CandleAddict_RN Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I have been making and testing tarts & clamshells and was wondering, when you have someone else testing for scent throw & length that they last, do you have a simple testing question sheet you give them? If so, what do you include on it besides the length it lasted and how strong the throw was? Any suggestion would be much appreciated:cheesy2: I haven't found anything already made up besides a candle testing sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jluper7297 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 CandleAddict, I have been wondering the same thing. I am ready to send my first test candle home with a friend for an outside opinion. If folks here wanted to all contribute what they think would be good info to ask for on there, I would be willing to make up the sheet and share it. Seems like that would be a good tool to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleAddict_RN Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 I did find a couple different testing questionnaire sheets a while back somewhere. But for the life of me I can't remember where, but they were specific to candles which I am also working on. It was a slow night at work in Labor & Delivery last night so I tried to make up my own for tarts/clamshells. I basically took what I had for candles and deleted what didn't apply to tarts. I'm seeing cross-eyed right now after being up all night but I will try and figure out how to post them or I can try to pm them to you and/or email them if that won't work for me. I'd like to post them. That way others can chime in on what could/should be added. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jluper7297 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 (edited) That is a great idea! I am trying to learn to make tarts and candles so both would be helpful to me as well. I can't get pm's yet because I'm new. I've been thinking about this all morning and trying to think of what info would be good to ask for besides melt pool & hot throw. My email address is cheermom7297@hotmail.com if you don't mind sharing what you have for candles & tarts. Edited June 27, 2011 by jluper7297 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksranch Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I would like this as well (I can't PM yet either!) my email is k_s_ranch@hotmail.com Really appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I have a group of 8 people who test my tarts. I give them each one tart whenever I decide to add a new fragrance. The test group ranges in age from 22 to 70 yrs., 6 females and 2 males (ok, I'm one crazy "tart scientist, lol).I ask them to rate the strength of a scent, from 8 to 10 (medium - strong - very strong). They are supposed to tell me how long the scent lasts, without ever turning off the warmer. I ask them to rate for scent strength (8-10) after 4 hrs, after 12 hrs., one day, and every 24 hrs after that. I also want to know how far the scent throws (I know their floor plans, lol). Does the scent stay true or does it go "funky" after a while?I've noticed that it is more difficult to test during the hot Summer months, when the AC units are in full swing (cold air sucks the scent down more easily, IMHO).Keep in mind that smell and the strength of a smell are very subjective. What may be an 8 to a person could be a 10 to another.When the results are in, I ask if there are any additional comments/observations they care to share. I then take the average, and that is what I use to rate the strength of my tarts (and what I put on the website). hthThis method works for us, but I'd like to hear others' methods/input; we can always learn from one another :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysWondering Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I have a similar system to Ravens but don't use numbers, I use words including "too strong" which has happened. Also, I have testers by scent family. I have my florals tested by testers who know/love florals and can critique a good honeysuckle from a bad one, etc.Get to know your testers, don't panic at first. Some will be very opinionated and some will stick to the score sheet. Don't over-react to any single tester, especially in the early days. In time, you might value their comments as gospel truth but in the beginning, remember you are testing your testers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleAddict_RN Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Well, I sat here for about 30 minutes or more trying to figure out how to attach the tester sheets I have as an attachment instead of copy & pasting:confused: So I will email it to those who want it. The candle sheet I think I got off The Candle Cauldron and tweaked it a bit. I then took that and adjusted it to work for tarts/clamshell testing. Mind you, this is what I would give to testers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jluper7297 Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Thank you! I look forward to checking it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleAddict_RN Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Ravens - Your system seems a lot simpler than what I came up with on a tester sheet. So do you actually have your testers test for 24 hours? I turn mine off at night and restart in the morning....... mostly because my paranoid hubby tells me I'm going to cause a fire Always - I have already learned about TOO STRONG! I had a mulberry going from BCS, which is one of my favorite and it practically burned my nostrils the first couple days it was so strong. I used 7%ppw in all the scents that I made but that one can definitely be cut back to maybe even 5%ppw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 CandleAddictRN, most of the people I know have always left their warmers on. One lady said she leaves it on 24/7; she uses one of those cheap Walmart plate warmers that sell for about $5. I don't know how safe it is, to leave it on constantly, but that's what she does.One customer (she is not one of my testers) told me she could smell the tart all the way down the hall, but the warmer was inside her office. She would turn the warmer off around 5 p.m., before leaving work and start it again by 0800 the next day. She said that particular scent lasted 5 days. After 5 days she could no longer smell it in the hall but was still present in her office. She replaced the tart after 8 days.I also end up with the occasional tarts that are just "too strong"; my husband says they burn his eyes, lol. When that happens, they cut the tart in half, and that really does help.... no more watery eyes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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