Beeswax Tealights gone totally pearshaped, please help a total beginner!

[FaerieGooner]

Hello there everyone

I am desperately hoping someone might be able to tell me why my first batch of candles have gone completely wrong and just won't burn! :-(

I used the metal cups and wicks from shop bought tealights, removed the wax and refilled them with a gorgeous mixture of pure beeswax and tons of expensive essential oils (plus a little wax crayon melted in to add colour and some glitter sprinkled on top). Other than the fact a couple of the candles split right down the centre in varying degrees (can only think these were the candles I added more wax crayon to in order to get a darker colour) they look beautiful and are all supposed to be gifts...but I just tested a couple and the wick won't stay alight :-( Any ideas why?

I once went on a beeswax candlemaking workshop several years ago and I remember the tutor saying the width of the wick had to be correct for the width of the candle otherwise it wouldn't burn properly...but I'd assumed if it worked for tealight wax then it'd work for my yummy concoction too...apparently not! Is it perhaps because I didn't dip the wicks in beeswax (though they're already coated in the tealight wax)?

Any suggestions or ideas would be really gratefully received...thank you :-)

FG XXX (will now look for a forum to post an intro in)

[Scented]

They won't stay lit because you clogged your wick is my guess. Crayons shouldn't be used for coloring and glitter will choke a wick if you use a lot. Tealights are small, so not sure why you would add glitter to them. They aren't meant to be a pretty.

In addition, how much is tons of essential oils? You probably helped to drown that wick too.

My suggestion is you measure scent more precisely than a ton. There's a thresh hold of what wax will take. A ton would exceed that thresh hold. Actually a ton wouldn't let your tealights solidify IMO.

And about wicking, that's the joy of testing, but first don't choke your candle. If they aren't lighting, suggest you go up in size, but you don't want a torch or a fuse to a bomb either. If you look at wick charts or suggested sizes on most supplier sites, that gives you a range to start testing.

I'd personally toss what you made and start over being more exact or precise in your measurements.

Since you're using beeswax, I think you'll need to look at starting with larger wicks too.

[beekeeper_sd]

I make 100% beeswax candles.

Totally agree with Scented, you are probably clogging your wicks with the crayons and glitter. Go to any craft store where candles supply are sold and buy some wax color blocks to dye your beeswax. I use wax blocks to color and they work very well. It is a little harder to get correct coloring with beeswax but you can do it.

The most important thing about making beeswax candles though is using the right wick. Try #2 square braided cotton wicks. That should work fine for your tealights and votives. If you used wicks you got from other candles, they are not going to work for beeswax since beeswax candles usually require wicks twice the size of wicks used for other types of wax.

Also, you don't need a ton of fragrance. Beeswax holds fragrance very well.

Good luck.

[Fern-Marie]

I feel so badly for you.

I wish that you had come here first and researched the boards on how to make good tealights, what waxes, eo's, and proper wicks to use. For what you spent doing it they way you did, you probably could have had a nice bunch of tealight that worked properly.

Don't give up. Just read, and do it correctly. You will be so excited that you did it.

Lots of help here

I wish you all the best,

Fern-Marie

[Caramel]

I don't have any advice other than to take as much info here as you can and good luck with the next batch!

[ChrisR]

Most of my beeswax candle customers do not like their tea lights, votives, pillars or tapers colored or scented. They like the natural honey scent the beeswax provides. If you do scent them it doesn't take a lot to get a nice scent throw and using a scent that compliments the honey is usually the best way to go. I would totally skip coloring them, as the beeswax itself is a beautiful golden color.

If you used a wick from a paraffin tea light, it definately won't work with beeswax, it will be way too small. I personally use LX12 or LX14 in my beeswax tea lights and for real dark beeswax I've used an LX 16. I suggest buying a variety of sample wicks from a reputable supplier and start testing. You have a lot of testing ahead of you before you should start giving them out safely as gifts. Good luck!!

[FaerieGooner]

Hello everyone and wow! Thank you so much for all the advice. Feeling rather naive now!

I agree beeswax candles have a lovely fragrance of their own and I particularly wanted to use it as one of my friends has really bad asthma and can't tolerate impure, chemically enhanced stuff. But I added the essential oils and colour as the candles were tailor made healing gifts for people and being a holistic therapist I'm rather into my colour therapy and aromatherapy. Glitter was again for colour therapy (and I do love glitter, any excuse) and just a sprinkling on top once they were starting to dry.

