Why are my candles not smelling??

[skyisthelimit1027]

I have just started making candles. My first few candles i made i bought everything from the local craft store. I followed the directions on the bottle of scent and when i was finished and was able to burn the candle it had no smell what so ever. I tried again with the same scent but put a little more then it stated still nothing. So i went online and bought scent from a candle making site....Jarstore.com they sell everything that you need. I got scents made more candles and this scent it said to use 1 OZ per 1 lbs of wax. Again i followed the directions and go no smell what so ever. What do i do? What are good brands of scents to get? Any info would help i really want to do this but i need i can't get anywhere. I'm getting annoyed. I love doing this but not if i can't get any smell out of it. Please help!!!

 

[pepperi27]

Sometimes it depends on the type of wax you use. Sometimes it can be the wicks if they are too big or too small. You should also make sure that the scents your using are for candles only. Sometimes using candle/bath and body scents don't work as well, just been my experience on certain scents. i've tested so many waxes and scents so it will take you some time. Start out only making a pound at a time. Another thing is sometimes you need to let the candle cure before burning them. I use to make mottled candles and loved them. If you go to bittercreek.com they should have a tutorial on making candles. Hope that helps.

 

[abbiepql]

That is a HUGE problem with very little data. What type of wax, what wick, what jar? What FO, any cure time? When you make candles you must take all those varibles into account. Having a nice smelling candles is only part of the equation, you must also have a safe and well burning candle, which only comes if all the conditions are met. Another thing to consider: our noses are very sensitive to smells. When you first start making candles your nose (sense of smell) is very easily overloaded by scent. Especially if you are inhaling straight FO from the bottle or standing over a pot of hot scented wax. Once those receptors in the nose get saturated, they shut down and your sense of smell goes loopy. You can still smell, but sometimes on certain things and most often NOT the FO you have been exposed to. Give us some more information on what you are using so we can check your "variables" and then after you make a candle, reset your nose by sniffing some coffee beans and take a break from that FO for a couple of days. Then go back and chances are you will smell it. Also - like Pepperi27 says, you make need to allow for some cure time, but IMHO you should smell something, even if only COLD throw if your nose is working! LOL

 

[pepperi27]

You are right abbie I should've said yes let it cure but it should also have cold throw! Like you said abbie there are so many variables its most certainly difficult to determine what the actual problem is?

 

[abbiepql]

I am not a big fan of cold throw, cuz many times it's really not an indicator of a true good hot throw. BUT...that being said if there were NO cold throw none of our customers would buy a candle they can't smell even if it's not burning.

 

[Jen Nelson]

It's easy to get discouraged the first couple of times out. You have something that looks beautiful, but has no throw. Makes me cry every time! Makiing candles in my experiance is not like making soap. Soap is so much more forgiving!
Each type of candle you want to make, takes a spacific recipe-which requires testing and more testing. It really is trial and error, and lots of notes.
We need to know type of wax, as in hard or soft. Type of wick, did it have a core or was it just a braided string? What temp did you mix in your sent? This effects throw.
What best served me was to pick 1 type of candle I wanted to learn to make, and built my knowledge base from there. I have recipies if you can tell me exactly what kind of candle you want to make.

 

[BrownBunny]

I agree with the girls, it take time to get them just right, i worked on mine for over 2 yrs and lots of money before i got it all down, but you need to make sure you have all the right startings, like the girls said wicks, scent, wax all has to be what ya need, like dont use pillar wax for container etc...

 

[earthsessencellc]

I have bought certain fragrances from my local craft store also, and to be perfectly honest that is the reason why I never really wanted to get into making candles, they NEVER smelled! So I got a good kit online, tried a new wax, and fell in love with the whole process, and have been making wonderfully scented candles ever since....

I do strongly believe that those fragrance oils you buy at your local hobby store, are garbage... Sorry I am sure there are some who are going to disagree with me, but I honest to God think they are old have been sitting on the shelf way to long and are just plain garbage.....

before you toss in the white towel, get your hands on some real good fragrance oils from a reputable candle company and make some up, yes the wax and mixes you use are completely necessary to know also, but if your working with a crappy fragrance oil, no matter what wax, wick or such your using is going to matter.

That is just my opinion, and sorry if I have offended anyone, I didn't mean too, and I hope you accept my apologies.