Dyes & Soy Wax

[annamichelle10]

I've been experimenting with some different colors in my scented candles lately. I've found i dont like dyes. Frosting and discoloration drive me crazy. I'm thinking to just doing colorless candles. Has anyone else decided to ditch the dye?

Thanks Anna

[kcollins78]

I don't, and most likely never will, use dye. I think candles are just beautiful in that natural creamy white and it goes with every decor. Plus it's just so much easier than adding in yet another variable

[KarenOH]

I used dyes when I first started out pouring soy in 2000 but decided to stick with the natural color of soy about 6 mos later. Have never doubted that it was the right decision for me.

[SuzyK]

I'm just starting out and love using color. I have a feeling though, that I will eventually stop using dye I have a few that I don't use dye (clean cotton, gardenia) and I love the way they look. The natural color is really nice and it's difficult to get the exact color each time.

[annamichelle10]

Thanks so much for the reply's you guys. I think im going to stop using dyes my candles look so much better without them and seem to burn better also.

[Stella1952]

Check a little further into candlemaking before you decide to stop using dyes because of frosting. You have made VERY FEW candles, so you really have not had enough experience to know what is causing your frosting issues. FOs and poor temperature control are the biggest causes of frosting issues with most soy waxes. Dyes contribute their share, depending on the kind and amount of dye used. Dye may make it show up more, but the frosting is still there. Some folks do not want to bother learning how to pour colored soy candles that don't frost. If so, stop using it or switch to parasoy.

difficult to get the exact color each time.

Not really. When you use the exact same amount of dye material in the exact same volume of wax, you will get the same color every time. If your dyes cause that much variation in color, perhaps you should try another type of dye. Weighing your ingredients carefully has a great deal to do with consistent results.

That's a colored, layered soy candle (with no frosting, BTW) in my avatar. I love making them, people love buying them. Sometimes I even make white candles, if the application is right. I sure as heck wouldn't make purple coconut!! And I sure as heck wouldn't make strawberry fragranced candles in white! I use dyes because I love color. It matches up with and enhances the sense of fragrance (green apple smells more like green apple when the color is the same as green apples - well-researched physiological fact). It also matches up with customer preferences, mood and decor. It's hard to make a beautiful layered, marbled or chunky candle with no dye! The absence of color does NOT necessarily indicate a classier or better product. Sometimes it means the candlemaker doesn't know how to pour colored candles.

A white candle is a white candle is a white candle.... boring, IMHO.

[annamichelle10]

But which is better dye chips or liquid?

[ignite]

I use colour blocks and cut shavings of colour from it. I use 464 and dont get problems with frosting. I do agree with stella. You need to keep practising with colour!!! When I first got into candlemaking i didnt use colour as I wanted to make sure I learnt all about the wax, fo and wick. I guess I was slightly overwhelmed to use it. Dont get me wrong I loved the look and them being natural. But since using colour I dont think I will ever stop. Just keep practising and record your temps down as you test. Good luck!!

[Stella1952]

But which is better dye chips or liquid?

The one that works best for you. I use liquid EVO dyes (from CandleWic and hopefully, Southwest), but also use Reddig-glo chips every now and then. Others have great success using other liquids and dye blocks. You simply have to test things to see which products for best in your candle system.

[PAgirl89]

I sometimes use dye, but with tins and tarts, not jar candles. I like the natural look of dye free jar candles. It's personal preference.

[annamichelle10]

I want to eventually sell them but I know I got a long road ahead of me . I think imma do both color and colorless. Candles are beautiful with and without color. Like my gardenia is the creamery white and my linen an gardenia I call spring fresh turned out hot pink

[Recyclights]

I have not had much luck with dye yet. I've been using CB advanced and rediglow chips. Not sure what the term used for it is, but I get these strange blooms of white in the candle. The dye has been mixed in at high temps and stirred well therefore, it's had time to properly melt and mix in with the soy. It's frustrating, but that's part of the experimentation process!

I just received 2 liquid dyes I bought from CandleSceince. Hopefully, I'll have better luck. Personally, I do like the natural creamy look of a not overwhelmingly scented candle, BUT I aim to please and not everyone has the same likes. I know I want to offer a diverse line of product eventually.

[Stella1952]

Not sure what the term used for it is, but I get these strange blooms of white in the candle

A photo would help us to see your issue.

[Candybee]

I used to use Lonestar liquid dyes in my soy candles and had lots of trouble with frosting. Then I read from other posters that they used the Rediglo dye chips. So I bought a bunch of chips from CS in diffent colors to try out. It made a huge difference. I rarely got any frosting anymore. If I did I get frosting with a color I tested a different color. Most of them work well in my candles. I use Ecosoya CB135.

I love using color. I have seen all white candles at a few shows and to me a display of all white candles looks dull compared to the jewel like colors of candles with the dye chips. I also noticed that people gravitate more toward colorful candles than plain white. Very few looked at the white candles. I always had people looking and buying my colored candles.

I think people like a color choice and color also emotes. I feel passionate about a red colored cinnamon candle. A white cinnamon candle does nothing for me. JMO.

