Wicking Muliple Layer Candles

[bart70]

Hi,

I have recently noticed soy container candles getting around my area that are 'layered' with different fragrances from top to bottom (for example, each layer is a different color and fragrance, with up to four layers).

Now I am not expert on soy (rarely use it) but it got me to thinking about how these candles are engineered from a burn perspective. I use around 13 different FO's (not in the same candle!) and the burns and wicking requirements are very different from FO to FO and to a lesser extent, color to color (I primarily use palm). We go to a lot of trouble and testing to find the best wick/mix combination for each FO/color combination that we use.

How realistic is it to layer, say 4 FO's in the same candle and be able to find a wick that will work throughout the life of the candle?

For example, a layer of Red Hot Cinnamon, Cinnamon Vanilla, and Apple Jack & Peel - If individually these candles required quite different wicking, how effective would they be layering them together?

I would have thought this would be very difficult to achieve an appropriate burn through each layer (partly from my experience with palm as my 'best' wicks can change greatly from FO to FO).

Am I been too 'over the top' in my wicking and testing? or is Soy less temperamental and more suitable to 'one size fits all' type wicking?

Bart

[Stella1952]

If individually these candles required quite different wicking, how effective would they be layering them together?

Bart, I've been making layered palm and soy wax candles for many years.

Pouring layered candles is an advanced skill. It assumes a certain level of expertise in handling your wax, wicking and knowledge of the FOs you are using.

Just as one has to choose colors that have a pleasing appearance together, so one has to choose fragrances that will have a pleasing blend when the candle is burned. Part of knowing how to pour layers is knowing not to choose FOs whose burn properties vary considerably from one another. If you KNOW a particular FO has different properties than the others chosen for a candle, why in the world would you use that one? That would be silly!

I suggest that people start pouring layers with one fragrance (in all the colors in the candle). Once you've gotten that under your belt, try two, etc. Remember to KISS.

Am I been too 'over the top' in my wicking and testing? or is Soy less temperamental and more suitable to 'one size fits all' type wicking?

Soy wax is far more temperamental to wick than is palm wax, IMHO, but I honestly don't find either to be as tedious as some folks make it.

I use around 13 different FO's ... and the burns and wicking requirements are very different from FO to FO and to a lesser extent, color to color (I primarily use palm). We go to a lot of trouble and testing to find the best wick/mix combination for each FO/color combination that we use.

I keep about 40 different FOs in stock and a couple of dozen lined up for testing at any given time. I wick first for the container (specifically, the last half of the container); I wick second for the hot throw. I seldom vary the size wick I use in a particular container to suit a particular FO. To me, that's the tail waggin' the dog. I do make a FEW exceptions to this, but not many. While I may have built up a "palette" of FOs over the years, I follow the KISS rule. I worry about how the candle wax burns in the container FIRST. If the FO interferes with that, I can either reduce the amount, lengthen the cure time, or use more, depending on the issue I am trying to resolve. If the FO does not respond to those simple adjustments, I might try that FO from another supplier. If I have the same issue from several suppliers, I move on to one of the other thousand or so FOs I have not tried yet. Time is money and I am not going to keep screwing around with several different brands and sizes of wicks for a particular container just to suit the needs of a few prima donna FOs. A FO has to be mighty dang special for me to even change the wick size I use in a particular wax and container. Usually, unless I am very impressed with a particular FO, I won't even order a bad actor from a diferent supplier.

I don't find individual colors to be an appreciable factor in the burn characteristics of either palm or soy waxes, with the exception of white, which I seldom need to use in any quantity. I use EVO liquid dyes and very occasionally, Reddig-glo dye chips.

While pouring layered candles is an advanced skill, it isn't nuclear physics!! Take it slowly and methodically and have fun playing! Who knows - one day soon you may find yourself wandering around the pouring table with 10 colors and 10 different fragrances!! *super banana*

[bart70]

Thank you for the excellent reply Stella - Lots of good info in that one.

I figured that the most likely scenario would be to know which FO's to use and to use ones that wick very similar to each other. I see so many of these getting around lately I do wonder sometimes how well they have been tested.

My personal experience (again based on palm) is that I have roughly 3 different 'wicking' based on my FO's - The majority are what I call 'nomal' and wick in the same range (within a wick or 2 of each other). I have small number that needing wicking up (burn cold), and a small number that wick down (burn hot) compared to normal. These FO's (in my experience) tend to wick hotter or colder than the 'normals' regardless of the wax type, container size, or pillar size. The same FO's will always be a few sizes cooler or hotter in every scenario.

The trick with a layered candle would be to match the same ranges together (and ensure they smells are good together).

I am not looking at making layered candles (might in the future) was just curious as to how much of an issue it is to get them to burn properly from a technical perspective (I work in a technical background hence my mind gets to thinking how these things actually work!).

Thanks again for the excellent response Stella.

Cheers,

Bart

[Stella1952]

Bart, are you thinking of making layered containers or pillars or both? Containers are truly pretty easy peasy, in both palm and soy waxes. There's plenty of "fudge room" in the wicking and still be able to achieve a safe candle that looks and smells great. Pillars are a little more tedious (mainly because of blowouts), but again, I have not had any major issues with mine other than when they're all burned down, I miss them!! Have a couple of glasses of wine and go native on the whole thing. It'll be fun. It's not like making homemade dynamite in the basement or anything... at least mine never blew up... yet!:laugh2:

[bart70]

If I were to have a crack at them it would most likely be containers. I don't really have a burning desire to do them at present (have a lot of other things on the hop at the moment) but after seeing some recently it got me thinking as to how to actually engineer them from a burn perspective.

I will certainly have a play with them at some stage, even if it is only with leftover wax from my normal containers just for the fun of experimenting. If i get something I that works well I might consider making it a regular item.

Cheers,

Bart

[Whisper Girl]

We have done layers with different scents, but decided to stay away from them as we found that most customers wanted the same fragrance all the way thru. They knew they liked the top layer, but were concerned about whether they would like the scents further down the candle. One scent listed on the candle that the customer did not like would kill the sell of the candle.