Help with Storing Soy Candles

[soapinapouch]

Hello Everyone,

What is the best temperature to store soy candles and how long do they last? Last year I stored candles on the main floor of my home which gets very warm in the summer and I also stored some in the lower level. The ones on the main floor look like they have mottled - possibly from the heat. The ones I stored in the basement look much better. I was worried about frosting, but it seems after the candle has cured - storing in cooler areas doesn't cause frosting.

Thank you!
Carrie

 

[Nona'sFarm]

Hi Carrie,
I did not find a definitive answer to your question. I do keep mine in an air conditioned house, 76 F in summer, and have overhead fans running most of the time.
I've attached a link to a guide that shows melting points, but I expect the mottling is partial melting and this may start at a lower temp than 113F.
You can try setting those in an oven at your lowest temperature, mine is 170F. Check in 15 min to see if the tops have melted and smoothed out, if not, continue to check every 5 minutes. Then turn off the oven and leave several hours. The downside of this approach is that occasionally the whole candle will melt and the wick gets misaligned.
Alternatively, can save the mottled ones for personal use or understanding friends.
A third alternative, and my last resort, is to completely re-melt and re-pour.
As far as lasting - my understanding is that the soy lasts almost indefinitely, but the fragrance is best between 2 weeks and 2 years. That is a very general rule, as some fragrances in soy candles seem to need 4 - 12 weeks for a good scent throw and some will still have a good scent throw beyond 2 years.

Here is the link to the wax guide:
https://www.candlescience.com/learning/wax-guide