It was all a bit of a spur of the moment thing really as I was intending to make some blended oils for people but found I didn't have enough base oil left so thought I'd use the same essential oils but add them to the wax instead. I've adapted shop bought tea lights in the past by simply melting their own wax down and adding a tiny amount of wax crayon and essential oils which worked fine. Silly old me just assumed that I'd be able to do the same thing but using my beeswax...doh! I don't actually have any moulds and couldn't find whatever wick I bought years ago from the candle making workshop. I will now look into wicks and the colour blocks mentioned, can anyone recommend any good websites to buy online please? Would be really satisfying to try it properly next time.

I suppose I used the word "ton" as I was a bit upset at having used a lot of expensive essential oils like rose and tuberose but I used the same formula as I do for massage blends ie 2 drops of essential oil per 5ml base oil (or in this case melted wax)...with maybe a few extra drops thrown in for good measure! When you guys say beeswax holds fragrance well and that you don't need much, can I ask how much you would use? Did I use way too much? And what can I use for a bit of decoration if glitter is bad...rose petals or teeny tiny pieces of crystal? And pretty please could someone give me a real thicko absolute beginners definition of "choking the wick", ta.

Thanks so much for all your input, I really appreciate it, will do a bit of research and let you all know how I get on.

FG XXX

[FaerieGooner]

PS Sorry, one last query! Could I not tell people they could use the bodged tealights as the little scented cakes of wax you can melt over an oil burner instead??

FG XXX

[Fern-Marie]

PS Sorry, one last query! Could I not tell people they could use the bodged tealights as the little scented cakes of wax you can melt over an oil burner instead??

FG XXX

I'm sorry, but you are just too cute!

Let me suggest to you that I would not tell ppl to use those as Tarts, or Melts as some call them, because without the proper mixing of ingredients it could actually be dangerous. Remember, they will be breathing whatever you put in there....like crayon. I would not want to do that.

Also, keep in mind that what you use for fragrance has what is called a 'flashpoint'. A flashpoint is what the maximum amount of temperature the oil can be heated to without causing fire.

If I were you and just starting out, here's what I would do: There is a very reputable supplier,

www.candlescience.com where you can go, pick out a wax and go to their 'wick guide' and they will tell you what type of wick they have that will work with that wax in whatever type of container you wish to make with it. They also have top notch fragrances that you can get in 1 oz. sizes, and smaller portions of wax that you can practice with. Most of us use 1.5 oz of fragrance (FO) to a pound of wax. But you can get a good idea.

Now, don't go crazy getting stuff you can't afford and don't need, especially since this is a new thing for you and you may decide that you don't want to do this. You don't have to use dyes, I do not use dyes. But you can get a sampler pack of dye chips which contains lots of colors to play with....but not really necessary.

However, I truly hope that you do stick with it.

It is a wonderful and very rewarding hobby that you can use as a side biz, or as wonderful gifts for family and friends. You will get a lot of pleasure out of it.

You're going to do just fine. We're always here if you need help.

Good luck to you,

Fern-Marie

[ChrisR]

'Choking the wick' is your wick not burning properly and usually going out. Remember anything and everything you put into your melted wax is gonna go up the wick or could be a fire hazzard. Frangrance, EO's, FO's & candle dye should be the only things added to your wax.

[Sharon in KY]

I would use them for melts/tarts. Don't get this, "crayons are un-safe" thinking. They are made for kids to use, color all over themselves, eat, get melted in the cloths dryer(with your favorite shirt) etc. I tried crayons for color when I started making candles and it's true they do clog the wick. I had the prettiest blue candle and the wick was turning blue too as it tried to burn. I don't know how much a drop or two of scent would be able to scent a candle since I use about 1 - 1.5 oz per lb. I would try one and see how it does in a warmer. Can you smell much of a cold throw? Might not be much you can do but save the wax till you learn more about candle and maybe soap making..

[Fern-Marie]

I would use them for melts/tarts. Don't get this, "crayons are un-safe" thinking. They are made for kids to use, color all over themselves, eat, get melted in the cloths dryer(with your favorite shirt) etc. I tried crayons for color when I started making candles and it's true they do clog the wick. I had the prettiest blue candle and the wick was turning blue too as it tried to burn. I don't know how much a drop or two of scent would be able to scent a candle since I use about 1 - 1.5 oz per lb. I would try one and see how it does in a warmer. Can you smell much of a cold throw? Might not be much you can do but save the wax till you learn more about candle and maybe soap making..

