Working With EO?

[StarlitRogue]

I have a couple of people wanting to order candles with only pure essential oils and I'm curious do I add the same amount of EO that I usually do with FO to my candles? I know they wont smell quite as strong and so I'm not concerned about that but essential oils are so much more expensive (found a decently priced supplier so yay!) and I'll have to change the price to reflect how each oil is a different price but that'll also depend on how much EO I need to add.

I few sights said just a few drops but it didn't give an appropriate amount of wax to only add a few drops to. If no one knows I'll just add the same amount I would add of FO to the candles.

[Scented]

You're going to have to experiment and test.

Typically, no, you shouldn't add the same amount as FO. If you want to just say your candle has EO in it, then go by drops. If you want it to actually have a smell, particularly when burning, then I would go up. They're too expensive to burn IMO and harder to keep in the wax (scent fades quickly is my understanding) and wicking could be an issue.

You might start off with .5 oz per pound and see where you should adjust from there.

[Candybee]

If you have just a couple of people asking about candles with EO I wouldn't bother. EOs are very pricey to use in candles. Soap and body products makes more sense because you don't need much. Using them in candles gets real expensive because of the amount you need to get a good scent throw. Its also hard to get a good throw using EOs so its dicey at best.

Then you have to test the candles with the right wicks and before you know it you have spent a lot of time and money before they are even ready to sell. Are these people going to wait weeks or even months for you to test them and are you sure they will even buy them? I ask because I am careful what I try out because you are always gonna have someone ask you for a scent or candle type you don't have or don't make. Happens everytime I go out to sell candles.

[StarlitRogue]

I actually have a friends who is a therapist and she wants to get into aroma therapy. I was only planning on keeping a small selection because of the cost but also sprays and oils (for an oil burner) and only do the aroma therapy candles in my smaller sizes (no bigger than 2.5oz containers). If they do well for my friend she may end up giving my cards to the other therapists in her office. I certainly don't mind playing with them for a bit just to say I've done it. XD

I'm always up for a challenge!

I also plan on making sure people know that they aren't going to have a huge scent throw because of the fact the candles are made with real essential oils.

Edited August 8, 2010 by StarlitRogue

[EricofAZ]

I went to a local shop that sells EO's at $35/volume oz. and bought some Lavender. Wow was it strong to sniff!

Made a container, 8 oz blend. Ecosoya 135 (85 percent) and paraffin (15 percent) and mixed a few drops. Not much of a result. When I added 5 ml of the EO in the next test, it was very strong. It was much stronger to smell in the container before lighting the wick, but it did a good job even when burning.

So I made another for the girlfriend and she wanted the color changes so I reheated. DEAD. No CT at all.

Might be the soy, might be that EO's just don't go well with candles.

I am going to try a mix of FO and EO in the next test and see what that is like. Maybe the max FO with a few drops of EO.

Oh, its about five cents a drop.

[EricofAZ]

Oh, the shop is www.alchemistallc.com and the sales lady (the lady that does the blends was out for medical at the time) said they were very reasonable on prices. The only other shop in town that sells EO's is $42.00/volume ounce.

[EricofAZ]

There is a guy at the local farmer's market that makes his own EO Lavender from his lavender farm. It is $108.00/volume oz and the smell from the bottle is a bit (though barely) stronger in smell. I'm not sure how he makes it, but I am pretty sure it is pure extract.

[Scented]

Where are you from?

Going to say, just up the amount of the lavender, but seriously take a look at .25 to .5 oz of EO per pound on one of your tests.

I wouldn't mix the EO and FO, because the FO will pretty much cover your EO and that's not an aromatherapy use. You're going to be investing to use the EOs and you might want to start with about 8 oz or so, but there's reasonably priced EOs out there with a little searching ... just depends on where you're from before pointing you anywhere.

[EricofAZ]

I found the only shop in town that makes FO's at a reasonable price. They have EO's as well. Their lavender FO is like $3/oz. The EO lavender is double but still no where near what the alchemist charges here, though it does not sniff nearly as strong.

So I bought a dozen 4 oz bottles of various fragrances to play with. Some are pretty strong like the peach and cucumber and cedar.

http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/

They have a "club" that you can join for $49/year. 10 percent off all the time, another 10 percent on the first Friday of the month (busy day for them) and the same on your birthday and the day before and after your birthday.

They are into soap making, not candles, but all the FO's and EO's are probably fine in candles. I'll know this weekend.

[Candybee]

Peach and cucumber EOs?!!! You sure those aren't extracts or FOs???

Snow Drift Farms doesn't sell peach or cucumber EOs. I know peach can be purchased as an extract and the same with cucumber. They are also common as FOs.

[EricofAZ]

My bad, the peach and cucumber are FO's.

I bought several bottles of various different scents and had to look at the itemized receipt to clarify which were EO's and which were FO's.

I read where there is a test for EO's to put a drop on a piece of paper and let it evaporate. If there is no oil stain left over then it is uncut. The EO's that I bought passed the test.

The FO's leave an oil stain but FO's are supposed to anyway according to a book I was reading.