What's your trick to get stronger HT in soy?

[AudraT]

I've already read all the blog posts and YouTube videos on how to get a stronger hot throw. Now I'm wondering if anybody else has any other special tips or tricks they use to get that nice and strong throw that is so hard to get with soy. I'll list the common recommendations below that all the posts and videos say and if you guys have anything else you use maybe you can leave a comment below! 😄

Common Recommendations
Heat wax to 185 F before adding fragrance oil (not to exceed 195 F)
Stir fragrance 2 mins
Add more fragrance oil (not to exceed wax manufacturer recommendations)
Allow 2 week cure time
Add paraffin for a soy-paraffin blend
Burn candle in appropriately sized room
Change FO manufacturer / try out the same fragrance from multiple suppliers
 

[TallTayl]

In my experience, HT comes from two things:

Quality fragrance that is compatible with the wax and the right wick for the job. 
 

quality fragrance is the best start. Not all are compatible with soy waxes on a chemical level. No amount of heat temp, cool temp tricks can fix a fragrance that just isn’t ideal for soy waxes.  Fragrance labs that supply retailers use different aroma chemicals, different diluents and different concentrations of the aroma chemicals. Some fragrances will do ok, but won’t ever be like your favorite commercially made candle made by companies that have their fragrances custom made. A quality candle fragrance will withstand wax temps hot enough to fully melt the wax with no noticeable loss of potency.  Many on this board use palm waxes, and waxes where palm and similar components require temps of 200*F+ to fully melt. We use the same fragrances in lower temp waxes with no issues. You will find lots of wives tales as you search for clues to make wonderful candles. 
 

wick series all burn differently in different candle systems.  Some reach ideal combustion rates and temperatures for specific wax and fragrance combos better than others. I often need to cycle through many wick series and sizes in different fragrances/containers to find the right one for the job. There’s a sweet spot in wax/fragrance/container combos to coax out the best throw,

[AudraT]

10 hours ago, TallTayl said:

In my experience, HT comes from two things:

Quality fragrance that is compatible with the wax and the right wick for the job. 
 

quality fragrance is the best start. Not all are compatible with soy waxes on a chemical level. No amount of heat temp, cool temp tricks can fix a fragrance that just isn’t ideal for soy waxes.  Fragrance labs that supply retailers use different aroma chemicals, different diluents and different concentrations of the aroma chemicals. Some fragrances will do ok, but won’t ever be like your favorite commercially made candle made by companies that have their fragrances custom made. A quality candle fragrance will withstand wax temps hot enough to fully melt the wax with no noticeable loss of potency.  Many on this board use palm waxes, and waxes where palm and similar components require temps of 200*F+ to fully melt. We use the same fragrances in lower temp waxes with no issues. You will find lots of wives tales as you search for clues to make wonderful candles. 
 

wick series all burn differently in different candle systems.  Some reach ideal combustion rates and temperatures for specific wax and fragrance combos better than others. I often need to cycle through many wick series and sizes in different fragrances/containers to find the right one for the job. There’s a sweet spot in wax/fragrance/container combos to coax out the best throw,

I have noticed some fragrances from certain suppliers seem to work better with my wax brand than others and I think you are right, it's the right type of chemicals for the right wax. As an example, The Flaming Candle fragrances seem to work out better for my soy than Candle Science's fragrances.
 

I've never tried measuring the temperature of melted wax in a candle (something I know you suggested in another post) but I've read that you want a wick hot enough to burn a melt pool 1/2 inch thick and to burn the melt pool 1 inch in diameter for every hour. So, if I have a 3 inch diameter candle I want the melt pool to reach the inside diameter of the jar in approximately 3 hours and I want the melt pool to remain a consistent 1/2 inch thick.

[TallTayl]

30 minutes ago, AudraT said:

I have noticed some fragrances from certain suppliers seem to work better with my wax brand than others and I think you are right, it's the right type of chemicals for the right wax. As an example, The Flaming Candle fragrances seem to work out better for my soy than Candle Science's fragrances.
 

I've never tried measuring the temperature of melted wax in a candle (something I know you suggested in another post) but I've read that you want a wick hot enough to burn a melt pool 1/2 inch thick and to burn the melt pool 1 inch in diameter for every hour. So, if I have a 3 inch diameter candle I want the melt pool to reach the inside diameter of the jar in approximately 3 hours and I want the melt pool to remain a consistent 1/2 inch thick.

Bold part is another candle myth actually.  That is a limit versus a goal for appropriate waxes.  Try to burn a coconut wax like that and you’ll miss out on some awesome throw.  Burn a palm like that and you will have a 250*F+ mess.  Burn beeswax like that and expect glass to shatter. 
 

I look at a 1/2” deep melt pool as a fail in my candles.  I give a side eye at 1/4”.  Soy type waxes form a clear melt pool that tops a layer of sludge.  The deeper/hotter the melt pool, the quicker that sludge teeters to the clear point and begins to burn too hot, too dirty or otherwise overwhelms the wick especially in the last half of the candle’s life.  
 

The sludgy wax pool is also prone to tippy wicks leaning off center and potentially getting too close to the glass possibly leading to shatter. Flat &  coreless wicks (CD, CDN, HTP, LX, BLSQ and many others) need more support to keep from leaning. I have seen some begin to sag in a melt pool, collapsing onto themselves.  It was eye opening. 
 

it seems that melt pool myth started when fragrances started not performing well - back in th 2015/2016 time frame. Many of us oldies had it easy when pretty much every FO worked perfectly at 6% or less in just about any wax. We could wick to powerburn all the live long day without ever needing to worry about high temps. Those were the days, lol. 

[CricketLaneCandle]

On 1/16/2023 at 8:19 PM, TallTayl said:

Bold part is another candle myth actually.  That is a limit versus a goal for appropriate waxes.  Try to burn a coconut wax like that and you’ll miss out on some awesome throw.  Burn a palm like that and you will have a 250*F+ mess.  Burn beeswax like that and expect glass to shatter. 
 

I look at a 1/2” deep melt pool as a fail in my candles.  I give a side eye at 1/4”.  Soy type waxes form a clear melt pool that tops a layer of sludge.  The deeper/hotter the melt pool, the quicker that sludge teeters to the clear point and begins to burn too hot, too dirty or otherwise overwhelms the wick especially in the last half of the candle’s life.  
 

The sludgy wax pool is also prone to tippy wicks leaning off center and potentially getting too close to the glass possibly leading to shatter. Flat &  coreless wicks (CD, CDN, HTP, LX, BLSQ and many others) need more support to keep from leaning. I have seen some begin to sag in a melt pool, collapsing onto themselves.  It was eye opening. 
 

it seems that melt pool myth started when fragrances started not performing well - back in th 2015/2016 time frame. Many of us oldies had it easy when pretty much every FO worked perfectly at 6% or less in just about any wax. We could wick to powerburn all the live long day without ever needing to worry about high temps. Those were the days, lol. 

Do you feel that we can no longer rely on the 6% thing?  I have been making wax melts for a year and have been trying different wax blend and finding the best wicks etc etc to no avail, if you dont mind, could you share what your process is? Meaning if you have a new scent blend and are going to test, are you making 3-4 jars with different FO loads from 6% up to 10 to see what works best?