JUST SCENT CANDLEMAKING TIPS:

These are questions we find are most frequently asked by our customers. Remember candle making is not an exact science; HOWEVER, testing and much experimentation is needed in order to find a formulation that works for you and brings out your own personal touches.

HOW MUCH FRAGRANCE DO YOU ADD TO THE WAX?
We recommend adding 1 ounce per pound of wax. It is very important that you weigh your fragrance due to the fact that each fragrance is different in chemical make up causing each fragrance volume to be different.

WHY DO MY CANDLES SMOKE?
This could be because the wick needs trimmed or the wick is too large. It makes the candle wax too hot. Adding too much fragrance or too much color could also cause your candle to smoke.

WHY DOES THE FRAGRANCE SINK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CANDLE?
This is a sign of too much fragrance. If too much fragrance is added it will either fall to the bottom or pool at the top of the candle. Adding too much fragrance causes it to get trapped at the top or the bottom of the candle.

Fragrance should be added by weight. Add your fragrance last, just before pouring. Use a lower melt point to produce a larger melt pool so fragrances can release. Do not use too much of any binding additives.

WHAT CAUSES WET SPOTS  AIR BUBBLES?

This is caused when the wax on the outside of the candle cools too quickly and pulls away from the jar. One way of minimizing this effect is to wash and heat the jars or molds prior to pouring and make sure the candles cool slowly. Try pouring at a hotter temperature; pour more slowly and carefully. Tap the mold to release air bubbles. Keep in mind that it is difficult to eliminate these completely.

HOW CAN YOU TEST THE COLOR OF YOUR CANDLE BEFORE POURING?
The color of the wax when hot will usually not be the same color when it cools. To test the color before you pour your candles, simply place a small amount of wax onto a piece of wax paper and let it cool.

WHITE FROST MARKS OR LINES (also called "jump" lines):
Too much stearic acid was used; the mold was too cold; you poured too cold. Try using less additives. Try warming the mold before pouring. Pour at a hotter temperature.

WHY DOES MY WICK MUSHROOM?
Wick mushrooming with zinc core wick is normal. This is also a good indication that the wick needs trimmed. They should be trimmed to about 1/4 inch above the wax line.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COLOR BLOCKS AND LIQUID COLOR?

Color blocks are molded blocks of wax and additives with color added whereas liquid color is actually a dye for the wax. Most people have found that the liquid color works better to get a consistent color for your candles.

WHAT SIZE WICK SHOULD I USE?
A lot of wick size depends on the way you would like for your candles to burn. You should measure the diameter of the top of your candles and choose your wick size accordingly. The approximate burn pool of each size wick is as follows: votive--1-1 1/2 inches across small--2-2 1/2 inches across medium--2 1/2-3 inches across large-- 3 1/2 -4 inches across.

SINK HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE CANDLE: 

Natural shrinkage while cooling. Wax naturally expands as it is heated and contracts as it cools. This is normal and unavoidable.  Try warming the mold or container before pouring. Also, the hotter the pouring temperature, the more the shrinkage will be. Poke holes around the wick and refill while cooling.

CRACKS IN THE CANDLE:
Cooled too fast. Cool at room temperature or in warm water. Cooling in the fridge or freezer can cause cracking.

RE-POUR LAYER NOT BLENDING:
Second pour was too cool. Do the re-pour when the candle is still warm and not fully hardened yet.

SMALL PIT OR POCK MARKS:
Too much mold release or poured too hot. Try smaller wick size. Use higher pouring temperature and poke release holes and refill. Keep the wick trimmed to ? inch. Less oil will reduce smoke and soot accumulation.

WICK "DROWNING" OR NOT STAYING LIT:
The wick might be too small, or it could be getting clogged up. Also could be caused by too much fragrance.

Try larger wick size. Try using less fragrance. We recommend that you use ? ounce fragrance per pound of wax.

FLAME TOO LARGE:
Wick is too large. Try to use a smaller wick size. Also remember to trim your wick to ? inch before burning each time.

