I'm new on the board. Have a question...

[lovemylabs]

Good Morning Everyone. I'm thrilled to have found this board. I've been reading alot!! We used to have a Candle and Bath business and did very well. The business was just growing too quickly and it was overwhelming, sometimes spending 12 hour days in the shop. I then sold everything. I quit before i really got into serious soy testing. (We used paraffin (J-50) for containers and also a paraffin pillar/votive wax). I decided to get back into candle and bath again with the help of our grown daughter. For the past year, we've been testing the different soy waxes, wicks, fragrances...you name it and have still not found that "kick butt candle" - at least on a consistent basis. We're using scents that are recommended for soy and currently have GW464 and have been testing that pretty extensively until we had issues with a batch in the spring. We decided to try out EcoSoya CB Advanced and are currently testing. Has anyone found either of these two waxes as "keepers"? And, has anyone tried to mix the two, and if so with what result? We're willing to try yet another brand, but being in the Southeast, we're getting pounded on shipping. CS is closest. If you had to choose a wax that you just won't part with, could you recommend it so we too may test? And has anyone said "forget it" and went back to paraffin or a s/p blend? Appreciate your feedback.

[Anita1]

Hi,

Welcome to this forum :-)

And good going back into the bussiness!

I am testing since december and have bought Ecosoya CB135

for containers and quit a number of wick types!! And I'm still not done testing!

It looks like a candle in a jar is not that easy to make.

From another forum I've got some wax from a member thats called Xcell and Im burning that right now but dont see much differnce in burnquality though.

Also want to get started with Rapeseed wax also called Canola?

Its so that I live in the Netherlands and I think its not so enviromental friendly to lett ship soywax from USA to my country and rapeseed is growing here in Europe. Thats important to me too. And I dont want to switch to parafin because of healht issues.

Think other forummembers will be able to help you further!!

Groetjes van

Anita

[Candybee]

Welcome to Craftserver!

I started out using parrafin J223 and J50 then went on to soy when that became popular. Parrafin is making a good comeback so if you want to go back to using a wax you know and trust the J waxes are great scent throwers.

When I used soy I settled on Ecosoya's CB135. I tried the CB Advanced but didn't like the problems it had with hot throw. I also like the Cargill's C3 wax but I just like the CB135 better. I also like that its a cosmetic grade soy that can also be used in bath & body products as well as candlemaking. Never tried the GW 464 so can't help you with that.

After a while I missed parrafin so much I decided to make my own parasoy blend. So I used J223 and CB135 at 50/50%. I loved the candles I got with this blend and had great glass adhesion, scent throw, no frosting, and smooth tops. I did get the occasional sink holes on 16 oz or larger containers near the wick but that was easily fixed with a heat gun or changing the pouring temp. Lots of people use a soy blend when they want the best of both soy and parrafin.

After all that work perfecting a great parasoy candle I changed my wax yet again and am now using Glass Glow palm from CS. I love this wax and hope to never have to go back to either soy or parrafin again. But it has its own set of pros and cons just like any other wax.

Whatever you decide for wax it helps (as you probably already know) to find a supplier with good shipping rates and is reliable and fast with good customer service. If you use CS you already have a great supplier.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Candybee

[Anita1]

Hi!!

Is palmwax the same as stearin?

I now use soywax bcause I like the "green"idea about it.

Were does the palmwax come from. Do you know. Because I have heard that rainforest is being destroid because of these plantages.

What do you think are the cons of the palmwax?

I have looked on their website. No international orders:sad2:

[Candybee]

Hi!!

Is palmwax the same as stearin?

I now use soywax bcause I like the "green"idea about it.

Were does the palmwax come from. Do you know. Because I have heard that rainforest is being destroid because of these plantages.

What do you think are the cons of the palmwax?

I have looked on their website. No international orders:sad2:

I get my Glass Glow from CS. Its made from sustainable palm oil grown and harvested by members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). They are funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature and are dedicated to the responsible growing and harvesting of palm oil so that no rain forests or their habitat are harmed or destroyed.

The pros are you get a great scent throw with most FOs, a beautiful crystal pattern, a burn similar to soy that many call 'clean', and that trademark candle glow like a luminary. Downside are the air pockets that must be released and that the wax burns faster than other waxes especially soy. Palm burns different too first leaving a roof as the wick burrows down inside the candle and the sides don't catch up until the candle tends to burn about halfway down. Wicked properly the sides do catch up and the good part about it is the burrowed wick promotes the glowing effect with the sides high. I think its beautiful but I teach my customers about burning the candle if they are unfamiliar with palm wax.

BTW-- CS does do International shipping or is in the process of doing it. You can shoot them an email to find out more.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Candybee

[chuck_35550]

People initially began blending the cheaper soy with the expensive J waxes to cut down on costs and to gain advantages from both types of wax. Nearly all waxes are now just plain expensive and there is only the advantage of qualities of different waxes in a blend. I use the 70/30 Clarus from TCS and pay a pretty penny for it per ounce but it has out performed anything else I tested. A customer called me to say that my candle fragranced from start to finish and that says it all to me. IMHO.

Steve

[Anita1]

I get my Glass Glow from CS. Its made from sustainable palm oil grown and harvested by members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). They are funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature and are dedicated to the responsible growing and harvesting of palm oil so that no rain forests or their habitat are harmed or destroyed.

The pros are you get a great scent throw with most FOs, a beautiful crystal pattern, a burn similar to soy that many call 'clean', and that trademark candle glow like a luminary. Downside are the air pockets that must be released and that the wax burns faster than other waxes especially soy. Palm burns different too first leaving a roof as the wick burrows down inside the candle and the sides don't catch up until the candle tends to burn about halfway down. Wicked properly the sides do catch up and the good part about it is the burrowed wick promotes the glowing effect with the sides high. I think its beautiful but I teach my customers about burning the candle if they are unfamiliar with palm wax.

BTW-- CS does do International shipping or is in the process of doing it. You can shoot them an email to find out more.

I'm afraid the shipping would be too high a price anyway...

Thnks for explaining this!

Edited August 25, 2010 by Anita1
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