Lulu Belles

Just now, TallTayl said:

With soy, cure time definitely matters.  It changes the burn and the throw.

3 days is way too short with 444.  That stuff will be rock hard in a few months. 

Good to know. I thought it was just the scent throw that was affected. How long should I wait? Is 1 week enough time?

I recently started using GB 444 and I am new to candle making. I made a batch 2 weeks ago and let them cure for 1 week before burning, and used ECO 12 and 14. Both burnt great but the 14 was a little too hot. This time around I only let them cure for 3 days but tried an ECO 10 and ECO 12 (with different fragrances). I know different fragrances will affect how the candle burns but I have a few questions...

Does the cure time affect how they burn or just the scent throw?

Do these candles look under or over wicked?

Have you had better luck with different wicks with this type of wax?

Both candles are made with GB444. The ECO 10s are on the left and ECO 12 on the right. I'm using a 9oz container with a 2.83" diameter. I burnt for a little over 2.5 hours. Thanks in advance! 

4 hours ago, Sebleo said:

I have not used that wax, but I have found a lot of waxes to hold more than the stated max load when it comes to melts. 

 

Just experiment with different fragrance loads to see if it needs it, if it can hold it, and if adding more oil changes the final smell of the product. 

What wax do you use if you don't mind me asking? 

4 hours ago, TallTayl said:

When you test different levels just know that some fragrances are more prone to syneresis than others.(leaking fragrance)

 

this os Especially notoceablewith temperature fluctuations between say your house and a car and a mailbox and a house.

Interesting I wasn't aware of that. I will have to look more into that. What exactly is syneresis? Or do you know of any good articles I can read to find out more? 

I want to start experimenting with clamshell melts and I recently purchased some 4625 based on all of the reviews on this forum. I also have some 4630 so I will try blending the two and see which I like better. My question is, on Candle Science website, it says the max FO is 6% for 4625, but I see a lot of people on here use up to 10% FO in their melts. Is it ok to use up to 10% FO in the 4625 alone or is it only ok if I mix it with 4630 since the 4630 has a 10% max FO? 

Also since I'm on the topic, what ratio do you recommend for the wax? 50/50? 70/30? Thanks for the help! 

23 hours ago, Candybee said:

See I get asked all the time if my candles are soy. All the candlemakers in this area make soy and that is what people expect. So when I say mine are palm I usually get the blank stare.

What area are you in? I'm in Los Angeles and I get asked quite often if they are soy. I agree with ellajoan that it seems like the younger, hipster crowd asks for soy more. I've also noticed a lot of online companies are promoting "natural" or "Soy" candles. 

36 minutes ago, Crafty1_AJ said:

I currently make both soy and paraffin.  Some customers do specifically request soy, but most of my customers don't have a strong preference.  Some of them don't want soy at all, but will only buy the paraffin. 

 

While I sell more soy online, here locally, where customers can sniff and choose, paraffin outsells soy.  I live in the Midwest.  Hope that helps.

Good information! Thank you. I was doing a lot of online market research to see whats selling and it seems that Soy is very popular. Maybe that's just for online sales? I'm curious why you sell more Soy online? Do you market your products differently? Or maybe online buyers are a different market and prefer more "natural" products? 

56 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

I get maybe one in a year that asks if it’s soy. Make a clean burning, good smelling and safe candle and not one person really cares it seems. 

Good to know. Do you sell online, in person, or both? If you sell online, do you notice a difference in sales between Paraffin or Soy?

I have been making candles for a little over a year now and I finally got comfortable with IGI 4630. It has great H&C throw and its really easy to work with IMO. I have been trying to find a good soy wax to work with, but I am having a hard time getting a decent HT with any of the ones I have tried. After many hours of searching through these forums, I believe this is a common thing with  soy wax? My question is, do customers really know the difference and do they even care if its soy? Also how often do your clients request soy candles?  Thanks!

3 hours ago, Forrest said:

I did a test on 6006 with CD, zinc, HTP, and LX wicks and the results are in the Wax & Wick Test section of this forum. That should provide some good information, at least it is better than a wick chart:)

I found it yesterday and it was a great starting point. Thanks so much for that!

4 minutes ago, MilosCandles said:

I use GB444 I did use 464 to start with but found the melt point to be too low to sell at shows in the summer.  I ended up switching to 444.   With 444 and a 3 inch tumbler I use either CD16 or CD18.  Since it is 464 use can probably get away with CD12 or 14.

 

Hope they helps a little.

Thanks for the advice! I probably should have started out with the GB444 as I am in southern CA and the summers get hot. I will probably end up transitioning to 444 eventually if I like the 464 so hopefully the transition won't be too painful. 

Have you tried the IGI 6006 wax by any chance?

