Paintguru

So a while back I picked up a campfire FO from The Flaming Candle.  OOB, it definitely smells smokey like a campfire!!  However, it is pretty overpowering, and I've smelled campfire candles before that are overly smokey IMO.  Any thoughts on how to tone this down/blend this with something else interesting?  I was thinking maybe a fall leaves type FO to hopefully give the smell of burning leaves.  Maybe add it to leather and grass for a cowboy type fragrance.  Thoughts?  

Good to know that TFC is close....I love their FOs and wouldn't mind adding this scent to my lineup.  

It may be worth contacting your credit card company and telling them who you suspect it is.  Perhaps they can do some investigating on their end.  I'm sure they have more resources and weight to push around than you do.  

Any update on the patchouli search (beyond Lebermuth)?  

1 hour ago, Jcandleattic said:

For my candles it was production on demand, along with what I already had on hand. For soap, that was a little different since it takes a bit more planning. I don't take requests to make soap unless a) I know I'll be able to sell what they don't buy, and/or b.) they buy at least half the batch. Even though my batches are small, (3-5lbs) I have been burned by making special requests then the person only bought 1-2 bars, or nothing at all, and then I was stuck with a whole batch of soaps that wouldn't sell. 

 

Yeah when I was doing soap for a bit, it was a major issue without a consistent customer source.  I like the on-demand idea once I decide my fragrance lineup.  Of course, if I ever venture to craft shows, which I'm sure I'll have to at some point, I'll need a good supply of stock.  

Another quick opinion/your story question.  What did people do for building an inventory when you started selling?  Did you just have a small number of scents/sizes?  Did you go crazy and make a ton of inventory?  Production on demand?  Just curious how people on here started out and any lessons learned.  

Flaming Candle has a great Georgia Peach as well.  

Never mind, that caveat is still there.  Still, easy enough to make a lip balm and put it in your product line, even if you sell zero.    

What if I only make candles but not cosmetics or soap?

To qualify for a Professional Membership (and thus the insurance) you must make handcrafted soap and/or cosmetics. It doesn't have to be any particular percentage of your total revenue, just so long as it is somewhere in your product line. Remember, however, that the other benefits of HSCG membership are geared towards soapmaking.
If you don't make soap or cosmetics and don't want to add it to your product line, then you don't qualify for membership in the HSCG and will need to look elsewhere for product liability insurance.

It still seems like the HSCG is the best deal (~$410 for membership + insurance).  Actually, can someone confirm, as it looks like they cover candles without the need to sell a "cosmetic or soap" as was the case in the past.  

I made a larger batch of just the aloe and it doesn't smell off.  I tried two fragrances, both from NG, and each did the same thing.  Seem fine at first and then turned after a while.  I did the heat and hold in a water bath with temperature controlled heater.  I did make a lotion with the preservative and that seems fine, so I don't *think* it is the preservative.  Maybe I ditch the the honeyquat and hydrolyzed protein??    

Yea, heated and held both water and oil phase.  Added preservative at the end when almost back to room temp, so temp should have been low enough.  

LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER WITH OILS
HEATED WATER PHASE (83.5%)
68.5% water
10% aloe vera
4% glycerin
1% hydrolyzed protein of choice
 
HEATED OIL PHASE (8%)
2% Incroquat BTMS
0.25% cetrimonium chloride
1.75% Incroquat CR
up to 4% oils of choice (2% Sweet almond and 2% frac coconut)
 
COOL DOWN PHASE (8.5%)
2% cationic polymer (like honeyquat)
1% panthenol
2% cyclomethicone
2% dimethicone
1% fragrance oil
0.5% preservative (I use liquid germall plus)
 

Hmm, okay.  What is the shelf life of preservatives?  I didn't see one listed on the bottle.  

I'm having an issue with some leave-in conditioner I made for my daughter.  I used one of Susan's recipes over at Swiftcraft, which are usually spot on, so I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.  Followed her prep instructions, etc.  After probably 3-4 weeks, the spray (typically when it is actually sprayed, not in the bottle) has a definite bad seafood/low tide sort of smell.  I did add Germall to keep this from happening, but apparently it's not working.  This is batch #2 that this has happened with.  Do I need a different preservative?  I'm stumped.  

Yup, got mine already too!  I liked most of them, but a few were somewhat weak OOB, but that may change once it is mixed in wax.  I really liked the Cranberry Marmalade.  

Only ordered 17....

What is everyone getting?  I need suggestions!

Wow, that's insane!  I thought insurance was expensive!  

My biggest issue with BA is that they are continually out of stock on many things.  Need to play way ahead when restocking.  

Depends on the state.  In Michigan, it literally takes 5 minutes to apply for an LLC and is pretty cheap ($25-50).  

I think this is a great discussion, and really does focus in on how much marketing plays a role, and perhaps how hard it is for some people to market well.  I'm probably in this camp, as I'm a scientist/engineer by training, which is the opposite side of the brain from the outgoing, creative, marketing side!  Etsy is probably low risk, especially for someone starting out, but obviously can't be one's only source early on.    

6 hours ago, Venetti said:

So after a few weeks using my presto, I am in absolute love with it. Actually I’m not sure how I ever made my candles without it. When I was making them before, I used a hot plate and pan. I had concluded that the steam was causing my flames to flicker wayyy too much. I also was only able to make about one an hour (🙄 gasp, I know.)

 

currently i I am heating my wax in the presto to about 190•, pouring in my pitcher and adding fo quickly when it reaches my temp. I am still trying to figure out how to get rid of the odd smell it’s giving my wax though. Maybe it’s too hot? I’m not entirely sure. I am going to build a spigot on and try it that way. With my current setup, I’m making at least 5 an hour (each with different scents.)

My only issue it that making different scents is tricky as I don’t scent it in the presto. I’ll have to figure that one out. I’m not able to use multiple prestos due to it using a ton of electricity. 

I'm no expert, but the method I just used for multiple scents worked pretty well.  I have two pour pots on the hot plate/griddle, and the batch of unscented wax in the Presto Pot (PP).  I use one pour pot and fill it with wax from the PP.  I have the scent in the second pour pot.  I put the pour pot with scent on the scale and pour in wax from the first pour pot, mix, and fill tins/jars/etc.  I pour any excess wax from the first pour pot back into the PP.  Wipe out the pour pot that had the scent and repeat.  I made 10 candles with different scents in probably 30-40 minutes.  I'd love to hear of an easier way if one exists.   

Thanks.  Yeah I figured events were the way to go to build up a customer base.  I grabbed a Wix ecommerce site for a year when it was on sale, but haven't really built it up yet.  I didn't realize Square had a free one.  

So I'm about ready to slowly start scaling up my candle production and am curious how people on her (the smaller folk) predominantly sell their items?  Do you default to Etsy and the massive sea of humanity?  Do you just have your own website?  Do you do both and try to keep up with each?  I am in this more for fun than glamour and riches, but I also don't want to do a half-butt job when I start selling.  I hope to one day be able to do small craft shows, but again, I'm trying to start very slowly.  

Just what I need, another FO supplier to try/get hooked on!!