LilFirecracker

23 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Mine seem to dull with several pours of soy based waxes on their own. 

These molds are so shiny that they're almost sticky! There are certain parts that the wax seems to stick to and gets left behind when I unmold. You can see those spots actually show up as being a little more dull than the rest of the mold. If the inside part that you pour the wax into would be the same finish as the rest of the mold around it and underneath, I'd be happy. 

I'm at the point where I'm either gonna try sanding it, or buy a mold kit and make my own. I was referred to one company and I was looking at their website last night. It seems like the shine is pretty much based on what was used to cast the mold. So I might have to get creative and do some texturizing before I cast a new mold. I also had someone that said they've sanded their molds before, but places like the corners were harder to do. I have another mold I don't use anymore made the same way - same brand, color, and shine. I might practice sanding on that one and see what happens before I go trying to make my own.

Wish there was a simple solution like some kind of mattifying spray that would stick and not be messed up by hot wax. 

For those of you who work with silicone molds, is there anything that I can use to dull the shine on my silicone molds without destroying them? Something you'd typically have around the house would be great! I know most people WANT the shine, but for my purpose I need the shine gone or at least dulled a good bit. Anyone have any ideas? Google was of no help at all. It just kept showing me ways to get a matte finish when actually making a mold. 

Thanks so much for any help you can give me! 

32 minutes ago, NightLight said:

Above TT can be helpful, or mix with another oil as many have solvent/emulsifiers in them that can help.

So using something like polysorbate 80 wouldn't be completely crazy in that case, would it? Someone in a group I normally wouldn't take suggestions from actually mentioned the poly 80. Maybe she was one of the few who actually knows a thing or 2. I've been seriously thinking about ordering some to try because I'm determined to make this work.

7 hours ago, TallTayl said:

The description says it accelerates in soap. This leads me to believe there’s something Unusual in it. Vanillas don’t normally cause acceleration issues with soap, so when one does there’s something very odd in it.

 

It could be a more polar scent - which is why it won’t stay mixed. If you mix together a little of the fragrance with a somewhat clear oil like mineral oil and set it down for a while, does it separate? 

 

You might have some luck with an emulsifier, like cetearyl alcohol, Emulsifying wax or even “possibly” a bit of beeswax (even though beeswax isn’t truly a traditional emulsifier). 

Ok maybe we're getting somewhere now that you noticed something with the description. I do have some mineral oil so I'm gonna test that later once I wake up (just now going to bed and it's 7am!) I'll let you know my findings!

4 hours ago, NightLight said:

For those troubly scents, try blending it with a well behaver. So if you take that scent blend it 75:25, or 50:50 see if it helps. I do that with Candle Science fragrances, a bunch make me agitated hahaha.

I wish I could! I really need this scent as it smells now. I'm not sure how or what I could blend it with that wouldn't alter it 😭 If I can't find anything else to make it work, I might go ahead and try that with another vanilla and see what happens. Thank you for that suggestion!

On 6/22/2022 at 9:58 AM, kandlekrazy said:

Not sure about all soy wax but C3 I used to wipe the surface after solid and it would make it matte.

I'm working with paraffin, but even if it would also work for paraffin it just wouldn't be practical as I'm dealing with wax melts instead of candles. Too much real estate to go over! 🤣

On 6/19/2022 at 6:35 AM, candledisaster said:

I'd like to hear other opinions on this but I add 5-10% Polyester Esterin.

This takes away the Paraffin shine and makes it matte. Very much like a 100% Soy candle.

 

I've not gone deep enough with PE yet (I'm still in testing phases) but I've done various tests with it and without it and it increases the cold throw significantly for me.

 

Any opinions on PE? I haven't found much online about it, mine comes as a powder.

Oops! I realized I had already replied to this and I can't delete it lol. Thank you again for giving me another avenue to research. I know it sounds like I'm being really picky about my wax being matte. Well, I am actually. It means a lot to me to be able to achieve this, but I don't want to have to change my wax blend in order to do so. 

Out of all the oils I've tested in the last year and a half, I have NEVER came across a stubborn one. Sensual Vanilla from Pure Fragrance Oils. I have tried everything I could come up with on my own, but I just can't get this oil to stay blended! I'm using a paraffin mix that I blended myself for wax melts. Originally I was at 8% then tried 7%...6%...it just won't budge. It's a very, very dense oil. I've gone as high as 225 for my wax temp while also heating my oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. It does make it thinner to work with, but the end result is still the same. I work in very small 4oz batches when testing. I stirred for over 5 minutes after 2-3 minutes wouldn't work. This is what happens: I pour a couple of small candy bar molds, and then the remainder goes into a portion cup. It's there that it separates. My melts turn out fine, even after stored for a couple of weeks. It's just what's left that's poured out that separates. The hot and cold throw is killer! So I can only imagine what it would be like if I could get it to all incorporate like it should. 

