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Lighten Up

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Posts posted by Lighten Up

    Indiana Candle Supply

    in Fragrance Discussion

    Posted

    11 hours ago, Moonstar said:

    Hi All .... I just went on the ICS and it appears they only sell wax now ? The site has all been updated to. Anyone know anything about this ?

    Hope everyone had a great summer :) 

    Had a little panic attack when I first saw this as I use a bunch of oils from ICS and I'm in the process of putting an order together. Yikes.

    Love the plain White Cake, I think that is the only one I use that you mentioned?

    • Thanks 1

    Nature’s Garden recommendations

    in Fragrance Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Lighten Up

    My must haves from NG(in 415):

     

    Apple Pecan Sage

    Beach Bum

    Black Raspberry Vanilla

    Carrot Cake

    Champagne Pear

    Children's Room

    Cranberry Relish

    Frozen Margarita

    Green Clover & Aloe

    Rosewood Musk

    Rum Raisin

    Vanilla Bean

    Vanilla Oak

    Warm Vanilla Sugar

    Water Lily & Jasmine

    • Thanks 1

    What fragrance do you love right now

    in Fragrance Discussion

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Paintguru said:

    Just trialed Cactus and Sea Salt from ICS, which was a nice spa scent with great throw.  Bourbon Soaked Raisins was pretty awesome too, but the throw wasn't as great.  The new Apple Pie from CS is next up on the burn list.  

    Cactus & Sea Salt is one of my favorites and a best seller for me.

     

    Right now I can't get enough of Lemon Merengue and Pumpkin Pecan Waffle, both from ICS.

    • Like 1

    Anyone buy 415 lately?

    in Vegetable Wax & Beeswax Candle Making

    Posted

    On ‎7‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 9:00 PM, FB157 said:

    @Lighten Up how did your cases of the 415 behave? I used 415 prior to all these soy wax issues and I'm finally out. Debating if I should even bother with soy again. 

    The batch of wax I got in spring is quite similar to the pallet I got last fall. I've had to wick down across the board from previous years, but am still getting nice hot throw. The 2017/18 consistency is different from before, more creamy(filmy?) as opposed to oily, and pouring is fussier, lots of bubbles. But, I'm happy with my finished product.

    I'm just about to order another pallet, so hopefully, no more surprises.

    • Like 1

    Cost of Freight

    in Business Side of Things

    Posted

    20 hours ago, Quentin said:

    The shipping on glassware seems to be the real killer. To add injury to insult, you also have the breakage factor there. You lose the shipping war on two fronts. I'm starting to see my % of freight creeping upward.

    Q

    Yes, I have to order by the pallet to get my shipping down to that.

     

    I've had only a couple minor issues with breakage and they were addressed by the carrier. Once the pallet wasn't secured to the truck and the entire order slid around all over, even coming off the pallet, not much breakage there, but a pain to unload.

    • Like 1

    Soy wax prices expected to rise

    in Vegetable Wax & Beeswax Candle Making

    Posted

    4 hours ago, TallTayl said:

    IKR, sucker punched at every turn. 

     

    If ever there were a time when being a FOHO was a good thing, this is it. I have enough to get through at least a year, and incentive now to use up a lot that have been just sitting. 

     

    Next up is a change to the business plan to shorten the list of offerings to take better advantage of bulk buying. How I envy those who have a super small, and profitable line. 

    I, too, am sharing in the angst. I am in the process of minimizing my fragrance line. Just bought more 415 and haven't even tested more than half my fragrances in my pallet from last fall....  'super small, and profitable'- music to my ears.

    Anyone buy 415 lately?

    in Vegetable Wax & Beeswax Candle Making

    Posted

    Well, I am ordering tomorrow, but decided against the pallet, probably getting 8-10 cases just to get me through spring.

     

    Although, I am not at all unhappy with the 2017 wax(except for re-testing every single thing), I am a little apprehensive about ordering again. I wish I had the nerve to explore other waxes, I just can't imagine starting over, I pretty much did that last fall.

    When someone copies your design

    in Business Side of Things

    Posted

    2 hours ago, bfroberts said:

    I saw the copycat label at a local print shop, not on the actual product. I just know they've ordered a run of labels, and I know what they look like.  The print shop knows I am displeased, but I don't think they care.  They'll run anything for anyone as long as they pay.  If they run this order, and this label actually makes it onto my competitor's product, I will cut ties with the print shop entirely.  I am already making plans to do that.

    My situation is a little unique, in that I'm not just a candle shop. We have a lodging business, and we have a store onsite.  My product brand is the same as our business logo, to tie all of our products together.  For example, it would be kind of like the orchard account Trap has to make store brand candles for the orchard.  Meaning, the orchard isn't a candle company, but if you see their branded candles, you know where they came from.  If I showed the label, the world would know what our main business is, and I learned a long time ago not to put that info on the web in forums, because people can do nasty things with that info. 
    The copy cat label is using my background image, just changing it to full color, they added a tiny squirrel, and changed the name from "XXX Candle Company" to "YYY Candles".  It is basically a mountain scene, with three component images that are specific to our area.  Those three things have never been put on a label together for any kind of logo or product in this area.  It was a unique idea to combine those three components, and the chance that someone would come up with that idea on their own and have it drawn exactly like mine is impossible.  Its the exact same image + a squirrel and a little more color.

