Hot Throw!! Finally!!!!!!!!!

[mrsadler05]

I finally got hot throw!! Yippeeee!!!!!!!! I am new to this and was beginning to get a little frustrated. I guess it is not meant for me to give up just yet because I just lit one of my candles in my master bath and I can actually smell it in my hallway.

I used 444, eco wick and MC Berry Creme Brule. I made the candle on October 7 so I don't know if this is how long it took to cure or if it is just a combination that works, but I am so excited.

If I had more of this fragrance oil, I would stay up all night making candles. I hate waiting for shipping.

[deena]

I remember the thrill to of getting it right at last. I am still a realative newbie to candlemaking too. It is so damn frustrating sometimes, testing testing testing, lol.

[Judy, USMC]

Makes you feel Sssooooo Gooooood, doesn't it! That's the thrill of victory.

[RichardLOZ]

Congratulations

The thrill of victory is awesome, until the next fragrance combination, then it starts all over once again....LOL

The great part about that is that for every oil you test you will get this feeling, until you come across one that you love that just wont play for you. Thats all part of the process unfortunately and is why testing is soooooo important.

Keep up the good work and the rewards will surely follow.

[islandgirl]

Isn't that the best... The excitement of it all. Congrats!!

I remember when I first started it to me weeks to get a FMP. I kept watching the candles and they would tunnel or drown. I was about to give up and one night I had yet another candle burning in our bedroom and it reached a FMP with hot throw. I remember standing up and jumping on the bed. and screaming My hubby thought I was nuts!!! LOL

It's such a good feeling!! Enjoy it...

[mrsadler05]

Thanks, everyone. I am still on cloud nine this morning as I write this.

I actually dreamed of getting my first order last night- and it wasn't even my intention to start this as a business. My original intention was to make some candles for my customers for Christmas and as a thank you gift for potential customers.

Now that I have nearly $1000 invested in this "hobby," I may have to reconsider selling a few to recoup some of my money.

My husband nudges me every time we pass the candle aisle at Wal Mart and jokes that it sure would have been cheaper to buy them all candles instead.

He was actually the first one to smell the candle last night. I lit it in our master bath then left then came back up to the living room and was on my laptop- actually reading this forum. He went in to brush his teeth and called out "Baby, which one do you have burning in here, 'cause it smells good."

I told him the fragrance and muttered to myself "yeh, because you are right up on that b****."

A half-hour later I walked half way down the hall and thought OMG, I just got b*****-slapped (lol)! I can smell it. I was like a woman on her first diet pill and couldn't shut up about how excited I was to finally get hot throw. I immediately pulled up MC's site and ordered a big bottle of the fo.

Just to think, even though this is one of my favorite fragrances, I almost didn't even try to burn the candle because none of the others were throwing.

[Karen M]

MC berry creme brulee is a kick butt scent, it rocks!!

[kdorfman]

:yay:Excellent...I cant wait till i get that feeling I have been trying for months. Im about to call it quits. Im sure you will do well in selling the product.

[soy327]

Try Peaks spruceberry WOW:yay:

[mrsadler05]

Kdorfman- Don't give up just yet. If you don't have any, buy some of the Berry Creme Brule from Mill Creek and try letting it cure for a bit before burning. My tester cured for 3 weeks while I test burned some of the other scents I poured. What wax/wick/jar combos have you tried?

Soy327- Thanks for the tip. I will look up that fo. Are there any others that you really like the ht in soy?

Leigh

[soy327]

Peaks- Ocean, Pink Sugar, I also mix pink sugar 50/50 with Cinnamon. Sweet pumpkin spice (let it cure for couple weeks) Nag Champa is really good.

Candle Science-Very Vanilla, Lavender Vanilla, Antique Sandlewood (let it cure also).

That should keep you busy for awhile:laugh2:

[mrsadler05]

Thanks. I have a ton of 1 and 2 oz samples to try and not enough jars. I was trying to hold off until I get my wicking narrowed down, but the Pumpkin Pickin just is throwing at all. I think my Berry Creme Brule should be in tomorrow so I will start my trials over with that fo then try the others when I figure the wicks out.

The Spruceberry sounds really good so I might have to order that one to add to the 8 other holiday sample scents I have.

So much for getting some candles made for Thanksgiving.:undecided Now I am shooting for Christmas.

Edited November 8, 2010 by mrsadler05
typo

[soy327]

I'm with ya:laugh2:feeling the pain, not enough time to test for the Holidays. Maybe we should start in May:laugh2::laugh2:

[Stella1952]

I made the candle on October 7 so I don't know if this is how long it took to cure or if it is just a combination that works

The value of allowing veggie wax candles to cure before testing for scent throw cannot be emphasized enough. A few years ago, I had decided that all scents I had tried with "amber" were crap and had given up on them. When I ran out of candles to burn around the house, I grabbed one of the rejected amber scents (had been sitting up for months) and was AMAZED and STUPIFIED at the fantastic throw it had! When I checked back in my records (I DO keep notes), I had only let it sit for 3 days before testing... So I repoured all the "rejects" and discovered that it takes about a week for that fragrance to develop. Amber scents are among my most popular with customers now...

