Advanced FAQs

I read a lot about vybar and stearine additives that It should be adding to my wax. Do I need to add vybar and/or stearine to my wax?

It purely depends on the kind of wax you are using. You need to check with your supplier, if it’s a pre-blended wax or non blended wax. Generally the pre-blended wax is already mixed with right quantity of Additives to give the desired results in terms of hardness, ability to increase scent load, sustainability in event of UV exposure. In case your wax is not blended wax then you would need to mix the additives. Also note that, only through multiple iterations of burn test you can find out the optimum quantity of additives you should be using, so be very patient in this process.

What does the flash point of a fragrance oil mean?

The flash point of fragrance oil has absolutely no relationship to the solubility, appearance, safety, or general burn performance of your finished paraffin, soy or palm wax candles.
It’s very essential that flash points must be noted by the manufacturer because fragrance oils with a flash point of 141 degrees or lower cannot be transported by air transit. The reason is that there is a concern of ignition should a large volume of the oil come into contact with a spark or other combustible mechanism at a very high altitude. Now remember, first of all the fragrance oil must be in a very dark, unvented and enclosed area (such as the cargo area of an airplane) and it must also come into contact with something that will ignite it such as an open flame or a spark at a very high altitude. It is important to remember that these flash points are only valid for closed containers with sparks or flame and must be at a very high altitude, higher than 25,000 feet.

Are there really any differences in waxes? After all, aren’t all candle waxes just straight paraffin wax?

Yes, all candle waxes (except gel) begin from straight paraffin. However, that is where the similarities stop. The quality of a good candle wax depends on how it was manufactured. There are a lot of waxes that come from several foreign countries, and are not manufactured with quality or consistent procedures. Some of these waxes will have a high water content, some will have a high oil content, and most will not be consistent in either. That’s where the problem comes in, because once you think you have your additives down, the next batch of candles you make won’t turn out right, because of inconsistency during the manufacturing. You will have to constantly be reformulating your wax formulas.

What degree should my wax be at before I add my color and fragrance?

If you’re making container or votive candles, we suggest that you add your color between 160-170 degrees, then add your fragrance oil after your color. We recommend you add your fragrance oil around 170 degrees. If you’re making pillar candles, we recommend you add your color between 175-180 degrees. Add your fragrance at about 180 degrees. Be sure you stir well and always use a thermometer to regulate your temperature.
I just poured some candles and the last portion of the wax had a bunch of junk in the bottom of it. Did I get hold of some bad fragrance oils?
No, it’s not a fragrance oil problem, it’s a stirring problem. Be sure you are stirring your wax for a full two minutes after you add your fragrance oil, so that the wax, color and fragrance oil will all blend together. There are a few fragrances; usually vanilla based ones that need to be heated slightly before you add them to your wax.
Tip: Be sure that you are shaking your fragrance oil bottles well before you pour the oil into the wax.

I made some 500ml jar candles, and I can’t get a full melt pool across the diameter of the candles. They are tunneling straight down and I have lots of wax left on the sides. I’ve used the biggest wick available, and it still does it. Is there something wrong with my wick or wax?

It all depends on how wide is the container in which you have made your candle. If it’s a container having a bigger diameter then the maximum melt pool of the candle then this type of problem might arise. We have solved this problem simply by using two smaller size wicks in the instead of one big wick. We center the two wicks in the jar about 1 inch apart, and we get a great melt pool and a fantastic scent throw, since we are using two wicks instead of one! Also to clear one more thing that extra wick does not burn the candle down any faster than one wick would with a full melt pool.

My candles keep sinking in the middle, even after I do my second pour. Sometimes it takes me 4 or 5 re-pours to get a flat top on my candle. This is very discouraging to me, how can I fix this?

You need to be patient and wait for your candle to completely cool before you do your second pour. If you wait until your candle is 100% cool before you re-pour, you’ll only have to do it once.

I have some old wax here that I would like to use. Are your fragrance oils compatible with other waxes?

Yes, our fragrance oils are blended especially for candles, so all of them are compatible with any type of wax. However, your scent throw will vary, depending on the quality of the wax and whether you have correct amounts of additives in the wax you are using.