Question about adding the FO

[Fordgal]

So excited to have found this forum, appears to have very experienced candlemakers. I have been making container candles for just a short time. While trying to gain more information I have read that people allow their wax to cool to 150 for example than add their FO because otherwise it burns off. Is this true? What are your suggestions? I'm afraid doing that will cause issues with adhering to containers, but if this does preserve the scent I would like to know. I have been pouring at the recommended temp around 175 to 180, they cure perfectly, but if I can get more scent throw lowering the wax temperature before adding FO, I will try that. I'm hoping you'll have suggestions.

[Candybee]

I make palm wax container candles. With palm wax you need to heat to 195-210 degrees F. I add FO at about 195-200 degrees F and never had any problems with scent fading, morphing, or 'burning off'. With soy and paraffin you are using cooler temps. I have worked with all.

 

Years ago I used to make soy and parasoy candles. When working with my parasoy blend and most soy waxes I always found that the best temp to add my FO was at 185. Then I would let the wax cool to pouring temp. No problems. I did have problems mixing FO in soy at much lower temps under 165 so stuck with 185.

[Moneypenny]

I work with pure soy and soy blend and with both I add my fragrance oil between 185 and 188.  I have never had a problem!  Good luck! 

[Chefmom]

I think it all comes down to the wax you are using and the fragrances you are using.  Some fragrances just don't work...and you can make yourself well and truly nuts trying to make one particular fragrance work.  If you are really in love with a fragrance, and getting poor throw by all means try different temps and pour temps etc...its the only way to know.  It might work, it might not.  I did in the beginning, but these days if a fragrance doesn't work for me in my system I usually move on, there are just so many fragrances out there!!

 

Keep good notes and you never know, you might stumble upon something new and different with experimenting...I love experimenting. 

[kandlekrazy]

Check your wax mfg suggested temp to add fo.  Some waxes require a higher temp than others to bond with the wax.  Pour temps now, trickier.  Your climate, ambient temp, wax temp, jar or container temp all can factor

in and change your results, so that's where you play to get the best possible result.

[back2basics]

I may be the odd ball here but I add mine at 160. I think altitude plays a key role. Just my opinion. I am at sea level and I get a better throw adding lower than higher. Some of the thicker oils do need to be added hotter to incorporate into the wax.

[Wish Upon a Candle]

I use soy and add the fragrance oil between 140 and 150 and stir really well for about two minutes. I think as long as it is hot enough to incorporate the oil it should be fine.

[inthedark]

I use a blend of 10% Pillar blend soy wax and 90% Advanced soy wax and find that adding 7 to 8% fragrance oil at 83 deg C (181.4 deg F) works very well for most fragrances. I have never noticed a fragrance oil burn off issue but I have noticed that if I add fragrance oils at a higher percent than 8%, it can affect the hot scent throw dramatically and I have also found that some fragrance oils don’t release from the wax at the crucial melt pool temperature between 70 deg C (158 deg F) to 80 deg C (176 deg F) which I get from my candle melt pool tests. (That means I regard them as not usable in Soy wax.)

[puma52]

I use paraffin waxes and I add my fragrance oils to my container waxes @ 155 stir like crazy for a minute and pour. My votive/tart waxes add fragrance @ 165 stir like crazy for a minute and pour. My pillar waxes add fragrance @ 175-180 and stir like crazy for a minute and pour. As back2basics said, thicker and for me vanilla type fragrances add at a touch warmer so they incorporate really well.

[chuck_35550]

There's no danger of burning off your fragrance oil, unless you decide to boil your wax. Today's wax blends are formulated to accept higher percentages of fragrance oil, unlike the old days where you could only add small percentages. A favorite trick of chandlers is to add a dash of fragrance oil on the top of the finished candle to give it a strong cold throw. I don't recommend that you do such a thing, because its unethical and unnecessary with today's wax blends. Some people like to warm their fos but personally, I dump it in after coloring the wax and stir for several minutes and begin pouring. I do stir throughout the time the wax is being poured out of the pour pot.