Mad scientist mode begins.... NOW!!

[LilFirecracker]

Hi everyone! This is my first post - for some reason registration gave me a lot of trouble for a couple of weeks. Anywho...I've been lurking here for quite a few months reading and learning all I can. So far I'm all the way back to 2010 in the Wickless forum. I was one who jumped into making wax melts with my blindfold on thinking "It can't be that hard, right??” 🤣 Boy was I wrong! I'm not completely new to the crafting world. I made and sold gel candles back in the early 2000s. Working with paraffin is a whole new world though! One that I love and appreciate so much more now. 

 

Lone Star and C&S were my go-to's for FO back then, so that's where I started this time. I went straight for the 4794 wax thinking it would be a sure thing for wax melts, so I ordered 20lbs. Boy do I wish I had found this forum first!! I actually discovered this forum while googling about my problem with 4794. It throws great! I actually thought I had my go-to wax on my first try. Ehh...I was wrong! I'm not getting more than 5-6 hours with most of my oils. Some less, a couple more than that. I learned a lot here, so I ordered 4625, 4630, and 4633. I still have over 10lbs of 4794, so that gives me 4 different waxes to make combos with. Hopefully I can come up with something. I'm really excited about the 4625/4630 combo. Quite a few have had great results from what I see. My wax will be here tomorrow (Friday) so I'll have a busy weekend!

 

Last thing I wanted to cover is what the 4794 looks like once cooled. I've tried many different brands of melts, and they always leave a smooth surface once cooled in the warmer dish. This 4794 looks like crap whether it's cooled in the Presto pot, cooled in a clamshell, or cooled after turning the warmer off. It actually looks like I put a fan blowing on high speed making wave-like ripples in it LOL!! I'm attaching pics... Anyone ever see this wax do something this ugly? The one in the dish is after melting 2 cubes in it. I appreciate any info/feedback! Sorry my first post was so long! 

[moonshine]

Hello and welcome lilfirecracker (love the name) 

I have never used 4794 before, not sure I have even heard of it - lol but then again I’m not super well versed in paraffin - soy and coco girl over here 👋 but I can tell you I’ve had some soy experiments turn out like that as well 

I looked it up and it says it’s a votive blend so I’m shocked they are looking like that- maybe a second pour is needed 🤷‍♀️ I assume you followed the heat and pour temps…sorry I can’t be of any help there but the 4625 I do use occasionally blended with a parasoy for melts and I love it- I think you will be very impressed with it overall - it takes color well, when I do color, and the throw is superb and lasts a good long time 

I used to use lone star fo as well back in 2008 when I started all this and imo the quality just isn’t there- in all fairness I have not tried them in many years but back then they seemed watery if that makes any sense

Maybe try some other suppliers for FO, one of my go to places is wsp and candlescience has some good ones and so does brambleberry  ….but I have been reading about all this reformulation and reports that so many fragrance oils are just not the same any more - everything seems to be different and inconsistent anymore including the waxes 

4630 is a nice wax also - maybe that will help the 4794 by blending at maybe 25% being a container wax 

I took a long hiatus from selling but have been playing here and there in the background with all the coconut waxes and I have a crap ton of fragrance so I haven’t  purchased much in the last couple of years-  I’m kinda feeling like a fish out of water with all these changes to everything and new products on the market 🤷‍♀️
hopefully a seasoned paraffin person can give you more insight! 
Again- welcome 

[BenderSF]

re: the rippled surface, this post from 2019 talks about similar issues with CBL-129 and 4794:

 

 

Good luck.  That's really frustrating!

[Belinda]

My favorite combo for clamshells as far as the way it looks is a 50/50 of 4625 and 6006. The tops are smooth and flat. I also like a combo of 4794 and KY or Flaming para/soy tart wax. I also blend 4794 or 4625 with 4786. I don't care for 4625 alone for chunks or shapes because of the way it flakes. Blending it with KY wax or 4786 seems to make it not flake so bad. 

 

I agree with Moonshine about Lone Star FO's. They do have a few that I love and will order but they have several that I'm not impressed with.

What FO did you use? I would think it's probably the FO because 4794 should throw.

[TallTayl]

Looks like 

[LilFirecracker]

On 10/21/2021 at 9:38 PM, moonshine said:

Hello and welcome lilfirecracker (love the name) 

I have never used 4794 before, not sure I have even heard of it - lol but then again I’m not super well versed in paraffin - soy and coco girl over here 👋 but I can tell you I’ve had some soy experiments turn out like that as well 

I looked it up and it says it’s a votive blend so I’m shocked they are looking like that- maybe a second pour is needed 🤷‍♀️ I assume you followed the heat and pour temps…sorry I can’t be of any help there but the 4625 I do use occasionally blended with a parasoy for melts and I love it- I think you will be very impressed with it overall - it takes color well, when I do color, and the throw is superb and lasts a good long time 

I used to use lone star fo as well back in 2008 when I started all this and imo the quality just isn’t there- in all fairness I have not tried them in many years but back then they seemed watery if that makes any sense

