wookie130

I had the same issue with this wax back in the day. Pretty candle, so-so cold and hot throw. For me that didn't cut it. So I chose to work with a fuglier wax with a much better scent throw... Cargill C-3 Naturewax. I get some tiny sinkholes, a smooth top, sometimes a hairline crack around the wick, vibrant color, occassional light frosting on top, and some wet spots. That is where my handy heat gun comes in! After I let them sit for 24 hours, I blast the uglies with a heat gun, and end up with a pretty and fabulous smelling candle. Now, being that I have a short attention span, I am moving toward a parasoy blend...I'm trying Becky's 50-50 from JS in a couple of days when I have time. I'm getting tired of having a pretty candle that looks like crapola after the first couple of burns, and I'm hoping they'll set up better on their own without the help of a heat gun. We shall see!

I am a soy user (although I'm slowly inching toward a parasoy blend), and have always had excellent cold and hot throw in my soy container candles. However, I absolutely love working with some of the pre-blended paraffins as well, and will admit reluctantly that many of the paraffin waxes are killer hot and cold throwers...such as the IGI Comfort Blend. I've yet to find a wax that will hold as much FO, and with such amazing hot throw. It's an amazing beast...and soy has yet to live up to it for me, although soy has been my preference for other reasons. So, as a soy user, I certainly can understand why so many stick to their paraffin guns!

I actually love the experience of taking a bath or shower with something that smells yummy and edible...last year, I stocked up on those el-cheapo Suave body washes that were scented in food/holiday fragrances, like whipped cocoa, caramel apple, and some other thing. I didn't worry about walking around feeling like I was dipped in caramel or had bathed in a basin of hot chocolate...I just enjoyed the experience of the scent filling my nose during the bathing process!!! Yummy!!!!!!!!! Oh, and I did hear on the radio last year a little blurb about scents, and their role in attracting the opposite sex. It has been said that pumpkin can invoke feelings of passion and sensuality!!!

Try the Pecan Pie from Aroma Haven/Rustic Escentuals...it's Soap-N-Candles original formulation, and supposedly very good. I've not tried it. I did check around to all of my usual suppliers, and surprisingly, it isn't the most widely available scent out there.

I'm almost positive I have some type of virus or something. I can't get into my e-mail either. Everyone else who has placed a mock order for me has not had this issue with the shopping cart. It's definitely just me! I'm going to try to order tomorrow on my school computer. Anyway, didn't mean to highjack the thread! Back to discussing the scent reviews!

I think I'll end up faxing them my order. It's just too wierd that I am having these difficulties. I did disable my fire wall, and that didn't help either. I could also try ordering from my school computer tomorrow...I think I'll try that. Thanks for all of your help, everyone!

Thanks, Carol. I'm beginning to think I've got a virus... Sure would love to try these oils...the reviews on them have been great, and the prices are just right!

Good for you! I'm too chicken to pour pillars yet...I just do containers, melts, and votives. I would love to begin making pillars...but will probably use paraffin, so that I can achieve all of the layering and nifty effects that are tough if not impossible with soy. Great to hear that you've had success!!! Keep up the good work!

There really are quite a few people who do like this wax...it's just the nature of soy. Each and every soy wax on the market has it's own set of issues...there isn't one type of soy right now that doesn't have some kink to work out of it...and once you get that worked out, it doesn't mean that you won't have some new issue on your hands. Soy is tough. Fortunately, I've befriended my heat gun, and it's the best tool a soy chandler can have...it will sort out most of the appearance issues, and then we too can have pretty-looking candles like our paraffin buddies. For example, EZ-Soy from BCN has a great scent throw for many people, but if not poured cool enough, will give some a really rough top after setting up. And Enchanted Lites Mill. Blend can give a better appearance more readily than EZ-Soy, but has a crappier scent throw. C-3 has a great scent throw, pours hotter, colors like paraffin, but will give you trouble with sinkholes and hairline cracks. One soy will smell produce awesome smelling candles, but will frost so automatically that it looks like it went through a blizzard. So with soy, we do have to use the wax that delivers the most important aspect of a candle to us (for me, that would be scent throw), and learn how to work through the suckier aspects of the wax... This is why many people are taming their soy waxes with some paraffin and creating para-soy, or soy/paraffin blended candles...the use of paraffin will alleviate many of the issues that straight soy-users face.

Thanks for your suggestions, and for placing the "mock order"!!!

I've just tried emptying my cache and deleting my temp. internet files...it didn't help my situation. I'm beginning to think I have a bug or virus in my computer...ugh! I've tried ordering from Millcreek, NG, and JS, and their shopping carts are working for me, however. Very odd. But I do seem to be the only person who is having this issue with The Candle Source's shopping cart. Hmmm....

Oh, that's just too wierd. I did delete all of my temp. internet files, and emptied my cache, but to no avail. Seems like I'm the only one with this issue. Thanks to those who have tested the cart out for me!

I do think they are gone on Sundays doing craft fairs or shows...maybe I have a virus or something???

Yeah, I've done the "update cart", "continue shopping", "checkout", and just hitting the back button. No luck here.

Let me know if the shopping cart works for you...

I have heard that the Cherry Clove Chutney is great!

I wish I could try some of their oils right along with you...but each time I'm adding a FO to my shopping cart, it completely replaces the last thing I put in my shopping cart. So I can only have one thing at a time in there...ugh!!!! I am trying to order the following: J&J Bedtime Bath Baked Apples & Peaches Black Raspberry Vanilla Pumpkin Vanilla (kind of torn between this one and The Great Pumpkin...) Midsummer Night (trying to find the best one in this scent...it's my hubby's favorite). Any suggestions are welcome. I've tried calling to ask about the shopping cart problem, but the fax number and phone line are the same...I would send an e-mail, but that doesn't seem to be working for me either right now.

Okay. This is making me HOSTILE. I don't know what is going on...but I want to get these oils on sale, for pete's sake!!! Come to think of it, I tried ordering yesterday, but was getting ready to leave, and the shopping cart was doing it yesterday too... It's really bizarre, and I do want to hear if this is happening to others. I would even appreciate if someone just tried to place a mock order, and tried adding a few things to their shopping carts. For some reason, it just won't make a list for me...it just replaces my first choice with the next thing I try to add. It is frustrating!!!

I don't think it would help significantly, to be honest. The only way I've found to get rid of sinkholes is to pour a bit hotter...around the 150 mark. And then, once you've resolved that issue, then you boldly graduate to the hairline crack around the wick issue. Then, you throw up your hands, wait until the next day, and blast with a heat gun for a few seconds. This has been my experience.

I'm very happy to hear that this was resolved civally, and through positive communication. What a relief!

www.thecandlesource.com I'm trying to order, but each time I add a different FO to my shopping cart, it replaces my first selection. I don't get what's going on. Their phone number is also the same as their fax number...so I couldn't get through to anyone. What's happening? I'd like to try some of their oils, and get the sale prices, but the shopping cart is not cooperating. Anyone else having this problem?

I just tried calling them, and their fax number is also the same as their regular phone line. Hmmm. I think I'll drop them an e-mail. I do still want to know if the shopping cart is doing this to anyone else.

Aren't those great? I really need to find something novel and cute like that!

Yeah, the air bubble thing is a non-issue with chunkies. I vote for not poking...it just isn't necessary for this type of candle.

I've seen a couple here and there in the gallery. I think the marbled pillars are more popular...with containers, once they are burned, the marbled look pretty much turns to monochromatic sludge... You could experiment with a couple of canning jars, and see if you can create the effect, however. You never know, you may like the results!