    I am a variety/souvenir store with a lot of product, but only a tiny part of that is candles.  The other company is a much larger company.  They will purchase far more labels and sell far more candles than I ever will.  They have enough purchasing power to make my account irrelevant.  You'd think they could come up with their own damn design.  However, this isn't the first time they have poached ideas from me.  This is a cut throat area to do business in.

     

    Over the years, I've had a of couple 'copiers'. Not to the extent of yours, but still, a local 'friend' copying my candles, and someone copying my fundraiser model with party*ite. Nothing really I could do about it(except ditch the 'friend'), but neither lasted anyway.

     

    Is it your original artwork they copied/altered?

    Soy wax back to normal???

    in Vegetable Wax & Beeswax Candle Making

    Posted

    I don't think 415 will be going back to the way it was before. If I recall, it changed because of the removal of trans fats? I did talk to the wax lab at AAK a few times, but I need to dig out my notes.

     

    I have about 10 cases left from the pallet I got in Aug. I am not looking forward to ordering more, I'll probably have nightmares when it's time. That being said, this batch I have has been good, in fact I often wish I had started with this new 415 all those years ago. Aside from retesting everything(which has been absolutely miserable), the wax itself has given me good results as far as throw. But, so far, everything is wicking down, except one fragrance that is wicking up so much I have to dump it. It also is very fussy for pouring, which takes more time to mess with so my output is decreased.

     

    As Moonshine said, be thankful you know this ahead of time. If not for this board I would have been unprepared and totally screwed. You guys rock!

    • Thanks 1

    Who typically makes more profit with wholesale accounts?

    in Business Side of Things

    Posted

    1 hour ago, LitUp said:

    How does it work? Do you provide them samples or do they just sell based off a linesheet?

    It's pretty simple. I offer one jar and a limited selection of fragrances, some are year round, some seasonal. I provide a flyer with all the info and, when it's time, an order form. I do not offer 'samples'. I do have a promo pack with 2 full sized candles and the flyer. I will, however, front the committed group a mixed case of the fragrances to count against their order.

     

    I started with friend that was a teacher and it has snowballed over the last 10 years. Everything has been referral or someone that has bought my candle from a fundraiser and has a group of their own. I do no advertising.

    • Thanks 2

    Who typically makes more profit with wholesale accounts?

    in Business Side of Things

    Posted · Edited by Lighten Up

    On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 2:11 PM, Clear Black said:

    As of now, my 16oz candles cost $7 to make. A few of the items are pricey, but I hope to drive that cost more towards the $5 per mark when I can afford to buy raw mats in bigger bulk. So for now im at the $7 per mark. Im thinking they will retail between $18/$20. So if they cost me $7 to make and retail for $20, what should the wholesale buyer be getting from the $13 profit on each candle? Would it be $3 me, $10 buyer? Does the buyer typically get the larger profit portion? Hope this makes sense in any way. I know a bunch of you folks have wholesale accounts and can maybe shed some light here. I really do think the $7 per candle cost is hurting me when it comes to wholesale and I am ok with that knowing I can further cut costs in the future by making bigger material purchases.

     

    Thoughts?

    My entire business is wholesale, mostly via fundraisers. I do have a few stores, but I just consider that advertising as they really don't give me much return.

     

    Our area is flooded with cheaper soy candles, so retailing is difficult. I am happy to wholesale and 'mass produce' a pre-ordered product.

     

    Is your above mentioned cost materials only?

    Presto pot users... I’ve got questions!

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    On ‎2‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 5:59 PM, Venetti said:

    •I’ve recently been testing wicks as much as I possible can (when I have the time.)

    I’ve noticed that my flames flicker almost 100% of the time. I figured it was the wick, so I’d move onto another wick to test. 

    I did more research and came upon something I had read years ago. I really never saw this as a problem for myself and always blamed the wick/wax/FO. 

     

    “Any water in the wax will cause the flame to flicker uncontrollably.”

     

    I wasn’t getting water in my wax, and I was always so SO very careful to make sure of that.  I was melting some wax the other day and noticed how much my pot steams from the hot plate and exactly where that steam was going. Straight up and onto the handle of my stirrer, onto my pouring pitcher rim and thermometer handle, and dripping right down into my melted wax. (Common sense should’ve told me this, but it was the last thing on my mind.)

     

    So I've recently learned about presto pots. 

    They look and sound like the answer to many of my issues. (Not to mention they’re $25.)

     

    Here are my questions about

                the presto pots :

     

     

    ••Do you own the presto pot or the presto pot with a spigot?

    ••if you do have the spigot, is it a necessity?

    ••Did you purchase the pot and build the spigot in yourself or buy the presto pot with the spigot already on it?

    ••If you don’t own a presto pot, what do you use that effectively works wonders while making your candles?

     

    thanks everyone for all of your input. 

    Always Greatly appreciated!

    I love my Presto Pots, none have the spigot. I have a scale next to each one and just ladle into my pour pot right on the scale.

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