Recipe for Lotion Candle?

[soy327]

LB, I'm with carebear, sensual, calming yeah:drool: Soap Queen has a vimeo on making these www.brambleberry.com scroll down to the white box with a blue V at the very bottom of the page it's on there. It's cool.

[CareBear]

peeps need to be careful with the FO/EOs, tho. Remember they need to restrict the use to oils and LEVELS appropriate for a leave on product. 6% is waaay too high in most cases, so don't fragrance them for candle use but for lotions.

[CandleMagick)o(]

The 'wax' isn't paraffin, such as in most candles. It's soy wax and is purely a product of the soy plant. Since it's from a plant not a synthetic source it's light enough and melts so quickly (and without much heat) that you can melt it without a double boiler (which is required for paraffin and beeswax due to the higher melting point.) You can actually chop up the soy wax and stick it in a glass measuring cup and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and it melts without burning. Also unlike other waxes, soy wax, even when heated extremely, doesn't burn or produce soot. The only way it could possibly produce soot is if the person who made the lotion candle used a wick that was pre-waxed with paraffin.

Also, the only ingredient in the candle is not just the soy wax- natural butters (such as shea, cocoa, and the like) are used as well as unscented oils that absorb into the skin easily and are moisturizing (such as sweet almond, grape seed, etc.)

The fragrances used are essential oils, which means they are pure, not tampered with, and are not synthetic. They are made from the pure oils of plants and/or flowers. Since they are in such a pure form and are undiluted, when making one of these candles, the essential oils are diluted before using with a non-scented oil (again, such as grape seed, olive, etc.)

The only essential oil that i know of that can be used in it's pure form without being diluted is Lavender oil because it's so good for the skin and has healing properties.

Long story shorter, there is no way that you can burn yourself with a soy lotion candle unless you stick your hand in the flame itself, which is just silly.

P.s. it is a misconception that these candles can catch fire or that they are in any way flammable. Essential oils do not catch fire when blended in such a way (as they are in lotion candles) with the other ingredients and diluted etc. nor am i certain, but do not believe that any true essential oils are flammable.

To use one of these candles, you light it and let the wax melt and collect (amount depending on the amount of lotion that is required) and you can pour it almost instantly (if not absolutely instantly) onto your hands and apply as you would lotion.

It's all in the soy wax.

And i can completely understand the thought or belief that wax heated under a flame would burn you indefinately...especially having been burnt by candle wax before. But as i said, it's the kind of wax. I had absolutely no idea what a lotion candle was or how the heck that would even work/be any sort of good idea, but they are sold virtually everywhere bath and body products and candles are sold together....drug stores, retail stores, etc. I bought the first one I ever used at a CVS drug store and i, too, came across it and thought..."that can't be safe...or sane!" But as I do with most things i don't understand, i either ask people or research so that's exactly what i did. I even make them myself, but i don't have a strict recipe i.e. measurements and such. I make them differently almost every time depending on what essential oils i use, how strong the people i make them for want the scent to be, and you can either add more wax or more oil to make it either creamier or waxier/thicker or thinner consistency. So yes, they are safe and fun and pretty. The only way to get a negative skin reaction with one of these things is if you are allergic to one or more of the ingredients in the candle. (ex: if you have any sort of nut allergy, avoid those that contain sweet almond oil. If you are allergic to ragweed type plants, avoid ones that may have chamomile (little known fact, chamomile, though tasty and pleasant scented to some, it is a form of ragweed.)

I guess we learn something new every day. Can you tell i love teaching people things? Ha.

I hope this helps you and whoever else with whatever questions.

Blessings,

Sarah

[Stella1952]

The 'wax' isn't paraffin, such as in most candles.

That would depend upon the formula, wouldn't it?

Sarah, your post reveals a grave lack of knowledge about the ingredients of "lotion" candles and of candles in general. Please understand I am not writing this to put you on the spot, but to keep MORE DISinformation from making its way all over the internet. Although I work ONLY with vegetable waxes, I am a stickler for what is TRUE about them and what is unadulterated hype.

You apparently have bought into a complete "greenwash" about soy wax and essential oils and other ingredients. Be careful about your use of the terms "pure" and "natural." They are commonly used words to imply properties which a particular substance does not possess.

It's soy wax and is purely a product of the soy plant.

False. Over 98% of all soybean oil available in the United States is derived from GMO seeds. Many brands of soy wax come from soybeans grown all over the world, not just the US. The oil is separated from the rest of the plant by the use of hexane, a powerful solvent. It is not certifiable as organic by the USDA, (arguably) the least stringent of all organic certifications. The oil is then super-hydrogenated (vegetable shortening is partially hydrogenated) to harden it to work as a wax. Many brands of soy wax contain substances other than soy derived products, although most are derived from vegetable sources.

