Massage Candles

[cerelife]

I've made soy candles and tarts for years, but I've never made a massage candle. I use GB 464 for container candles but it's not skin-safe. Rather than ordering GB 402 or 415, I was thinking of using illipe butter instead since I have lots of it. My other option would be beeswax, but I know it can be a PITA in candles. But then again it would only be a small percentage of the recipe.
This is what I'm currently thinking:
1 part cocoa butter
1 part mango butter
1 part rice bran oil
1/2 part illipe butter (or beeswax)
1/2 part babassu oil
5% -6% skin safe EO/FO
For a 4 oz soy candle I would normally use a CD 10 wick. The butters are harder than soy wax BUT I do have soft oils in the recipe, so I'm wondering if the CD 10 would still be a good choice to create a nice pool of oil without burning too hot?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[cmzaha]

I really think you will need a soy wax to still get a good melt. I do not remember what I used years ago but I remember it was a soy coconut mix, which made a really nice massage candle. They were very popular when I was making them at a couple of my markets but did take a lot of tweaking to get the melt and feel right.

Brambleberry uses C-3 Container wax. It has been a very long time since I have seen massage candles, just watch the melt temps, you do not want your candle to get too hot.

 

[squarepancakes]

I've made soy candles and tarts for years, but I've never made a massage candle. I use GB 464 for container candles but it's not skin-safe. Rather than ordering GB 402 or 415, I was thinking of using illipe butter instead since I have lots of it. My other option would be beeswax, but I know it can be a PITA in candles. But then again it would only be a small percentage of the recipe.
This is what I'm currently thinking:
1 part cocoa butter
1 part mango butter
1 part rice bran oil
1/2 part illipe butter (or beeswax)
1/2 part babassu oil
5% -6% skin safe EO/FO
For a 4 oz soy candle I would normally use a CD 10 wick. The butters are harder than soy wax BUT I do have soft oils in the recipe, so I'm wondering if the CD 10 would still be a good choice to create a nice pool of oil without burning too hot?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Not sure if you tried this, I've been making candles for years and would would advise against using beeswax for a massage candle as the melting point of it as compared to soy is a good 20 degrees higher, making it almost scalding hot to the touch. That said, I've not had experience with making massage candles and perhaps your mix of oils and butters would have made the melting point more acceptable to the touch. I would love to hear the results of your experiment if you did try it out.

 

[Megan]

I take it back...several sources also say no to beeswax.
I also would not do that much fragrance...but I personally am very sensitive and only use like 1% max in leave on products, but not sure how that will translate to candles ...you'll have to figure that one out for yourself based on preference.
My best suggestion is to use an ir thermometer when testing though, and not directly on your skin before checking.

 

[DBoutique]

Wow, this is a blast from the past!
I haven't made these in about a decade. Trying to remember what my blend was, I know it was soy container wax mixed with oil. I will see if I can find my old recipe notes and repost. If I were to make them today (and thinking I might) I would use solid coconut oil and soy and probably add in some grapeseed (now that I think of it, I think that was my oil of choice back then) and Argan.
Actually I might just take my current candle blend (I make my own Coco-Soy wax by adding solid coconut oil and stearic) and remove the stearic and up the coco oil (no dye of course).

 

[TheGecko]

What is a massage candle?

 

[AliOop]

What is a massage candle?

Thank you for asking that, I was about to do the same.

 

[Relle]

Thank you for asking that, I was about to do the same.

Link - How to make a massage candle – Aussie Candle Supplies

 

[DBoutique]

A massage candle is basically a way to create warm oil for a massage or skin treatment. When I made them I gave a suggested way to use them the same as you might use body butter. After a bath to rub some of the "lotion" from the warm candle into the skin for intense moisturizing (especially nice in winter in the northern states).

Link - How to make a massage candle – Aussie Candle Supplies

Oh my, what an odd choice of a photograph to use for this article .... !!

