How much wax will I need to make my candle?
Please refer to lesson 5. Place empty jar on scales. Tare scales back to zero. Pour water to level the candle will finish at. And the weight of the water is the exact amount of wax flakes you will need to fill jars.
How Much fragrance will I need?
Please refer to lesson 5. Minimum 5% and maximum 10% of amount of wax being used in any one project. 200g wax x 10% = 20g of fragrance oil.
How to know what wick to use?
See Lesson 8. Measure inner diameter of jar. Use CDN wick chart to match and allocate wick use. This is a guide only and you must conduct test burn to determine suitability. If wick chart suggests CDN 14. You can test CDN 12, 14 or 16 for suitability.
Why should I test burn?
Lesson 8. To determine if you have the right size wick and fragrance load for the jar size. The wick chart is a guide only. Any time you had a different fragrance or colour combination the wick can produce different results.
What to look for in a test burn?
Lesson 8. If the candle takes too long to create a melt pool, the wick is too small. If the Melt pool is deeper than 2cm after 4 hrs, the wick is too large. If the flame is too erratic it is an indication there is too much fragrance or too much heat and you need to adjust one or the other.
Why do I get sink holes, surface flaws on my finished candles?
Lesson 7. Even the most experienced candle maker will often find their finished soy candles have an uneven, rough surface finishes. Many things can contribute towards these characteristics. Here are some things you can try to help correct this problem.
• Avoid over stirring.
• Adjust your pouring temperatures.
• Working in an ambient temperature room.
• Avoid extremely hot or cold rooms.
• Warm your jars before pouring.
• Tap glass gently after you pour to release any air bubbles.
• Slow down the cooling process.
• Pour more slowly.
• Make sure candles are well spaced during the
Use a heat gun or hairdryer to re-melt the surface.
Can I use essential oils?
Lesson 9. Based on our research we do not think it’s a good idea to use essentials oils. They are very volatile oils and you need to use less than 5% fragrance load. This means the candle will have very little scent throw. We suggest to only use fragrance oils that have been specifically made for the candle combustion application.
Can I mix fragrance oils?
Lesson 9. Yes, you can blend fragrance oils, it’s an economical way to make your product go further. We strongly suggest you always test burn any blends to ensure you get what you desire.
What does the Flashpoint on a fragrance mean?
Lesson 9. The flashpoint is the temperature a fragrance can combust if exposed to an open flame or spark. Usually the lower the flashpoint the more volatile the fragrance, so sometimes it is better to use less like 7%. The higher the flashpoint, the more stable the fragrance and be easily used at the maximum 10%.
How do I get my candle to smell stronger?
The most common issue is that soy candles have a massive cold scent throw and users usually become immune to the scent and do not realize this. So, keep the lid on your candles when not burning. Make sure you have not become immune to the scent from the cold scent throw. Too often clients enjoy the cold scent throw but do not realise their senses eventually shutdown because they have been overloaded.
Keep the container size and room size in mind. The wider the diameter, the larger the candle surface area, the stronger the fragrance will be. While a smaller candle, such as a jar 7cm wide jar, may be sufficient for a bedroom or bathroom, a larger living space may require a candle with a wider diameter to fill the room with fragrance, like 8 to 9cm wide.
Under wicking and sometimes over wicking will have an effect on hot scent throw. Please sure you conduct proper test burns to ensure you have the right size wick for your candle
Some say allowing candles to cure for 1 week before use helps.
Why can’t I smell my candle burning?
The most common issue is that soy candles have a massive cold scent throw and users usually become immune to the scent and do not realize this. So, keep the lid on your candles when not burning. Make sure you have not become immune to the scent from the cold scent throw. Too often clients enjoy the cold scent throw but do not realise their senses eventually shutdown because they have been overloaded.
Why does my candle wick have a mushroom form after burning?
Lesson 10. This is the result of carbon build-up, where the flame consumes more wax than it can burn. It is a common occurrence and can be a sign that the wick is too large for the candle. Keep in mind that larger wick sizes from CDN 14 up, are prone to mushrooming more frequently than other smaller wicks from CDN 14 down.
If "mushrooming" occurs with your candle, we recommend trimming the carbon build-up off the wick between burns. If you are seeing a combination of excessive mushrooming along with soot building up on the sides of your container, we would recommend wicking down one wick size to help control the burn.
Why does it look like there is oil seeping out top of candle?
Fragrance will seep out and sit on top of candle if it hasn’t bonded well with soy. Remedy:
• Add fragrance at a higher temperature 80 to 85 degrees and make sure you stir well for 1 to 2 minutes before pouring.
• Use less fragrance. Sometimes less is more…
What is the wet spot on the side of my jar?
This is a glass adhesion issue caused through wax shrinkage. It is quite common in paraffin candle sand will also happen with soy. It occurs when candles / jars / environment is too cold and candles set too quickly.
Remedy:
• Heat jars before poring.
• Have an ambient room temperature.
• Slow down the cooling and setting process.
