chuck_35550

They problably use a different wax for the lid. It would be more like a votive or pillar and tunnel without getting a full melt pool to the plastic. I don't think $9.00 for that candle is really cheap. Wal-Mart sells large apothecaries for $5.00. The proof would be in the burning of it. I looked up their retailers and they have several chain stores in our area. Just another dollar store candle that stinks or doesn't stink.

Resembling coconut oil, palm kernel oil is packed with myristic and lauric fatty acids and therefore suitable for the manufacture of soaps, washing powders and personal care products. Lauric acid is very important in soap making. A good soap must contain at least 15 per cent laurate for quick lathering while soap made for use in sea water is based on virtually 100 per cent laurate. The pko has a lower INS than coconut which might lead you to believe that it is not quite as harsh. It makes for a white, hard bar that lathers easily.

Can the customer wait at least a week? I understand that it would be better if the soap could have a longer cure time but a week would be sufficient with cp IMHO. If all goes well and it is fully saponified then you are only waiting for the water to evaporate. You could go for a higher lye concentration (35%). HTH Steve

Were these cd wicks? Were both the waxes paraffin? I have noticed that cd wicking seems to be leaning over as the wax softens. It looks like the wick has wandered but that is not the case. The wick is not staying straight and I'm beginning to think that something has changed in the manufacturing procedure. I would be interested to know. I think zinc for paraffin may make a comeback and I don't know about soy or parablends. Steve

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. I have a hot plate in the shop that heats all my oils just until they are barely melted. I keep a thermometer in it and withdraw from the heat before it reaches 100 degrees. I think some people melt with a microwave just until it is soft and mushy. HTH Steve

Maybe you should compare the differences between commercially made and private made skin care products. I gurantee you that we all use our own products because we know what's in our products. HTH Steve

What percentage was your lye solution?

I would use a zinc or lx wick for that paraffin blend. The eco is mostly for vegetable waxes but personally, I never care for that wick. I would double wick that jar with zincs and see how it goes. HTH Steve

No, 6006 is not similar to J50. You might try mixing 85% 6006 and 15% soy and heating to 190 and pouring into cold jars at 185 and don't cover while they cool. You have to go down on wicking and 6-7 % on fo. It has good adhesion and good ht/ct. Curing for a couple of days helps. HTH. Steve

I made an error on the wax. It should have been 3022. Sorry

I mix 50/50 pure peppermint and pomegranate, call it "Sparkling Pomegranate" wonderful in soaps too. HTH Steve

Watermelon smells like the real deal, no candy. Mango Colada light on the mango but a good mix. Strawberry Musk is just so good, love it. Mabels Mint Sugar Cookie has just enough mint to make it different. Creamy Cinnamon Vanilla, wow is this one good! Will be a good fall scent too. Bamboo Sugar Cane, is so clean and delicious. Children's Room almost Baby Magic but not quite. Pink Sugar (Soap and Candles) is exceptionally good. Pinemint & Blossoms is very different but clean and spa like. Baby Powder nice and true to the description. Forget Me Not is one strong floral but I think it will make a good mixer. Fresh Baby is a beautiful fragrance that ought to do well for baby showers. Interlude is nice and sexy, a keeper. Island Mist is a true coconut, a real winner. White Jasmine is a knock your head off floral, really stout. Little Black Dress is so nice. Sweet Tooth is hard to define but its a really nice cookie type. Vanilla Sandalwood is da bomb. I just poured these, so I don't know about their ht in my 70/30 wax yet

Well, I may be jinxing myself but it has been three years now with the Clarus 70/30 wax and its still good. Pricey but in the long run worth it.

I just have to brag on the excellent customer service of this company. My tester order was home before the ink was dry on order and the fragrances were as advertised oob. I poured a couple of cases last night and was very pleased with the results. Keep up the good work! Looks like I have my summer scents all lined up. Thanks, Steve

CSB 3020 is the 70/30 blend that Greenleaf used to sell. It is available from Tennessee Candle Supply at $90.00 per 66 lb case. I poured up several cases last night and am still getting the wonderful adhesion, ht and ct from it. In fact, I need to order a case. It's very expensive for me to pay and ship but nothing has come close to this wax for me. HTH. Steve

I called it "Fun On The Beach". HTH Steve

There are some good threads on this subject. Just hit search Ikea molds. HTH Steve

Personally, I believe that the current economic climate does not encourage mom and pop businesses that only use small amounts of raw product. I would much rather sell pallets of wax than cases and it would certainly be less headache from all the complaining little guys. By the way Brad, whatever happened to the new wax? Steve

I typically use 10% castor and haven't experienced any tacky feeling with the soap. Olive is expensive and the lard is cheap. Using lots of coconut can be really harsh on senior skin and sensitive skin types for the sake of bubbles and hardness. I use a high castor for my shampoo bar and its quite nice. Again, this is all personal stuff about how you like your skin to feel after using the soap. I'm using one right now that makes my skin feel like a million bucks and squeaky clean with lots of bubbles. Make a bar of Castile and see how you like the process and the result. Make a bar of all these recipes and see what you think. HTH. If you want to learn about the numbers, buy Scientific Soapmaking by Kevin M. Dunn. Steve

Thanks for the info Carol. They are kinda pricey but there are a couple of interesting fos in the bunch. Steve

Run Coconut 25% Lard 50% Olive 10% Castor 15% Leave off the Canola. It makes a harder bar with more bubbles and a little milder on the Lauric/Myristic.

Anybody familiar with the Scented Nest? They use some essential oils in their fos. They are located in Illinois.

I order from AAA and the bottles they use are great. You don't get moisture absorption if you make it quick with opening and closing the bottle. Plus, you know that you are getting quality lye.