How do you choose?

[Forrest]

I doubt any of us orders a one pound bottle of a FO we haven’t tried before, so at some point all of us scroll through the list of FOs on a supplier’s website trying to decide which FOs to order. Some supplier have star ratings supposedly given by their customers, I would like to think those are accurate despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Then there are the descriptions that tell us how wonderful each FO smells, I swear these people could make the emissions of an angry skunk sound like something you’d want to try. OK maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but I’m sure you know where I’m coming from. So how do you decide which FOs to try? My method is to go through all the FOs on the website and make a list of those that I might want to try, usually between 20 and 30. There are currently six list on my desk; OK I know I have a problem, but my FO addiction support group says it is OK to make list of FOs as long as you don’t buy them. So when I fall off the wagon, like I did yesterday, I decide how much I’m willing to spend and I pick that many FOs off my list. It is definitely a hit or miss proposition, but I think with this method I’ve managed to get my hit rate up to something slightly better than a blind baseball players batting average. So how do you choose?   

[Jcandleattic]

9 minutes ago, Forrest said:

I doubt any of us orders a one pound bottle of a FO we haven’t tried before

Depends. If it sounds intriguing and the price is not outrageous, I will order a full pound and forego the sample size. It's rare, but I do do that, and was really bad about doing that when I first started out (of course back then typical price was right around $11 a lb. LOL) 

 

10 minutes ago, Forrest said:

So how do you decide which FOs to try?

I look at the notes - base, middle and top, and see what they consist of. If they are the notes in an FO I am looking for and if they sound intriguing enough, I will put it in my cart. 

 

For me, it is really based on what *I* think my customer base will like because even though I have repeat customers, I honestly only have like 5-6 fragrances that I repeat over and over. Otherwise everything else is either a blend I have created or a 1 and done type of scent. 

[Forrest]

1 hour ago, Jcandleattic said:

I look at the notes - base, middle and top, and see what they consist of. If they are the notes in an FO I am looking for and if they sound intriguing enough, I will put it in my cart. 

You give me a good idea. I used to be passable at blending EOs, but the FOs have lots of notes I’m not familiar with. If I started keeping up with the notes on my hits and misses I bet some patterns would emerge that I could use to improve my hit rate.

[franu61]

I will buy 1 pounders I've never tried if they are not too complex.  IE:  straight Lavender, vanilla, etc.,  figure I can always use them for blending if they are not good alone.  I've also done like Jcandleattic  and bought a pound if  it sounds intriguing and the price was good .  When I try new sample sizes I usually wait for SALES and then just load up on whatever sounds intriguing.  I've probably tried almost all of candle science's when they have the .99 cent sales.  

[ncraiders]

I tend to look at the fragrance notes as well as the description to gauge if it is something i might like.  I have only bought pound bottles once.  I bought 4 different fragrances in one pound bottles of those the one pound bottle of cedar fragrance oil was a miss.  I am not sure what to do with that one as i can hardly get a cedar scent from it at all I mainly get other wood scents from it.  It only cost me 12$ tho so even if i don't use it i didn't loose much.

[franu61]

2 minutes ago, ncraiders said:

  I am not sure what to do with that one as i can hardly get a cedar scent from it at all I mainly get other wood scents from it.  It only cost me 12$ tho so even if i don't use it i didn't loose much.

You can sell it here in the classifieds  

[kandlekrazy]

I buy 8 oz or 1# all the time that I've never used, but I do always check here to see what others are saying about the scents esp those who use my wax.  Worst case scenario it gets blended if I really don't like it or it doesn't sell.

[Sebleo]

I rely heavily on reviews which is why I haven't purchased from companies who do not display them. I trust the reviews from the companies I buy from because there are plenty of negatives. 

 

I also would not buy from a company that does not give thorough descriptions. Seems like shady/lazy business practice to not describe a fragrance. If they aren't going to put in minimal effort to sell me on it...you win...I won't buy it!

 

I have purchased pound bottles without sampling first. If the reviews are out of this world and there are a lot of them. Haven't been stuck with a dud yet. 

[Forrest]

Well color me shocked, I never would have thought so many people would buy a pound of FO without trying it first. Probably comes from me being a newbie and a hobbyist. OTOH it gives me hope that one day I will have that much confidence in my ability to pick FOs that I will buy a pound without trying a sample first. I've learned a lot from this thread.

