Quentin Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 I received a fascinating phone call yesterday. The lady on the other end of the line got my phone number off my website. She said she had questions about my ingredients. I gave a quick explanation about different types of candles requiring different waxes. At first, I thought this was one of those anti-paraffin hits. It seems she is highly allergic to soy and many of the additives used in candle making. She wants container candles. I told her I would research it and see if I could find a solution. Does anyone have recommendations of wax I could use to make a non-allergic container candle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah S Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Paraffin. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Paraffin palm coconut Though I would not change my business model for one “potential” customer. You’re talking about hundreds if not thousands of dollars in testing for a wax that may or may not please her. You do you and cater to your tribe. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 4 hours ago, Quentin said: I received a fascinating phone call yesterday. The lady on the other end of the line got my phone number off my website. She said she had questions about my ingredients. I gave a quick explanation about different types of candles requiring different waxes. At first, I thought this was one of those anti-paraffin hits. It seems she is highly allergic to soy and many of the additives used in candle making. She wants container candles. I told her I would research it and see if I could find a solution. Does anyone have recommendations of wax I could use to make a non-allergic container candle? Just a heads up she could be fishing - people will do this to try and find out what your using as close as they can to try and replicate your product not saying she is but be careful what info you give her - if she is that sensitive to soy and “other” additives seems to me she would just play it safe and not burn candles 🤷♀️ Its totally up to you if you want to learn a new wax and cater to her, I would run for the hills on this one myself - but maybe unscented paraffin or beeswax would be her alternative - fragrances have so many different chemicals and components I would tend to not want to risk her having a “reaction” and coming back in you ... and most coconut have soy blended in so it would have to be a straight coco candle if your wanting to go down that road 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Another caution. If she is that allergic to soy, how would you partition your soy production from other waxes? Does she need completely separate equipment (melters, pour pots, stirring sticks, etc.)? A wise woman taught me early on not to cater to the fringes, 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightLight Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 This customer said she wants container candles. Like wholesale, or one or two? You cannot change your business for one customer. You can suggest she buy beeswax candles which are about as natural as you can get. Paraffin has additives in blends so that could stir up a whole lot of hoo haw. We all want to please all the people all the time, but you can’t. I would make suggestion about beeswax and thanks for considering you and move on. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisS Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 44 minutes ago, TallTayl said: Another caution. If she is that allergic to soy, how would you partition your soy production from other waxes? Does she need completely separate equipment (melters, pour pots, stirring sticks, etc.)? A wise woman taught me early on not to cater to the fringes, ...and even if you did separate those pieces of equipment, do you have the time, energy, and resources to combat her potentially claiming cross contamination caused a severe reaction? Could you prove it wasn't contaminated? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 My brother is the same, he can't be around a burning soy candle so we always have paraffin for when he is staying at our homes, he has no reaction to that. That being said, it doesn't mean this lady isn't also allergic to paraffin. Like others said not worth changing for 1 customer but you could recommend she try a paraffin candle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I wouldn't be wasting 1 more minute on this. Who is this woman anyway? Does she want to get like just 1 candle? Regardless of what she wants you have your own line of candles so fini! Done! Move on and tell her this is what you have to offer her. Do you think any other candle maker would be going through what she is putting you through? Your wasting time on this, your precious time. Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleRush Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Well............ my take is a bit different. I would accommodate her as she may turn out to be a regular customer. For this his reason I don’t stick with one type of wax, I have 3 different ones and a blend I can choose from. Since one of my waxes is coconut I would offer her those. But here is what I’d do, I’d let her know that this would be a special order. She’d have to order a minimum of say 3 or 4 candles. Coconut wax can be more expensive so reflect that in your final cost. You have now made a sale of 3 candles, she’ll tell her friends and you may have a whole new category of candles to add to your collection. Im a firm believer of getting familiar with more than one wax, it can increase your bottom line!🌸 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Keep in mind, many coconut wax blends have soy... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Well being that she as different waxes, then by all means I would offer that to her but that is as far as I would go. Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 4 minutes ago, TallTayl said: Keep in mind, many coconut wax blends have soy... Exactly what I was going to say - unless your using coco92 it has soy and she has an allergy to soy - others have paraffin but it’s nit disclosed as to whether it contains soy AND paraffin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleRush Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 True! Maybe a para coco blend but you’d have to check. There is a candle company claiming pure coconut wax, no additives or other waxes. They don’t mention their supplier. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 16 minutes ago, CandleRush said: True! Maybe a para coco blend but you’d have to check. There is a candle company claiming pure coconut wax, no additives or other waxes. They don’t mention their supplier. Coconut 1 and coconut 2 from Cargill might be what you’re thinking of. Coconut 1 is just coconut oil 92 - hydrogenated coconut oil with a melt point of 92 degrees. It’s not suitable as a stand alone candle wax unfortunately, so we’re left having to formulate one from scratch with it. ($$$ and time) Coconut 2 has additives, 2% soy IIRC on their tech publications. The rest of the coconut waxes on the market are a total pig in a poke. Resellers are hiding the ingredients behind “proprietary”, etc. it’s sad for consumers who want to do right by customers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleRush Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Yup, you’d have to blend some of those. Questions on allergies! Maybe I’m not as informed as some of you here regarding allergies to soy. I know many folks that are allergic to eating soy. I’ve read that ingesting soy wax would be a problem but burning a candle is less likely to trigger allergies. I know many are also allergic to certain chemicals in fragrance oils, me included. How do you truly know? I read this on a website, “ as you burn a soy candle, the protein chains are broken up and are no longer the same molecules that could cause the allergy”. I know peoples allergies are real I’m just wondering. i know some of you will share your thoughts! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Well, since someone asked, lol..... Anecdote of a customer of mine allergic to coconut. In his case casual contact with coconut, as in used in the same facility, is usually not a problem. Coconut in soap gives hives. Coconut in candles causes overreaction in his pulmonary system requiring immediate inhaler. Another has a paraffin allergy when it is burned. Face develops red hives and eyes begin to close. Fine if applied topically, though. So I guess I would extrapolate that the chemical reaction when combusting does not neutralize potential allergens. When dealing with someone who has a legit allergy I’d rather miss out on a sale than risk injury. Many times it gets confusing when people claim “allergy” when they mean “aversion”. I’m no doctor, so why expose myself or anyone else to risk for what amounts to possibly only a couple of $? 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 With all the good info you have received from everyone here on the board I hope your still not contemplating over this candle and have moved on!. Get rid of this person!! I'm curious. How many candles does she want? Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleRush Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Yes of course, the risk is not worth it. It will be interesting what Quentin decided. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 On 4/30/2019 at 11:38 PM, moonshine said: Just a heads up she could be fishing - people will do this to try and find out what your using as close as they can to try and replicate your product not saying she is but be careful what info you give her - if she is that sensitive to soy and “other” additives seems to me she would just play it safe and not burn candles 🤷♀️ Its totally up to you if you want to learn a new wax and cater to her, I would run for the hills on this one myself - but maybe unscented paraffin or beeswax would be her alternative - fragrances have so many different chemicals and components I would tend to not want to risk her having a “reaction” and coming back in you ... and most coconut have soy blended in so it would have to be a straight coco candle if your wanting to go down that road After my experience with the guy from the Bahamas that wanted to pay retail so he could sell my candles in his store, I'm skeptical about everyone. The information I gave her was very generic. It was no more than what you'd read on the internet or in a book. Thanks for the warning, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 On 4/30/2019 at 7:46 PM, TallTayl said: Paraffin palm coconut Though I would not change my business model for one “potential” customer. You’re talking about hundreds if not thousands of dollars in testing for a wax that may or may not please her. You do you and cater to your tribe. I don't have any intentions of concentrating valuable time on her. However, If there was a simple solution that y'all knew and that I could do with the stuff I have on hand, I would have considered making her a candle or two. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 On 5/1/2019 at 7:38 AM, TallTayl said: Another caution. If she is that allergic to soy, how would you partition your soy production from other waxes? Does she need completely separate equipment (melters, pour pots, stirring sticks, etc.)? A wise woman taught me early on not to cater to the fringes, Excellent point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 5 hours ago, Trappeur said: With all the good info you have received from everyone here on the board I hope your still not contemplating over this candle and have moved on!. Get rid of this person!! I'm curious. How many candles does she want? Trappeur No, I'm not going to pursue it. I just found it interesting. That's all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleRush Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Great decision! Great conversations, I learned a bunch! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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