Please help!

[HappyLove]

Hello,

I’ve been trying to research why my candles are drying like this but I cannot figure it out. Is it too much FO? Is it the temperature? Or am I mixing the wax too much throughout the process? (Is it not good to continuously mix?)

I’m really enjoying making them, but I feel like there’s still a lot of work to do before I can begin to sell. Any advice would be very much appreciated!!

Thank you

 

[msunnerstood]

What type of wax are you using? I found when I pour too hot this happens. Can you run a heat gun over to smooth them out?

Your wicks look burnt already. I havent made candles in a while, is this something new?

 

[HappyLove]

Thank you for your reply!

Natural Soy 444 Wax, blended with 2% Universal Soy Wax Additive

Yes, the candle has been lit, this is how it dries after.. ?
I am using a wood wick.

 

[msunnerstood]

It appears a bit mottled like maybe the FO hasnt totally been blended. What temp did you pour at? did you warm your containers?

 

[HappyLove]

I made 4 testers,

1 - added FO @ 117F, poured @ 112-110F
2 - added FO @ 120F, poured @ 118-117F
3 - added FO @ 160F, poured @ 135F
4 - added FO @ 180F, poured @ 145F

For all of these, after initial dry they looked wrinkly at the top. And after I burned, they dried like the photos attached. I do tend to mix the wax & FO frequently so I’m not sure if that makes a difference?

Could it be my FO measurements?

Also yes, I warmed the jar at my 4th attempt, it helped the wax stick to the jar better, but that’s the only difference I noticed.

 

[msunnerstood]

Another thought, are you cooling these near an air vent? The sunken parts make me think of too rapid cooling.

 

[lenarenee]

I've never used a soy candle that had a smooth or level top after burning. (speaking as a consumer, and a very occasional candle maker)

ETA: forgot to mention that many waxes aren't smooth after the first pour and need to be topped off, or a heat gun blown over the top to melt a superficial layer that should re-harden smoother.

 

[HappyLove]

thank you all for taking the time to reply.

So after drying once it has been lit, this is a normal look? I do tend to have my AC cold since I live in Florida, but I do raise the temperature when I am making candles to prevent any defects. I am also going to purchase a heat gun

Please confirm if overmixing is bad? I usually mix the wax a lot.. thank you!!!

also, the 4th attempt, what are your thoughts on the temperatures?

added FO @ 180F, poured @ 145F

 

[msunnerstood]

Over mixing can be bad because you will add a bunch of air. I normally tap the sides of my containers to get out air bubbles lower down. Too little mixing though and your fragrance oil wont be blended in.

Try to pour away from air vents. I usually pour at 140 but 145 isnt bad. The temp for adding fragrance oils depends on the fragrance flash point. Most manufacturers will list the FP on the bottle. Too high and your fragrance will evaporate, too low and it doesnt mix well.

I second the heat gun advice.

 

[lenarenee]

The problem with candle making (especially with soy wax) is that even though 2 people have exactly the same supplies, their results can be different.
It takes a lot of trial and error and you have to test every little difference.

The recessed area of you candle isn't necessarily a problem because soy waxes don't re-harden well. However, I'd really like more experienced people to give their opinion. But on candle forums, I've seen professional chandlers discuss how they no longer try to get a perfect surface after a burn because it just isn't how soy wax works. Their customers are motivated by scent far more than appearance.

Oh, and there are many source that confuse the idea of flash point. Here's an explanation..... https://support.candlescience.com/h...0030-What-does-the-fragrance-flashpoint-mean-

 

[HappyLove]

Thank you everyone. This has helped me so much

 

[lenarenee]

Thank you everyone. This has helped me so much

Glad it did; candles are so incredibly picky. And with the new FDA regulation on hydrogenated oils, the soy wax industry is going through a lot of hiccups with new formulas of wax. Some of them were supposedly able to return to the original formulas, but on craftserver forum that isn't what most people are experiencing.

I've been playing around with coconut wax and wood wicks. However, I won't be selling candles ever. I make them for my own use; I love wood wick candles (good ones are EXPENSIVE) and I also like uncolored and unscented (hard to find).

 

[jcandleattic]

I'm here a little late, but wanted to add my .02.
The look of your candles are a characteristic of soy. There are tricks you can do to minimize them, but they usually never last, and are more of a nuisance than anything else.
Candlemaking is my first true love, but personally I don't typically work with soy. It's a PITA to work with, get to throw, I don't like the way it looks or the way it holds color, and now with the new FDA regulations as @lenarenee pointed out, there are even more problems with testing soy.
I'll stick with my tried and true wax formula there never gives me any surprises.

 

[HappyLove]

I'm here a little late, but wanted to add my .02.
The look of your candles are a characteristic of soy. There are tricks you can do to minimize them, but they usually never last, and are more of a nuisance than anything else.
Candlemaking is my first true love, but personally I don't typically work with soy. It's a PITA to work with, get to throw, I don't like the way it looks or the way it holds color, and now with the new FDA regulations as @lenarenee pointed out, there are even more problems with testing soy.
I'll stick with my tried and true wax formula there never gives me any surprises.

thank you!! what candle wax do you recommend?

Glad it did; candles are so incredibly picky. And with the new FDA regulation on hydrogenated oils, the soy wax industry is going through a lot of hiccups with new formulas of wax. Some of them were supposedly able to return to the original formulas, but on craftserver forum that isn't what most people are experiencing.

I've been playing around with coconut wax and wood wicks. However, I won't be selling candles ever. I make them for my own use; I love wood wick candles (good ones are EXPENSIVE) and I also like uncolored and unscented (hard to find).

I wish I would have known this prior to purchasing 20lbs of soy wax Im thinking of returning it and buying a different kind of wax. Just not sure what to get, there are so many different options out there

 

[jcandleattic]

thank you!! what candle wax do you recommend?

I recommend any wax you want to put your time and effort into. I started with paraffin. Dabbled in soy, thinking I would want to switch. Literally after testing the 10lb sample of soy I got, I went back to paraffin. Now I've been working with paraffin for the last 20+ years, and in the last 2 years have started with Palm. Now I will work with both paraffin and palm waxes.

 

[lyschelw]

Honestly that is just soy. You will pull your hair out trying to fix it. All candles have trapped air pockets. With soy you just don't see them right away. Sometimes you never see them because as the wax melts it can fill in the holes. To minimize this you can pour cooler and stir the candle while it is setting up. If it is ugly when it is dry you can zap it with a heat gun. But there isn't a whole lot you can do after the first burn. It is a product of soy wax and really not worth your aggravation.