 

Candle making is like an onion, there are layers and layers and layers and sometimes it can make you cry.

[TallTayl]

In the past I have bought lb bottles Unsniffed. Figured out after a while that those bottles take a lot of space and tie up cash flow when they do not work out. Selling on classies and craigslist is a total pain.

 

While more $ per ounce, the one to two ounce sample sizes give me a fine idea if they will work. I test in cp soap using Dixie cups, so 3-4 grams is all I need per scent. A candle tin filled part way takes .25 or so oz. if I like it, I’ll try in other waxes. If it works then The 1 lb bottles are welcome into my shop. If they don’t work, I put a curb alert notice on local Facebook groups and they are gone within hours. Very few that i dislike are worth blending. 

[Trappeur]

Pretty much I do as what KK and Sebleo said.  I depend on reviews on others here who use the same wax as I use.  I always read the reviews on the candle websites also but I don't trust those as much though.  It especially is very interesting when I see reviews on sites where people who use the same wax as I and this one said it throws and is an awesome scent and then another person says quite the opposite.  I find those reviews interesting....I have bought many a larger size bottle like the 8 and 16oz just cause it was a great deal and geesh, you just never have enough oils even if the oils start falling off the shelves when I open the cabinet doors.  And it's fun too...if I can't enjoy what I'm doing and if I want to spend the $$$ on something that brings enjoyment even though I might be losing out....well...oh well...is what I say...it's my money.  I don't have to answer to anyone but myself.  I've even went off others reviews off the board here and bought just because so and so said it was awesome....and then I get it in wax and it stinks and I just can't imagine that the person who recommended it said it was awesome!....Well to each their own is what I say.

 

Trappeur

[chevcher]

I will usually make a list of scents that intrigue me , read the reviews then place my order.  I'm more inclined to purchase by the pound when they're bakery, spice or coffee type scents.

That way,if they're not as fabulous as I had hoped, I can still use them as mixers ...more bang for my buck  
Anything floral, herbal or designer I order smaller sizes.

Thankfully, I have a couple candle making buddies in my area that I can do tradesys with  

[Marleigha]

I too almost always order the 16 oz bottles.  Unless they're having a sale on the 1 oz bottles.  Then I will grab a bunch of 1 oz samples and will also get a few 16 oz bottles.  However, when I first was getting started I too would only get the 1 oz bottles.  

 

I typically have a few oils in mind from a particular supplier and know what I need to order for sure and then just go through their website and plop them into my cart as they appeal to me.  I will then read reviews and compare it to what scents I have in my stock currently and go from there.  I also will check with a few of my friends to see if they have tried them before.  👍🏼

 

To each their own.... As Trapp said!  You can never have to many options for FO's.  It's so fun.... Just remember that and you will continue to love what you do!  😇

[ScentedPleasurez]

When i made candles before as well as now that i have returned i buy the 1lb bottles. 

I have never kept the same fragrances and when i order i tend to order 1 or 2 from different categories. If it were up to me id onli have clean and berry fragrances lol but after doing so many shows you kinda learn what people tend to lean towards imo... plus some customers will just be upfront and tell you what they want.

[Hopie]

I go by what I used to sell in the past, and start out by testing that particular company's scents. I used to buy a lot from Peak, but...well, not any more. SO, I buy the 1 oz testers, smell them, put one in wax...burn it..then if I like it, I'll go right back and get the lb size bottle if it's awesome. I'll also try MANY if the testers are on sale, gives me the opportunity to save a lot of money to at least smell them before buying a larger bottle. 

 

We well a lot of fragrance oils (roll-on body oils), I currently have about 300 scents. The way I built up that supply was by picking a lot of standard scents, then by asking my customers what they wanted, and I'd order it for them by the very next week. If those ended up not being a popular scent, I'd drop it and choose another.

 

I also like to read these boards to see what the pros love 

Edited June 28, 2018 by Hopie

[Scented]

On 6/21/2018 at 3:02 PM, Forrest said:

I doubt any of us orders a one pound bottle of a FO we haven’t tried before

 

1

OH I do. I test it out in what I think it will work in but having only a sample bottle isn't enough to do that or 4 oz isn't enough and sometimes 8 oz isn't either so I just stick to pounds. 

 

Quote

So how do you decide which FOs to try? My method is to go through all the FOs on the website and make a list of those that I might want to try, usually between 20 and 30.

