athousandvoices Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I'm interested in blending FOs but was hoping to get some input from more seasoned candlemakers! I'm relatively new to this, and I've found a naked wax/wick/jar combo I'm comfortable with and liking. I've tested one or two FOs (without blending) and am just about settled with those as well. Because I'm awful at taking things slow (lol) I've been messing around with blending scents for a while (just using the qtip test). I've found some blends I like, but I'm a little conflicted about how to proceed! I've been keeping track of the blends, obviously, but how would I translate that to actually mixing the oils? For instance, say I have a 1:1 (50-50) blend of Oil A and Oil B. If I measure by weight, would that throw the blend off? Since (I'm assuming) a qtip 1:1 would most likely be a volume 1:1, not a weight 1:1? Or am I overthinking this? Also, since all FOs are different weights, would blending ahead of time and keeping it in, say, a bottle or jar be okay? If it separates, there wouldn't really be any way to know if I actually got the "blend" vs. mostly getting stuff off the top (like when salad dressing doesn't totally mix, and you just get a lot of oil). And testing!! I've seen a few people saying to make melts, either of the blend or of straight scents and mix in the melter, but I've only been working with container candles 😕. Is there any easy alternative for container wax? I haven't tested some (most...) of the oils I'm blending by themselves in wax yet, so is it a bad idea to jump right into trying a blend? I know candlemaking is a long, intense process, but I can't help but think how much time it would take to test all the components of each blend separately, then try a blend (which... I'm sure is the correct answer... I'm just so excited and impatient 😂) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 Keep it very simple. Start with weights so you can move forward consistently. Weights also allow you to scale up and down efficiently. 5050 on a q tip should be close enough in a first blend. You can alter it later if it smells different in a larger mass. Pre mixing is fine. Just give everything a shake before pouring. Chances ar the specific gravities of each thing in the mix will be close enough. I am in a habit of shaking everything anyway... to see if you like the blend heated, put a spoonful of plain salt on your melter. Add a couple drops and see if you like it. The salt can then be used in your vacuum cleaner toscent while you work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athousandvoices Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 Okay, thank you so much! That all makes sense. I'll definitely try the salt trick! Do you think it's rushing the gun to try a blend in wax when I haven't tested the FOs in wax by themselves? My gut is telling me yes... but my heart is telling me no... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 41 minutes ago, athousandvoices said: Okay, thank you so much! That all makes sense. I'll definitely try the salt trick! Do you think it's rushing the gun to try a blend in wax when I haven't tested the FOs in wax by themselves? My gut is telling me yes... but my heart is telling me no... not necessarily. Just remember to test everything before trusting. Individual fragrances that burn OK on their own don't always perform the same when blended. and vice versa, when you test your blend, don't assume the individual fragrances will burn the same in other candles. Changing proportions within blend of these FO in this blend can also burn differently. Chemistry is often unpredictable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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