Since it's from a plant not a synthetic source it's light enough and melts so quickly (and without much heat) that you can melt it without a double boiler (which is required for paraffin and beeswax due to the higher melting point.)

False. Soy wax is not a particularly "light" oil. It is super-hydrogenated soybean oil and is very viscous and more difficult to burn than is paraffin. The melting point of soy wax varies from brand to brand, as does paraffin. All three waxes you mentioned can be melted in a double boiler.

You can actually chop up the soy wax and stick it in a glass measuring cup and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and it melts without burning

Partially false. This would depend entirely on how much wax you are "nuking," for how long and the wattage of the microwave. It is easy to overheat small quantities of soy wax in a high wattage microwave. Weigh your ingredients and use a thermometer for accurate results. Professionals in both the candle & cosmetics industry use accurately measured/weighed quantities of ingredients so that their products are consistent from one batch to the next. Many brands of soy wax are provided in flake form so no chopping is needed.

Also unlike other waxes, soy wax, even when heated extremely, doesn't burn or produce soot. The only way it could possibly produce soot is if the person who made the lotion candle used a wick that was pre-waxed with paraffin.

FALSE!!! Soy wax certainly WILL burn and become off-color and have an odor when overheated. When lit with ANY type of wick, it will produce soot. Burning ANYTHING releases hydrocarbons - ie., smoke & soot. While the soot from soy wax may be (arguably) lighter in color than paraffin, ANYTHING that is burned with a flame releases hydrocarbons - ie., smoke and soot. Wick a soy candle badly enough, and/or burn it in a draft, or in a container whose shape "catches" particles near the mouth and you are assured that it will produce soot. This is the #1 inaccuracy about soy wax that has spread all over the internet and is absolutely a complete falsehood.

The fragrances used are essential oils, which means they are pure, not tampered with, and are not synthetic.

Partially False. There are MANY "recipes" for lotion candles. Many use fragrance oils. Essential oils are not all from certified organic plants and can be equally as polluted by insecticides and chemicals as any other plant - depends on the grower. How the EOs are derived matters - are they steam extracted? CO2 extracted? or hexane extracted? The concentration of EOs is not standardized. This depends on the source from which you purchase the EOs. There are many high-quality manufacturers/distributors of EOs and there are also many who do not do such a good job on the "purity" of their products. The use of words like "pure" and "natural" do not make those claims true!!

The only essential oil that i know of that can be used in it's pure form without being diluted is Lavender oil because it's so good for the skin and has healing properties.

False. This totally depends on the EO and its concentration. All lavender EO is NOT created equal - there is more than one species of lavender used for making EOs! Whether it is "good" for the skin and has "healing" properties is highly subjective and assumes no sensitivity in the individual using the product.

Long story shorter, there is no way that you can burn yourself with a soy lotion candle unless you stick your hand in the flame itself, which is just silly.

False. A wick can easily heat soy lotion candle wax to the scalding point for skin. If you do a search for "lotion candles" or "massage candles" right here at CT, you will find personal stories shared by members which give testimony to burns serious enough to require medical treatment caused by the use of these candles.

it is a misconception that these candles can catch fire or that they are in any way flammable. Essential oils do not catch fire when blended in such a way (as they are in lotion candles) with the other ingredients and diluted etc. nor am i certain, but do not believe that any true essential oils are flammable.

FALSE! Oil s a flammable fuel. ANY oil can catch fire. Any candle can catch fire. All oils are flammable. Check the MSDS for your EOs and other ingredients. READ the accounts here from chandlers whose candles HAVE caught fire! Do NOT confuse "flash point" with the fact that oils are flammable! If they were not, they would not burn at all!

I even make them myself, but i don't have a strict recipe i.e. measurements and such. I make them differently almost every time depending on what essential oils i use, how strong the people i make them for want the scent to be, and you can either add more wax or more oil to make it either creamier or waxier/thicker or thinner consistency.

Poor consumer practice. Having a stable formula for your products is important; otherwise the burn characteristics of your candles will vary from batch to batch, not to mention the concentration of EOs and other ingredients.

...they are sold virtually everywhere bath and body products and candles are sold together....drug stores, retail stores, etc. I bought the first one I ever used at a CVS drug store...

Lotion and massage candles are sold many places and many people here make them. Having said that, the necessary insurance coverage should also be in place for product liability. Researching your EOs, knowing their MSDS and other manufacturing facts about them (available from your supplier) backwards and forwards is necessary.

