How important is the flash point?

[Lori berlin]

Hello!
So far I have always made my candles the same way. 
I heated the wax ( GB 464 and Kerax 4105) to 85 degrees, added the fragrance at 7% at about 84 - 80 degrees and poured the wax between 56 - 63 degrees. 
The candles have always turned out well. 

 

Now I've read on the net that some candle manufacturers don't add the fragrance oil to the wax until near the flash point so the fragrance doesn't evaporate. This would mean that a fragrance with a flash point of 60 degrees can also only be added to the wax at 60 degrees. I am confused. 
So I did some more research. In doing so, I came across a post that says that the flash point doesn't matter when adding fragrance oil because the heat at 85 degrees is not great enough to vaporize the fragrance.
Which is correct?  How do you guys do it?

 

I've only been making candles since November 2020, and so far I've only sold them to friends and colleagues or used them as gifts. I taught myself how to make candles with the help of the internet and this forum.Unfortunately, I do not know any chandlers here in Germany with whom I can exchange and learn together Therefore, I am, like many other beginners in candle making, dependent on the tips and insights of chandlers from this forum and very grateful for any advice. 
Unfortunately, I do not know any chandlers here in Germany with whom I can exchange and learn together Therefore, like many other beginners in candle making, I am dependent on the tips and experiences of chandlers from this forum and very grateful for any advice. 

Best regards 
Simone 

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[TallTayl]

Don't believer all you read on the internet... Some of the "expert" advice is downright dangerous.

 

Here's a nice discussion about FP.

 

[Glasgowjohn]

isnt it when the vapour is introduced to a flame is its flash point?

i mean a FO may have a flashpoint of 68 degrees but you introduce it into the wax when its 70 doesnt mean it'll go boom 

[TallTayl]

24 minutes ago, Glasgowjohn said:

isnt it when the vapour is introduced to a flame is its flash point?

i mean a FO may have a flashpoint of 68 degrees but you introduce it into the wax when its 70 doesnt mean it'll go boom 

sort of... the flash point is the temp the liquid needs to reach to release vapor that will ignite if exposed to heat or a flame.

Adding something like soybean oil to the bottle of 68*F fragrance raises its flash point, as does adding FO to the melted wax. 

 

At the end of the day, your overall thought is correct - The flash point of the FO and the Wax in the melting pot is much higher than the original FP of the FO alone in its bottle. Most candle waxes I looked at have a flash point near 400*F. The overall flash point of the FO plus wax is closer to 400 when blended, so FP has no bearing on the candle making discussion at that point.

 

One FO, Grandmas Swingin Eggnog from one supplier I remember once upon a time had a FP of <100. Basically room temp, lol.  Anyone smoking or burning a candle near the open bottle could have met a surprise. But it performs fine in candles since the wax raised the overall blend FP.

 

This is why the flash point discussions on FB groups and some suppliers make no sense from a manufacturing perspective. Not one giant candle operation is going to reduce their wax to a low FP fragrance before blending since the waxes would be solidifying in many cases. Beeswax, for instance, solidifies at about 145*F. I use very low FP oils (lemon verbena FP approx 120*F) and those candles don't lose one bit of potency. I found a square pillar candle in my hub's truck made nearly 10 years ago that was as potent as the day it was made.  Ditto Palm wax (and most coconut blends) that must be melted to >200, add FO and pour.