Maybe try some other suppliers for FO, one of my go to places is wsp and candlescience has some good ones and so does brambleberry  ….but I have been reading about all this reformulation and reports that so many fragrance oils are just not the same any more - everything seems to be different and inconsistent anymore including the waxes 

4630 is a nice wax also - maybe that will help the 4794 by blending at maybe 25% being a container wax 

I took a long hiatus from selling but have been playing here and there in the background with all the coconut waxes and I have a crap ton of fragrance so I haven’t  purchased much in the last couple of years-  I’m kinda feeling like a fish out of water with all these changes to everything and new products on the market 🤷‍♀️
hopefully a seasoned paraffin person can give you more insight! 
Again- welcome 

I got my 3 waxes yesterday, and I'm playing like a kid on Christmas morning right now!! I have a feeling something will blossom into a beautiful thing with at least one combo out of the 4!😃

[LilFirecracker]

On 10/22/2021 at 12:56 AM, BenderSF said:

re: the rippled surface, this post from 2019 talks about similar issues with CBL-129 and 4794:

 

 

Good luck.  That's really frustrating!

I just read that post...exactly like mine!! I couldn't figure out how I had missed it, but it was under the General Candle Discussion and not Wickless - which is where my nose has been for the past few weeks lol. Thank you for the link! Now I don't feel so crazy. 

[LilFirecracker]

13 hours ago, Belinda said:

My favorite combo for clamshells as far as the way it looks is a 50/50 of 4625 and 6006. The tops are smooth and flat. I also like a combo of 4794 and KY or Flaming para/soy tart wax. I also blend 4794 or 4625 with 4786. I don't care for 4625 alone for chunks or shapes because of the way it flakes. Blending it with KY wax or 4786 seems to make it not flake so bad. 

 

I agree with Moonshine about Lone Star FO's. They do have a few that I love and will order but they have several that I'm not impressed with.

What FO did you use? I would think it's probably the FO because 4794 should throw.

Belinda, I wasn't having trouble with the throw at all. In fact, it was pretty great! It's the longevity I was having trouble with. And the ugly way it cools, even in the warmer. Cotton Blossom from LS was the only one I could barely get 24hrs out of. The rest were 5-6 hours. The others I tested were Plumeria, Patchouli, Fireside, Irish Spring, Lavender, and a couple others from LS. Also Gardenia, Dragon's Blood (doesn't smell right), Clean Cotton (not right either), and Vanilla Bean (bitter smell) from C&S. I'd love to try CS oils, but shipping is outrageous for me. Still searching....LOL. 

[LilFirecracker]

12 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Looks like 

Yup!!!! That's what I said when I showed my fiance! 😂

[LilFirecracker]

I was digging thru my stuff today and forgot I kept these that I took out of my warmer dish. Gross!!! It does really look like brains lol 🤮

 

There's one in the mix that came from an old pillar palm wax I had. 

[kandlekrazy]

Great Halloween melt!!

[KrisS]

1 hour ago, kandlekrazy said:

Great Halloween melt!!

 

Very good point.  It's that time of the year.  Better than tossing it.

[TallTayl]

Market them as fortunes! Read the pattern in the cold wax to tell your fortune for the coming year. 

[Belinda]

11 hours ago, LilFirecracker said:

Belinda, I wasn't having trouble with the throw at all. In fact, it was pretty great! It's the longevity I was having trouble with. And the ugly way it cools, even in the warmer. Cotton Blossom from LS was the only one I could barely get 24hrs out of. The rest were 5-6 hours. The others I tested were Plumeria, Patchouli, Fireside, Irish Spring, Lavender, and a couple others from LS. Also Gardenia, Dragon's Blood (doesn't smell right), Clean Cotton (not right either), and Vanilla Bean (bitter smell) from C&S. I'd love to try CS oils, but shipping is outrageous for me. Still searching....LOL. 

Oh wow, I would think those scents would've thrown for a long time or at least that's what my experience has been with clean or floral scents. 

I wonder if it's the wax? Maybe a bad batch. I've had some ripples when using 4794 alone but not like what you're getting. I have some so I might mix it up and see if it does what yours is doing. 

[LilFirecracker]

6 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Market them as fortunes! Read the pattern in the cold wax to tell your fortune for the coming year. 

😂 I can see it now... "Your fortune reads - The lady who sold these to you just made a small FORTUNE off your dumb ass..." 🤪

[LilFirecracker]

21 minutes ago, Belinda said:

Oh wow, I would think those scents would've thrown for a long time or at least that's what my experience has been with clean or floral scents. 

I wonder if it's the wax? Maybe a bad batch. I've had some ripples when using 4794 alone but not like what you're getting. I have some so I might mix it up and see if it does what yours is doing. 

Your posts were some that I can remember when reading thru the Wickless board because I remember you said something about the 4794 not lasting long. Also sing your choice in 4625/4630 mix along with a few others that think alike helped me to make the decision to get those 2 and 4633 as my next testers. It's like night and day with those waxes! But I'm glad I have something to mix with the 13-15lbs of 4794 I have left. Just the addition of 25% of some very old pillar palm I found completely got rid of the ugly "brains." 

