General Wax and Candle

Once you’ve successfully made your first batch of candles you may want to add a personal touch by switching up it’s appearance. For most candle makers that means adding some color to your wax but it’s not always easy picking which types of candle dyes to use when making candles. Our candle making expert is here to help! Here's everything you need to know about the types of candle dyes from our candle-making expert! 1. What type of dye should I use? Here at General Wax & Candle Co. we carry four different types of dye all of which can be used for candle making projects. It’s important when you begin candle making that you pick not only the right dye that will suit your needs but the correct dye for the type of wax and wick you will be crafting with. Pay close attention to which dyes mix better with which wax and which dyes will affect the way your wick will burn when going through dye types, to avoid any issues with your candles. 2. Wax Types Block Dyes Available in 27 colors, these dye blocks are intended to mix with soy and paraffin wax. These dye blocks can be shaved down into smaller pieces to create lighter shades. The more dye you add the darker the color shade will become. You may also mix multiple dyes to achieve different colors. A 12 piece block of dye will color 5-50 lbs. of wax, depending on the color shade you are trying to achieve. Available in single packs, 12 packs and 60 packs. Diamond Candle Chip Dyes Our dye chips are easy to use and are available in 53 vivid colors. These color chips dye 1 lb. of candle wax creating a medium shade. Each pack contains 20 color chips of 14 grams and will color approximately 10 to 11 lbs. of wax. It is important to note that the following 9 chips contain a pigment that makes for brighter colors but may be hard to consume. Pigments may clog your wick and cause the flame to become smaller. Be sure to test as needed to ensure your candle will burn properly. White Candle Dye Flakes These dye flakes are considered to be superior to our dye blocks as you will get whiter results using these flakes. Unlike the old dye block, these flakes will not clog your wick and burn easily. 1 pack (1-oz / 30 grams) will color approximately 10-11 pounds of wax. These dye flakes are available in 1 ounce pack bags as well as in bulk of 1 lb. bags. Liquid Candle Dye Our concentrated Liquid Dye works great with paraffin, soy, coconut, beeswax and palm wax. When adding this liquid to your wax it is important that you thoroughly stir this dye into your wax to ensure that your candle will burn correctly. It is recommended to add this dye to your wax at around 185 - 165 F. Colors may vary with different wax/fragrance/additive combinations. Available in 1 ounce containers as well as in bulk size of 1 pound containers.

Home décor: Scented candles vs unscented candles Candles have always been a part of our lives. Before they were just a source of light, but with time candles evolved to something much more than that. Nowadays, candles are not just important components used in healing and rejuvenating process in Aromatherapy, but they are also an excellent décor accessories in interior design. Let’s not forget that candles can be luxurious and personalized gifts for our loved one. Choosing the right candles that match your personality and home décor can be very challenging. You should consider different factors before surrounding yourself with candles. Some of the factors are, the environment, where you want to use the candles; the quantity of candles you intend to have; do you want your candles scented or unscented. If you are planning a romantic dinner for two, then you can use the traditional taper candles. If you want to add some aroma to your dinner then consider having amber and sandalwood scented candles. These two scents are the best candle scents for romance. If you’ve been cooped up for too long and need the imaginative release of a new space, lighting a candle with such aromas will certainly help to escape. If you want to use candles for a relaxing bubble bath, then you can light tealight candles. To add some spa experience to your bath use fruity and floral scented tealight candles. They will enhance the relaxing atmosphere. Plus, the blend of coconut and vanilla scents may help you feel like you're on vacation. Many people purchase candles for home décor, and they don’t intend to burn them. In this case, pillar candles are very popular for creating decorative arrangements. There are so many pillar sizes and colors available in the market that it is not hard to find candles that will match your home décor. Some people consider scented candles to be artificial, and they love the smell of natural Beeswax candles. People who like scented candles, should select the scent of their candles like they would select a perfume, that is, according to their taste. There are no rules for choosing a scent, but there are some tips. The scent creates the mood and atmosphere in the room, therefore it should harmoniously complement the interior. Soothing scents are the most popular option for the bedrooms. Aromatherapy is commonly used to encourage relaxation. There are many relaxing scents out there, and the most popular ones are lavender, chamomile, vanilla and bergamot. A light, refreshing scent, such as citrus, mint, lavender, or vanilla, are good for a bathrooms. A strong scent can be too overbearing in a room as small as a bathroom, which can lead to migraines. Consider picking candles with scent notes of Fresh Ocean or rain, light floral scents and citrus. Fresh and clean scented candles are perfect for kitchen. These will help to neutralize the odors from last night's dinner, making your home smell clean even when it's not. Citrus, herbal, floral, and clean scents (like linen or cotton) are best at achieving this. The living room should feel welcoming and fresh. If your living room is small though, keep fragrances simple to avoid overpowering the tiny room. Soft and light scented candles can create a relaxing feel. Floral and sweeter scents of vanilla and honey are great. If you want the vibe to be more upbeat and fun, try fruity scents. Passion fruit, wild berry, and even caramel fragrances are great for this matter.

