I hate it. I hate it all. I'm so ready to throw in the towel.

[daniedb]

I farking can't stand how my candles are coming out. I hate them. I HATE THEM! They're hideous! I'm so sick of spending hours trying to make quality products and have them coming out looking crappy. I've got loads of frosting...not the pretty sweet little smattering of frosting that might dust the top of the container, but all the farking fracking way through the candle. If I heatgun it, I get monstrous wet spots and air bubbles and all kinds of ugliness. I'm so ready to quit.

I even *gasp* thought of sidelining my soys and trying my hand at a para/veggie blend instead, to market to boutiques. Is paraffin easier than this crap I'm dealing with now? Or is it just going to be this hard no matter what wax I use? I'm seriously ready to pull my candle page off my site and just say, screw it.

[Scent Cellar]

I feel your pain...you work with EZsoy, right? I have thrown the towel in time and time again with it but the last ones I poured were beautiful and the only frosting was a bit on the top. And they burned great . I recently bought some soy candles from a lady that uses EZsoy and she really does a great job on them...don't know how she does it and I am not going to ask. The hot & cold throw is great with EZsoy so I know it can be done ... Have you talk directly Doneen at BCN? She should be able to help you over the humps and bumps.

[PrairieDweller]

ROFL how do you REALLY feel, tho? I hear ya!

Hang in there, really. If you can offer soy candles like your other products, they'll sell like wildfire.

I suppose you have said somewhere down the line, what wax you use (meltpoint is an issue)...pour temp? Amount of fragrance oil?

Am pm'ing you also

[daniedb]

Oh yeah, I guess that's helpful.

100% EZ Soy, no additives, just FO and dye. I was using liquid dye, but read that they could increase frosting...just bought some blocks and have been experimenting. I heat to 180ish, add dye, add FO at 170-175, pour at the coolest possible temp without having to scoop the wax, LOL!

Prairie, got your PM...I'm off to bed, will respond in the AM.

Scent Cellar - what a grand idea, I did NOT think of that. I will definitely email Doneen in the morning. Thank you.

[Terrie]

I gave up on 100% soy a long time ago, after trying several, including EZ Soy. For me, it was NOT worth the trouble. I moved on to a soy blend, and I don't regret it one bit. If you wanna try a blend, by all means, go for it! No reason to feel guilty because your wax isn't soy!! :highfive:

[Marilyn]

Had to smile a bit as I have felt so often like throwing in the towel. I add a bit of bees wax to my EZsoy and I think it helps with the frosting. Also, I don't pour when it is real slushy, I found a window a bit more runny than that, more like syrup. But I guess each one has to find their own. It took me years. (Maybe I'm a slow learner!

[islandgirl]

I have used EZ Soy for a few years now but I have recently switched to a soy/veggie blend.. It works so much better for me.. I don't have all the problems of frosting, wicking ect.

[soygirl]

Your product line is so classy and contemporary, I think you could get away with dropping color in your candles altogether. I've considered doing that myself. Eliminating color gets rid of a lot of the problems with soy. If people want a color to match a certain scent, you could always add a colored ribbon to the jar. Anyway, It's just a thought.

[daniedb]

I think you could get away with dropping color in your candles altogether

Can I just say, DUH?!?!?! I feel like a big, fat, idiot! What a wonderful solution! I was *this* close to choosing not to color them anyway, I decided to just because it sounded like fun and I thought I would enjoy the challenge. I feel SMRT, smart. I think I'm going to try that and see how much happier I am with the results! If that still doesn't solve my problem, I will then consider switching.

Plus, I had an awesome angel, Trish, offer to send me a little paraffin to test with, so I will report back with the difference next week.

Wow, what a great idea.

*still shaking my head at my own stupidity*

Thanks, everyone...it's nice to know that I'm not alone in my frustration, and that there are people who will listen, encourage and offer advice and solutions! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

[tangerine]

From the start, I didn't color my candles because I didn't want to add another variable to my long list of variables. And add to that the fact that soy wax is tricky. So far, no one has asked for color.

[LynnS]

From day one I have had pretty good luck.I did over-do the FO first time and knew immediately never again.Also I did get some slight frosting but it was because I left the candles in the basement and it was cold.Also heat can do it but last fall it was very hot and my candles looked pretty good still.Only a few are frosted but hardly tell it.I also had them at a craft mall and I was afraid when they turned the heat down it would damage them but they are still fine.

