kandlekrazy

Really depends on wax and packaging IMO.  I have soy candles uncovered or with a dust cover that the first inch got crumbly and some that are air tight and 6 yrs old and still look and burn great.  Clamshell melts I came across some that were well over 6 yrs old and they still looked great but my individual melts not airtight were dry on the outside.  Bear in mind, I'd never sell anything that old but I keep for myself just for testing purposes.  Every candle/melt gets info and date put on it for testing.  For selling I do the same with a tiny sticker and always pulled ones over 1 year old regardless of how they looked.  I wanted my customers to have fresh stock that I knew would perform as well or better than the day they were put on the shelf.

Great stuff!  You do have to love it or it isn't worth the trials, lol.  I always find it my zen time where I think of nothing else but working on candles, melts b&b so therapeutic for sure.

20 hours ago, jfc said:

Hi Shari, here's my recipe.  I used silicone ice cube trays and each steamer came out to 1 in x 1 in.

 

20 oz. Sodium Bicarbonate
10 oz. Citric Acid
36 mL Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Witch Hazel

Feeling like I could really use these in my shower to help with allergies, thanks for sharing your recipe!

Seeing now what your scents are, my first reaction is to scale back the Vanilla Champagne unless it's really light Vanilla.  As @bfroberts said do a q-tip test first.  I love blending fo, it's challenging even when you get that q-tip where you want it.  Boy when you hit a home run it's a Victory Dance!

You'd think it would be that easy huh?  I've tried and some work as blends and some morph horribly, but this is how  we learn and why we keep notes.

Hi & Welcome!

Hi & Welcome!

I never tried it with beeswax but I did with soy way and could only add 10% coco 83 with my C3 soy or they were too soft for clamshells and molds.

Genius idea!

You'll need to check with both states or Counties depending on who issues the license.  Calif is one of the worst.  My bus was in AZ at first and because I sold wholesale in CA I had to pay CA lic and LLC fees in addition to AZ.

Amazing what marketing and a celebrity name attached will do!  Love that photo.

C3

5%

2 days cure (one of the very few that doesn't need a long cure but does get even stronger after 7 days)

CT excellent

HT excellent

I've also only used Fireside after testing.   I tested Campfire and ended up using as a  mixer to make a Beach Bonfire, I didn't like it alone.

I have subscribed to both Birch Box & FFF in the past.  I expect a discount on subscriptions.  If you're talking a gift basket/box that's different, but if I'm signing up to get something every 4-6 months I want a deal.

3 hours ago, aptommo said:

Here's a dumb question. On melts how would you know if you used too much FO and got leakage? 

You will see either droplets of fo on top of the melt or you will see a little puddle, depending on how much leakage is happening.  Certain waxes can only hold so much fo so adding more is just a waste of product.  Doesn't mean you can't test more than mfg suggests, just means when you test it make sure you put it through all scenarios such as heat, cold, humidity etc.

Seems like a bunch of people jumped on the coconut wax all around the same time and just maybe that's why their supplies ran out.  Candles & Supplies had it pretty consistently and so did Cal Candle Supply and everyone was out at the same time so they all should be getting their shipments now.

22 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Sooooooo..... these are not your ideal customers then..... what if Joanna Gaines name were on those things? 

Ha! Probably, but I've been to her store and 90% is new from China, very disappointing.

Nice stuff, guessing they also own Natures Items selling fo.

14 hours ago, TallTayl said:

This means your target people are not “those” people.

 

#1) Raise your prices and

# 2) don’t have sales or discounts. Seriously. 

This is in our antique malls and our vendors set their prices so not much control over that.  Due to tv shows like American Pickers, everyone thinks they can ask for discounts in stores.

Today it's be one that I don't have to see or talk to, lol.  All this rain has made them all grumpy and everyone wanting a discount on everything!

The Candle Source had a great one.

3 and if I didn't get the results I wouldn't use the fo in that jar.

Did you see them on candles somewhere?  I don't know that I've seen metal but I have seen jute, raffia or ribbon glued to the outside of the jar with a charm hanging.

So cute!  I love to crochet when my hands allow me to.

Flaming has one as well.