chuck_35550

I use these stackable bins with the fragrance label on the side for easy location. I believe there is a 5 in a triangle on the bottom, which is the recycle number and means it is safe for storing fragranced products. They last a long time and don't lose their fragrance this way. HTH Steve

I like the DS as well but it doesn't have that many notes to it IMHO. Its just another vanilla based fragrance with a hint of cookie to it and kinda sugary but not all that well defined. ICS doesn't crank my tractor coming out of the gate but after a lengthy period of curing it really kicks booty. Make a few and then come back in a couple of months and see what you think but then, who wants to wait a couple of months?

My microwave is faster than that method. A full milk recipe would need to keep the temp below 100 degrees kwim? Whatever works for you is the answer to that question IMHO. I just nuke the coconut oil in its plastic container and pour from the container into the pot or dump it all in my plastic pour pot and nuke it about a minute or so and add my lye solution. Easy peasy. Steve

LX aren't quite as hot as cd IMHO but I like the ht from the cd better. Personally, I like pouring into the molds because they act like miniature pillars and don't heat the glass up until the end but that's just me. Steve

I use a 70/30 soy or parasoy and it heats to 200 degrees in the turkey fryer without a problem. I typically pour at 185 degrees and its no problem. But that is not a straight soy so maybe they have the right of it but seems like CS would know their way around soy kwim? I keep the wax in my pour pot on a burner at 190 degrees and again with no problem. If heating your wax to 185 has produced poor results, then turn down the temp. Lots of opinions out their but actual application trumps opinion IMHO. HTH Steve

Buy a heat gun and loosen the wax and dump it out in a cardboard box lined with a trash bag, then place the jars upside down on paper towels on a cookie sheet and finish warming with the heat gun. Wash the jars in the sink with a good grease fighting detergent and dry with a lint free towel. Inspect the jars for any cracks or other defects before using. I have never had a problem with re-using good glass containers but would never offer one for sale. I used to let customers bring their jars for refills but decided it wasn't worth the risk. HTH Steve

Sometimes the numbers don't accurately reflect the quality of the soap. Quite Girl's recipe is a great example of how the numbers don't look right but it's still my favorite recipe by far. I find myself taking a bar of that recipe and a bar of my recipe for Oatmeal and using them together in the bath, lol. I've kicked around the idea of making two batches and pouring half of each into the mold for a sort of combo bar but don't be so ruled by making the numbers work in your recipes. I use full milk and often use multiple kinds of milk in the same recipe and get great lather. I've never had much luck with sugar or salt in my recipes. HTH Steve

There are a lot of good threads on here about tarts. I have uses the KY tart wax at AH/RE and mixed a little soy with it to get a pretty strong tart. Read up and then order several different waxes is my advice. HTH Steve

I'm just guessing that you are charging $18.00 dollars because you don't buy your materials in bulk? and the cost is eating you up? That has to be your first priority to get the cost down and at the same time employ a system that works and does not require constant worry about performance. Personally, I would go to another container that is cost effective and look at buying your raw materials in bulk. Labels are tricky things that require serious consideration. It sounds like you have a ways to go before going public with your product (to me) but you will need to invest the money if you ever expect to be competitive in this market. HTH

I closed my business after 6 years. It seems every big name or business has decided to sell candles at a price level that makes it near impossible to compete but the main reason was because of poor raw material standards and shipping. I can understand some variances in quality of wax, fragrances or even wicks but these days it seems lilke there are fewer reliable distributors. I feel their pain too, because they are at the mercy of the manufacturer. Maybe its the Chinese factor but that's my beef. I am really going through withdrawals but have substituted that addiction with learning to play the ukulele and bought a PS3. Maybe after I retire....who knows. Steve

Aveeno works just fine but careful not to add too much or you get soap cake. It seems to cut the later a bit as well so easy does it (I use about 1/2 tsp pp of oils). HTH Steve

I had a terrible experience with that company. I orderd the wooden box for the mold and was told they didn't have any scrap lumber to make up my order. It took weeks of threats to get my money back and I purchased a mold from another company instead. Just be warned that its hit or miss with that company. Steve

Yup, I've got about 6 dozen 8 oz juice glasses that I bought at Dollar Tree. They cute candles and the glass was real thick but if they got just the least bit hot they broke. Im kind of leery about anything on a pedestal because they're easier to get knocked over but most high ball or rocks glasses are usually ok for candles. Seconds are a little more worriesome, so its usually buyer beware. Very nice work on those candles.

