Me too. I love testing...but it really grinds my gears when I get the exact wick recommended for my wax and container and it doesn't work right. Frustrating!
100% agree 😅 ironically enough when I first started making candles the power DID go out in my apartment and my boyfriend asked me “do you have any candles?” My response: “DO I HAVE ANY CANDLES” And I pulled out 7 we could use haha
I am experiencing the same thing myself. Working different job and then testing out candles, buying all these fragrances, testing out different jars. So much money spent😭!! Then waiting for candles to cure. It's a long waiting process all together. But yes, the reward we get after we succeed is priceless. I completely relate to what you are saying. Helps a lot to know others candle makers go through the same feeling ❤🕯
I come back to this video a lot 😔 I really need this motivation, and it reminds me every bit of testing is me getting closer to launching my final product on my Etsy shop 💗 Thank You Erica!
I’ve used those same jars before, small tip hopefully it helps you out. The matte jar gets messy (this works for me) if you use a cotton ball with 100% acetone just gently rub the jar it should get the oils off the surface of the matte.
I use the Matt black aura. Your right on the part that once they are used it ruins the finish but they can be used again for testing. Never sold to a customer but they can be washed dried and used again. I have a old toaster oven that I put on low melt that wax wash/dry then reuse.
Thank you for your video. If you want to reuse some of those jars, I would suggest using an electric candle warmer. When the wax melts, you can empty the jar out, remove the wick, wash and ready to test something else on the same vessel.
I have a rare condition that leaves me unable to use electrical lights, and candles and oil lamps are my only sources of light at night. I makes my own candles to save on cost and I burn off all my experimental candles no problem.
You are so encouraging. Because i feel like a failure right now. I keep getting sink holes' need help. I have so much wax and supplies' have wasted so much wax and oil. Thank You for you encouragement
On point, I have been buying supplies left and right. But that is how I will learn if I like those products or not. And “patience” is key to this business. Love your videos always inspirational.
I'm just about to start my candle business today and thank you for this. Here is an idea for re-using those jars. Getting a black spray paint and see if you can apply a new coat. try and see.
Wow good information I am in the process of testing and I have felt that way that I was just wasting product and you’re right everyone does things differently what works for one will not work for the other thank you for sharing this information
I know this video is a month old, but hope you'll see this. I order from CA Candle Supply too and know your jars well. They make your exact sized jar in clear glass as well. Use those! They're the same - no difference - other than the fact that they are super easy to clean and reuse! I do it constantly and it saves a lot of money!! ; )
I swear I have spent almost $1000 on candle supplies, and I totally felt like I was getting no where. I really have been going from video to video trying to get the perfect candle. I’m sitting over here with a box full of supplies and vessels and was about to give up! I just wish I had a one on one with someone. Videos are good, but like you said, there is so manyyy videos with all different information. Whew. Information overload!
I've been working on my candles for about 4 years now. I got so frustrated, I took about 18 months off, but restarted earlier this year, and this time, I think I've cracked it. I'm hoping to get my first candles market ready in the next month or two. I must have spent well over £1000. This time around I've been slowing it all down and testing in steps, instead of making a load and then they all fail because the wick is incorrect.
It hurts my heart that you felt the need to apologize for your hair. Don't apologize for your appearance :[ you're beautiful. No one noticed your hair until you brought it up🤣🤷🏼♀️
I decided to use the matte white container. Sad that they can't be reused. Thank you for sharing your experience and for your reassurance. At my newbie level, I need all the reassurance I can get. You are a gem!!
I love watching your videos. They're so helpful & you really relate to your watchers. Especially the information overload, that's the point I'm at haha. Between watching tons of videos and taking notes, it gets a little overwhelming on the brain. Thank you so much. Have a good Christmas & New Years! 💗
Goodwill or any thrift store sells vessels for as cheap as a $1 or even cents. Don’t waste your money on expensive vessels to practice with. Also, pouring hot water and allowing the wax to soften helps get the wax out. I know because I took them out of my black matte vessels and it didn’t mess them up.
