This page is broke down into two sections frequently ask questions about candle making and about general candle safety and maintenance.

Candle Maintenance Frequently Ask Questions

Why does the end of my wick looks like a mushroom?

This is called mushrooming. It is carbon residue that forms on the end of the wick. The fragrance is the main cause of this. The more fragrance that is in the candle, the larger the mushroom will be. Before each burn, you should remove the excess mushroom using the wick trimmer. Using a wick trimmer makes the job simple and keeps the mushroom from falling into the wax. DO NOT trim too short! This will result in a small flame and the melt pool will not reach the edges of the jar.

What happens if I trim my wick too short?

When the wick is trimmed too short, the candle will not burn properly and the flame may extinguish itself because the wax floods the wick. If the candle goes out, simply use an oven mitt to hold the container and pour the excess melted wax onto a wet paper towel. Be careful- the wax is hot! This will lengthen the wick allowing your candle to burn properly.

What kind of wicks are used?

We only use cotton wicks in our candles, no lead here folks. We are proud to be members of the Healthy Candle Organization, you can find a link to their website at the bottom of this page.  

Is there really a "triple scented" candle?

With any candle, adding excess fragrance oil will contribute to soot. If you're paying for more than one ounce of scent per pound to get a good scent throw in any wax, you're throwing your money away. We know that the triple scented candle is a myth. Wax will only hold a certain amount of fragrance oil, Period. Also, if a candle has too much fragrance oil in it, eventually the entire top of the candle will become a "wick" (due to the extreme flammability of fragrance oil) and can combust.

Why are some fragrances stronger than others?

The scent strengths between different fragrances can vary greatly as they do in their own natural environment. We scent our products as strongly as possible without influencing the integrity and safety of the candle so you may enjoy the strongest scent possible.

What are the white marks on my candles?

Soy wax has a natural tendency to produce white marks known as frosting. Frosting is normal and will not affect the candle in any way. Our soy wax has a very low tendency to have this problem.  We have found that darker colors tend to frost the most.

Are soy candles really soot free?

To make a guarantee that our soy candles are 100% soot-free or for that matter for any company to make such a claim would be misleading no company can make a claim that their candles are  soot free 100% of the time. While soy wax is all-natural and will not produce the thick black soot that you see on paraffin containers, it can sometimes can produce a small amount because any time you have a flame and combustion you may have soot. The biggest cause is from not trimming the wick after every use. Just remember regular wick maintenance  (keeping it trimmed after every use to 1/4 to 1/2 inches) will keep your candle burning properly.

Candle Making Frequently Ask Questions

How often do you add new fragrances?

We are always adding new fragrances. While some scents may be deleted from the available lists, you are always welcome to inquire about a special scent you're interested in. We may add it to our list of fragrances.

Why are some fragrances stronger than others?

The scent strengths between different fragrances can vary greatly as they do in their own natural environment. We scent our products as strongly as possible without influencing the integrity and safety of the candle so you may enjoy the strongest scent possible.

How much scent do I add to my wax?

The rule of thumb is to use one ounce of fragrance oil per pound of wax. This is what all of our oils are test burned with. If you choose to add more oil than this you will need to do your own testing for each candle. Never add more than 1.5 ounces of scent per pound of wax. More is not always better when it comes to fragrance oils.  We know you have all heard of the famous triple scented candle just to put it to rest it is a myth, wax will only hold a certain amount of fragrance, period. Also, if a candle has too much fragrance oil in it, eventually the entire top of the candle will become a "wick" (due to the extreme flammability of fragrance oil) and will combust.

How much color do I add to my wax?

One color chip per pound of wax is generally used in soy candle making. If you using the concentrated liquid dye you can use 15%-17% per pound. Soy wax takes color lighter than paraffin wax does due to waxes opaque color in it's natural state. Adding to much color can clog the wick and drown out the flame. Some dyes are made of pigment and if not properly stirred into the wax will reappear once the candle has set up. The wax always looks darker while still in the liquid form but to get a better idea of the color it will be when its set up try testing the color by dripping a little bit of the melted wax onto a piece of wax paper and letting it dry. Our new liquid dyes are also giving great results with a little darker colors.