That does look amazing. How about the ht? The choices are very upscale for this candle and it looks great without evern lighting the thing. I notice that Febreze is putting out a large container candle now. Does it never end?

Has anyone bought a candle using the ribbon wick? It looks like some kind of metal screen that has metal anchors on the bottom and I think they are made by Wood Wick? They come in intersting containers and have great ct and are just one more reason that I've decided to close my business and move on to something else. Steve

This happens every time we are in severe drought. The soy quality becomes brittle and I always add petrolatum to soften the wax and smooth out the burn. Most of our wax is manufactured in China and it seems like there are a lot more complaints about wax quality these days. It doesn't take much petrolatum to soften the wax up but you will need to re-test and see what works. I tried adding coconut oil but that only made the wax harder and brittle. Hope that helps. Steve

Clarus 3020 is their version of 6006. Its close to a 50/50 soy paraffin ration and tends to separate from the jar wall if not careful. I used a formula of 85% 6006 with 15% 415 soy for a really nice candle. Pour at 180 degrees into room temp jars and don't cover. I liked the cd wicks just fine with that formula and got good ct/ht with about 7% fo load. The issues with that set up were always cosmetic (wet spots) and not with any other aspect of the formula. The adhesion only broke down after the initial burn of the candle but held up real well otherwise. Good luck. Steve

Try 85% 6006 with 15% 415 at 185 degrees into room temp jars and cd wicks. Fo load is a little tricky but the Clarus 3022 is more dependable (usually). HTH Steve

I use a meat thermometer to poke my wick hole in the candle and then a pair of pliers to remove the wick. HTH Steve

French milled soap from Provence region of France is very nice. The soap base is crystalized and then ingredients are added and rolled between stainless steel rollers to make the paste uniform and this is done three times. I love French milled soap and this high end soap seems to have a long history pedigree and uses costly herbs in their product. You can normally get a huge bar of lavnder bud soap from de Provence for about $5.00. There have been countless discussions on what ingredients survive the saponification process and in answer to the question, I would say no. Rebatching and triple milling aren't the same thing and few soapers would afford the chemists and perfumers to concoct the formulas that would equal such a companies product. But yes, I believe you could aproximate that product and be just as satisfied with the results. I didn't find the French soap to be extrordinary for my skin but it was very nice and it stayed in the dish for a long time. There are hand crafters that produce soap as good or better than commercial (Irena of Ginger's Garden comes to mind) but the results are always subjective to the person using the produt and the type of skin and water hardness or softness in any given area of the world. IMHO Steve

Lids are the cherry on top. My customers hated fitment type lids (couldn't get em off the jar) and anything cheap looking can break the deal. Heavy glass lids are too heavy and costly but for some areas they sell. My bottom line pays for the supplies and a little in the bank and that's about it. Sell the best made and best looking hand-crafted candle your conscience will bear. steve

Same here. I managed to get my wholesale out the door before Thanksgiving and have a number of orders that need pouring but would rather practise my ukulele. Its the soap that I can't bring myself to get started and that needs doing the most. I'm really bummed with the loss of the owner of Southern Soapers (Denise) and tired of trying to find suppliers and on and on and on drone........ I may close the business down and move to a tropical island. Happy Holidays and Roll Tide Roll!!!! Steve

That's a butt load of fo (about 11%) if you ask me and how much would you have to charge for so much pp of wax? What kind of wick supports that system and what kind of jars is she using? More is not always better as most of us know and this sounds like triple strength hype at best. What secret ingredient exists in today's informed world? Bees wax? Petrolatum? Petroleum jelly? Bull Hockey? Steve

Try tsp coconut oil and switch to a smaller cd wick. HTH Steve

I don't offer identification of the wax. I used paraffin for several years (J50, 223) and blended them and occasionally test new ones; I 'll stick with my parasoy. Best of both worlds and most fos throw just fine.