candlemakingmomma

Hi everyone!! So glad that I found this site!!! I need some good advice about candle making .. I started about 1 year ago as a hobby and alternative to buying expensive Yankee candles. I decided to go with GB 464 and Eco wicks, which I have stuck with ever since. I use the 8 ounce jelly mason jars. Over the past year, I have been mostly "sampling" oils from different companies. I have noticed that I am spending much more money on oils than I am making. I only charge 7.50 per candle.. when you figure in 1.00 for the jar, the wax, the scent, and wick.. it is costly to make. So my first question to those who sell their candles, what is a fair price for an 8 ounce jelly jar soy candle??? Now for the tricky part. ... I want to break down what my routine for candle making is so that I can get advice on what I could be doing wrong as far as hot scent throws. I have one of those steamers that I bought at Walmart that I use for the melting pot. I add enough usually to do two 8 ounce jars at a time. (since most of my oils are in 1 ounce samplers) I heat till about 185.. then I have been pouring hot between 170-180. I add my fragrance which is usually added still while hot... I stir about 20 times clockwise, 20 times counter clockwise, then pour into the glass jars. Most of the time they cure for about a week or two before I sell them. However there have been times where they were sold the next day. Am I not allowing them to properly cure?? The scents are usually strong after the set up.. you can open the jar and the fragrance is awesome, however, most of the time while burning the candle the scent is lost. Based on what I have mentioned about the routine of my candle making, what suggestions can you tell me to help tweak this problem I am having with the scent throws? My scents lately have been coming from Candle Science ( I used to mainly be a customer of Midwest Candle Supply aka Gelluminations aka Brighter Scents) Any suggestions would be appreciated.. Thanks!!