FLAME TOO SMALL:
Wick is too small. Try to use a larger wick size.

WHAT CAUSES THE WHITE ASH ON THE TIP OF THE WICK?
You have added too much fragrance.

MELT POOL TOO SMALL - LEAVES LEFTOVER WAX ON THE SIDES OF THE CONTAINER:
Your wax is too hard or you are using too high of a melt point. Your wick might be too small. Try a lower melt point or a softer wax or try a larger wick size.

FLAME FLICKERS OR SPUTTERS:
There is water trapped in the wick from water bath or there is water in the wax. Make sure wick hole is sealed completely on the mold. Be careful not to let any water drops from double boiler get into wax.

OIL DROPLETS ON CANDLE SURFACE:
There is too much oil in the wax. Reduce amount of oil added to avoid oil leaking or seeping out.

NOT ENOUGH FRAGRANCE WHEN BURNING:
You are not using enough fragrance. Your fragrance burned away too much before pouring. Your fragrance is not able to release or escape into air. You may have added too much fragrance and the wax absorbed it all. It could be trapped at the top or the bottom of the candle. Use a higher percentage of fragrance in wax. Add your fragrance last, just before pouring. Use a lower melt point wax to produce a larger melt pool so fragrances can release. Do not use too much of any binding additives.

DO THE ZINC CORE WICKS CONTAIN LEAD?
The zinc wire in our wick is pure zinc. Any nonferrous metal will have trace elements of lead. Our zinc is 0.002% lead (i.e. 22 parts per million). The minute traces of lead that may be contained in zinc cored wicks cannot produce anywhere near the EPA ambient air standard. Zinc itself is a safe substance, and is actually added to vitamin supplements. There is a way to tell if a wick is zinc or lead. Snip 1/4 inch of the wick and remove the wire. Rub the wire across a sheet of paper. The lead wire will "write" (like a pencil), and the zinc wire will not.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BRAIDED WICK AND A CORE WICK?
Braided wick does not have a core. It is used mainly for candles that completely melt away such as tapers and pillars. Core wick has a type of center that will cause the wick to stand up in a melted pool of wax. This type of wick is therefore typically used for containers.

HOW CAN I FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH WAX I WILL NEED TO MAKE THE NUMBER OF CANDLES I WANT TO MAKE?
It's just a little math. Each pound of wax will make about 20 ounces of liquid wax once it's melted. You will need to know how many ounces of liquid your containers (jars or molds) hold. Say you're making 8 oz. jar candles, and you want to make 15 of them. 15 x 8 = 120 ounces of liquid you will need. Divide that 120 by 20 (which is a pound of wax) and you get 6. Therefore, you will need about 6 pounds of wax to make fifteen of your eight-ounce jar candles. Always figure a little high just in case, it's easier to have some left over than to have to melt more and try to match the same color again!

HOW MUCH UV INHIBITOR DO YOU ADD TO YOUR WAX?
U. V. inhibitor is used to slow down the fading of the color of the candle. Keep in mind that some fragrances will discolor the wax or cause it to fade more quickly. We recommend that you only use about 1/2 of a percent. This is a very small amount. It would equal to about the same as a pinch of salt.

HOW MUCH COLOR SHOULD YOU ADD TO THE WAX?
Color is to your preference. Keep in mind that too much color can affect the burn of the candle. Start out with small amounts you can always add more. If you want to see the true color you are working with, once you have added the color to the wax, pour a small amount out into a Dixie cup and allow to cool. The finished candle will be slightly darker than the sample.

REMEMBER, THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS MERELY A SUGGESTED BEGINNING POINT. TRY EXPERIMENTING WITH POUR TEMPERATURES, MOLD TYPES AND COOLING SITUATIONS. THIS WILL HELP YOU DETERMINE THE FINAL PROCESS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED LOOK YOU WANT FOR YOUR FINISHED CANDLES. REMEMBER TO TEST! TEST! TEST!