Camay

My vote is for CS

Check out candlechem.com They have a huge selection, and a $5 flat rate shipping. If you are looking for aluminum seamless, CandleScience.com has the lowest prices, I think. The shipping isn't bad at all, plus molds are light!

Jo An, you've got the biology correct (won't cross skin barrier, builds up plaques), but you've got the chemistry way wrong. As GrandmaArial said, in saponification the strong base (NaOH) attacks the ester group that links the fatty acid to the glycerol (also known as glycerin). This releases glycerol, and the sodium carboxylate of the fatty acid. Any hydrogens that have been added on to the long-chain fatty acid previous to the saponification reaction are not affected by the NaOH, so they remain intact. The heat generated by this process is not enough to break the chemical bonds that hold the hydrogens on to the long-chain. Also, hydrogen, or diatomic hydrogen, is not a greenhouse gas.

Those colors would look great in my house too! Green is my favorite color. Nice job!

SW = the scent works The abbreviations list is at the top of the Fragrance forum.

4625 is a paraffin preblend, it has additives in it. Try a straight paraffin, as Kimmeroo suggests.

I use chips, liquid, and blocks for dye, depending on what color I am going for. In my experience, the blocks are the most difficult to work with. I use the tiny grater from Bittercreek and weigh the shavings on a jewelers scale. That seems to work okay.

Their Pumpkin and Vanilla is great.

I started making candles in the early 90s. Pourette was the only company I knew about for a very long time.

Those are really nice!

I'll second the Pumpkin and Vanilla. Also, their Be Delicious is the best one I've tried.

This weekend I poured Natural Artisan's "homegrown watercress" and it is very nice, very green and fresh smelling (strong too, I poured at 1 oz per pound 4625, and I might go down next time). My other favorite botanical is "wasabi" from Brambleberry. VERY green and VERY lively. I have CP'ed it and put it in wax (4625), both at 1 oz per pound, and I think I like the soap better, but it is a super strong nice candle too.

That looks awesome! Ok, now I am hungry...

Oh, I have placed orders with them in the past. Just a couple times, and they were small orders. All of the FOs were fine (not great, not bad) and I had no customer service issues.

How do you know if a FO has been diluted with reed diffuser base, or any other oil soluble material? Does it have an off smell, or just a weak smell? Does it mix poorly with wax? I placed an order for some of the pound bottles for $5, it is just too good of a deal to pass up.

I actually think it is a good idea to try your soap right after you cut it. Then try it again at one week, two weeks, three weeks, etc. You will learn what happens to your soap babies during the curing process.

Wow, I love the colors and the patterns! Those are cool candles!

I completely agree about the candy cane, super strong and yummy

Have you tried candlechem.com?

The basic colors are not red, blue, etc. The basic eight have funky names like muted red, purple velvet, marmalade, etc. The colors that are listed in the blend charts are the actual names of the basic eight. HTH

No worries Bert! It happens to the best of us!

On crap, I just placed an order, and now there are a ton of new ones that I just HAVE to have. Off to place yet another order!

Oh geez, I meant to say that I got the additional squirt type caps at CandleChem's ebay site.

I weigh the FO separately in a glass shot glass, then add it to the pour pot. I have added FO directly to the pour pot on the tared balance, but overshot the amount of FO. So then I had to add more wax, more color, etc, just like SherriLynn said. However, I ordered a bunch of Bert's FOs and they came with a squirt type cap. It is much easier to pour the FOs with this kind of top. I went to candletechs ebay site and bought a bunch more of those types of caps for my other FO bottles. I may just go back to pouring FO straight into the pour pot now that I have much better control of my FO pouring.

I LIVE for sales. It doesn't matter if its candle/soap supplies, groceries, clothing, or whatever. I am much more likely to buy something if I think it is a good deal, whether it actually is a good deal or just perceived as one doesn't really matter to me. I always feel better about buying something if it was on sale.