I would like to learn to make candles, appreciate any direction

lenarenee · Sep 30, 2020

Catscankim said:
Very helpful. Thank you!

I'm actually looking into the membership myself - I never have before because I don't like metal tins, but I have some lovely fragrances I'd love to try for Christmas.

Catscankim · Sep 30, 2020

lenarenee said:
I'm actually looking into the membership myself - I never have before because I don't like metal tins, but I have some lovely fragrances I'd love to try for Christmas.

Maybe we can take the class together lol

lenarenee · Oct 1, 2020

Standley Handcrafted on YouTube might be helpful to you too.

jcandleattic · Oct 1, 2020

Gaisy59 said:
OK stretch that out...once you make them what is so hard about getting them to burn?

nothing is hard about getting them to burn, however, getting them to burn safely with the scent throw desired is the hard part.
You want a candle that is not going to be a fire hazard due to the way it was made, which means you need to have the correct sized wick for the wax you are using, the scent load you put in, and any other additives that will also not pose a fire hazard.
@lenarenee gave some good advice above.

Gaisy59 · Oct 2, 2020

lenarenee said:
There is no one recipe for a candle; there's no one size fits all.

Each part of a candle system changes how the candle works. The type of wax, the container, the wax, the temp you melt the wax, the temp you add the fragrance, and the temp you pour.

The wrong size or type of wick can cause all sorts of burn problems: burning too hot and dangerous, during too slowly and extinguishing itself, tunneling/melt pool problems, getting no scent throw from your expensive fragrance oil, soot and black smoke. (don't believe the myth that soy burns cleaner - it just makes a lighter color of soot under most conditions), you might have perfect burn at the first 1/3 of the candle, and it might be an inferno by the middle.

If you get a soy candle in a 3 inch tin to burn well with an eco 6 wick, with black raspberry vanilla - chances are the next fragrance you try will need a different wick to burn well.

Glass containers can burst, wicks can lean over in the wax and heat one side of the candle and break the glass, wicks can drown....etc.

Then, if you want to color your candles....!!!

I am not an expert at all; I spend about 2 months out of every year (for the last 5 years) trying to make a good unscented, uncolored, crackling wood wick candle to work well....and still not there yet.

Candle making is different from soap - where you can buy Kevin Dunn's chemistry of soap making book and learn how all the rules that produce good soap. Candle making is trial and error. And good record keeping, patience. I don't have the personality for it - too many possibilities and combinations and I can't narrow them down to one or two and master those before moving on.

I don't see the benefit of buying a suppliers kit unless their kit has the exact vessels and wax you want to use. And honestly, some places (like Wood Wick Co.) the kits often don't give successful candles.

Now, the owner of BeScented has her Candle Academy; Candle Making University – BeScented Soap and Candle Making Supplies
where for a price, she tells you exactly what to use and how to do it. Although - there are things that still might work, but that's as close to a recipe that there is that I've seen. But it's one wax, one type of vessel and specific fragrances in order to make it work.

Wow that was excellent info