So yes, they are safe and fun and pretty

Perhaps, but not made under the guidelines you have discussed here. Your marketing slant is so full of hype and wrong information that it casts a lot of doubt on the product you make. "Fun and pretty" depends upon whether someone gets 3rd degree burns or an allergic reaction from a product, don't you think? Simply because CVS sells lotion candles does NOT make them safe! I certainly hope you are carrying a million-dollar product liability insurance policy for the lotion candles you make because you know that anyone supplying CVS has to have plenty of insurance or they would not carry the product. All it will take is one lawsuit and CVS will drop that product like a hot potato.

I guess we learn something new every day. Can you tell i love teaching people things?

I hope that YOU learned a LOT new today about soy wax, EOs and candlemaking. Please stick around here and read, read, read!! You may learn a LOT more factual information that is NOT hype or greenwashing. Doing so will not only potentially help you to make your products better and safer for your customers, you will be doing a service to manufacturers and users of "natural" products to provide accurate, no-hype verifiable facts and consumer information. Edited March 19, 2010 by Stella1952

[*Dee*]

if a regular wax candle can be overwicked and burned too hot then i am sure a lotion candle can be the same way, if you use too big of a wick than what it needs it can reach a tempature that would be too high for the skin. im sure a lotion candle can reach 120 degrees or higher pretty darn quick when using a larger wick.

anyways if i was to make these they would only be for me, no way on earth would i be comfortable selling these to people. hardly anyone pays attention to directions. hell myself included, i buy things and try them out before reading directions/instructions when it doesnt go right thats when i look at them.

[jennyjo]

Okay, I am just brainstorming here, but if some like the idea of the Lotion Candle, but the actual burning of the candle is the danger...then could you make it wickless and use a warmer to heat it? It would have to been done in a thin, shallow tin or something, but if you omited the EO or FO and made it wickless it could work. Maybe??? Just me thinking...that's usually not a good thing. LOL;)

[soy327]

Jennyjo, Good idea! I ordered those candle warming lamps from www.candlewarmers.com and I also have these little simmer pots with a lid you could actually pour the wax in from the pour pot like a normal candle. It's about 3 1/2" tall and holds about 5oz of wax, I measured with water. It would be an alternative if somebody was serious about it.:grin2:LOL Sorry I also think too much:D

[CareBear]

Okay, I am just brainstorming here, but if some like the idea of the Lotion Candle, but the actual burning of the candle is the danger...then could you make it wickless and use a warmer to heat it? It would have to been done in a thin, shallow tin or something, but if you omited the EO or FO and made it wickless it could work. Maybe??? Just me thinking...that's usually not a good thing. LOL;)

I'd be even MORE concerned putting it on a warmer where it can be made to really overheat. It would really depend on the warmer.

Since it's from a plant not a synthetic source it's light enough and melts so quickly (and without much heat) that you can melt it without a double boiler (which is required for paraffin and beeswax due to the higher melting point.)

Regarding the fascinating information from Sarah, well LOTS of vegetable waxes have very high melt points. Candelilla wax comes to mind (MP~160F), and carnauba (~185!!!). Just because soy is vegetable in origin (kinda) doesn'tmean it has a low MP. Further, WAXES ARE OILS and certainly are flammable. What do you think feeds the flame while your candle is burning? The fuel is the wax, not the wick.

Edited March 20, 2010 by CareBear

[Stella1952]

Okay, I am just brainstorming here, but if some like the idea of the Lotion Candle, but the actual burning of the candle is the danger...then could you make it wickless and use a warmer to heat it? It would have to been done in a thin, shallow tin or something, but if you omited the EO or FO and made it wickless it could work. Maybe??? Just me thinking...that's usually not a good thing. LOL;)

Hey, Jennyjo - I think your thinker is cookin' with GAS!! :highfive: Personally I like the idea of warm, pampering lotiony stuff to apply to dry skin and massage into tired muscles - if one could make/find a warmer that would only heat it up a few degrees above body temp, that would be WONDERFUL!! I'm sure that massage therapists must have something they use to warm their oils just to the right temp... I think you should run with that one!!!

[CareBear]

Hey, Jennyjo - I think your thinker is cookin' with GAS!! :highfive: Personally I like the idea of warm, pampering lotiony stuff to apply to dry skin and massage into tired muscles - if one could make/find a warmer that would only heat it up a few degrees above body temp, that would be WONDERFUL!! I'm sure that massage therapists must have something they use to warm their oils just to the right temp... I think you should run with that one!!!

(bolding mine)

Exactly what I was trying to say - As usual Stella has a way with words.

