Vicky_CO Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 If you had to start over in candle making. What would you do differently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindanelson Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I'm going to say I wouldn't buy as many different fragrance oils...but I don't know if I could keep from doing that. There are so many to pick from, and then all the different scents you can make from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted May 3, 2008 Author Share Posted May 3, 2008 That was one of the first thing that came to mind for me also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artcwolf Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 buy 1oz samples for testing of scents before buying 16oz bottlesNot buying so many FOs to start withfind more then 1 vendor for price comparisonbetter initial testing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smart tart Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Not get so caught up in trying so many different things before perfecting each one. When I first found ct, I was so excited by what I saw I wanted to try everything, containers, pillars, different waxes, b&b, and sooooooo many fo's! Take advice with a grain of salt - do your own research and not expect that the advice you receive is what will work for you or is even necessarily correct. Not to take the advice with the person with the most posts - high post numbers do not equate to experts!Keep good notes and back them up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconut Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Test more than one kind of wax for containers and melts, sooner. Wick for the bottom of the jar (took me a long time to learn this!). Pay for a star on this forum so I don't spend so much time searching through the posts to find that perfect nugget of info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneeM Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I wouldn't pigeon hole myself into a certain thing with the name I chose. Just an fyi, tagging yourself 'soy' anything might be a no-no! LOLOther than that, I don't think I'd change anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grama Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Like mention already not buying as many fo, and also different containers/jars. I have so many I don't even use. Just taking up space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scent Cellar Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I would start with the wax I use now so I wouldn't spend all those $$$ testing different waxes. :yay: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidijo Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Not buy 16 oz. FOs and now that soy prices are so high, should not have gotten hooked on soy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForHisGlory Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Not spending as much up front. Buying samples first. Being more careful on choosing my label. Going on my own instincts and not on others. I found out that my choices closely matched my customers wants. Wasted money going on others recommendations. That's not always bad, but sometimes it is. lolAfter deciding what scents I like, spending more time on the Board going over the posters opinions of which company they thought best represented that scent - and buying samples to compare.I tried three Creme Brulees and found out that I liked CS the best after it was represented here the most. I should have checked that first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindym Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Excellent question. Definitely less fo's. Buying only fo's with a few exceptions that are both soap and candle compatible. Sticking with one supplier for the basics, fo's, wicks etc. making larger orders.Making a schedule for pouring certain candles, ie a day for jars, a day for votives etc...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane42 Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Not getting caught up in the whole soy movement and staying with what I like best...paraffin! I also have to agree with not buying/testing so many FO's. Maybe have a few of each in each category (ie bakery, fruit, etc.), but it's too late now!! :rolleyes2 We are still fairly new, so this thread will be very interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForHisGlory Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Not getting caught up in the whole soy movement and staying with what I like best...paraffin! I also have to agree with not buying/testing so many FO's. Maybe have a few of each in each category (ie bakery, fruit, etc.), but it's too late now!! :rolleyes2 We are still fairly new, so this thread will be very interesting!I'm not sure we could have avoided testing so many scents. We all view our craft as leading to perfection for our personal satisfaction.I feel that I need to know what choices are out there for myself and my customers. Keep on upgrading, testing.Not sure we could ever stop doing that. It doesn't seem practical. It just doesn't seem right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebrownbug Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I would not have a business partner I would select two or three fo's for each season of the year and test them through to perfection (if that's possible).I would slowly build from there one fo at a time until I decided it was worthy of production.I would have not tested so much with soy wax as I seem to have lots of hot throw issues with soy wax.Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grama Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 How about I should have started this when I was younger, my energy level just doesn't seem to last as long as needed anymore. Grama is aging:pRed Bull seems to help a little. How many of those things can you drink in a day though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForHisGlory Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 How about I should have started this when I was younger, my energy level just doesn't seem to last as long as needed anymore. Grama is aging:pRed Bull seems to help a little. How many of those things can you drink in a day thoughLOL! Girl, you need to watch your heart! Those things can get you going!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I think we did everything right at the beginning. We started with J223 and then added 6006 when we had rust problems with vanilla FOS (6 mos later.) Our top 20 scents today are the very same scents we found within the 1st 3 or 4 mos in early 2003. The only scents we have added to our Top 20 are Vanilla Bean Noel, Blk Rasp Van and Pk Sugar. We started with 6 oz tins and CD wicks, still our top seller. In 2004 we added 11 oz tureens and then when paraffin began to rise in price we started adding soy to it.The mistakes we made were continuing to buy samples either trying to add new scents or trying to find ones better than our originals. We were VERY lucky to find the best at the beginning. We have also played with votives, aroma beads, reeds, B&B and cp soap, but just give me a pot of wax and 200 tins and I'm happy as can be. God has blessed us. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luci Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I feel your pain, Grama! I definitely like a bit of Michelob Light on a day like today to keep me motivated.The fo thing is a combination of factors for me. Not only did I buy too many, I should have taken the time to do more reading on others' experiences regarding throw, etc, from the different suppliers. I had to learn the hard (and expensive) way that not all fo's are created equal even though they have the same name. I think that I should have done more serious reading and research before blindly spending so much $$ at the onset.On another note, I also found that my own testing results contradicted many things I read on different forums with regards to fo. So, it's a catch-22 sort of thing--what works for one doesn't work for the next person.The major thing that I would do differently is pay attention to business matters and the accounting end for tax purposes. I have a bachelor degree and 2 masters, so that should have been a no-brainer factor. But, since this has been a "retirement" job for me, I didn't take that aspect seriously enough. If I had completely thought things out, I would be in a much better tax (and financial) situation than I am today. However, I really started out with all of this as something to fill my days after a full teaching career and didn't have serious business thoughts until it hit me in the face how much I was spending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 My answer is nothing.....I don't regret any decision I made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfcat Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I'm with mzbizzyb, nothing. I may be in way too much credit card debt now but I've loved every minute of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Had I known I would get into candlemaking, I would've moved to a different state first where there are actually suppliers!! Other than that, the only thing I might've changed was opted to be a supplier instead of the maker.....they make a killin' on all of us FO ho's!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy, USMC Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I started paraffin containers long before I joined the board and wouldn't have done anything differently making those candles.Now that I've expanded to soy and palm, my supplies have outgrown my storage capacity...and I trip - A LOT! I would have gotten a bigger production area before I ventured into new waxes/wicks/jars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane42 Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 The major thing that I would do differently is pay attention to business matters and the accounting end for tax purposes. I have a bachelor degree and 2 masters, so that should have been a no-brainer factor. But, since this has been a "retirement" job for me, I didn't take that aspect seriously enough. If I had completely thought things out, I would be in a much better tax (and financial) situation than I am today. However, I really started out with all of this as something to fill my days after a full teaching career and didn't have serious business thoughts until it hit me in the face how much I was spending.Very good point! We spent/lost so much money on testing and were never able to write any of it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 I think I would have/should have had a better plan for buying and testing scents. I have a better "routine" now and make more forward progress but in the beginning I tested this one in votives and that one in pillars. I was all over the place. Now I start with votives, melts and tealights - if I don't like the way it works in them I don't go any further. I don't regret anything I did, but I do recognize the opportunity for improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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