Candle and tart curing questions?

[Carly B]

I primarily make soap, but I have made candles in the past, and currently I am making wax tarts because hubby and I prefer those. I don't sell, it's for my own use or gifts. So here are my questions:

What is the purpose of curing candles? I understand the reasoning for curing soap, the excess water evaporates and the oils and lye mellow out after they are saponified, but why do it for candles? Recently I've read several reviews about certain fragrances, and they've said the fragrance is better after the cure.

But what happens during the cure that causes that?

And whereas soap needs air circulation to cure, do tarts/candles? Or can you pour 'em and bag them (I keep my tarts in small plastic bags) and they'll still cure like they are supposed to?

 

[VikingChick]

I’m still in the reading-about stage of making candles, so someone else please correct me if I’m wrong……but as I understand it, the ”cure” for candles is really just giving time for the wax and FO to intermingle. I believe it’s supposed to help you get a better hot throw.