How do you get REALLLLLY white wax?

[Soja]

I'm needing to make some really blindingly white opaque wax to use as chunks. How do you get the whitest, most opaque wax you ever seen? Currently I have some IGI 1343 general purpose wax.

I used some pigment dye, universal additative and steric but the SCENT gave it a yellowish color and it really wasn't white enough to begin with.

Ideas please????

Thanks...

Soja

[Sag_77]

I have always just used steric and never had a problem. There are white dye blocks but from what I know they are all pigment which can clog your wick. Sorry I got no better info.

[hellen]

Hello,

Ask the candle maker who posted the question about titanium dioxide. That's used as a whitener. Then, when you know...tell us ALL!!! heheheheheh

I have NO idea how to make candles really really white...no candle supplier here sells white dye.

Cheers,

Hells

[Sag_77]

I used the white dye block from these guys when I wanted to get a lighter color. This http://www.canwax.com/page/page/2955860.htm is what they have now to replace the blocks. I have never used it as I still have 1/4 of my block, the damn thing lasts forever with the little I use it. There has to be other suppliers but out of mine (Peak, CanWax mainly) this is the only white I can find. HTH

[topofmurrayhill]

Dyes are transparent colors, so there's no such thing as white dye. Your 1343 is already as white as it's ever going to get. All you can do is make it opaque white instead of translucent white.

Using a white pigment is one option. I suspect a lot of those white dyes are made with titanium dioxide but I'm not sure. Anyway the downside is the possibility of the wick clogging up.

The other approach is to use wax additives, most of which make paraffin more opaque. You can use a lot of stearic or a much smaller amount of other additives like Vybar. Overdoing it with these isn't good for your wick either and might at least require wicking up if you use a lot.

Or you can try a combination of things.

I don't normally try to make snow white scented candles, so I can't tell you exactly what your best bet will be. I do unscented white candles with additives. Personally I never use pigments to color wax.

[punkflash54]

maybe you could try a white crayon. I have used crayons to dye my candles and tarts before....i have heard they can clog the wicks but personally i havent had any problems

[Karen B]

1st start with a FO that isn't going to turn the wax colors.

I found stearic acid turned my candles kind of yellowish'y. (OK I know it's not a word but that's what happened)

If you want a nice white,white/opaque candle use vybar and luster crystals. Luster crystals are a PITA to work with but they will give you the most opaque/white candle you can get.

I also use 1343 and this is what worked best. I have the shrine of candles made with different additives to prove it. :smiley2:

hth,

Karen B

[Soja]

Thanks for the ideas folks...

My G.W. ( Gorgeous Wife) wants a white-chunk candle with transparent white overpour. I've tried a couple and the best has some pigment-white in the chunks but the overpour kind of picks up the white and isn't transparent anymore. I'd post a picture but white-on-white does not show up worth a darn.

Thanks again...

Soja

[Stella1952]

When we need WHITE white, we use white liquid dye from JBN. Works well for us in both soy and palm waxes.

[Accents]

You could always use soy wax for the chunks. May not always be pure as snow white, but it's definitely white and opaque. FO can change it slightly, but I don't think it's very much.

[Groovy Chic]

I also use the white liquid dye from JBN. Peaks used to carry a white color block but I don't see it on the site anymore.

[Soja]

Thanks... The white dye from JBN... Does it make the wax opaque too?

This sounds like the answer.

Soja

[Darbla]

Bumping this up because I'm looking to make white candles that stay white. So those of you who use the JBN white dye, do you also use a UV inhibitor? Because doesn't exposure to light cause a yellowish discoloration? I'm also thinking about vanilla stabilizer. And unfortunately, putting all these additives in brings up wick clogging problems.

topofmurrayhill, is a UV inhibitor how you keep your uncolored ones from altering?

Edit: Just found some excellent info from topofmurrayhill in another post:

"Fully refined paraffin is basically white, but it's translucent. All you need for a white candle is an additive that makes it opaque so that light reflects off the surface. Stearic works in significant quantities. The quantities mentioned in the original post wouldn't do a thing. I've never tried to find the minimum amount to get a good white, but I'd say 10% should work well. In the past candles were often made with 10% to 30% stearic and those sorts of quantities will make white candles if you don't add dye.

These days you would more likely use a smallish amount of a polymer additive. For instance, Michael, you had one of my swap votives. In particular, the ones made with a colorless FO were snow white. Even with a slight color cast to the FO they were very white. This is done with no pigment at all: http://www.candletech.com/forums/sho...18&postcount=1

For the votives I used EVA, but you can get comparable results with Vybar, polyethylene (such as Gloss Poly C-15), or 2-5% Universal Additive. The white pillar layer in this set is undyed wax with about 2% UA: http://www.candletech.com/forums/sho...78&postcount=1 At 2% the UA maintains a little translucency but you can use more to increase the opacity if you like.

All of these additives harden the wax, and in the process make the crystal structure more fine grained and amorphous, which also makes it opaque white."

[bugtussle]

Wow!!!!!!! This thread is very old. I'll bet lots of things have changed in 1.5 yrs. :confused: Carole

[Circle]

You can get white pigment dye from candlewic.

[Darbla]

Wow!!!!!!! This thread is very old. I'll bet lots of things have changed in 1.5 yrs. :confused: Carole

Then share what you know that's changed because otherwise people who search on this board for answers to their questions will think stearic, white dye, etc. that's mentioned are still possible solutions. If they're not, then you can tell us what is. Add to the knowledge here.

And your count is off by about 4 months. I can help you calculate out 1.5 years if you want.

[bugtussle]

"Then share what you know that's changed because otherwise people who search on this board for answers to their questions will think stearic, white dye, etc. that's mentioned are still possible solutions. If they're not, then you can tell us what is. Add to the knowledge here.

Your count is off by about 4 months. I can help you calculate out 1.5 years if you want."

Darbla:

So sorry, 14+ months. Yes, I can add months.

Most white pigment dyes clog the wick. I think you will get better answers if you just post a NEW question. A lot of us don't and won't read through OLD threads. IMHO Carole:p

[debratant]

I'm not trying to be argumentative at all...but in my time here reading for the last several months...I've always researched using the search function because in all honesty...if anyone starts a thread asking a question...they are usually told "search options are your friend, use it, you'll find lots of info". So...due to that...I've never started a thread asking a question (except for my thread regarding candle cocoon and their oils). I agree...the seach option IS a valuable tool...but like Darbla said...if things have changed..it would be good to add to an old thread for the purpose of those who do use the search.

Not sure if that makes sense.