How is your R & D coming along?

[Fire and Ice]

For many, due to very slow sales, this is the month for R & D for future scents for the coming year.

I ordered a ton of 2, 4 & 8oz tester from NG~ New to me, Green Leaf, also new to me and Peaks.( a regular supplier)

I haven't tested all of the scents but thus far here where I stand whith what I ordered and what I've tested.

Nature's Garden:

Bay Rum~ I LOVE this scent but it took a lot of it to get a throw in my C-3 soy wax. The scent throw is only medium but it's too great a scent to allow it to pass. 1.5oz per pound! I'm keeping it but I wish I could get this in a stronger version~ (orange color)

Democrat~ Again, I love this scent but could get it to throw worth a darn. Rejected. 1.5oz per pound

Crystal Blue Waters~ Love the scent but no throw in my soy! Rejected. 1.5oz per pound

Watercress & Aloe~ Wouldn't ya know it? I don't like this scent at all because it smells like soap. Testers didn't care for it either BUT IT THREW WELL! Rejected 1.5oz per pound

Red Grapefruit~ Smelled great out of bottle but very light throw and a bit of a fuel smell. Rejected 1.5oz per pound

On the whole, thus far, I'm dissapointed with their scents. Even those that were touted to be strong, they aren't very strong to me. If I can find another supplier for Bay Rum that is stronger , great but thus far, that's the only scent I've accepted thuis far. They have a great selction but I feel like their scent are more for B & B than candles. JMO

I have several more scents to test but have moved on to GL

Green Leaf

Maduro~ Great! Throw was pretty strong at 1.4oz per pound and cured for five days. Keeper (burgandy)

Mambo For Men~ Love the scent! The candle is curing and will be tested tomorrow. I hope it throws. 1.5oz per pound ( blue/grey)

Citrus and Bergamot: I don't know what to think of this scent. Throws well at 1.3oz per pound but I can't decide if I like it or not or if it's a scent that will sell for me. I have set it aside for now but it does throw well in C-3

Indoneian Teak~ Have yet to pour it and test it.

Other Men's scent have alsso yet to be poured and tested!

Green Leaf's scent are nice and strong and I will continue to explore them as a supplier.

Peaks:

Sweet Pea: AWESOME scent throw in C-3 at 1.4oz per pound. Cured it three days and tested the candle and it greeted me upstairs in less than an hour! KEEPER. Everyone loved this scent!

Jamacia Me Crazy~ I posted already about this scent and how I disliked it. Cured the candle and tested it and it didn't change even in wax~ Rejected.

Peaks is a regular supplier for me. Yes, I've gotten a few scents that I've not cared for or haven't thrown for me but on the whole, I trust their scents and will continue to use them as a regular supplier

Fire:cool2:

[Kigers24]

Indonesian Teak and Maduro are Great mixed together!!

[Crafty1_AJ]

My R&D is coming along swimmingly just now. I'm researching/experimenting with facial serums and creams. Also perfumes.

I have purchased several new fo's and eo's that are patiently waiting to be tested in wax and/or soap.

And I've also come up with a new soap recipe that targets oily skin. I've yet to make it, but it looks GREAT on paper.

[Fire and Ice]

Indonesian Teak and Maduro are Great mixed together!!

I've4 heard that before too. I may give it a try.

Fire

[Scented]

Well I have a few days to hit an FOH sale to add to the R&D pile (ducking because that will get me in hot water); adding more next month with the Peak's coop; trying out some Old Mill; seeking some more of interest from Tennessee; maybe Lonestar ... it's never-ending lol. But I have my hunches and need to find the right fits.

[kuepie]

I'm getting ready to order from Nature's. I am going to try the bay rum also, but I use nature's joy wax so maybe the throw will be a little better. A bunch of other new ones I'm going to try so I will post at a later date with the results.