 

I base it off of what I know about what other scents smell like ... like just about anything with patchouli is pretty much going to interest me, but if I cannot get a sense of the fragrance, I'm not likely to want to try it. 

 

[Lana]

When I am planning an order of whatever FO's I need that are tried and true, I spend some time reading through descriptions and try to find scents that A) I think I'd like and B ) fill a void in my current rotation. Then I add some 1oz bottles of the ones I want to try. I'm a super small seller that tries to run a profitable side business, so I don't want a lot of money tied up in FO's that I'll never use. When I started several years ago, I wasted sooooo much money just buying dozens and dozens of FO's but now that I have my regular rotation and have a good handle on what I like and what my customers like, I find that I can be much pickier with my new potential scents and am also better at blending those I already have that are just sitting here. 

[NaughtyNancy]

Initially I couldn't choose, honestly, and ordered so much from several different companies, and wound up with a big FO stash but half of which I didn't like. I honestly had to learn through several stages of trial and error what the "signs" were that I wasn't really going to like something.

 

If the word "ozonic" is mentioned anywhere in the description, I'm going to swear it just smells like laundry detergent when it arrives and be very disappointed. Pass.

 

Wood "notes" just about never mean that a FO smells woody. Even the word "woody" means nothing. There needs to be a chunk of wood in the name, itself. Fire WOOD. CEDAR and saffron. Crackling BIRCH. LUMBERjack. And even then I still need to check the notes to make sure there isn't any citrus in it.

 

Citrus. My second nemesis after ozone notes. "This is an invigorating citrus blend with teakwood, jasmine and-" NOPE NOPE NOPE "Well then how about this Twilight Pine FO, that starts with top notes of balsam, black pepper and lavender, and middle notes of eucalyptus, orange- "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Fruit notes in general are questionable when sacrifices must be made.

 

I always look to see if there are reviews from weirdos who talk and describe things like myself. 

 

"This cedar vanilla tastes like moth balls you want to eat!" - Awesome. 

 

"This cedar vanilla slightly discolored my soaps and seized after 10 seconds." - An actually-useful review for 90%  of customers, but not me lol

 

The daring or unorthodox use of spices is a win for me at least 50% of the time.

 

Also a prominent tea note makes everything potentially appealing. Yes, even citrus. Looking at you, Bergamot Black Tea.

 

There is no such thing as a truly amazing sandalwood FO, all of them have to be blended with other things to help them along, so I will never pay super high prices for one. 

 

Try our lavender FO or patchouli FO, $7 for 2 ounces, or consider this sandalwood FO, just half a million dollars for the same 2 ounce size, even though there is no real sandalwood in it, and it's as weak and weird as always! Or how about no.

 

I still read the negative reviews, because sometimes the underdog was made for me. 

 

"This witches brew smells too strongly of patchouli and can barely smell the other notes, 2 stars!" Out of my way, earthy-haters, dirty hippie coming through.

 

 

Edited July 5, 2018 by NaughtyNancy

[katmeltswax]

I find myself ordering more pound bottles during sales ,that's the business side of it , for me anyways . I think it is best to buy in bulk to reduce cost in the long run. I tell myself why pay $2-$3 dollars for 1 oz ,when I can get 16 ozs  for around or below $1 per oz.

If a scent does not work out for me ,I simply donate & move forward .I get blessed in the end. My parents raised me to be a Cheerful giver & this has certainly been a rewarding experience for me . I do lean towards buying more type scents that I prefer & this is a bad habit I need to break. I think if your in this for a business ,you certainly do need to carry a large variety to choose from ,everyone has different taste.

I do think purchasing samples during sales ,such as Candlescience .99 sales is also a smart move . I think overall my decisions are based on price per oz . 

[Sarah S]

It's so tough, isn't it? I try to go by descriptions and reviews, but the descriptions can be wildly different for fragrances that sound exactly the same. Thats how I now have 3.5 pounds of Mahogany Spice. Actually only two pounds is Mahogany Spice, 8oz is Indonsian Teakwood from WSP, which smells exactly like MS, and another pound is Autumn Leaves from Aztec, which, yep, smells exactly like MS. Good thing I love that fragrance! But all the descriptions were completely different!