It's not about practicing. Everytime you change an element in your candle recipe - whether it's the jar, the dye or whatever - you need to start the testing again. Also the cheaper thrift store jars are often not suitable for candles and will shatter when exposed to the heat of the burning candle.
I agree that wick testing is very necessary. Yes, it requires patience, but there is nothing worst than making a big batch of candles that don't burn properly.
Whoa, whoa, whoa little girl, lol! Let me help you with your matte black jar issue. You'll need 1 jar to test a fragrance! Take the wick you want to start with clip off the bottom tab. Fill your jar with wax and fragrance. Let it set up over night. Take a thin nail, that's long and the size of your wick. Run the nail down the middle of your candle. Pull it out replace with wick.. if this wick isnt working properly, while wax is hot pull it out. Let candle firm up a bit. Use your nail, next wick size put in. Trust me this works very well. Ok when you got that scent worked out, burn the candle down in a long burn. Get a stack of news papers. Lay them out as the candle burns dump the wax on the newspapers. ( or make fire starters).. Throw out newspapers. The minor wax left in the bottom is no big deal. Pour your next candle scent, rinse and repeat. Ive been using 3 jars for 2 years! I started a luxury line this year, some of my jars cost 7-8$ a piece! Do you think I can afford to have 40 of those suckers laying around! H*ll no! It works with wood wicks too. In fact that's how I learned to deal with this exact issue. I never think testing is wasting time or money. I paid to go to school decades ago, lol! I was a business major back then. First rule of business, spend your money wisely!!! I really hope you'll give this method a try. I promise it works. I don't have candles that fail. I really love your positive out look and topics you discuss. However 40 jars, no, no, you can do better than that! If I'm wrong you can call me out on it, but I won't be. Your only out time if I'm wrong. I know you just got a bunch of new fall and Chris scents to test! Now a favour for me! See if you can get a coupon code for % off fragrance oils at one of the candle companies to share with your fans out there. Thanks for listening, pass on the tip, lol! Newbies just starting will maybe find it helpful. Make a video on it, whatever you like. Also, please don't give out proprietary information about your business. If someone is genersally stuck, try to help, but your business is your business! Not someone copying your business model.
I'm starting out on a small scale using 8 ounce candle tins, fragrance and 464 wax. I thought one of my candles was a bummer because it didn't have good hot throw and the reason was I didn't allow the candle to cure. After sitting for some time the fragrance was able to permeate throughout the wax and when the candle was lit I got fragrance. From the wax of old candles I test and other candles, I make candles for the bathroom.
Great video! Yes testing is part of learning and part of the growing pains. You think candles is patience and money, I make cosmetics... OMGosh I have thrown so many formulas away LOL... but I totally love it!
I just came back to this video to remind myself that purchasing supplies is a part of the testing process. My weakness is that every time I go to the store, I want to buy different FOs because I’m not satisfied with the smell of the previous ones, not the intensity. So, it is like I’m starting over again and again to find the right ones for my collection.
Isn't there something like the "CNC kitchen" version in the candle-making community, where I can watch someone test a bunch of containers, waxes, and wicks and give some formula/graph/rules about designing my candles? Everybody is giving this general advice.
Is it ok to make candles that are only half full when testing the wick/wax blend/fragrance oil ? I have to test many many options and my candles are quite large, so I would like to avoid using so much "material". Thanks!
I’m not sure if I understand what you mean by testing candles. What are you testing? The scent? I don’t know... I figured you just melt wax and add fragrance. Can you do a video on areas you test for?