 

[squarepancakes]

Yup, pretty much what @DBoutique mentioned. It's also a nice little thing to pamper someone with, some people use it for romantic evenings to give backrubs and all. The warmth from the melted wax makes it rather comfortable. I've also been to a fancy salon once where they placed the candle on your console and you're free to pour a bit out as a little "hand lotion" while you're there, very luxurious.

 

[TheGecko]

A massage candle is basically a way to create warm oil for a massage or skin treatment. When I made them I gave a suggested way to use them the same as you might use body butter. After a bath to rub some of the "lotion" from the warm candle into the skin for intense moisturizing (especially nice in winter in the northern states).

Knowing my luck, somebody wouldn't read the instructions and pour hot wax/butter and burn themselves and then try to sue me.

 

[Relle]

Oh my, what an odd choice of a photograph to use for this article .... !!

Why ? they are only showing you how to use it after making the candle, nothing wrong with that.

 

[AliOop]

Why ? they are only showing you how to use it after making the candle, nothing wrong with that.

It is the hair showing in the bottom corner. Not sure if it is nape of the neck, or low back hair, or (worse) low front hair.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

Why ? they are only showing you how to use it after making the candle, nothing wrong with that.

They are showing pouring the wax from a lit candle.
You're supposed to blow out the candle and then pour the wax.

 

[jcandleattic]

Knowing my luck, somebody wouldn't read the instructions and pour hot wax/butter and burn themselves and then try to sue me.

Not only that but after the first use, there is no way on earth that candle will burn correctly. I mean, I honestly really do not get the appeal of massage candles or why anyone would want to use WAX for a massage - paraffin dip for hands, I get, using it for a massage - boggles the brain when there are so many hundreds of better choices out there.
But whatever, to each their own.
I'm a serious candle maker, so you will never see a massage candle in my lineup.

 

[AliOop]

They are showing pouring the wax from a lit candle.
You're supposed to blow out the candle and then pour the wax.

LOL I totally missed that in my distraction over the mysterious hair.

 

[TheGecko]

Not only that but after the first use, there is no way on earth that candle will burn correctly. I mean, I honestly really do not get the appeal of massage candles or why anyone would want to use WAX for a massage - paraffin dip for hands, I get, using it for a massage - boggles the brain when there are so many hundreds of better choices out there.
But whatever, to each their own.
I'm a serious candle maker, so you will never see a massage candle in my lineup.

I do like a paraffin pedicure, but I agree about a wax massage.

 

[Megan]

It is the hair showing in the bottom corner. Not sure if it is nape of the neck, or low back hair, or (worse) low front hair.

It's definitely someone's neck

 

[cerelife]

Not only that but after the first use, there is no way on earth that candle will burn correctly. I mean, I honestly really do not get the appeal of massage candles or why anyone would want to use WAX for a massage - paraffin dip for hands, I get, using it for a massage - boggles the brain when there are so many hundreds of better choices out there.
But whatever, to each their own.
I'm a serious candle maker, so you will never see a massage candle in my lineup.

I AGREE!!
BUT....my neighbor (who is a master potter and a great friend of mine) specifically requested these. Clay is very drying to the hands and she had bought a massage candle in the past and loved the warmth of the oils but not the oil itself so much, so she asked if I could make a better option.
I played around with this, but as you said, it's really not a feasible option for a quality product in my humble opinion.

 

[Catscankim]

Oh, I thought you were using them for "other stuff" LOL. (you go girl)

Honestly, I never heard of massage candles, so when I googled them the other day based on your post, all I came up with was other stuff...

But I can see how they are good for your hands. I used to get my nails done (a long time ago when we were allowed), and they always gave you a paraffin dip and hand massage after they tortured your fingernails. I must say, the hot wax felt great. A little daunting sticking your hands in a pot of hot wax the first time, but it was great. I don't know that I'd ever do that again knowing that other people have had their hands in the pot though lol. So I guess the candle is a cleaner option as well lol.