msant Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I am testing a large number of fragrances for the fall/winter season. I am using 10 oz Country Comfort Jars and am trying to figure out a way after choosing the scent to be able to test the throw (see if I like it and throws well in my soy) before doing full test burns in the actual 10 oz jar.Does anyone have a technique? My thoughts were to maybe use the 4 oz jelly jar with the various fragrance oils and burning in my bathroom..lol. Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chefmom Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 The crazy thing is you really need to test in the jar the final product will be in, or at least one with the same diameter and top width. If your scent works and the wick works in a 4 ounce jelly jar and then you just automatically pour it into the large jar with a different diameter it may not work.It sucks, and that is why I started and stuck with a classic jam jar (just like a LOT of people do) because it is readily available without mail order. You really need to test the whole product as the customer would.I test mine for throw in two locations in my living room. If I can smell the candle throughout the room, and many travel the whole way through the house, then I can guess the average person will have a good throw as long as they don't have weird air flow in the room they burn candles in.I also have test jars and new jars. I re-use my test jars but when I give a gift or sell a candle, then I always use a new jar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I usually make my initial tester in two Elemental Jars (2.5") and test them in two locations. If these testers produce an adequate HT then I test them in my larger containers. So far, if it works in the smaller jars then the FOs work in the larger jars. So long as you have your other containers worked out in terms of wicking and melt pool size, I don't see why it would fail moving to a different jar. The HT might be slightly different (always better in my double wicked apothecary jars) but the FO shouldn't be a complete dud. It all has to do on how well you have the containers worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msant Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 Hi Chefmom...thank you for your feedback. I continue to test several times in the large 10 oz. I also do a power burn to see what would happen if someone were to leave that fragranced candle on forever. My question is before getting to that point of testing in the 10oz is there a way to filter a fragrance that will not be pleasant or throw well. For example...I tested a fragrance I loved called Asian Pear and Lily and after the second burn still no throw. I wondered if there was a way to test it to make sure that it throws in my wax before pouring in my containers to trully test the full burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktieaffair Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 On the Asian Pear and Lily,I know you are referring to candles but if all you are wanting at this moment, is to test whether it plays well with your wax or not at all.... I guess you could make a melt/tart of it, and test it that way. What is the cure time on your wax? Even only doing melts, I've found that some scents take their dear sweet time curing before they throw ( and I even use a wax known for being able to make the tart and sell it right away because of practically no cure time). But sometimes, some fo's? They just "go" when they decide to "go". Some waxes have pretty long cure times.. < shrugs> I dunno, maybe a tester melt to try it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanie353 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 On the Asian Pear and Lily,I know you are referring to candles but if all you are wanting at this moment, is to test whether it plays well with your wax or not at all.... I guess you could make a melt/tart of it, and test it that way. What is the cure time on your wax? Even only doing melts, I've found that some scents take their dear sweet time curing before they throw ( and I even use a wax known for being able to make the tart and sell it right away because of practically no cure time). But sometimes, some fo's? They just "go" when they decide to "go". Some waxes have pretty long cure times.. < shrugs> I dunno, maybe a tester melt to try it out?Starting out with a tart is something I started doing this summer. I ended up saving a lot of wax since some of them turned out to be a scent I either didn't like or was not strong enough. I also made votives at the same time as the tart, using container wax. If the tart passed then I'd burn the votive to make sure it still had good HT with my wick and wax combined. Since the votives were only for my burning and didn't even go to my testers, it worked out well being able to find the keeper and non-keeper FOs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktieaffair Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Just to add on to mine and Jeanie's comments.... Even if you do make testers of any kind, and it's a scent you don't want or like or doesn't perform like you wish it would.. Save that wax. You can always re-purpose it into fire starters, or, use it in "grab bags". I found out early on, what I like, doesn't make a hill of beans to what the customers like! ( cause if it did, I'd never make another Dragon's Blood in my life ! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msant Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 Thank you everyone for your suggestions. The Elemental jar, the tarts...I'm definitely going to try those methods out. It's heartbreaking to waste wax on a scent that does not throw well and that will be just scooped out and thrown away. Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerWicks Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Excuse this if someone else mentioned it. Hobby Lobby has the little Elemental jars 1/2 price every other week or so. Holds 4ozs of wax to start of curve in jar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Excuse this if someone else mentioned it. Hobby Lobby has the little Elemental jars 1/2 price every other week or so. Holds 4ozs of wax to start of curve in jar.Look at my avatar picture to see what an Element Jar and lid looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msant Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 The Elemental Jar are the cutest things! I've been searching for a 4 oz jar that looks good with the Country Comfort Jar line and I may have to give these a try to add to my line of candles and to test fragrances before the bigger jars! Thanks rjdaines!! Am also looking to get a tart warmer to test those fragrances too. See which method works best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 You should always test whatever you expect the finished product to be.There is no way on God's Green Earth you can test a tart and have the vaguest idea if it will throw with a wick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msant Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) I agree SliverofWax. I hope my question was not misinterpreted. I would never ever ever assume anything regarding burn quality, wick size, or safety based on a tart burn or other method. That would be insane! I just wanted a way to eliminate fragrances that would not combine well with my wax in terms of throw etc. before making full size candles to begin testing. Almost the way we open a bottle and sniff...then decide whether it's what we are looking for or not. I want to take it one step further before the testing begins. (To see if it even warrants testing). But you do have a point...the wick burning is a completely different reaction than burning of a tart to evaluate a fragrance. It may tell a part of the story, but not the full story. It's making me think.... Edited August 19, 2012 by msant Added information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaturallyTru Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I test for fragrance throw by making votive size candles. If it throws with that size, I then move it to the keep for testing in regular size jars. Has worked great for me. I, also, have a bunch of FOs to test. I sorted out the fall/winter ones to do this week. There are just too many to do all I have waiting right now...lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsPacNW Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I do like NaturallyTru...I use the little 4oz quilted jelly jars or a votive cup to get idea of my wax the new oil and throw. I do not choose oils that need a cure time. So if they don't burn the next day with a decent throw..I don't pursue it further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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