[Stella1952]

I ordered those candle warming lamps from www.candlewarmers.com

Linda, I think the warmer lamps sound like the closest, low-temp idea, but I couldn't get any images of products to come up at their site... wonder if they are still in business... I think to keep the temp low enough, one would have to throw out the notion of a flame in any shape or fashion. Perhaps those coffee or tart warmers might work, but some do get quite hot... Seems like the gentle heat from a lamp placed at the right distance from the wax would be the perfect solution...

[soy327]

Stella, I just ordered from them last week. You should be able to go on there and see all the stuff they have. The reason I came up with that is because I'm wondering about making a wickless GG, but not sure that lamp is designed to be warm enough to melt the palm wax. The candles on their site are paraffin. I talked to one of the girls yesterday, I thought they were soy. Sooo I bet they might work for the lotion candle, Not that I will be making any, already have too many irons in the fire.

Linda

Click on the link above in my other post.

Edited March 20, 2010 by soy327

[Shanifaye]

Hi..Im new around here and have spent the last couple of weeks reading around

I make massage candles, have been for a long time and I wanted to pipe in on using warmers for them. I know from an accidental experiment this is NOT a good thing to do. When I was formulating my recipe and testing, I was having an issue with wick nipples and a half circle crack in the top.

I thought...I'll just throw it on the warmer and let it melt (at the time I didnt own a heat gun and using a hair dryer was taking longer than I wanted). What I DIDN'T know was that the candle was going to melt from the bottom up (I never made regular soy candles, so I dont know if they do the same thing or not). I set it on the warmer and after about 10 minutes I couldnt tell anything was happening so I picked it up. About 3/4 of it had melted, but because it was in a tin, I couldnt see that. Like an idiot I accidentally tilted it and dumped it all over me, my couch and my hardwood floors (no, it didnt burn me, but I had a mess to clean up lol fortunately it cleaned very easily and there was no staining), so IMO using a warmer is not a good thing, mainly because you do not want to liquify the entire thing, if made right you only need to burn for about 15 minutes to get enough oil to give a really good massage. I also tested with a warmer in a glass container and it melted bottom up the same way.

Now, as someone that experiments, tests, experiments, tests, making these, warmers ARE good for that, simply because it allows me to melt the entire thing quickly to change wicks out to do wick testing.

I cant speak for anyone else's recipe, but with my own, it doesnt matter if you burn for 15 minutes or 4 hours, the temp has not gotten hot enuff to burn, its only warm, and I've tested it that way on many different people of many different skin types.

Just my two cents lol dont yell at me!! (some of y'all seem really down on massage candle makers and its made me wary of posting, BUT I thought people needed to know about the warmer thing)

Nice to meet you

[LuminousBoutique]

This is what I had in my office

http://www.colonialmedical.com/product.php?productid=17312&cat=0&page=1

It warmed lotions to around 98* tops.... not "hot" but body temp. We also kept the massage rooms heated to around 80* and had heated blankets on the bed, so the ambient temp of everything in the room stayed pretty warm to begin with. I personally used oils on my clients, and just left them sitting by the heater, which kept them a really nice temp.

This post has inspired me to get one of my lotion candles out and stick a thermometer in it, at different lengths of time, to give you guys some solid numbers. I'll update with that later.

BUT- I wanted to update that I spoke with my lawyer, and my insurance company, and they both said no dice. My insurance company said they would not cover them, there is too much liability, and my lawyer found it incredibly "unsafe". Of course thats just their opinion but I'm not one to ignore the opinion of either of those two sources, kwim?

I like the idea of doing it wickless, in a tin... but then wouldnt that simply be, basically, a solid lotion bar in a tin on a warmer? lol

Edited March 26, 2010 by LuminousBoutique

[soy327]

:laugh2::laugh2:Got my news letter from Lonestar today guess what on it? YEP massage candles:laugh2::laugh2:Looks like a coconut shell for a container www.Candlesandsupplies.com has them. Thought I would order those a while back and make Pina Colada candles, never did.

[CareBear]

http://newcart.candlesandsupplies.com/Store/Products/Candles/PID-CLASS-MSG.aspx

[LuminousBoutique]

The class is in May, but they are a gift for valentines? hehe

[CareBear]

I'm off to spend 4 days with my BF - but no scented wax allowed (he's a fragrance avoider). still - I do expect some massaging to be happening.

[jennyjo]

Okay, I was checking back in on this thread. So my mind started turning again. Someone mentioned that it would be like a heated lotion bar, so my thought is how about a lotion tart? We could melt it in a tart warmer, so you wouldn't have to heat it much to make it melt...and it would be a single portion. But then you have to worry about people using regular tarts for the same purpose, but I guess you run that risk with the candles too. Maybe there is no great solution.