It's also worth reminding that "candle nose" is a big factor. I don't test candles for throw until several days after pouring anything. It takes a few days for my nose to return to normal after being blown out over hot scented wax.

Both of these observations point to PATIENCE. After pouring several batches, I set the candles aside and do something else (like make labels, wick jars, clean up, etc.). When I go back to them, I am always surprised at how amazing the cold and hot throw are after allowing the candles to cure for several days and letting my nose clear. Some fragrances are strong after only a day or so of curing, but when I evaluate new fragrances, I take the time needed to give my nose and the FOs a chance for a good, unbiased test. If a fragrance disappoints me on the first test, I set it aside and try in a week or so, just to be sure. If it fails the second round of testing, I give it to someone else whose evaluation abilities I respect. If it flops for them, THEN I might try the scent from a different supplier if it really means a lot to me, or just go on to one of the other zillion on my "to do" list. I never assume that a particular scent "should" work or is junk just because it doesn't work for me. HTH

[mrsadler05]

Agreed, Stella. Sadly, patience is not my strongest suit so waiting it out is a challenge. I first started test burning after 4 days of curing and realized that was not long enough so I forced myself to start waiting a week.

I knew I was suffering from "candle nose" so I sent some to work with my husband. He didn't get any throw from the Pumpkin Picin either. I have tried a ton of combinations and still have more curing in hopes i can get the fragrance to work.

You mention setting a candle aside if you aren't happy with the throw initially. Do you do a 4 hour test burn and, if you get no ht, cover and set that particular candle aside for a few more days then test it again, or do you start your second test with a new candle?

That is the problem I find with the 1 oz samples. I can only get one test candle out of it. i just ordered some smaller hourglass jars so I can get more than one tester from one fragrance sample, but until they come in, I only have the larger jars.

Thanks for your input, Stella. I was hoping you would chime in soon.

I see you are in SE Louisiana. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think I read somewhere you mentioned you were on the North Shore. I live right outside New Orleans on the Westbank so we are almost neighbors.

[Stella1952]

we are almost neighbors

Yeah you right! I don't make it to the West Bank often, but I do go to the Big City as often as I can get away. I love wandering around New Orleans with my camera! I especially enjoy eating my way there and back!

The duration of the test burn depends upon the diameter of the container I am testing. Mostly, I'm testing soy in 8 oz. widemouth containers, so I give it a couple of 3 hour tests. If I'm not pleased with the throw, I put it aside for a while... usually a week (unless I get busy and forget about it). I test it again for a 3 hour stretch and if nothing has changed, I farm it out or set it aside until I run out of candles to burn. I see no reason to start with a new candle unless I think something is wrong with the wicking.

I love the 1 oz. testers because the vast majority of the candles I sell right now are 8 oz. masons. I pour 5 oz. of wax in them so I get 3 per pound of wax plus a votive (17 oz total). Generally, the idea is that I have one to test and two to sell. If I go wild over a new FO, I order more of it in a larger quantity. It takes a lot for me to actually add something to the list of FOs I keep on hand because the number of different FOs can really get out of hand quickly if I'm not extremely picky, especially for a small-time chandler like me. I'm a "keep it simple" person when it comes to my product line.

I have tried a ton of combinations and still have more curing in hopes i can get the fragrance to work.

You have more patience than I do, 'cause if something doesn't work for me, I don't linger over it. I either get a sample from a different supplier or I move on to one of the others on my never-ending list of fragrances I want to try. Hang in there & have fun testin'. Don't be in a big hurry to sell... Better to learn how to make consistently high quality candles!

[mrsadler05]

I visit some of my customers on th North Shore from time to time. If you have a shop, I would love to come visit you one day.

Thanks for the information about test burns. That cleared up a question I had been meaning to ask for a couple of weeks.

"You have more patience than I do, 'cause if something doesn't work for me, I don't linger over it. I either get a sample from a different supplier or I move on to one of the others on my never-ending list of fragrances I want to try."

It's not that I have as much patience, more like I jump into things too quickly. I was over zealous once I poured my first candles and had such great cold throw so I ordered two large bottles of the fragrance oil thinking the hot throw would be just as good.

I wasn't really looking to start selling candles. I began making them as gifts for my customers before I realized exactly how much time and money goes into this. Now I may have to take a few orders just to recoup my investment.:rolleyes2 I swear every time I turn around I hear about new wicks to try or other waxes to blend for better HT or another FO that interests me.

At least my Berry Creme Brule came in tonight and I know it works for me. Now I can start testing with this FO for my best combination then go from there.