candly

Thank you so much for the helpful advice and replies, everyone! We'll get started with a simple recipe and go from there!

My daughter became enamored with a boutique display of fancy soap (the kind poured into long molds then sliced...) and would like to start making some. We've done melt-and-pour and took a goat milk soap class but that's the extent of our soaping experience. Is there a fairly economical way to break into this hobby? Or just pick a recipe and buy what's needed, then start expanding from there? Any tips for a newbie would be appreciated!

I'm looking for 50ml perfume bottles similar to Le Labo's. Anybody have any ideas? I'd infinitely appreciate any help, I'm having a ton of difficulty tracking these down!

On 8/3/2017 at 0:15 PM, kfintoni said:

The specific scents I need are Almond Pastry, Holiday Sparkle, Winter Wonderland, Old Towne Bake Shoppe, Grandmas Swinging Egg Nog and Cookies for Santa. All the rest of Peaks scents that I used I can probably get else where but these are the main ones I am on the hunt for.

 

Karen in MA

I have some Bitter Almond from Sweetcakes and it smells, to me, just like Peak's Almond Pastries. I went back and forth between the bottles and could really not tell a difference.

wthomas57 and KimmyPee - Thank you! I will check those out!

So I just very recently found the perfect lids for my tumblers - the brushed silver lids carried by Peak, and am now looking for a replacement. Anybody know offhand of any comparable?

Anybody know of a fragrance oil type for Joanna Gaines's Garden candle (or something similar to it)? Or Smith & Hawken's Moss & Thyme?

https://shop.magnoliamarket.com/products/joannas-signature-garden-candle

http://www.target.com/p/glass-jar-candle-moss-thyme-smith-hawken/-/A-51067408

I have a customer looking for these scents but I've not personally smelled either one of them. Any leads or ideas would be greatly appreciated, I'm not having too much luck myself!

Jcandleattic, could you PM me as well? I'd love to try it out!

Okay, thank you! I will go back to the drawing board on this one  

28 minutes ago, Candybee said:

Is there a particular reason you want to double wick? That size jar should work fine single wicked. Could be that the double  wicking is causing the flames to not combust properly in that size jar and leaving extra soot that ends up in your melt pool. You don't see it until it cools right?

I like the way it looks, plus they throw really well. You can see the soot in little black streaks in the melt pool while the candle is burning as well. I had also tried this jar & wax with 2 Eco-2's, those wicks were too big and it had FMP too quickly but at the end of the candle there was only a tiny bit of soot on the top.

Would you recommend a CD20 or CD22?

It's the Libbey 13.25 oz tumbler, 3" diameter. I've tried CD4's but they leave a rather unsightly glazing of wax residue on the sides. I tried CD20 a while back, but just couldn't get as nice of a burn. I'll try again. Which container do you use the 2 cd4's with? 

I started out using cb135 and don't recall having this issue; changed to C3 for a while and really liked it but the shipping was so expensive that I switched back to cb135 which I can get locally.

Thanks for helping me troubleshoot

3 hours ago, Trappeur said:

Its from the wick.  That used to happen to me all the time.  That's why I changed to cd wicks.  I had used htp wicks...I still use htp's on particular jars and they are fine, but after much testing, I found out it was the wick.  Also too, too big a wick will cause that and a draft too or fan overhead.  I know cb135 is soy.

 

What style jar and size of jar are you using?

What size wick?

Do you get a complete melt pool on your first burn and how deep is it?

 

Trappeur

It's a 13.25 oz tumbler, with 2 cd-5 wicks. On the first burn it doesn't quite hit full melt pool but does subsequently and toward the bottom of the container hits FMP in about an hour. Stays right at 1/2" deep. Flames never gets too big and the wicks don't mushroom. I never had any luck single wicking that container without getting awful mushrooming :/

Any ideas why this happens? Ideas how to prevent it? I use CB-135 with CD wicks.

1 hour ago, Trappeur said:

If you've got the perfect combination for a winning candle why fix it, if it ain't broke?

 

Trappeur

I was just comparing it with some other 11 oz soy candles which claim to be 60-70 hours. 

I'm using straight Ecosoya CB135 with CD wicks, and have worked out a combination that burns well and completely, great throw, not too hot and no mushrooming. But I get about 45+/- hours from an 11 oz. candle. I tried adding beeswax to slow the burn a little, but that made weird black spots in the melt pool and didn't seem to make a difference with the burn time. Are there any other additives that might help, or should I just be happy with this candle as-is? Thanks for any input!

We buy our wax from Gateway Foods in Dupo, IL, just on the other side of St. Louis. Might be a bit of a drive for you, but maybe their shipping to you wouldn't be that bad? They do have great prices on soy wax!

Some great tips - thank you

I'm considering buying some packaging from Alibaba (also they have some interesting containers that we just don't have here) - anybody here have any experience purchasing through there? 

Thanks!

On May 28, 2016 at 10:47 AM, jackbenimble said:

So I'm still having issues with wicking. Lots of residue on one side of the jar. I went up to a CD18 and have made another tester with a CD20(I'm waiting a week to let it cure before I test. 

 

Is there anyone that sells a CD4 so I could double wick if I need too? CD6 is the smallest I've found in a 6in wick and a double wicked CD6 is too large. 

Bitter Creek sells them in 6". They also sell a sample kit with 5 of each size (in case you also want to try a CD-5)

I've had some success heating my jars in the oven (around 15 minutes at the oven's 'warm' setting) and pouring at 120-125.

Maybe Brown Sugar Caramel Popcorn, or Sweet Corn Creme Brûlée? I'd stop to smell those I don't know what Amish Quilt smells like though.

19 hours ago, candlesinflorida said:

Is the sweet cakes version strong? I have tried Wellington's version and it's pretty good.  Save on Scents has a few and they have been pretty good, but sometimes a little chemical-ish.  I am now testing Just Scents versions of a couple different JM dupes, and they seem a little weak in my opinion.

 

I am really enjoying Candle Cocoon and Cierra Candles FO's but alas, the fragrances I am looking for aren't stocked by either

I haven't had the chance to get it into anything yet (soap later today hopefully!) but it smells nice and strong OOB.

Sweet cakes has a lovely Nectarine Blossom & Honey. Which and where are the ones you've found? I'd love to try them

I just love Fillmore's Peony, to me it smells just like the flower and is like walking into a flower garden on a spring day.

I've also been similarly concerned and now only use FO's that are free of phthalates. You may want to look into whether the ones you use contain them or not and weed them out accordingly.