Bittercreek FO users?

[MaryAnnKacz]

Get my Ezsoy and FOs from BCN. I could not get a good hot and cold throw with 1 oz per lb. Had to go up to 1.25 oz per lb. I know a lot depends on the quality of the FO. Does anyone who uses their scents use 1 oz and get a really strong throw? I read on their board that most use 1 oz per lb and get great throws. I only use their tried and true strongest scents and still don't get anything from 1 oz.

[Marilyn]

I love BCN fo's. I use 1 oz per pound and get great scent, esp when I was using EZsoy. I got good scent when I let it cure for 3-4 days but the scent was really good when cured for a week and more, if I had them sitting around.

[StephD]

I had a problem with with my melts a while back with something else and got a suggestion on this board which actually helped with my scent throw as well. I melted the wax (I used PureSoy at the time) and waited until it was slushy before adding my FO and pouring into the containers. I ended up having stronger hot throws than when adding the FO at a higher temp.

Stephanie

[Candle Makin Momma]

I get an awesome throw with BC oils at 1 oz pp, sometimes less. THere were a couple that didn't work, so I just stopped trying. Not all of them will work.

Try starting by searching on the BC message board for scents that work well with ezsoy. THere have been posts there. People posted what works for them. It is a great starting point.

I add my oils at 180*

[Crowded House]

BCN has some very good throwers at 1oz PP, IMO.

Are you sure you're not catching a cold? There have been several days this season where I wasn't congested or anything but I couldn't hardly smell a thing (including my candles, dinner on the stove, etc).

[MaryAnnKacz]

Does anyone else add FO at low temps? Maybe I should try this. I have tried everything else but. Slushy would be at 100 to 115F. My only concern would be that the wax and FO would not blend well. I guess I don't understand how this would help, since they say FO isn't burned off at 180 in such a short period. You would have to keep at the temp for a long time. I have candles that are 3 weeks cured and don't even have much of a cold throw and zero hot throw. It is a strong FO and I used 1 oz. I know its not my wicks. And to not even have a cold throw after 3 weeks?

[StephD]

I pour slushy and mix my FO in right before I pour. I mix very slowly for quite a while to make sure it's mixed in. But, like I stated above, I used PureSoy. I get awesome scent throws with my FOs doing it this way and the tops come out smooth!

Stephanie

[Meridith]

I add my FO at around 175. When I first started, I added it at the slushy stage as the directions stated. I read about others that added their FO at higher temps so I tried it and noticed a huge difference. For each of us, there are so many variables that will affect the outcome of your candle. You will just have to figure out what works for you. But that process sure can be frustrating.

I use quite a few BCN FOs and have never had any trouble with them. I usually add around 8% with all of them. BCN tests all their FOs at 6% in soy but I think some of the older ones haven't been tested. All new ones though are tested.

[Lightning Bug]

Hi. Even if you are getting a melt pool, sometimes changing a wick helps with the throw. I've candles not throw with cds and do better with cottons. Not sure if it is just temperature or what, but don't be afraid to try a different wick just to be sure. Also, many soy users do use up to 1 1/2 oz. per lb. so I'd try upping to FO a bit and see. If that doesn't work, add it to your no list and move on to others. That's what is so great about samples. Hope you can find the answer! Beth

[Stella1952]

Does anyone else add FO at low temps?

Yes. One of the enemies of FOs is heat. Now we can't exactly HELP the heat of the flame, but I do what I can to avoid degrading the FOs before the candles are burned.

There were a few BC FOs that I liked, but most of what we ordered from them was not satisfactory to my nose, hot or cold, before adding to the candles or after, but I cannot say I have sampled their line extensively... They have a very nice mulberry...

[MaryAnnKacz]

I'm willing to pay more for FOs if I get a GREAT throw. I just started candles(just a hobby). Tried Candlewic, wasn't impressed with their FOs. Bittercreek had good prices, low shipping for me and an extensive selection of

FOs. I think I'll try going up to 1.5 before I give up on them. Its just that so many on their board claim they get a better scent throw with 1 oz than 1.5. I could try different wicks. But if I don't have a good cold throw, I don't think the wick is the problem.

[Goldie]

I have tried the ezsoy and their fo's. I ditched the ezsoy and tried a different soy and have much better results. I still use some of their fo's too in this other soy I'm using with good results. Good luck!

[islandgirl]

What FO's are you using from BCN??

Some will throw in soy and some won't.

I use appox. 8% load.. 6% does not cut it for me..

The Freshed Brewed coffee is one that has a fantastic cold throw,

but you can't get a hot throw from it at all..

(Just in cast that is one you are testing...Don't waste your time)

[Candlebuddy]

I like Bittercreek, but the shipping is too slow for me ... I live in NJ and it seems to take forever.

For soy, I would highly recommend Millcreek. Awesome oils (tested in soy) and awesome customer service too.