Any advice or things to try? I'm becoming so desperate I'm wanting to actually try things people offer up for suggestions in Facebook groups. Please help me!!!🤣 I need this scent in my line like we need water to live!

Edit: I forgot to say I have tried stearic acid with no luck. I was testing at 5% and 10% for other reasons, and still had this issue with this scent. 

21 hours ago, Belinda said:

Thanks! I may have to give it a try.

Like Gail said above, it's more an ocean scent. I lump them altogether into "water scents." I've never come across anything that actually smelled like fresh rain, but I haven't tried a whole lot out there like many of you FoHos 🤣

On 5/31/2022 at 3:15 PM, Belinda said:

Is that what it smells like? I've never heard that word before either LOL! I would like a rain scent but like you, I've never found one that smells like rain. They're a clean floral type smell to me but not rain.

I know this post is old, but have you ever tried Sea Witch from Pure Fragrance Oils? It's one of the scents from the original Moonworks oils. It's different from the usual "rain" scents we get elsewhere. I love it! And it has real staying power too!

On 6/17/2022 at 10:00 PM, Sis said:

Ok I am not a fan. Cure time one week. I did the mp 117 by itself, I blended it with 4625 and blended it with coconut wax. 6% oil and 10% - I will give it another week and if not better- I will be destashing what I have left

Oh wow! I'm sorry to hear you've had a bad experience with it. It would be a last resort for me. I've decided I'd like to stick with waxes that are available thru multiple outlets, and not just one specialty place. Like this is their proprietary blend. 

On 6/19/2022 at 6:35 AM, candledisaster said:

I'd like to hear other opinions on this but I add 5-10% Polyester Esterin.

This takes away the Paraffin shine and makes it matte. Very much like a 100% Soy candle.

 

I've not gone deep enough with PE yet (I'm still in testing phases) but I've done various tests with it and without it and it increases the cold throw significantly for me.

 

Any opinions on PE? I haven't found much online about it, mine comes as a powder.

I'm sorry it took so long for me to respond. I didn't realize I had a comment! Could you tell me where I could get that from? I don't think I've ever come across that. 

On 5/31/2022 at 5:34 PM, NightLight said:

Add more soy wax. Try C3 it’s more on the matte side but you will have to test because it Has adhesion qualities, so you have see what percentage give you matte and realease ability.

Thanks! I don't mess with soy though. I was sooo close to getting it right at one time, but when I added dye it killed it. I'm just not gonna worry. I still have a couple of tweaks with my percentages of paraffins I'm using. If that doesn't do it, oh well - no real biggie!

On 5/30/2022 at 11:17 AM, lovelyscents said:

I have been searching for more of a matte creamy look for years and have only found that increasing the soy content or adding a small % of a matte tart wax helps for candles. It's a bummer how hard it is to find a paraffin dominant blend that adheres nicely, matte creamy, and is not greasy that melts too easily in the heat. 

Glad to know it's not just me! Guess I'll just work with what I have! 😃

On 5/31/2022 at 3:10 PM, Belinda said:

If I remember correctly 133 from KY might be a little more on the not so shiny side. I'll have to pour some to make sure. You might add just a tad of soy to your mix or switch the 4633 to 6006 maybe? I know you'd rather use all paraffin though and I can't blame you there.

I've also found that the mold has something to do with how shiny mine turn out. If I use a grubby, silicone mold they tend to be not so shiny but a smooth mold seems to show the shine more.

Thanks!I'm not looking to switch at all though. I've fought for so long to get my consistency right, I'll just deal with it. I was just seeing if there was something out there I could add to it besides another wax. I definitely don't wanna mess with soy. Right now it's not the surface of the mold I'm dealing with because I'm looking at the exposed part and also how it looks when cooled in my Presto. I had got it perfect at one time, but then adding my dye killed it....can't win 'em all! 🤣

1 hour ago, Belinda said:

Midwest has great oils and customer service and the owners are the sweetest people!

It does seem that way! I joined their group, but I'm holding off on ordering samples from anywhere at all for a while. I still have around 30 samples from Candle Cocoon to test. 

2 hours ago, KrisS said:

 

I don't apologize if I've offended anyone who uses botanicals in candles. I'm not sorry if their feelings are hurt. Better to have hurt feelings than injured or dead children and pets.

 

Don't do it.  It's not worth harming someone.  Do. Not. Do. It.

 

You're right. I shouldn't apologize. 

3 hours ago, birdcharm said:

 

 

It seems that people are thinking if the botanicals don't catch fire, then there isn't a safety issue.  It seems to me that some of the danger lies at the end of the candle if there is residue from the leaves/petals/whatever that have absorbed liquid wax and fragrance oil, settling at the bottom of the candle.  This seems to me to be a highly dangerous situation, esp. with vegetable waxes where the fragrance oil over time can flow down through the softer wax (similar with gel candles) and since regular polar fragrance oils are mostly used, what would prevent that from occurring?  In other words, there could very well be a high concentration of fragrance oil at the bottom, and if it's not of a higher flashpoint and the botanicals have soaked up a bunch of it, I just think it's a fire waiting to happen.