[bugtussle]

Well, I just got some new samples from DayStar. Just made lotion and M&P soap. Oh, my GOSH!! I agree the Honey & Propolis, Blk Vetiver Cafe, Raspberries & White Roses and Buttermilk & Shea are just fantastic, maybe even sexy scents. May make tiny candles, but FO is just so unique I don't want to waste it in candles. Stacy has really come up with complex, awesome scents! Carole

[camoflauge]

i got some Lime margarita (NG) from the classies and i use soy-from Millcreek, and it throws very good!!!! very strong, but not overbearing. i only used 1 oz per # and that was enough. i just made "wax melts" and they scented up the house for more than 8 hours!!! i actually used them for 3 days (turned on about 6-8 hours per day)

i've also used their gingerbread and eggnogg (bought through the classies also) and was impressed with the way they threw.. and people really thought they were "right on".

i've gotten a bunch of different scents from different companies through the classies-much cheaper than the samples -especially if you like the scent.

out of the places i've tried (and mind you a lot of these weren't brand new) I have liked NG best. i did try daystar and had mixed results-red hot cinnamon was great and so was pink grapefruit and sugar cane. loved the blackberry jam butter cookie one...

my nature's garden order included about 20 different "sample sizes" have gotten the fresh squeezed oranges in wax... at first when it melted i didn't like it, but after 10 minutes or so, it did smell like a fresh orange. I haven't tried any of the other's yet in wax. i did use the strawberry preserves from NG (very strong) and luscious cheesecake from Millcreek to scent their soy body lotion. oh, yum. talk about walking around smelling like a strawberry cheesecake. my husband was walking around with a fork in his hand... lol!!!

I think a lot of oils are hit and miss depending on the wax you use. it's just trying to find the ones that do throw good, don't break the bank account, and don't take so much. i've never used more than an oz. for #... except some maple nut crunch and it never did get strong enough....

so far though, NG has got my vote.

Heather

[7 Pawz]

thanks for taking the time to post your testing:) it will help me to make a few decisions about future purchases of FO. I haven't tried Greeleaf's FO, have tested their soy blend wax and thinking about ordering a slab of wax to test in other FO. So, I might as well add the FO to my list from GL:)

Speaking of a strong FO, 3 yrs ago i made candles from a straight paraffin, one where i had to add the additives, and i used Vanilla Bourbon from Cajun. These candles were not burned and STILL have a strong scent after all this time.

[Scented]

Seems that candles get better with age Eventually they will get too old and start losing their flair, but who is to say when that happens.

[Fire and Ice]

Green Leaf's Mambo for Men~ blue/grey

Lit this candle this morning and I am loving it big time! The scent is light but embraced in very crisp edges as it travels both up and out from the candle. This scent will not give you a bear hug when it greets you but more of a wave in passing prior to moving on through the space. reached me upstairs with no problems. I didn't think it would as it's light but clean. Now to rename it!

I very highly recomend this scnet to those who love the scent of a sexy man! Good thing I ordered another 8oz of this scent. YUMMY

Fire

[Candle Man]

For many, due to very slow sales, this is the month for R & D for future scents for the coming year.

Fire:cool2:

For me I can't start any R&D till after Valentine's. Valentine's Day sales, for me, is as good as Christmas if not better. Then Mother's Day is also great. I don't get much time after Mother's Day to do much R&D till I have to start Christmas. It's a good thing for the sales, but man it's just so much hard work. I need to be able to hire some extra help. Hope I get to add a few new things this year.

[Fire and Ice]

That's wonderful for you Candle Man. Your candles must be AWESOME! Have a GREAT holiday season.

Fire

[Scented]

So Mambo for men is a sexy scent. What makes it so?

[Fire and Ice]

JMO, Scented but the fact that it didn't hit me over the head like a sledge hammer! It's certainly not the strongest scent but it's very crisp and clean. My Cool Water for men is much stronger and I love it but sometimes I want something a little lighter. This scent travels well too and that's a plus. I have other mens scent to test from GL as well. It's so dang cold right now and I'm not in the mood today to fire the wood burner in the basement although my regular wood burner is going 24/7 right now.

Fire

[Scented]

Hey thanks Fire!