[Belinda]

15 hours ago, LilFirecracker said:

Your posts were some that I can remember when reading thru the Wickless board because I remember you said something about the 4794 not lasting long. Also sing your choice in 4625/4630 mix along with a few others that think alike helped me to make the decision to get those 2 and 4633 as my next testers. It's like night and day with those waxes! But I'm glad I have something to mix with the 13-15lbs of 4794 I have left. Just the addition of 25% of some very old pillar palm I found completely got rid of the ugly "brains." 

I will have to test 4794 again on it's own to see what my results are. What I used to think was that the wax itself was the major factor in longevity and throw but now I honestly believe the oils are the number one factor. That's not to say that some waxes or wax combinations won't throw better or longer than others.

I really did like 4625/4630 combo but always had trouble with it not coming out of the clamshell as easy as 4625/6006 does and the tops are so pretty with the 6006 combo. For a stand alone shape I don't like to mix either of those container waxes with my hard wax because I just can't stand the smudges. I don't know why that bothers me so bad since it's just going to melt anyway LOL! 

Now you've got me wanting to test 4794 against 4625 again. I do like 4625 for shapes, chunks or bark but I can't stand the way it flakes and it only does that with some scents.  Does it ever end! 🤣

[LilFirecracker]

On 10/24/2021 at 3:07 PM, Belinda said:

I will have to test 4794 again on it's own to see what my results are. What I used to think was that the wax itself was the major factor in longevity and throw but now I honestly believe the oils are the number one factor. That's not to say that some waxes or wax combinations won't throw better or longer than others.

I really did like 4625/4630 combo but always had trouble with it not coming out of the clamshell as easy as 4625/6006 does and the tops are so pretty with the 6006 combo. For a stand alone shape I don't like to mix either of those container waxes with my hard wax because I just can't stand the smudges. I don't know why that bothers me so bad since it's just going to melt anyway LOL! 

Now you've got me wanting to test 4794 against 4625 again. I do like 4625 for shapes, chunks or bark but I can't stand the way it flakes and it only does that with some scents.  Does it ever end! 🤣

I'm gonna be working with 4625, but only with the low MP container waxes for now. I've realized how much of a problem those low-heat Scentsy warmers are gonna be....

 

I'm 99.99% positive my problems with 4794 as far as the ugly brain look are with the wax itself. It even cools like that in my Presto pot with the lid on. It's not quite as pronounced as it is in the dish and clamshell, but it's there. I'm not gonna worry about it anymore. If I can use it with my new waxes - great! If not, I can still use it for my own personal melts. 

[Belinda]

On 10/25/2021 at 7:11 PM, LilFirecracker said:

I'm gonna be working with 4625, but only with the low MP container waxes for now. I've realized how much of a problem those low-heat Scentsy warmers are gonna be....

 

I'm 99.99% positive my problems with 4794 as far as the ugly brain look are with the wax itself. It even cools like that in my Presto pot with the lid on. It's not quite as pronounced as it is in the dish and clamshell, but it's there. I'm not gonna worry about it anymore. If I can use it with my new waxes - great! If not, I can still use it for my own personal melts. 

I haven't made anything with just that wax lately but I have been blending it with 4786 to smooth it out. If I get a chance this week I'll try to pour some wax with it alone and see how it does. You might've just got a weird batch or they've changed something in it maybe. If you use it in clams just add some softer wax to it to smooth it out.

[LilFirecracker]

15 hours ago, Belinda said:

I haven't made anything with just that wax lately but I have been blending it with 4786 to smooth it out. If I get a chance this week I'll try to pour some wax with it alone and see how it does. You might've just got a weird batch or they've changed something in it maybe. If you use it in clams just add some softer wax to it to smooth it out.

I've already made a few batches of testers with it using the 4630 and 4633. It definitely smooths it out. As far as longevity, only 2 percentage combos made the cut to move on to the next testing round. It definitely won't go to waste. If nothing else, I'll see if I can use it for votives! 😃

[LilFirecracker]

UPDATE!! 

I've made 39 different combos for preliminary testing. Anything that makes it past the 12 hour mark moves on to the next round. I only had 1 that was made using the 4794 that made it. One thing that blew me away was when I tried Patchouli from LS in 4794 previously, I only got 3-4 strong hours from it. I decided to try it on 4625 alone just to see, and 14 hours later it was still going strong. To say I was giddy like a child on Christmas morning would be an understatement!! I've just started the testing with 4625/4630 and 4625/4633 combos. I will say as far as consistency, I prefer 4625/4633. Once they were completely cooled, even the softest combo with 4633 (90/10) released easily from the clamshell. I'm testing each combo in clamshells and tiny silicone mold melts. But we shall see which container wax prevails in the big hot throw competition!! I was so excited seeing these waxes go to work that it had me thinking about candles again. I made candles about 20 years ago - but they were gel candles. I worked a little with paraffin, but the gel back then blew them away so that's what I stuck with until I didn't have time to mess with it anymore. Ahhhh nostalgia....🥰

Edited November 2, 2021 by LilFirecracker