Right... It would be a mini torch. A couple of months ago I joined a handful of groups on Facebook because, well, I was bored and looking for entertainment. And I was curious as I heard so much about some of these groups. And I got more than I bargained for. Over half of these makers have no clue that they needed insurance to cover their asses. Then ask if it's legally required because "Really, what are the odds of someone suing me?" Lots of others backing that statement up and telling those who try to tell them better that "They don't know what they're talking about and they've tested so many and nothing ever happened and they burned  BEAUTIFULLY!" I think I got whiplash from shaking my head so much! Yeah... It's perfectly safe. Nothing ever happens - until something does happen.

Sorry! I realized I switched gears and took off on a rant lol. It worries me what's happening to some of these younger generations. When I see stuff like that, I wanna sentence them to spend a week or 2 here reading and learning and asking questions 24/7. But that would be punishing everyone else too lol. 

Ok this might sound a little "out there," but I'm asking anyway. Even though I make melts, I posted in "General" hoping for more exposure since this is just about my wax only. A few months ago I went back and started re-testing paraffin wax combos for my melts. I see a lot of crafters looking for a nice shine, but I'm looking for more of a matte finish. I had a happy accident where 2 of my combos ended up with a very nice, high-quality eggshell/matte finish. It only worked with certain FOs though, and once I added my liquid dye to the mix - some shine started to show. 

This question is for anyone who makes candles or melts - doesn't matter. Is there any kind of process or some sort of additive that would dull that shine that most waxes have? If it helps, I'm testing different percentages of blends that include 4786 & 4633 - with and without CO, using 5-10% as part of the total percentage. 

It seems like the CO might be playing a part in getting it matte, but I don't think using it is working for me which is why now I'm asking if anyone knows of a way to achieve a matte finish any kind of way. 

Studio Fragrance! That's the other company I was trying to think of earlier that's one I plan on trying in the future along with Midwest Fragrance! @Marleigha I think it was you that was telling me about them when we were talking about Pure. Glad I finally remembered because it's been bugging the hell out of me for the past couple of hours. 

On 4/17/2022 at 5:39 PM, bfroberts said:

I'd like to say the same for dough bowls too.

That freaks me out too! But it will be defended until the end of time that it's ok because it was sprayed with a flame retardant. Even worse is that a couple of well-known reputable candle supply companies started selling them also as "decor" or some crap like that. Money is truly a powerful evil. 

On 4/17/2022 at 1:45 PM, KrisS said:

 

So many times this. Safety standards, ASTM, NFPA, OSHA, etc., are written in the blood of people who have been injured, killed, or suffered significant property damage due to the very things in these standards.

 

Just because you've gotten by so far doesn't mean it can't happen to your product. I'm sure the products that had incidents and caused the standards to be written were perfectly fine without incident...until they weren't. Not only from a product liability, insurance, and financial standpoint, folks need to decide if they're ethically willing to risk someone's life with some flaky little flower bits. Can you live with setting someone's home, pet, or child on fire just for a pretty candle? If not, don't do it.

 

These types of candles scare me when I see them being sold everywhere, but the ones who make them and get defensive when you try to tell them anything scares me 10 times more! They're breeding like rabbits out there! There's actually a couple of makers that claim that their insurance covers them with the botanicals. Honestly I would love to see that policy in writing because that just sounds like complete business suicide from a morals standpoint. I think it's either they're misunderstanding their policy or they're hoping to make what they're doing look better. 

I apologize if I've offended anyone who does use these botanicals, that's not my intention. I just hope everyone thinks long and hard before taking chances with other people's lives. Please ..

On 4/9/2022 at 9:31 AM, TallTayl said:

The labs I am familiar with need 25 lb - 50 lb mins to dupe. I like orchidia and Lebermuth personally.

 

pure fragrance oils has (had? Last time I called) a service that for $50 you could have several dupes made. They have several perfumers and can send the same fragrance to multiple so you can choose your favorite from the set of dupes. 

I just saw this and wanted to add that when I talked to Camilla about a month or so ago concerning the Moonworks fragrances being out of stock she said they do have a 10lb minimum for dupe orders but they usually try to work with you if you can only afford 5lb and they know it's something they can sell, they'll just sell the remainder you don't buy. It's possible to meet the minimum just gathering a couple of members here too. 

There's been a LOT of buzz about Midwest Fragrance. They create most of their own scents and suppose to be releasing more soon. I love their interaction with their customers. They can still do a lot of that because they're so new. I'll probably give them a try eventually, but it'll definitely be a while!

On 5/21/2022 at 2:49 PM, Lights Creations said:

Hi! New to the business. Trying to get my foot through the door!

Welcome! There's a wealth of information here to sift thru! Quite a few knowledgeable and seasoned makers here. I can tell you this place saved me from making so many huge mistakes when I started coming here a year ago!