stacien

I do know Partylite as an example tells customers to use a snuffer to extinguish. You really shouldn't use the lids and blowing causes the wax to splatter. Otherwise if you must you hold your finger in front of the flame and blow on your finger. It blows the air around your finger to suffocate the flame.

I am an instictive person. I bake the same way too. I guess you could say I am the Paula Deen of candles. A dash of this and that. lol. I do check the temps of my wax before I pour and it never stays consistant in my giagantic freezing house. So I go with my gut. I go by the consistancy of the wax before I pour it and I get a perfect top everytime. I try to stay with 1-1 1/2 ounce per pound. I am a 415 user so that is my limit. I don't push the oils because it's not worth the seepage to me especially those coffee and cinnamon based scents which are heavy.

I know people tend to go by calculations, but I think that should only be followed if you intend to go big and use machinery. It makes our candles more special if we have our own comfort zone. So if it makes you happy then fly with it.

This woman completely did not know what she was talking about. First of all anthing derived from a living plant or flower is considered botanical. They are either distilled or cold pressed to obtain these oils. Which can either be turned into tinctures for herbal remedies or Essential oils for aromatherapy.

She was just trying to BS you so you would think it was natural. If she knew anything about Essential oils she would know that they can be tricky to blend with wax. Any experienced Chandler would know that too. She took FO's and tried to pass them off as EO's or as she thinks BO's. Those particular people shouldn't dabble in an area they dont advocate in the first place. The worse part is to say such nonsense when you know there are bound to be other crafters around checking out your work.

I was at a show this weekend and stopped at a booth of absolutely beautiful soy candles (with very good cold throw). The chandler was very friendly and we got into a candle-making discussion. Of course, she was talking about her candles being all natural and that she didn't use fragrance oils, but used both essential oils and botanical oils.

I had never heard of botanical oils, so I asked her what they were. She said they were distilled from plants, which is what I thought essential oils were. So I asked what was the difference and she didn't know--said one was thicker than the other (I don't remember which was the thicker one).

Can anyone explain this to me? I've not had very good luck using pure soy and was very impressed with her candles, which were in containers about 4-1/2 inches wide and the sample she had there had burned out to the edge with a single wick! I'd love to know what kind of wick she used to get that result, but didn't have the balls to ask that! So I thought maybe the secret was the botanical oils.

Jane

I normally prefer GB with MC because of the softness of its wax. However due to the increase of prices with soy wax. I priced around for cheaper waxes. Candle Cocoon was the cheapest in my area. They use EL wax. I figured I would give it a try. I do notice a slight variance when I pour. I have to get a feel for this one. Rumor has it Beanpod candles uses EL. So I just figured if they can find the right temp to pour regardless if they are mechanicalized in their company so can I. It's just technique.

Those are awesome. They really give you a x-mas spirit. I love how you added the glitter to them too. I guess that makes sense since there will be no wick to worry about clogging.

If anybody ever uses Beanpod or YC they will notice after burning they are not beautiful. There should be no expectation for a candle to be beautiful after a burn. Pillars are not pretty after burning. Why should jars be?

On my 16oz jars mine takes about 2-3 hours for a complete melt pool. It depends on the temp of the room. During the winter months it takes a little longer to achieve, but that is expected from a vege wax.

I thinks some candle companies just ask for too much $$$$. Parrafin wax alone is not very high in price yet YC ask a fortune for their candles along with CCC and Partylite. It's not that difficult to add fragrance to a maching and have them pour on an assembly line. It's basically hard to screw up Paraffin period! I have in the past gone to this one specific place in Door County Wisc. They have a big candle business out there and everyone always makes it there business to drop in there just to buy their candle. So I decided to see what all the hype was. I bought three jar candles. I burned them and sure enough they were very over wicked and over saturated with FO. The jars were black when I was finished not to mention. When I burned them the jars were so hot I could not pick them up. I paid the same amount as YC charges and bough a potential fire hazard. No, a lot of consumers do not buy candles for their quality. They buy them for the marketing, the scent and esthetics. They don't understand burn time or wicking. YC and the others just have to go by the guidelines to avoid liability with the ICGA.

I have said it before we are all too hard on ourselves with esthetics. I have seen globs of wax in a jar and people still buy it if it smells good. I have caught my own sister doing, because she likes candles in general and doesn't have the patience to wait for one of mine.

Peaks is definitely the closest. I wear the Pink Sugar perfume and it's identical.

Come to think of it. I normally order Buttercream from NG and this last bottle I ordered isn't as strong as it usually has been.

Have any of you ever experienced tried and true scents not throwing the same? I am now experiencing another one that is a top seller and has been for 4 years that is not throwing as strong from the same company. I am not sure if it is a wax variance that just may not be throwing these oils as well anymore or an oil variance. It is very dissapointing and concerning. I have been getting great scent throws lately on a lot of new oils in the same wax. I don't really want to mention where I get them from and what ones they are because since I am not sure yet if it is the oil or not, it would not be fair to the supplier. Just wanted to know if anyone has experienced this before and what the outcome ended up being for you. I know it is not my nose -- my consultant/tester noticed it when she took a 10 oz. new candle of it to a show to burn as a sample. I then pulled one off my shelf and lit it, and I feel the same way. I tested a 16 oz. last night that was below the halfway point and it seem like it does much better in the 16 oz. at a lower level -- possibly because it gets hotter than at the top of a 10 oz. The 16 oz one did travel, but it still did not seem as good as it used to be, but not a total dud. The 10 oz. though is not passing my standards, so far anyway at the point it is at. Thanks for any input.