New to candle making? You want to learn everything candle-making from what supplies to use & candle containers to buy? Need to know what waxes should be used for candle making? If the answer is yes, you’re in the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about wax from our candle-making expert! What kind of wax should I use? Here at General Wax & Candle Co. we carry 10 different types of wax all of which can be used for candle making. It’s important when you begin candle making that you pick not only the right wax for you but the correct wax for the type of candles you are looking to create. Step 1: What kind of candle are you making? Understand that if you are making taper candles and or pillar candles you may need a specific type of wax. If you are taking a different route and are crafting candles using vessels/glass containers it’s important to know that certain waxes adhere better to container candles. Once you've chosen the type of candle you will be making and the vessel it will be in you could now narrow down the wax that would be best for your project. Step 2: Choose your wax Keep in mind the vessels and products you will be using for your specific project. Types of wax NATURAL (NON-GMO) AAK A3 100% Soy Wax This 100% soy wax is mainly used for container candles and adheres well to glass. This Soy Wax is very good to blend with other waxes like low melt paraffin, this will help enhance its quality and can prevent shrinkage or frosting. Our AAK A3 100% Soy Wax comes in the form of flakes with an off white color. This wax is easy to handle and measure, meaning it is great for beginner candle makers. CARGILL C3 NATUREWAX 100% SOY WAX CONTAINER BLEND This 100% soy wax from Cargill is considered to be one of our high quality products. When paired with fragrances this wax produces an excellent scent throw and maintains an even burn pool with consistent color retention and adheres well to glass containers. This wax has minimal shrinkage when cooling and comes in flake form with a melt point of 127℉ and a flash point >600℉. CARGILL C1 SOY BASED CONTAINER CANDLE WAX BLEND This vegetable blend wax from Elevance is 80% soy wax and 20% Palm wax. With great glass adhesion and excellent scent flow this wax burns evenly with a consistent color retention. This Cargill c1 soy based container candle wax comes in flake form and is recommended for votives, tarts and cosmetics. CARGILL C6 COCONUT SOY WAX BLEND Our C6 wax is a blend of soy and coconut wax. With excellent adhesion to glass and great scent flow this wax is designed for container candles and has minimal shrinkage when cooling. C6 wax has a melt point of 127°F and a flash point >600°F. SPECIALTY WAX MICRO WAX CUBES This Micro wax cubes serve best as an add on, meaning when added to taper candles it helps with stabilizing the candle. It also helps wax adhere to the walls of containers. This wax serves many purposes as it reduces/ eliminates mottling in pillars without adding much opacity. Recommended Usage: 2 teaspoons per pound of wax. SOY & SOY BLEND SB 1000 SOY BLEND CONTAINER WAX (4 LBS. PACK) This SB 1000 soy blend container wax is made up of 60% soy wax and a 40% blend of paraffin, UV and an enhancing additive. Like many of our soy waxes, this wax adheres well to glass containers and burns evenly. We recommend using HTP wicks for best burn performance. COCONUT / ULTRA ULTRA WAX – COCONUT-SOY BLEND Ultra Wax is our state of the art, smooth Coconut Soy Blend. With great adhesion to glass, this wax leaves a smooth finish on all sides of your jar. With a melting point of approximately 128℉ degrees and pour temperature of 165℉ degrees, Ultra Wax cools with minimal shrinkage. BEESWAX 100% REFINED BEESWAX Our premium-grade all-natural, chemical and particle-free. This wax can be used for candle and soap making, batiking fabric, painting in encaustics, and crafting specialty furniture polish. Beeswax has a melting point of 145° F – 149° F and a flash point of 490° F – 525° F. 100% BEESWAX HONEYCOMB SHEETS These unscented, easy-to-roll, 100% beeswax honeycomb sheets require no heat and can easily be cut into designs and appliqués. Great for beginner candle makers, at home projects and even children school projects. These Honeycomb sheets are uniquely textured and rich in color. Available in singles sheets or in a bulk case of 200 sheets, it is recommended that you use our 1/0 square raw or waxed wick for making rolled honeycomb beeswax candles. PILLAR & TAPER WAX 140 HOUSE-BLEND PILLAR WAX (4 LBS. PACK) This wax is our own special in-house wax, blended primarily for pillar and taper candles. This wax is our 140 House-Blend Pillar Wax in convenient, manageable and is available in packs of twenty four 1 lb. bricks or in packs of 4x 1 lb. 140 REGULAR PARAFFIN WAX (MOLDING/TAPER WAX) Our 140 regular paraffin wax has a melting point of 139℉ to 140℉ making it ideal for pouring into metal molds, plastic molds as well as making tapers. This wax can be used for making free standing candles, as well as floating candles. Based on the desired effect you're going for you may need additional additives please visit our candle wax additives pages for additional information. VOTIVE WAX 128 HOUSE BLEND WAX Our 128 House Blend Wax is a special in-house blend designed for votives, tapers, and jar containers. It’s important to note when making votive candles using House blend 128, it is necessary to add 1% Vybar 260. This will help harden and shrink the wax, making it more opaque and easier to remove from the mold. The addition of Vybar will also result in an overall smoother candle surface and has the added benefit of accepting more fragrance. HURRICANE WAX Hurricane Candle Wax is 100% paraffin with a melt point of 160°F. Melting this wax comes with ease with its low melting point. Available in bulk cases of 24x 1lbs as well as in a pack of 4 1 lb. blocks.