Hello, Lots of Questions!! Newbie

[BackWoodsgooods]

Hello, I have been making alot of other crafts for a long time, but have been asked to make candles for a fundraiser with another friend. So I have been reading everything I can, and watching video's etc. I was glad to find this forum and have read alot. The fundraiser will be at the beginning of December. We were hoping to make about 150 candles. We decided on the 8 oz. square Mason jar with a pewter top. We have a scale, pouring pot, heat gun for newbie tops, etc. We think we have a good understanding of the basics, but what we don't have is alot of time for testing and experimenting. We are on the East Coast so are most likely to order from CandleScience. I was hoping to get some advice on a good overall soy wax, we decided most important to us is HT. I have looked at the FO's on Candlescience website, which I love the soy chart they have, but there are so many!! We thought we would stick to about 5 scents, and since it is near Christmas at least a couple of Holiday ones. Can anyone give us some advice on basic good selling scents? Wax? and of course wicks. I will say the more I read, I think if we do okay I might like to experiment and maybe make some candles for my self in the future. We also have read all the pertinent labeling information in previous posts, so we think we have a good handle on that also. This website is wealth of info. Thank you all in advance.

[marcuset]

:tiptoe:

[Beth]

:tiptoe:

waiting...waiting.........lol

[moonshine]

Is this a joke??

I suggest you re-think this- your going to be a liability waiting to happen if you even think your going to sell candles in 2 months and don't even know how or even tried yet!

[ladysj]

There is no way you'll be ready to sell by December unless you test & sell only 1 jar & one scent type. I've been doing this for years & always test everything before I put it up for sale. What wax, scent, jar & wick works for one may not work for another.

[jackbenimble]

Not to be incredibly rude but you should find another fundraiser.

[Chefmom]

I've been in this for close to a year and a half and I haven't even touched soy container wax, just the pillar blend. I have (now) close to $2 000 invested and I have been testing every day for MONTHS.

I think you just want us to hand over all our testing notes so that you don't have to do the tests for yourself and the info is out there, but you will need to do a lot of reading to find it. AND even with someones elses working recipe you still have to test because your system may yield a different product. Even elevation and relative humidity can alter candles and so testing for yourself is very important.

The one thing I have picked up about using soy and palm is cure time, so even if you work 'round the clock you still need to have your products made a month in advance for cure time, that's one of the main reason's I work with paraffin and parasoys, among other things.

Good Luck! This "hobby" can quickly take over your life.

[Beth]

Boom..... there it is

[HorseScentS]

I agree that 2 months is nowhere near enough time to develop a safe candle, that burns properly, and throws a good strong scent, especially not with soy which takes a lot longer and costs more money to test and develop than paraffin. You'll be much happier and more successful if you find another frundraiser, preferably one you already have experience making.

Edited August 29, 2012 by HorsescentS

[ladysj]

:laugh2::highfive:

Boom..... there it is

[blacktieaffair]

That is about the scariest thing I've read in a long long time.

[Cinder]

I've been making candles for a little over a year, and I've only figured out and tested 2 wax/wick combinations that I'm comfortable giving to my friends and family. I still consider myself a newbie to the candle world, and would keel over at the thought of selling them! I can't afford the liability! there are Sooo many different thing to learn about, experiment with, and discover before ill ever sell candles. Things that run through my mind are things like:

What if the wick is too big/small for the candle? It could tunnel and go out, or flame up and hurt someone!

Is the fragrance oil I'm using okay in this wax? Will it last, or what? Do I need to heat the wax to a higher temp to make sure its mixed?

I had a little accident with flashpoints in fragrance oil about 6 months ago... Is hate to make a candle, not test it, then unleash it upon some unsuspecting customer who doesn't trim the wicks!

I'm prolly way too paranoid, but rather be that than hurt someone.

Just my two cents.

[FaithfulScenter]

That is about the scariest thing I've read in a long long time.

LOL SERIOUSLY! I have been making candles for well over a year, and recently signed on for a *small* fundraiser that I was horribly unprepared for, and ended up in the hole... There's no way to get everything together for such a feat in 2 months. I'm sure there are candle companies in your area that would be happy to do the fundraiser for you.

[rjdaines]

You don't mention what soy you are planning on using and why you want to use soy. As has been mentioned above, it takes a long time to develop a candle that works and is safe, December is not nearly long enough to do this. You have made one important step, chosen a container. I made my life difficult by wanting to use 5 different containers.

[Beth]

"I had a little accident with flashpoints in fragrance oil"

What happened?

[MrsPacNW]

In your case..I'd be searching out a wholesaler that does fund raising candles.

You are not going to make any money off you and your group making candles..with zero experience. And the risk..well..it's way to high.

And quite frankly, to do candles for a fund raiser..if you are not buying in serious bulk (to reduce your per ounce cost)..and then donating your time..The amount you can "charge" over the costs of raw materials to make the candle is quite limiting. There are way more fund raiser opportunities with less buy in and more profit to the organization.