Ahhh, see, I'm old school. Crayons to me, an asthmatic, just would be really leary of burning and smelling/breathing crayons. I just would not take the chance for health reasons.

She got these at a "shop", I'm automatically thinking dollar store....usually not the best of quality. Pardon if I am wrong. But I just would not want to take the chance....but that's me. Cheaper crayons made where? But where ever they come from...just not willing to chance it. Whether she's making it and giving it away, or going to sell, for instance...you have a huge liability...even if it is a gift and someone gets sick.

PPl will go after you for the dumbest things.

She's mixed indiscriminate amounts of.....what, made by whom, from where? Really, just too much of a risk. I just would not do it.

I label stuff I give to relatives. It matters. Are you absolutely 100% positive that the crayons mixed with oils and wax of unknown origin are safe? Unless you are....not for me. It's a bad way to start, bad way to learn, I would absolutely discourage it. I don't care what Martha Stewart says.

My opinion. You decide for yourself.

[Sharon in KY]

Ahhh, see, I'm old school. Crayons to me, an asthmatic, just would be really leary of burning and smelling/breathing crayons. I just would not take the chance for health reasons.

She got these at a "shop", I'm automatically thinking dollar store....usually not the best of quality. Pardon if I am wrong. But I just would not want to take the chance....but that's me. Cheaper crayons made where? But where ever they come from...just not willing to chance it. Whether she's making it and giving it away, or going to sell, for instance...you have a huge liability...even if it is a gift and someone gets sick.

PPl will go after you for the dumbest things.

She's mixed indiscriminate amounts of.....what, made by whom, from where? Really, just too much of a risk. I just would not do it.

I label stuff I give to relatives. It matters. Are you absolutely 100% positive that the crayons mixed with oils and wax of unknown origin are safe? Unless you are....not for me. It's a bad way to start, bad way to learn, I would absolutely discourage it. I don't care what Martha Stewart says.

My opinion. You decide for yourself.

When I think of crayons I think Crayola. And I don't think any of us really know where every thing comes from... JMO

[2rottndogs]

Umm, just a thought... but I think I would restrain myself from putting anything in the tealights that could catch on fire:D... such as the rose petals that you mentioned.

Kimberly

[Sharon in KY]

Glitter was again for colour therapy (and I do love glitter, any excuse) and just a sprinkling on top once they were starting to dry. And what can I use for a bit of decoration if glitter is bad...rose petals or teeny tiny pieces of crystal? And pretty please could someone give me a real thicko absolute beginners definition of "choking the wick", ta.

FG XXX

I use glitter on a lot of candles and tarts, I'm a glitter lover too and have so many pretty colors. Not sure what tiny pieces of crystal is but if it's glass it will be ok. As far as the rose petals, like Kimberly said, don't use the in anything with a flame. And as far as the ones with more crayon in them and they cracked. Might have been the crayons were made from a really hard paraffin.

How about melting the wax down pouring into small embed molds and placing in potpourri. Little gingerbread men look so cute in these. Maybe flower or heart candy molds would work at lease you would not be throwing away. A bowl of these in the bathroom would look nice. Or put the embeds in a mesh bag and put in a drawer for a sachet.

[Fern-Marie]

How about melting the wax down pouring into small embed molds and placing in potpourri. Little gingerbread men look so cute in these. Maybe flower or heart candy molds would work at lease you would not be throwing away. A bowl of these in the bathroom would look nice. Or put the embeds in a mesh bag and put in a drawer for a sachet.

I think that is a very good idea. Very creative.

[Soapymomma]

Also, beeswax is wonderful and natural, but it can also be fussy. You pour too hot or let it cool too fast, it will crack. You might want to do some reading on how beeswax acts in candles too before you use it again. I absolutly love it, but it did take some practice and knowledge before I was able to produce a nice candle. Wicks for beeswax do have to be bigger than wicks for paraffin or even soy. I wish you all the best. Don't give up because it is worth the trial and error. That is how we all learned this craft. By the way, I love glitter too.

Soapymomma