My friend helped me this past week-end do a show.She said she always heard me say I made candles but never tried one.Well she came in on Saturday morning and said she could not believe how good they smelled and the whole house was full of aroma with a 3 ounce candle. She was a happy camper and it was one from last year.The scent was still strong.

I am not making oodles of money but haven't tried.I will say I have good candles and am happy things turned out because if I would have had the problems you are having and not been able to find a solution I would have given up.I will also e-mail you and hope that all of us can change your mind.

[heather_dw]

I wish I could get away with not coloring my soy candles. The people around here would be very unhappy I think :-P

[Absyrtus]

I use the "nautral wax pillar blend" from candlewic. I've had nothing but success.... I haven't used any of their container waxes, however.

[CSAS]

When you are making your candles, is it hot outside and no air in the area where you are making them? I find on hot days with lots of humidity to not even attempt to make candles without the air on. I have tried several times to make candles without air (it was broke) and the candles, every last one of them, looked like POOP!!!

[daniedb]

Well, I am in TX, so it's incredibly humid and HOT here right now. I do my heating, measuring and mixing outside, in my craft room, which has a small AC window unit in an adjoining room. I then take it inside and wait for it to set up and I pour in the kitchen, where we keep it about 80. However, our house is about 65 years old, so the insulation is not great, and I wonder how the humidity is affecting it.

[realmarcha]

Humidity will definately cause some problems with soy. Also, moving the candles before they are totally set-up will also cause problems such as frosting.

As far as coloring the soy waxes, I quit coloring it about a year ago. Just got totally frustrated with my candles frosting once they sat around for awhile. I am starting to work on my own soy blend soon so I can offer both a "natural" candle (no color) and a soy blend with color...best of both worlds!

I never cared for the Ezsoy...tried it years ago. I finally ended up with the Kysoy125, and if you find the right pouring temperature, you can end up with a nice candle with or without color. However, once they sit around for a while they do frost eventually. I didn't like this since I have wholesale accounts and got really tired of all the phones calls asking me "What is wrong with the candles; they are turning white? Even though, I explained to my accounts that eventually soy wax will frost, they still called me. I also feel that it can be a detriment when a customer picks up your candle and sees the color turning white...not a pretty site. I have actually seen people put the frosted candles back on the shelf and reach for one that has not frosted yet. Hope this helps you with your decision.

Don't give up!! There is a solution to every frustration!

[fredron]

I feel your pain!! I threw in the towel a long time ago.

Paraffin isn't quite as easy to start with, since you have to cut it from a slab, but after that it's all a breeze. Just melt it, weigh it, add color, at the right temp add FO, and pour. They turn out beautiful. No cracking, no frosting, no worries. And they burn clean if the wicks are trimmed.

I still pour a soy candle once in a while just to remember the pain, but I only sell paraffin.

[lvnmt]

I have used EZ Soy for a few years now but I have recently switched to a soy/veggie blend.. It works so much better for me.. I don't have all the problems of frosting, wicking ect.

Ditto this. I have tried 6 different waxes before I found the one that I love. It is a soy/veggie blend. It is really creamy and nice, and I have not had any frosting as of yet. But I also live in a state with negative humidity so that might help as well:wink2: I can tell you that I gave up on the 100% soy for all of the reasons that you mentioned as well. Also, do not dye-they look nice without it. Keep trying, I use Calsoy CB-3 if that helps.

[Fern-Marie]

Don't despair. I just started a couple of months ago, and it was not until this week when I got the wick problem resolved, and now the boogers are getting air holes and sink holes, and cracks.

So, I went back to my original notes, and found that I was heating the soy to no higher than 160, dropped in one dye chip, stir slowly, and added the FO when the temp dropped just below the flash point of that particular fragrance. I thought that was what I was supposed to do, since I did that with gel candles. Now, I hope that I am back on my feet with this thing. I will know in a couple of days....did this today...so far so good though.

I am trying, like you, but get frustrated with it. It is ticking me off that I did something different after all that work and frustration with the wicks. grrrr!!

It is like a battle of wills, and you just have to keep pressing.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, and you do the same for me!