Help my jar look like it has wet spots in the container

This is caused from the wax not adhering to jar in certain places. Try pre-heating the jars before pouring into them. Do not get them HOT just warm. Make sure your glass jars are clean before using also because if there is dust partials on the glass the wax will not adhere the the walls of the jar properly. You can also use a heat gun to re-heat the outside of the jars and get rid of the wet spots.

Here is a general troubleshooting guide

The melt pool is too small there is leftover wax on sides of container - wick is to small - Try larger wick size

Wick drowning out/not staying lit - Wick too small - Try larger wick size

The Flame too small- Wick too small - Try larger wick size

Flame too large - Wick too large - Try smaller wick size

Oil droplets on candle surface - Too much oil in wax or the oil was not properly stirred into the wax - Reduce amount of oil added to avoid oil leaking or seeping out and stir, stir, stir.

How to blend Colors?

How Do I melt My Wax?

The best and quickest way if you making candles is the Presto Kitchen Kettle, and you can find them at your local Wal-Mart, Kmart or Target stores for around $20 each.  They will hold approx. 6 to 7 lbs of wax, and they melt wax nice and quick... about 20 minutes and you've got a full batch of wax melted and ready to go!  The pots have a temperature dial on them, so you can set your pot to an exact temp, not just low-med-high like on a crock pot.  But you still need to check your actual wax temp with a thermometer because the wax inside can be a different temp than what you set the dial on. You can melt the wax in the kettle and laddle out what you need into a glass measuring cup ( a good choice so you can see the measuring markings on the side ) add you color and scent while in the measuring cup ) I do not recommend adding the color and fragrance oil to the presto pot because of the non stick lining of the pot, the fragrance oil could ruin it. You can melt soy container wax in the microwave using a heavy glass measuring cup like Pyrex see the  how to  page for directions for the microwave.  just do this at one minute intervals at a time until you reach the correct temperature. You can also melt wax using a double broiler system.

What  equipment do I need as a beginner candle maker?

You do not need to spend a  lot of money on candle making equipment when working with soy wax. It cleans up with very hot soapy water so you can easily get away with using some things you may already have on hand in your home. Especially when first starting out you want to keep it simple and inexpensive  later after you get the hang of it and develop your own style of candle making then you may want to expand your equipment. I have put together a list just to get you started now if your new to candle making and want to give it a try with out spending a lot of money.

Container candle making List:

a few pounds of soy container wax

Jars ( old cleaned out canning jars work great )

wicks the correct size for the jar you plan on using

wick stick ums ( used to ahead the wick to the bottom of the jar )

candle burning warning labels ( use these if your selling of giving your candles as gifts)

candle dye - optional

fragrance oil

Thermometer

Your method for melting the wax - presto pot - crock pot - microwave - double broiler -

Heavy Glass measuring cup to put the melted wax into to color and scent. If you choose the microwave melting method you you can use the same cup you melted it in.

That's it your ready to make candles, well you need some patience too but those are free.

Unique Characteristics of Soy wax

Soy wax has a few unique characteristics to them that in no way effects the wonderful way they burn. Your soy wax candle may have a crusty appearance on the top after you burn the candle. This is created from using 100% natural products and creates a rustic look but in no way affects the burn quality of the candle.

You may notice wet looking spots on the side of your candles. This is caused by the wax adhering to the surface of the glass. They are simply caused by the expansion and contraction of the wax. You will notice that they change as the candle is burned or when the room conditions change. This is no way affects the way the candle burns.

Soy wax has a natural tendency to produce white marks known as frosting. Frosting is normal and will not affect the candle in any way. Our soy wax has a very low likelihood to have this problem.  We have found that darker colors tend to frost the most.

Soy candles are very sensitive to temperature and light, so be careful when storing them for any extended period of time. Store candles in a cool, dry place away from heat, direct sunlight, or fluorescent lighting.

Storage temperature should not be allowed to exceed 80ºF or fall below 32ºF.

Please note: fragrance, color, and usage conditions affect burn times

Enter On Line Store

Natural Blends Candle Supply
106 S. Church St.
Pleasant Hill, OH 45359
Phone: 1-937-573-9008

info@naturalblendscandlesupply.com