and can't tell you anything about that wax)but I believe parrafin does take dyes really beautiful.  I'm sure others will pop in here and give their advice about parrafin and what they do and use.  But like I was saying, even though I have never received negative feedback from shops when I did dye them and they were badly frosting, it bothered me very much so.  I have worked so hard to put out a quality candle that I wanted people to come back and buy again and that is my signature I would say of having a safe, quality candle.  So one day I just decided if I wasn't going to change my wax I was going to go dye free and people today are so in tune with everything au naturelle so I felt it was fitting for me to go that direction.   Don't get me wrong I absolutely LOVE dyed candles in such gorgeous colors that people come up with.  Just breath taking colors!   And absolutely NOTHING wrong with color.  It just wasn't for me anymore.  And all the extra work involved too...not too bad, but my business really took off (knock on wood) and aside from the frosting issue I needed to find other ways to make my life easier and produce more quickly being that I do lots of volume and I do it all by myself with no help in my cabin...so I went undyed.  When I went natural wax color I have never ever even once been asked why or why not nor have I ever been asked to do in colors....oh wait, yep, I lied...1 store years back asked if I would do color and I said nope!   I was honest and told them the reason why too...was never a problem.  They gave me a huge order and ever since then they have been my biggest account.   When I make my presentation to a store to get my line in there, I do a pretty presentation of my candles in a beautiful basket  with handle with burlap background and some green garland and pinecones for a very pleasing presentation of which they are all natural and it getw them every time....(knock on wood).  I don't even bring up talk of any dyed candles what so ever.  All they know is that they are soy, I private label and they can get in any scent and that is it.   But of course I come in with a smashing label on the jar in their name of the shop and you should see their eyes light up really....when they see their name on the candle it's like they are looking at a billboard so I have been told many times.  And going with undyed candles, they just go with any decor....But like I said I still love dyed but not for me.   LIke you said in your post the same thing....a great looking label, a nice jar, lid and there you have it.  But make sure when they take that lid off your candles are nice and clean and slick looking.  You have to get them on the first try about.  Even if they are not interested at the time, they will remember you if you had a wonderful product of beautiful quality and a safely made candle with wicks centered also.  With all these things in mind no one will even probably not even ask for dyed.  Christmas time and Thanksgiving Pumpkin time candles are all natural for me too.    Hope this answers your question.   Good luck!

 

Trappeur

 Yes, ive seen quite a few pictures of your candles ( been a lurker for a little bit) and they are very nice. I was thinking in the same sense as you do, with a very colorful fun label instead of focusing on the color of the wax itself. 

I guess it just comes down to a little bit more testing to see what works for me. I LOVE the way colored candles look, but I really want to keep my candles clean and as simple as possible without looking too over the top. 

19 minutes ago, Jcandleattic said:

I believe @Trappeur doesn't dye her candles, and her candles are absolutely stunning. 

 

As for the color vs. scent debate, I know there have been scientific studies you can look up and see how that fits into your methodology. 

 

Sorry I can't be of more help. 

It's all good. I wanted to see if anyone has experience this by selling none dyed candles. I saw a article that Skittles are all apparently one flavor, but because of the dye and fragrance they use it tricks our brains into believing that it taste like the fragrance were smelling. 

Does anyone sell none dyed candles and do they do well? I was considering not dying my candles ( for simplicity sake) and was going back and forth with myself about it. I feel like if I do a none dyed candle, I can do a more colorful label without colors clashing, BUT do people base their likes of the smell based on color? What I mean is, will someone feel like their candle (in this case pumpkin) doesn't smell as much like pumpkin as they thought because it lacks the memorable orange color? Just a food for thought kind of thing. I like both dyed and non dyed candles but I don't want potential customers to pass them up because they're lacking in color. 

Just got French Vanilla Latte from Aztec today. Smells great. Nice and sweet coffee smell

1 minute ago, Jcandleattic said:

No, not with soy that I know of, and even if you did, it would then rattle around in the jar. 

Trust me, nobody but us chandlers even care about them or to be honest, even notice them. Never once in all the years I've been making candles has anyone mentioned them except other chandlers. 

That makes me feel a bit better. I noticed it as soon as I walked by it and went "OH NO" no one else at home seemed to notice. 

1 minute ago, Jcandleattic said:

It's a characteristic of all waxes. They all tend to shrink (some more so than others) and pull away from the jar. What you are describing is normal, and just aesthetic, and won't hurt or mess up the burn. 

Is there a way I can get it to pull away from the jar evenly then? 

I am using GB 444 wax. I poured my tester about two days ago and everything looked great. No holes, no frosting etc. Now two days later ( It has not been lit yet) It is starting to separate from the glass. Jar was cleaned and dried before I poured and it was completely adhered for the first 24 hours. Is it the wax? Did I do something wrong?