Firefly

Hello, So normally I use Enchanted Lites soy wax and started using Ecosoya CB Advanced a few months back. Right now I'm experimenting with Ecosoya CB 135 and Ecosoya Pure Container wax. I've made candles with lighter EO's and stronger EO's and use 10% to the amount of wax I use. No matter what I do my EO blends are never as strong as FO blends. Is there a secret to making my EO candles have a better hot throw? I just use straight soy and nothing else (well I use coloured chips too). I have used a small percentage of palm wax in the past. Thoughts or suggestions?

Those soaps are beautiful and I'd be happy with a batch like that.

My favourite is SFIC but not their Low Sweat Clear and Opaque because it doesn't last long. So now use their regular clear and opaque. The clear isn't perfect as far as being really clear but I love their ingredient listing and can't find any ingredient listing that is similar to theirs so have stuck with it. My customers don't want SLS or other additives. Stephenson's is pretty good but haven't tried their SLS free version.

Those are so cool looking what a great idea.

That looks fantastic. I love the colour of pink too.

I love the sparkles in this batch and the swirls are stunning.

I started with melt and pour myself and used to buy the base from Micheal's that is Life of the Party brand, then I used to buy random melt and pour from suppliers and then really loved SFIC brand (the regular clear and white, not the low sweat as it doesn't last as long) due to the ingredients. Also have tried Stephenson's which is good but I prefer SFIC but both of those aren't cheap unless you buy it in bigger sizes. Once you start experimenting you will find a brand you like and everyone prefers something different. To this day I still do melt and pour but learned hot process from a friend years ago and then taught myself CP through library books and a tonne of experimenting and reading soap forums for information. Melt and Pour is the way to start in my opinion if you want to keep costs lower and be able to make soap quickly, plus you can get very creative with it as well. There are tonnes of sites of there for melt and pour and I order from Canadian suppliers but you could try: http://www.brambleberry.com Don't forget to share your pictures with us when you make your first batch. I'm sure you will be hooked in no time. Here are a few inspiring melt and pour sites for you to look at to see what you can eventually do with melt and pour: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soapylove/ (she even has tutorials you can buy from her site as well and is coming out with a new ezine too) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5682856

I usually buy in smaller amounts. My business is small so I usually buy it in 5lb bags but buy them in threes if they are on sale and then just make according to what I need. Maybe at some point I'll buy one case as I know it's more cost effective.

They look fantastic. You did a wonderful job.

One of the Christmas shows I did had a lady selling massage candles and I went and tried it out but found it really weird. The wax dripped along the side of the tin when I poured it and my hands were an oily greasy mess. It was the first one I ever tried so have no idea if this is how they are all made but I wasn't crazy about it.

I think she is saying that there is no hole at the bottom of the mold for her to put the wick in the opposite way. Hopefully someone else will jump in and offer some suggestions. I've never used a mold like this as I do all my candles in tins.

Hello, I currently use 3 oz flat tins but they don't have the centre in them. Has anyone seen them anywhere with the centre like the deeper 2 oz 4 oz that Candle Science has? Also sell the 2 oz and 4 oz deep as well.

Go here: http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67690&page=2&highlight=rust+tins and check out post 17 as a few links are listed.

Are you looking for flat tins. I know a Canadian supplier who also has a US price site too. Let me know if you are interested and I'll send you a pm. I've never used the raised feet but the flat ones I get have no centre so you have to do that part on your own.

Well I thought I'd post another update. After that show I've done 3 more: the second one was a new one for me and was at the university I work at and it was amazing and people were buying which was wonderful, the third one was also a new one at a school and it wasn't good at all as there were lots of lookey loos, the fourth one again was great and at the University and it was our second time doing it. This week-end is my final show of the year and I've never done 5 Christmas fairs so I'm feeling really tired out plus I work full time so it's been a juggling act. Hope everyone else is doing well.

Hello, I finally got around to trying this formula and it didn't work for M&P as I was still short. Think I had to add 10 oz extra to one batch and 12 oz to another. I'll keep working on a formula until I get it just right.

Well I'm glad to hear things are working out better for you. I heard some quote awhile back about how the miracle happens when you are about ready to quit. Sometimes I feel that way about the bath and body business. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of trial and error.

That is interesting but sounds like you are slowly figuring it out. Last night I was burning a 100% beeswax candle that I made with colourant and Lavender EO. Don't usually make beeswax ones but my friend gave me a bunch of beeswax she doesn't need so thought I would experiment. I used a big 8 oz deep tin and had to use 2 wicks of the 44-28-18C wicks and I noticed my wicks were flickering too but it's just for me so I'm not too concerned but still want to figure it out as well. How are your newer tests working out?

powderblueboutique, Post your results with the straight wax. It can get really discouraging at times to find the right combination of wax, scent and wick. When I started out I was using straight palm wax and only used FO's and wax blocks for colour. Then customers wanted soy and I started doing straight Enchanted Lites soy wax. The heat gun became my best friend and I initially found soy really tricky to work with. Then I made my first all Esential oil candle but the hot throw wasn't great. So started mixing in a bit of palm with my Enchanted Lites wax to help with scent throw. Then just started using Ecosoya CB Advanced a month ago and love it but you do have to wait at least two days for the cold throw to be there and I haven't used EO's with that wax blend yet. To keep costs down a bit I still continue to use palm wax with my soy wax. Still planning to experiment with other Ecosoya's and an Igi wax in the new year when I'm not so busy with the Christmas season. It takes time and patience to make candles and to make them well. Don't give up just maybe take a break from it and come back to it.

I've used RRD47's in a 3 oz shallow tin and a 4 oz deep tin with good results (it just didn't allow for a long burn time but burned well otherwise). I agree trying straight wax would be a good place to start to see what happens, then from there add fragrance, then try colour.

I've been reading through this post as I was curious to your situation. Did you ever try the zinc wicks without any colour in them? I don't use zinc myself but just wondered if that would work.

I'll try to provide input although I don't use that type of glass container. I do use a 8 oz square mason jar and in that I use a 44-28-18C which works well and others here have mentioned an HTP 105 works on that size as well. I use HTP83 on smaller glass jars like this: http://www.canwax.shoppingcartsplus.com/catalog/item/634635/6335718.htm For all my soy wax I use 7% fragrance per amount of wax for Enchanted Lites and for CB Advanced I bump it up to 8% and use wax coloured blocks to grate into my melted wax (I just grate until I like the colour so don't have an exact measurement). My FO's are from different Canadian suppliers. For my non glass containers (ie. tins that are 2/3 oz shallow or 2/4 oz deep I use LX wicks which I like). What type of soy are you using? I use Enchanted Lites mixed with palm and Ecosoya CB Advanced mixed with palm wax. Hopefully others can help you out. Maybe try a tealight with an LX10 wick (that's what I use for mine) and see if your wick works better. Is your candle in a draft area at all?

Stella1952, Thanks.

Hello, I'm made CP soap with pine tar but would love to try some with M&P. How much do you use per pound and how do you incorporate it in when it's so gooey?

Fantastic, do you get your labels made for you or do you do them yourself? The colours are great. Happy Thanksgiving.