How often do you test?

[rebeccajo99]

I have been doing a lot of reading on how you guys test your candles. What I have been doing is doing a complete burn test for each scent and jar size. I also do a random test burn of each candle batch even if it has been a scent I have been making for months (randomly choose a jar size and test it). I feel like this is a lot of testing and wasting a lot of money. I obviously do not want to give up testing (that would just be stupid), but is the test burn with each batch really necessary. Do you guys do that? (I do like the abusive burn test that Stella does I have not tried that yet, but i'm sure my friends are pretty abusive to thier candles they are testing for me)

[islandgirl]

I do not test each new batch of candles anymore. I did in the beginning.

I have been doing this for years now, and have my formula and wicking down, and feel comfortable with it.

I do test:

*Each new lot of wax (learned the hard way with a bad batch)

*Each new order of wicks (I order 2000+ a pop so they last awhile)

I Learned the hard way when I ordered 1000 wicks that had zinc mixed with the hemp wicks. (I changed suppliers after that, because they said it was me, not the wicks until I could prove it by the zinc in the wick and a few other customers called with the same problem!!) But that's another long story...lol

*If a fragrance oil looks or smells different, I will test that batch.

I do constantly pull candles off my shelves and test burn them.

I like to see how the perform after sitting on the shelves awhile.

HTH:cheesy2:

[Karen M]

And keep notes of testing, what time of year, what wax, wick, etc.

It helps a lot.

[mindy5140]

I've been making candles for 4 years now and I do as islandgirl does.

It's best to test candles each season to.

[Stella1952]

I test when something changes - like the batch of wax or FO or container or batch of wicks. If all the ingredients and container & wicking remains the same, I do not test because I already know.