[NaturallyTru]

BackWoods - If you pm me I can give you some useful tips and advice to help you get started.

[Cinder]

"I had a little accident with flashpoints in fragrance oil"

What happened?

I had used a grapefruit fragrance from hobby lobby.... It seemed to mix into the wax right. I molded a pillar with paraffin wax.

I lit the candle after a few days, and about ten minutes into the burn, the flame hit a little pool of the fragrance oil.

I caught the tablecloth on fire, and barely managed to keep the boathouse from burning down!

Perhaps its not really a flashpoint issue, but it was a huge wakeup call!

[blacktieaffair]

Dang that had to be scary Cinder.

[FaithfulScenter]

I caught the tablecloth on fire, and barely managed to keep the boathouse from burning down!

That's so scary!!

[ChandlerWicks]

:pI was wondering what you were waiting for!

I've been making & testing candles for 16 months & still not ready. This forum will help immensely, but I don't think enough to have you ready by the holidays. Maybe with 2 of you working 24/7 on it. Please reconsider selling so soon. Candlemaking is alot of fun, but a whole lot of learning.

Boom..... there it is

[moonshine]

Let me add to this by saying:

Everyone has to start somewhere and even the most experienced chandlers run into certain situations or issues that have questions BUT.... for someone brand new to the idea you need to be a little realisitic in your expectations. Ask me how I know - I thought exactly along your line of thinking over 4 years ago and I have just within the last year been 100% confident in selling outside of family and friends

Nobody here on this forum is going to hand over information to get you on your way to selling in 2 months time. You wont learn anything without doing tons of testing yourself and experimenting on what your preferences are in a candle- it may seem like you are being jumped here BUT only because most of the people here have been doing this for a very long time and it is shocking knowing what we know about the process (and I dont know the half of it yet) that people actually come on here with the "hey I decided to start candles AND I am going to sell in a couple weeks". Its not that your starting candles and are interested in it- its the intent of selling right off the bat when you clearly have no clue that gets a rise out of people- but like I said... you have to start somewhere

The only way you can start to learn is to actually try making them and there are many people on here that are willing to help out BUT you have to do SOME leg work, research and testing to get an idea of what your questions even are. There is tons of reading available on here- months worth. I think your interest in candles is wonderful and welcome you to the board- but please understand selling something you havent even begun to understand in a short period of time is just not practical- or smart - or safe IMO

Everyone on here is very nice and very helpful AND very truthful...

[HorseScentS]

I also want to add that when I first posted comments about my desire to make and someday sell candles, about a year and-a-half ago, I got the same reaction and I thought they were just trying to discourage me because they were scared of more competition. :laugh2::laugh2::laugh2::laugh2: And after all this time, I still don't have a line of candles I'd feel comfortable giving as gifts to family members, let alone selling! Of course, I don't have the money to invest in constantly testing like some others do or maybe I'd be ready to sell by now. But, I've really enjoyed obsessively researching, testing, and asking questions/posting comments about candle making all this time anyway.

[BackWoodsgooods]

I didn't mean to offend anyone, nor did I want anyone to hand over their secrects or recipes. The fund raiser is for a local family whose child has been ill and is a craft/bake sale type affair. We would not only be donating our time but also the money we spend. My friend already makes scrubs etc and has insurance. I make alot of things that do include candles but only votives or tea lights, which I have been making. We both try to keep to recycled or natural things, so that was the reason for choosing soy. I do already use Ecosoya PB for the votive, but only use one fragrance, color and what candlescience recommended for the wick. I am definitely new at anything above this one candle, and this is why I have all the supplies. And I do know how to test it and have. For these candles I was just hoping for some advice on a soy with a good HT, because every single kind of wax seems to have the same reviews, and there are just so many fragrances out there, and we just do not have alot of time. Like I said I was only looking for advice, thank you for your time.

[HorseScentS]

I didn't mean to offend anyone, nor did I want anyone to hand over their secrects or recipes. The fund raiser is for a local family whose child has been ill and is a craft/bake sale type affair. We would not only be donating our time but also the money we spend. My friend already makes scrubs etc and has insurance. I make alot of things that do include candles but only votives or tea lights, which I have been making. We both try to keep to recycled or natural things, so that was the reason for choosing soy. I do already use Ecosoya PB for the votive, but only use one fragrance, color and what candlescience recommended for the wick. I am definitely new at anything above this one candle, and this is why I have all the supplies. And I do know how to test it and have. For these candles I was just hoping for some advice on a soy with a good HT, because every single kind of wax seems to have the same reviews, and there are just so many fragrances out there, and we just do not have alot of time. Like I said I was only looking for advice, thank you for your time.

Even with your experience making soy votive candles, if someone recommends the soy wax that they consider to have the best HT, plus their favorite FOs, two months is still not enough time.

Edited August 30, 2012 by HorsescentS