[soy327]

I got my candle warming lamps from www.candlewarmers.com been melting wax and it would work great. They heat from the top. I am going to make some wickless candles:yay::yay:

[jackbenimble]

I like jennyjo idea about the lotion tarts. I might have to try that. Anyway I just wanted to say I understand everyones concerns about lotion/massage candles but I think they are a really neat idea. There are several high profile companies on the net selling these style of candles. I was so curious about them that I recently made two of them and used one for the first time tonight. It is just like a warm lotion too. It's a tad bit oily at first but the butters and soy absorb really fast so I like them. Especially on my feet. Lol!

[Sharon in KY]

I like jennyjo idea about the lotion tarts. I might have to try that. Anyway I just wanted to say I understand everyones concerns about lotion/massage candles but I think they are a really neat idea. There are several high profile companies on the net selling these style of candles. I was so curious about them that I recently made two of them and used one for the first time tonight. It is just like a warm lotion too. It's a tad bit oily at first but the butters and soy absorb really fast so I like them. Especially on my feet. Lol!

What oils did you use? I love the thought of them and love lotion bars.

[jackbenimble]

What oils did you use? I love the thought of them and love lotion bars.

Hi Sharon,

Here's the recipe for the lotion candle. I got this recipe from the Soap Queen Blog.

Items needed:

Candle Tin

Wick (We like the WU 250 or the CD20)

Skin Safe Fragrance

Container Soy Wax (Naturewax C3)

Liquid Vegetable Oil (like Apricot Kernal Oil or Sweet Almond Oil or Jojoba oil or Olive Oil)

Recipe:

3 ounces Soy Wax

1 ounce Liquid Oil

.25 ounce Fragrance

1. Measure out 3 ounces of Soy Wax and 1 ounce of Liquid Vegetable Oil. We tested Apricot Kernel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba and Olive Oil. My personal favorites were the Olive Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil.

2. Melt the Soy Wax and your choice of Liquid Oil in the microwave at short 45 second bursts in a heat safe container, like a Pyrex.

3. Add the fragrance or essential oil. This recipe is particularly good to do a delicate fragrance or essential oil since there is no sweet smelling cocoa butter to interfere with the sophisticated notes.

4. Stir and wait. The ideal temperature to pour this mixture is right before the wax oil mixture is about to set up. The cooler that the candle is poured, the more smooth your final product will be. Candles poured too warm have a tendency to crater or have pitted surfaces.

5. Center the wick and wait for the candle to harden. Once it's solid, trim the wick, burn the candle and try a nice warm massage.

If your making them in a container they work great but if your using them as a lotion bar I'd add an ounce of beeswax pellets to harden it up some. Again this is kinda oily so be prepared.

[Sharon in KY]

Hi Sharon,

Here's the recipe for the lotion candle. I got this recipe from the Soap Queen Blog.

Items needed:

Candle Tin

Wick (We like the WU 250 or the CD20)

Skin Safe Fragrance

Container Soy Wax (Naturewax C3)

Liquid Vegetable Oil (like Apricot Kernal Oil or Sweet Almond Oil or Jojoba oil or Olive Oil)

Recipe:

3 ounces Soy Wax

1 ounce Liquid Oil

.25 ounce Fragrance

1. Measure out 3 ounces of Soy Wax and 1 ounce of Liquid Vegetable Oil. We tested Apricot Kernel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba and Olive Oil. My personal favorites were the Olive Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil.

2. Melt the Soy Wax and your choice of Liquid Oil in the microwave at short 45 second bursts in a heat safe container, like a Pyrex.

3. Add the fragrance or essential oil. This recipe is particularly good to do a delicate fragrance or essential oil since there is no sweet smelling cocoa butter to interfere with the sophisticated notes.

4. Stir and wait. The ideal temperature to pour this mixture is right before the wax oil mixture is about to set up. The cooler that the candle is poured, the more smooth your final product will be. Candles poured too warm have a tendency to crater or have pitted surfaces.

5. Center the wick and wait for the candle to harden. Once it's solid, trim the wick, burn the candle and try a nice warm massage.

If your making them in a container they work great but if your using them as a lotion bar I'd add an ounce of beeswax pellets to harden it up some. Again this is kinda oily so be prepared.

Thanks I'll will be trying some soon.

[LuminousBoutique]

The ones I've made I used cocoa butter, shea butter, and sweet almond oil along with my wax. I dont think they would be solid enough for tarts. As I said before, I've had great results testing these and I do use them on my husband, even my kids. But I wouldnt (and have been told by my insurance I cant..) sell them. but we PERSONALLY enjoy them alot!