And the reviews! Don't get me started! How can I trust anything a reviewer says about the FO when they have nonsense like "I added the FO at 110, because I see the flashpoint is 120." Clearly they know nothing about fragrance oils. Or science. Or "Strong throw at my usual 2oz per pound!". Well, lord, I should hope you're happy with that $30 candle you just made! Or my favorite "Smells great!" ....😶

[Sarah S]

9 hours ago, katmeltswax said:

I find myself ordering more pound bottles during sales ,that's the business side of it , for me anyways . I think it is best to buy in bulk to reduce cost in the long run. I tell myself why pay $2-$3 dollars for 1 oz ,when I can get 16 ozs  for around or below $1 per oz.

If a scent does not work out for me ,I simply donate & move forward .I get blessed in the end. My parents raised me to be a Cheerful giver & this has certainly been a rewarding experience for me . I do lean towards buying more type scents that I prefer & this is a bad habit I need to break. I think if your in this for a business ,you certainly do need to carry a large variety to choose from ,everyone has different taste.

I do think purchasing samples during sales ,such as Candlescience .99 sales is also a smart move . I think overall my decisions are based on price per oz . 

 

Thats generally my MO as well. If it's a basic fragrance, I'll go for the pound because I know I can always mix it or tweak it somehow to make it work for me. Dupes or more complex fragrances, I often buy 8oz bottles if they are around $10-$12, because I need more than an ounce to test, but I don't want a whole pound lying around. I always take advantage of sample sales from my main vendors as well.

I also tend to buy scents that appeal to me, but I don't think that's a bad thing. My style is part of my brand, and I think it's important to have something that sets you apart.

[Forrest]

On 7/6/2018 at 6:18 AM, Sarah S said:

It's so tough, isn't it? I try to go by descriptions and reviews, but the descriptions can be wildly different for fragrances that sound exactly the same. Thats how I now have 3.5 pounds of Mahogany Spice. Actually only two pounds is Mahogany Spice, 8oz is Indonsian Teakwood from WSP, which smells exactly like MS, and another pound is Autumn Leaves from Aztec, which, yep, smells exactly like MS. Good thing I love that fragrance! But all the descriptions were completely different!

And the reviews! Don't get me started! How can I trust anything a reviewer says about the FO when they have nonsense like "I added the FO at 110, because I see the flashpoint is 120." Clearly they know nothing about fragrance oils. Or science. Or "Strong throw at my usual 2oz per pound!". Well, lord, I should hope you're happy with that $30 candle you just made! Or my favorite "Smells great!" ....😶

So which one has the better hot throw? I need another good fall scent.

[Sarah S]

6 hours ago, Forrest said:

So which one has the better hot throw? I need another good fall scent.

 

The only one I've put in wax so far is the Mahogany Spice from Candlewic. Insane hot throw. Makes wonderful incense if you're into that too.

The Indonesian Teakwood is a little softer OOB, so I'm saving that one for soaps and such, since WSP helpfully puts all their IFRA info with the oil descriptions.

I just got the Autumn one, so I haven't done anything with that yet.

[Laura C]

On 6/21/2018 at 4:02 PM, Forrest said:

make a list of those that I might want to try, usually between 20 and 30. There are currently six list on my desk; OK I know I have a problem, but my FO addiction support group says it is OK to make list of FOs as long as you don’t buy them. So when I fall off the wagon, like I did yesterday, I decide how much I’m willing to spend and I pick that many FOs off my list. It is definitely a hit or miss proposition, but I think with this method I’ve managed to get my hit rate up to something slightly better than a blind baseball players batting average. So how do you choose?   

 

@Forrest you crack me up. 😄  But I'm there with you, I'm a scent junkie too. 

[Hopie]

On 7/7/2018 at 10:42 AM, Sarah S said:

 

The only one I've put in wax so far is the Mahogany Spice from Candlewic. Insane hot throw. Makes wonderful incense if you're into that too.

The Indonesian Teakwood is a little softer OOB, so I'm saving that one for soaps and such, since WSP helpfully puts all their IFRA info with the oil descriptions.

I just got the Autumn one, so I haven't done anything with that yet.

 

Rats! Guess I should have tried that Mahogany spice for incense! I'm in the middle of making mega batches of incense for the upcoming snowbird season, which starts in early September, not to mention two more shows in Kingman, AZ. I'm up to my neck in incense right now! We're about to move our motor home back to Lake Havasu next Friday, so I wanted all the incense to be stocked for our return. Still haven't gotten that Volcano I wanted to try, maybe next order. CS didn't have that scent.