What is the shelf life of fragrances?
Manufacturers will offer a 12 month shelf life but fragrances will be usable a lot longer if stored well in cool dark environments. Fragrances have a tendency to change slightly over time. This is usually directly linked to how it has been stored and in what type of environment. This means if you are using a fragrance that is 18 months old and then order a freshly compounded batch, it may smell a little different. Most large candle makers will always use freshly compounded fragrances in order to maintain a consistency with their products.
Will fragrances have any reaction in the containers?
Sometimes – it’s imperative you do your own testing, especially with containers that are coloured on the inside. Fragrances are made with many different ingredients and sometimes the quality of the ingredients, along with the age of the fragrance and how it’s been stored, can play a big role on whether or not it produces some kind of effect on the end product or container it’s in.
We have never seen any reactions to our jars when using our premium grade fragrance range. However we have seen a few reactions in jars/tin when other supplier fragrances have been used.
Are fragrance oils flammable?
Yes they are. The degree of how flammable is presented via the flash point of a fragrance. The lower the flash point, the more volatile the fragrance will be. Therefore sometimes if a candle with a low flashpoint fragrance is not burning very well, then you may been to reduce the fragrance load or reduce the heat source being the wick size.
Are fragrances toxic if ingested?
Yes they are. For advice, contact a doctor or the Australian Poisons Information Centre: 131 126
Can fragrances affect the colour of the wax?
Yes they can. Fragrances can discolour finished products. There are minimum 40+ ingredients used in fragrance manufacturing that may contribute to the discolouration of products. This is why your own testing is imperative.
Are the fragrances pure essential oils?
No they are not. Fragrances are made by using both a combination of natural and synthetic (manmade) ingredients. The cost of 100% Natural fragrance will be somewhere in the vicinity of $800 per kilo or more. As a result, it’s not feasible to sell natural fragrances. Many of the ones you see listed on the internet, may not 100% natural fragrances. And if they are, they are likely to contain Palm Oil, which has it's own global use issues due to deforestation and the effects this has on the natural habitants like the orangutang species.
Anything that is 100% natural will typically be quite volatile and therefore you will need to use less and your end products will not be as strong. Many 100% natural ingredients have higher levels of warnings associated with using them in combustion applications like candles.
Can I blend fragrances?
Yes you can blend fragrances, but we strongly suggest always test burning all new combinations.
Are your fragrances triple scented?
Yes they are. This relates to how a fragrance is formulated with top notes, middles note and base notes. Being triple scented does not mean adding 3 times the amount of fragrance.