[TraciS]

I made colored candles for 5 yrs before dropping the color. I had some frosting issues and was constantly trying to touch them up to look better (worked most the time but sooo time consuming). Plus they developed frosting once they were in stores for a while. I decided to test it and set up at a show with my holiday scents in color and natural side-by-side and we made a bet which would sell out as hub said color - he cooked dinner that night! We sold out of all the natural and about 2 colored within the first hours of the show. That was all it took, I dropped the color from that point on.

I have never had a website order asking for color and I do offer that option, and I have never had a single request at a show for color. And I sure can complete an order quicker without worrying about color recipes and frosting.

To showcase my display "dull" candles I just changed up my display a bit. All dark tablecloths and pipe/drape with touches of color (huge vase of bright flowers or a lit Christmas tree in the corner or holly garlands around the shelving).

Maybe it's a fluke but it works for me and this is our 5th year without the color. So I say, do what works for you.

[Candybee]

To showcase my display "dull" candles I just changed up my display a bit. All dark tablecloths and pipe/drape with touches of color (huge vase of bright flowers or a lit Christmas tree in the corner or holly garlands around the shelving).

I'm sure dressing up your booth made a difference. I can see that working. But I still feel all white candles are dull and boring. JMO

[kcollins78]

Also, it depends a bit on who you're planning on eventually marketing to - the more upscale ones are generally either uncolored or lightly colored (browse http://www.candledelirium.com ) whereas if you're going the country/rustic route those people seem to love the really colored ones. It correlates with decorating styles as well (simple neutrals v. bright mason jars).

[Candybee]

Hmmm... don't assume that non color denotes upscale. Upscale has all to do with packaging, quality, and marketing of the candle line.

[kcollins78]

Hmmm... don't assume that non color denotes upscale. Upscale has all to do with packaging, quality, and marketing of the candle line.

No, you really can't assume anything, I was just saying in general.

[Toni S.]

I've been experimenting with some different colors in my scented candles lately. I've found i dont like dyes. Frosting and discoloration drive me crazy. I'm thinking to just doing colorless candles. Has anyone else decided to ditch the dye?

Thanks Anna

I ditched the dyes for the same reason you stated about 3 yrs ago and I've never regretted it one bit. Some candle makers said they lost sales because their customers didn't like the undyed candles but it didn't change my sales at all. Don't get me wrong, I like dyed candles but like candles with no frosting better

[Stella1952]

...it didn't change my sales at all... I like dyed candles but like candles with no frosting better

So if it didn't change your sales at all, one could reason that your customers were not bothered about the frosting as much as you were.

I'm gonna say this one mo' time so new folks will not get the wrong idea:

DYES do not cause frosting. The polymorphic property of soy wax causes frosting.

MANY things promote a change in the crystal structure ("frosting" or polymorphism) of a soy candle:

brand of wax used;

temperatures and techniques during the making of the candle;

way the candle is cooled;

temperatures during storage;

the specific FO or EO used;

type & amount of dye used

Three of the triggers listed above have to do with TEMPERATURE. The rest have to do with ADDITIVES (formula).

Many chandlers do not know how to reduce frosting in their candles. Many don't care. Undyed candles still experience frosting - it is just harder to see. The reasoning is because frosting appears to whiten the colored area of the candle where it's occurring, if NO dye is used, it will not be as noticeable. It can & will still experience structural changes - cauliflowering, "growing," roughening of texture - but those changes will be harder to see. If you remelt a completely frosted candle, it still will be a colored candle - the molecules of the wax will realign themselves (assuming the correct temperatures) and the frosted appearance will vanish. It's like the white appearance of ice cubes.

Personally, if a chandler told me they did not use dye because of frosting, that would kill any sale to me immediately because I would know this person was trying to do an end run around their own inability (or lack of desire) to deal with a common issue of soy candlemaking. I'd wonder what else they don't know about making a good candle... :lipsrseal

[chuck_35550]

Amen to no color. I hated having the mess and some customer saying they didn't want the strawberry in red or that they liked the fragrance but hated the color ect.

I think most people are thinking mottled colors and not the pastel creamy colors you get with soy. It's easier on the bottom line as well. JMO

Steve

[Mountain Soy Candle]

Stella I used to believe it was the dye also so I stopped but after I read one of your posts way back, I went back to my Reddig-Glow chips and really got anal about seriously analyzing everything from wax temps, room temps etc, and found that when I stored the candles upstairs where it was warmer and alot lighter they frosted. I then moved them to the darker cooler basement and miraculously the frost was gone. In my case that was all it took.

Mike

[crazzie]

Stella I used to believe it was the dye also so I stopped but after I read one of your posts way back, I went back to my Reddig-Glow chips and really got anal about seriously analyzing everything from wax temps, room temps etc, and found that when I stored the candles upstairs where it was warmer and alot lighter they frosted. I then moved them to the darker cooler basement and miraculously the frost was gone. In my case that was all it took.

Mike

This might be silly, but you found the darker cooler basement did not cause frost. What happens when the customer has the candle in a warmer area than your basement. The candle would still develop frost. My theory on the no color with soy is you are trying to promote effective candles from soybeans meaning green! Candles without the dye look natural.

[Mountain Soy Candle]

In my case yes thats exactly what stopped my candles from frosting. I do not sell candles so I wouldnt have to worry about that.

Claiming GREEN is a strong statement make sure all the research is done. Just because someone doesnt use dye doesnt mean its a GREEN CERTIFIED product.

Mike