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We get frequent questions about eliminating wet-spots and reducing frosting in soy candles.  It seems as if even experienced candle makers battle this problem at times, whether it’s due to changes in the weather, variations in cure temperatures, different fragrances or colors – it’s one of the most frustrating things a candle maker can encounter.  It’s also very difficult to trouble-shoot as it’s nearly impossible to control all of the variables.

We have heard anecdotal evidence of a possible remedy for some of the pitfalls of working with soy wax, so we decided to jump into testing mode and see if this remedy might actually work the way everyone says, and we were thrilled with the results.  Read on for more information!

Rumor has it that you can use 1/2 teaspoon of Coconut Oil per pound of wax to help reduce or eliminate wet spots and frosting.  But what happens when you actually do this?  Many soy waxes are pretty soft already.  Will adding coconut oil make the wax even softer?  According to the chatter on the web, it can make your wax even softer, which is why you don’t want to use any more than 1/2 teaspoon per pound.

Well, we tried this out to see how it worked using GW464 wax.  The candle looked absolutely beautiful. Creamy looking wax that adhered completely to the glass, and continued to adhere to the glass even with multiple significant changes in temperature caused by our crazy Alabama spring.  However, the wax is pretty soft.  So if your candles are on display and someone touches the surface of the candle it would almost certainly leave a fingerprint or mark on your candle.  We liked the result we got, but we still wanted to try to harden the candle up a bit.

For our next test, we wanted to see if using a bit of stearic acid with the coconut oil would harden up the wax while still retaining the creamy appearance and excellent glass adhesion.  So I made four large candles using GW464, 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil per lb of wax, and 1/8 teaspoon of stearic acid per pound of wax.  Stearic Acid is made from palm oil and is known to raise the melting point of wax and harden it.  I was absolutely delighted with the result of this test.  The candle once again adhered to the glass without a single wet spot and the wax is firm to the touch and does not leave fingerprints or marks on the top of the candle.

But what about the burn?  The candles made both with and without stearic acid burned exactly the way a candle without these additives burned.  We noticed no significant difference in scent throw, melt pool, or burn rate.

I believe I have found my new favorite method of making soy candles.  If you have experienced the frustration of wet spots in your soy candles or frosting, you may want to consider testing by adding coconut oil and stearic acid to see if they make a difference for you.  We make no guarantees about how this might work, but we can say with conviction that it worked during our tests, and we have become believers!

Happy Candle Making!

We have compiled a helpful list of our fragrances that can be used in lotions, body sprays, and other products.  For your particular product we recommend you consult the IFRA for each fragrance.  The IFRA is listed on our website under the fragrance description. Look for a tab marked “IFRA Data” and consult the appropriate category for your formulation to determine what the safe usage rates are for your products.

If you have any questions about our fragrances, please email them to info@communitycandlesupply.com!

Please Note: We add new fragrances often.  We will update this list as new fragrances become available so be sure to check back often! 

Lotion & Body Spray Fragrance Oils

Sea Salt & Agave

Gain Type®

Vanilla Bean BBW Type®

Vanilla Sandalwood

Zesty Citrus/Ruby Red Grapefruit

Macintosh Apple Yankee Type®

Sandalwood

Seaside Citrus

Almond

Coconut Creme Pie

Green Apple Jolly Rancher Type®

Kentucky Bourbon – Great For Men!

Blooms & Butterflies/Spring & Renewal Febreze Type®

British Parliament-Great for Men or Women

Bluebonnet

NEW! – White Sand Beaches BBW Type®

NEW! – Cotton Candy

NEW! – Tropical Serenity

NEW! – Rainbow Twist

NEW! – Peony & Blush Suede by Jo Malone®

NEW! – Fiji Date & Lemon

NEW & IMPROVED! – Cucumber

NEW & IMPROVED! – Cucumber Melon

NEW & IMPROVED! – Cucumber Mint

NEW & IMPROVED! – Cucumber Sea Salt

 

 

Which Wick?

We get TONS of questions about wicks pretty much every day.  We know there is a lot of confusion about wicks so we decided to shed some light on this murky subject!  Read on to learn more about wicks and how they work for your container candles.

A container candle that is properly wicked will have certain characteristics.

First, the wick should be centered in the container and trimmed to 1/8-1/4 inch. A wick that is not centered may cause your candle to have excess un-melted wax on one side.  Some people might assume in this case that the wick is not the correct size, however it could simply be that the wick was not centered in the container.  In addition to the base being placed in the center of the container, most wicks need to be stabilized in the candle to ensure that the wick does not sag or move as the candle wax is solidifying. Sagging or slanted wicks will also cause the candle to burn irregularly.

When burned for 2.5-3 hours, the melt pool should reach the outer edges of the container, leaving little to no excess wax. The depth of the melt pool should be roughly 1/4-1/2 inch deep.  If the melt pool being created is deeper than 1/2 inch, then consider testing a smaller size wick.

Excessive mushrooming or smoke may also be an indicator that the wick is too large. However, some fragrances may cause more mushrooming than others  and excessive candle dye or other additives can also cause mushrooming and smoke.

Personal preference is a huge factor when choosing a wick. This is why we recommend testing when you change even one variable in your candles.  Some people prefer a low flame while others like the look of a taller flame.  Some candle makers are alarmed when they see any carbon formation on the tip of the wick, while others don’t mind at all. This is a highly personal process so please, test, test, test!

When we are asked to recommend a wick, we use our own experiences and knowledge to make recommendations, however product testing is critical and the maker is always responsible for their own finished product.

We have personally tested the entire LX series of wicks in both soy wax and paraffin wax. Because of this, we are most comfortable recommending this wick series to those that ask our opinion.  We have included a diagram of our burn results for your use.  Your results may vary depending on fragrance, color and wax used.  This diagram does not substitute for proper testing, and the images may not be actual size. Please note the measurements in the centers of the circles. The manufacturer’s recommendations in addition to our burn test results are posted at CommunityCandleSupply.com.  (Did I mention testing?!).

The LX wick is a uniquely braided cotton coreless, flat wick manufactured with stabilizing threads that ensure an optimum burn profile.  This allows for a very stable and consistent flame, which minimizes or eliminates carbon buildup (mushrooming) while reducing afterglow, smoke and soot.