Normally I use IGI 4630 (which I love,) however I have been getting a lot of requests to make "soy candles." I guess soy is pretty big for the area that I am in. So here goes the testing! I am going to begin testing IGI 6006 and GB 464 (I've heard great things about both). I don't trust wick charts, so if anyone could give me a good starting point for these 2 types of wax, that would be very much appreciated!

I will be testing with 3" tumblers, and 7% FO. I prefer to use CDs, LX, and HTPs. TIA! 

Just wanted to post an update. I'm almost finished with my test burn (3" tumbler, 7% FO from CS). So far you all have been spot on! The HTP 83, LX 22, and LX 20 are performing the best. I tried several CDs but they flames have been way too big (even with trimming) and they have given off a lot of soot. 

Thanks again for all the help! 

Thanks for all the great advice! 

I've heard contradicting things when it comes to test burning your candles. I know generally you want to let the candle burn for around 4 hours each time. Some say that after the first burn (4hrs), the melt pool should reach all the way to the edge of the glass, with about 1/4" melted wax. Others say that you do not want to reach a FMP until the candle has burned several times. Can anyone give me some answers as to what the correct test burn method is? I'm using IGI 4630, with a 3" tumbler, not that it really matters. Thanks! 

32 minutes ago, Paintguru said:

I've gone to zinc core with 4630.  I'm using 44-32-18 for containers around that size.

Good to know! Thank you! Have you tired any of the ones I mentioned? If so, just curious what your results were.

What wick do you recommend I use with IGI 4630? I am using 3" tumblers. Also using about 7% FO. What sizes would you recommend with the following wicks: LX, HTP, or CDs? Thanks!

I am looking for a good bubble bomb recipe. I recently started using SLSA in my bath bombs, but I am having issues with them cracking slightly at the seam. I have tried adding more/different oils and butters to hold them together, but after about 24 hours, they almost all crack slightly. I never had this problem before I started using the SLSA. Is there a different ingredient I should be using to get bubbles from my bath bombs? Any good recipes are much appreciated! TIA! 

On 11/29/2018 at 12:13 PM, Sarah S said:

 

 

Sorry I didn't see that question Lulu! I do that all the time if it's a fragrance that I'm not sure I'll like. 16oz is a big commitment, lol. It definitely works well to narrow down your wick choices, and makes it less painful if the fragrance is a dud. 😁

Thanks Sarah!

3 hours ago, Arch Rock said:

Lulu, as long as the jar is the same design and same diameter, but once the 8 oz gives you a good burn, you'll need to burn a 16 oz from top to bottom before you can be completely certain that it's the very best wick.

That's what I thought. Thanks again for all the help!

Last question... For testing purposes can I use an 8oz apothecary jar (both 8oz and 16 oz have 4" diameter) so I don't waste as much wax? At least until I think I've got the correct wick, then I can try it out on the 16oz. 

4 hours ago, Arch Rock said:

I keep all three on hand but use CD-10, CD-12 and LX-16 the most for my wax and fragrances.  Your goal should be finding the perfect wick for each fragrance - don't expect to use the same wick for every fragrance.  There are also very seasoned chandlers on here who use different waxes too, which would make my head spin!  Also, don't expect to have a full melt pool (FMP) during a first burn.  You don't want tunneling, but within four hours, you should shoot for 1/4" or less of melt pool with some cling on the sides and a nice, steady flame.  You might want to check into the mathematics of figuring out Rate of Consumption rates.  The other thing that helps to establish a baseline for wicking is to use an old cake pan or old muffin tin.  Wick up several different wicks, fill the muffin cups or the entire cake pan with PLAIN wax, let it set up, light the wicks and observe burn pool, flame height, and any carbon mushrooming at one-hour intervals for four hours.  This will give you a good idea of how your unscented wax performs with different wicks.  Then you can start testing different fragrances.  Testing can be frustrating and expensive but you will never regret it.

Thank you so much for your great advise! Looks like I have quite a bit of testing to do! 

2 hours ago, Arch Rock said:

Lulu, I don't use your wax but used to use the 16 oz apothecary.  I agree with Trapp and Sarah - you can go up as far as a CD-20, HTP-126 or even that fireball of HTP-1212.  Two LX-14s might do the job, depending on the FO.  Test, test, test! 

I didn't have the best luck the first few times I tried the HTP 126 and HTP 104. The flames were huge!! Even after trimming the wick pretty short. Do you prefer the CD wicks over HTP or LX?

What do you think about 2 LX 14s?

I am using IGI 4630 and I am struggling to find the right wick for a 16 oz apothecary jar. I prefer to use either the LX or HTP wicks. Is it best to use a single wick or double wick? And which wick size would work best for the wax I am using? TIA!