Your Eo's are going to very. Since Eo's are not set in carrier oils they are concentrated and come in different consistencies. Some require less percentage otherwise you can get clogging, a fuel scented candle or no scent at all. Candle Manufacturers that claim they use Eo's usually have them specially formulated in special carrier oils that blend with wax before they pour.

I am going to have to agree with grumpy girl on this one. I work with CD's and 415 only after numerous testing. CD16 is a good starter. I usually have to double up 12's on 3 1/2-4 jars.

I made a spray of Eo's, because they are the only thing that will work. They irritate the bugs preventing them from anaerobically breathing. Spearmint, peppermint and lavender oils combined in MC's body spray base. MC's works the best because it is silicone based and leaves a residue where you spray it. I then spray all my trim, windows and baseboards. I know it works because I sprayed a spider dead on and he died! It makes a great mosquito repellant too, and is skin safe.

Hi Deb, Where did you have your craft show? I went to the Lake County Fair grounds last weekend and there was only one candle vendor and it was for paraffin molded candles. There was absolutely no chandlers what so ever. I figured it was because of the price of soy wax. In Illinois we are getting gouged big time. I usually use Millcreeks and I had to switch to Candle Cocoon/ Enchanted Lights because she was cheaper. I am a little disappointed with the craft shows in Illinois.

I did very well at my craft show this last weekend, however, out of about 40 vendors, there were 2 selling candles, so needless to say, most of the money I made in sales was from candles. I had to remake more for the next day and used 1/2 and 1/2 so that they would cure faster since selling so fast. They did not mind that they were not all soy.

Two factors I am curious about. What type of wax are you using? The wax just might not be working with that particular dye. Browns are tempermental. They are notorius for throwing frost because of the red in them. Especially if its a liquid dye. Try making one without the dye. If you get different results its the dye. If you don't then it's your pouring temperature.

Unfortunately 464 is very temperamental with its surroundings when pouring. 68 degrees is relatively cool which will cause it to cool faster. 464 has to subtly cool or the crystallization will leave big clumps instead of a tight bonding which makes that smooth surface. A lot of people use different techniques such as putting the candles in the oven. Kind of a proofing method. Or covering them with a thermal container so that the heat is trapped within. You have to find a method that works for you, but keep the area above 70 degrees.

Top is right. It is misleading. I am sure they use 125 referring to melting point nothing else. I beleive GB coins the reference to 415. If you are looking for GB 415 then your best bet is to look in the archives under Golden Brands and see what suppliers Jason ships to.

One of the differences between 415 and 464. 464 has a lower melting point than 415. So if you are concerned about shipping with 464 you are probably better off with a soy without additives. Unless you experiment with beeswax which in turn will raise the melting point even higher.

I have used both BCN and MC's. They are both about the same. I think that is one of my favorites during the season.

Is it my imagination or did the cost of 415 go up? MC use to be under $52.00 for 1 case. I did read somewhere that the cost of soywax would be going up.

I think people get a misconception of what tempering is. Geek comes probably the closest. It's a crystallization process in the actual oil or fat of the wax. Since soy wax is the closest to chocolate they have similar properties that respond best when tempered. When the wax is heated the molecules of the wax bounce off of each other madly. As any heated liquid would react. However when soy wax cools it crystallizes causing the molecules to bind. Heating and pouring the wax without any interference causes the wax to form crystals that don't bind as close together that give the wax a softer duller oilier surface to the touch. But when you let the wax cool and reheat it again keeping it in perpetual motion. Say until about 100 degrees then pour. The crystals bind closer together giving the wax a smoother harder texture. It's not made up. I actually discussed this with Jason at GB a few years back and he tested this theory. Now throw some additives into the equation and it doesn't hold the same, but for straight up soy it does. I myself do see a difference from when I do take my time with the wax than when I get lazy and just melt and pour. It does make a harder surface for me. I also work with chocolate. The double boiler method, and chocolate has to be kept in constant motion to keep it from hardening too quickly. I have noticed the same with 415 when I work it the same way.

It's your preference but it's not a made up theory.

Vickys, right. The "C" series is a cotton wick. Where the CD's are paper. The cotton's also mushroom a lot bigger than the CD's.

Believe it or not they are a very herbal culture. Therapeutic is considered Ayurvedic in their culture. Ginger, Almond, Licorice or Anise. Aloe Vera, Frankincense, Myrrh and basil. There are several more but off the top of my head those are some of the English names. They tend to rename their herbs in their native tongue.

Unfortunately Citrus doesn't burn well period! I work with Both Orange and Lemon EO's for Aromatherapy and cleaning supplies and you cannot burn them. They either throw a fuel smell or none at all. The herbal and floral EO's throw the best.

I have tried most of the suppliers Birthday Cake's and MC's is the best.

Their Blueberry Muffin is excellent too.