I just had a fragrance epiphany and had to share!

[denetteb]

Ok, so let me start out by saying that I am only a hobbyist, and I started making my own tarts about 6 months ago. I initially wanted to start making candles, but thought that tarts were a great way to get my feet wet, and I use tarts all the time anyway, so it just made sense that that is where I should start. Also, I make soap and thought that small test batches would be a great way to use up some of my FO remnants from soap making.

Well…this whole time I have been making my own tarts I have not been pleased with my results. At first, I was very excited to make my tarts, and I would even daydream about how wonderful they would smell and how happy I would be when my home smelled amazing, but my joy stopped there. Every time I would warm up one of my tarts I found myself thinking, “yes this smells good, but not nearly as good as Yankee’s ______ or Slatkin’s _____.” I had heard from so many people that their homemade tarts/candles were infinitely better than the mass produced retailers, but I didn’t feel like that was the case with me. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know that it takes time to find your right wax, and to make the tarts correctly (proper measuring, etc.), but I didn’t think that is were I was going wrong. I have no doubt in my mind that I could produce (if not now, that at some point in the future with more practice) a product that performs better than the mass produced ones, I just didn’t think it was possible to make a product that smelled better than those mass produced products that I loved. I have to admit that these thoughts left me feeling quite defeated…until…I popped my German Chocolate Cake (Peak’s) tart into my warmer last night. Oh…my…GOODNESS…it smelled soooo good! I could not stop sniffing the air and telling my husband how wonderful it smelled! In those moments all my doubts about finding amazing smelling FOs were swept away! I feel that I can now say with confidence that it is possible to make a dang good smelling tart!! Yay!! :whoohoo:

All this excitement aside, I know in reality that it can take many many tries to find that right FO for your needs, but with all my perceived failings I failed to keep in mind this timeless truth which left me discouraged. I have never been a very patient person, so this hobby has been great for me…as long as I keep my head about me! Here’s to hoping I can push through the testing phases with more patience and excitement, and here’s to many more successes in the future!

So...has anyone else out there had a similar experience to mine? Do you ever get tired of testing? What renews your excitement of the craft? I would love to hear you experiences and any suggestions that you have to keep me motivated during the "hard times." TIA!!

Edited September 11, 2012 by denetteb

[bells4shells]

Congrats on your first powerhouse tart!

I feel you on a lot of what you said. When I found this forum, I was researching as much as I could. I'm typically this way as a person... I don't just jump into something without knowing the ins and outs. But even so, there are times when you just have to take the plunge and see how things work for yourself. Not everyone has the same outcome with the same elements (wax, FO, wicks, jars, etc). And even getting pre-made kits will not always yield you the best product possible. But, you're in this thing for your own reasons. Whether it's improving on what's already there or satisfying your own needs or ??.

It warms my heart to read/hear your excitement. What a feeling huh? I do find myself getting tired of testing sometimes. But I find my excitement renews just by reading other people's opinions, thoughts and experiences through this forum. Just the little push of encouragement or advice offerings help so much. Sometimes I get ideas for cute packaging or a theme or find a fragrance that ignites other possibilities. In the end, for me, one can never stop improving. I really love that most of us feel that way and continue to share our experiences here.

Again, so happy to hear about your success. Here's to many more!!

[denetteb]

Thanks bells...you are so sweet!

I am glad to hear that I am not always the only person on this boat! I too an the type to research as much as I can before I start something new, and this forum has been an invaluable source in helping me find the information that I need to take that plunge! Everyone here has been so wonderful to answer my questions, and the search feature and archives are fantastic! I could read all day until my eyes get bloodshot and still have information unread...it it awesome!

I agree in that I can only get better! I hope that at some point I can contribute as much as I have learned from this forum. Thanks again for your kind words!

[debscent]

You are on the right track. This is the frustration with testing. The time, expense and the "emotional letdown" (just kidding about the letdown). There are many suppliers out there, some will work with your wax formula, some won't. It's the nature of this hobby/business. Some fragrances do great with a higher percentage and some with less. Peak's lavender comes to mind. I didn't like it at 6%, but at 4% it was a lovely fragrance. Some oils that people raved about, just didn't fit what I was looking for in my product. So, keep it up, and keep enjoying every success. It's worth it.

[ChandlerWicks]

I actually do have an "emotional letdown" when my candles fail. It took awhile for me to realize it just might be the FO not working with my waxes.

To the OP: it's a wonderful feeling when they work!!!!!

You are on the right track. This is the frustration with testing. The time, expense and the "emotional letdown" (just kidding about the letdown). There are many suppliers out there, some will work with your wax formula, some won't. It's the nature of this hobby/business. Some fragrances do great with a higher percentage and some with less. Peak's lavender comes to mind. I didn't like it at 6%, but at 4% it was a lovely fragrance. Some oils that people raved about, just didn't fit what I was looking for in my product. So, keep it up, and keep enjoying every success. It's worth it.

[glowworm]

Isn't it great when you have success after so much hard work. Our success in this business is so much sweeter I think because of how many times we fail before achieving it.

[lmc]

Our success in this business is so much sweeter I think because of how many times we fail before achieving it.

Got that right! Recently I've been quite disappointed with a few new suppliers I tried out...their oils either weren't strong enough, or smelled cheap, or didn't work and we wont even talk about the money and time invested. But then, as you found, you come across a great one and it makes it all worthwhile.

[judys]

A lot depends on your fragrances. I started with candles and now do mainly cp soap. Still make candles, tho. Many suppliers who specialize in soaps only, in my opinion, have oils that are not as strong. There are reasons for many of these fragrances. For instance, I have found that a lilac meant for candles will turn hard as a rock before I can even get the soap into the mold. However, if I use a lilac fragrance from a company that specializes in soap, it makes a great soap. A lot of the candle fragrances are too strong for soap, and the soap fragrances are often very light in candles.