Can you use aroma beads in gel?

[lindanelson]

I haven't done much with aroma beads or gel wax. Can I use scented/colored aroma beads in gel wax? I know the scent would need to be above 175 flash point.

[Vicky_CO]

In a wicked candle NO they are plastic. They also hold way to much FO for gel and gel will suck FO and color from other things. Now in a double glassed it possible but I am not sure why you would want to as they will melt it would be easier to use glass beads if you are just going for effect.

[lindanelson]

Thank you Vicky. I'm glad I asked. Didn't even think about them being plastic and melting.

[topofmurrayhill]

It might be an interesting idea to experiment with. I think the real issue is whether you could find some clever way to use them.

Another use for so-called "aroma beads" is as a candle additive. They're compatible with wax (and gel), but haven't caught on with crafters and hobbyists because other additives are easier to use. To incorporate this material as an additive requires heating to about 250 and a lot of stirring. Eventually they fully dissolve. There probably wouldn't be a good reason to do it, but just to make the point -- if you were to incorporate say 1% aroma beads into gel the result would be perfectly burnable and actually safer than gel by itself.

As far as aroma beads swimming around in the candle, if they got near the flame and started to melt, the material would clog the wick and drown it out. Since aroma beads would sink to the bottom, I suppose that could be a safety feature for the candle.

I would be careful with heavily scented aroma beads, but as far as dye is concerned I wonder if you could get an interesting effect from the fact that they would leak color into the gel.