[funnygirl]

I have used/tested just about every wax imaginable. One BCN FO that ALWAYS has a STRONG throw both hot & cold at 1 oz. pp is Twigs & Berries. Also Country Berry Hotcakes. If you have tried those 2 and they didnt work, then something is either wrong with the wax, or your sniffer may be overloaded. HTH!

[Meridith]

What FO's are you using from BCN??

Some will throw in soy and some won't.

I use appox. 8% load.. 6% does not cut it for me..

The Freshed Brewed coffee is one that has a fantastic cold throw,

but you can't get a hot throw from it at all..

(Just in cast that is one you are testing...Don't waste your time)

I had the same experience with the Fresh Brewed coffee - great cold throw - absolutely no hot throw no matter what I did or which wick I used. It has been the best smelling coffee FO I've found so its a real bummer that it won't throw. I've heard the same thing about this scent from numerous others too.

[jakalex]

What FO's are you using from BCN??

Some will throw in soy and some won't.

I use appox. 8% load.. 6% does not cut it for me..

The Freshed Brewed coffee is one that has a fantastic cold throw,

but you can't get a hot throw from it at all..

(Just in cast that is one you are testing...Don't waste your time)

The best coffee scent I have found is Coffee Bean from ICS!

[islandgirl]

The best coffee scent I have found is Coffee Bean from ICS!

YEPPERS!!! ICS's is incredibly in soy... It is the only one I have found that will work for me!!!

Hey Meridith.. I think it was you who told me about ICS Coffee a fews years back!!! :highfive: THANKS!!

[kaydee]

I use many of BCN oils and usually add 1.5 oz per lb. I will say I use my sniffer too. There are a few oils like Spiced Cranberry that gets too stong if you add 1.5 oz. The really strong favorites for me are:

Spiced Cranberry

Twigs/Berries

Country Berry Hotcakes

Lime,Leaf,and Lily

Jasmine

Passion Fruit

Pina Colada

Mulberry

Lemon

Lavender

Baby Powder

This is just off the top of my head and I need for coffee so I hope that helps.

[Meridith]

YEPPERS!!! ICS's is incredibly in soy... It is the only one I have found that will work for me!!!

Hey Meridith.. I think it was you who told me about ICS Coffee a fews years back!!! :highfive: THANKS!!

Well I don't know if it was me, but that is the one I use and it throws like crazy. I still liked BCN's better (OOB and cold throw) but ICS' is a great one too. I'm glad it worked for you too. It's a great one to soap also for those that soap.

[SherriLynn]

I use a few of the BCN FO's and they are dynamite in soywax. Countryberry Hotcakes, Papaya Mango and Spiced Cranberry. Most fragrance suppliers will tell you that your wax should be at least 170 degrees when adding FO. To add FO under that temperature does not allow the fragrance molecular structure to open up in the wax, therefore causing no scent throw. Reheating wax, or holding fragranced wax a temperature of more than 180 for long periods of time will cause the FO to burn off.

[Candle Makin Momma]

I use EZsoy and BCN FO's. THeir FO's are very high quality. I melt my wax to about 190, add my dye, stir then add my FO at 175-180. Then I stir and stir and stir.

I get an awesome hot throw at 1 oz pp and on a few at .75 oz. I never use more. I just don't need it.

[Laura]

first make sure you have the right size wick to start with.

add the fo around 170-180*. you aren't going to weaken the strength of the fo. that only happens if you mix it, then keep it at a high temp for a long period of time, or reheat it too many times.

we did a side by side comparison with adding fo at the manufacturer's recommended temp. which i think was 120* and adding at 170-175*. we found the latter had a stronger hot throw. concluding that adding the fo at the lower temp doesn't allow the fo to fully mix and bind with the wax; thus the lighter hot throw results.

1 oz per pound will definitely be enough for fo's that have been added over the last 3 or so years, but a few prior to BC using soy, aren't great throwers. a lot are tho. every nose is different and you might find you prefer to use 1.5 oz per pound. it's preference.

next, to get smooth as possible tops, let cool to right about 100*, then pour.

ez-soy shows it's best potential if you let it cure a couple of weeks, but there several that threw really well after a few days to a week.

make sure you let your testers cure well and that you are testing the candle in an appropriate sized room. and burning the right amount of time. oh and it can be very easy to get candlemaker's nose if you have been pouring quite a bit. hth!

[stacien]

I love BCN's scents. Do I think they are extremely strong? No. I have had to add about 1.5 ounces to get a good throw out of 415. It's a hit or miss thing. It depends on the person too. I demand extremely strong throws from my candles because I usually deal with people who have houses larger than gymnasiums. That is why its best to try their sample sizes. If you don't like it then you don't have extra and you can try something else or somewhere else.

[rae_g]

I had the same experience with BCN Coffee, but it throws really well as a Mocha when mixed with Hot Fudge Brownie. YUM!