I had the same question before I made my first candle. Now I’m about 10 tester candles in and I’m still trying to figure it out. The most important things I realized you gotta test out are: -wick size -fragrance load With wick size I realized that there’s an art not just to making the candles, but to properly burn the candles when using. When I use a CD18 wick on my 3.25 inch diameter candle jar, it eventually reaches an even melt pool at about 2-3 hours. When I size up to a CD20 wick it reaches it within the hour. Which sounds great, but then you get mushrooming, your candle will run out faster and it’s a fire hazard, BUT the smell will be even stronger. The fragrance load. I’m currently doing 10% which is the highest recommended by the manufacturer and some fragrances are stronger than others so you have to try out each scent individually. Other details: -temperature to which you should melt your wax -temperature at which you add your fragrance oil I find that when I heat my wax past it’s melting point and let it reach 170 degrees F, there is less frosting on the candle once done and dried. Also, I wait till it cools down to 135 degrees F to add the fragrance oils, rather than 150 degrees F like I did at first. The reason being, since it’s a cooler temperature the fragrance oil won’t “burn off” while the candle is cooling down. Lastly, I learned to heat my candle jars before pouring my wax mixture so that the temperature of the jar doesn’t impact the temperature of the soy and it can cool down at an even rate of speed. I’d keep going but it’s a long enough comment😂
I think you are doing an absolute amazing job not only with your candles but also your RUclips channel! It’s growing quickly and it means that you now have an audience, which you can market your products to. So I wanted to come up with a bunch of motivational quotes to put on candles, wax melts, T-shirts, you name it, and I am choosing to go with Big Cartel. I went ahead and upgraded and got my own URL link for $12.99 (under construction) You can add your own products, and they also integrate with Printful. Helps to save on Etsy fees, just a thought and idea for maybe you to ponder. Keep up the great work, your personality is magnetic and I have a feeling your channel is going to take off and grow quickly. I also commend you in the middle of a pandemic you started a successful business #girlboss ❤️
Oh my gosh you are sooo sweet!! Thank you so much girl!! Also, you read my mind, I am in the middle of designing some merch I’m going to be launching very soon 🥰❤️
I really enjoy your videos. I'm now one of your subcribers. I'm wondering this. How long do you wait until you start doing burn tests on your candles. A lot of folks say 2 weeks (I'm using soy/coconut wax)? I'm wondering if I need to wait that long. Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi! I personally wait two weeks. Vegetable waxes like soy and coconut are polymorphic which means they continue to harden over time. The candle wax will be softer at 1 day than at 2 weeks so waiting 2 weeks will give you a better idea of the size wick you will need
When testing candles just to see how well the wick works and if it creates a perfect pool, should you also use fragrance in it or only add it after you created the perfect tester and final product?
No, don't do that. You need to find a baseline wick for your chosen unscented and uncoloured wax and container. Once you have that you then step it up by trying that wick in the wax, fragrance and container combo. Everytime you change even one thing, you must start the testing again, as the wick may not be correct for the new combo. If you test as you suggest, your perfect tester would only be perfect for that unscented and uncoloured combo.
Hi! Although I've never used that particular jar, but have you tried when allowing the candle to burn down and cleaning out the remaining wax and wick....try using some black matte spray paint or another color to reuse the jar? I personally like using the hot glue gun method to secure my wicks and they are easier to get out. You may be able to reuse the jar and if the repaint doesn't work, perhaps sell that particular candle at a discount if while attempting to clean it it has 2-3 scratches in the matte color on the jar.
I’ve always been curious about spraying my own jars and how that would work 🤔 I’m still trying to figure it out if it’s safe to do or what I should use haha
Thank you so much for this advice i sooo needed to hear it at this point of my testing stage, I’ve wasted so much money trying to perfect my candles. I’ve recently switched over to soy wax but there’s so many different kinds. What kind of soy wax do you use?
I am struggling with this. But here is a thought: environmentally speaking, could you have changed your jars to be reusable. As a customer first, then candle maker, this is the number one frustration with products on the market. You burn these candles and can't refuse jars. Can we get some candle makers on board with helping to create candles that are environmentally sustainable and can be repourposed. This isn't a judgment but something that I see time and time again and really hope someday this will change. With that said, I totally understand the frustration of testing. We are currently in the middle of testing and feel the same way. I like how you equate the learning process to school. I keep reminding my husband this. I would rather be correct and have amazing products than have half ass shit on the market. Thanks for this video. It made me feel not alone.
Have you ever considered selling at a farmer's market?? I'm starting up a candle business with an online presence but I'm also planning on spending my days off (I work full time) at a farmer's market selling in person. A goal at some point is to also sell as a vendor at an art festival or handmade goods festival. If you've thought about any of these why did/didn't you decide to go that route? Love your videos! Thanks in advance :)
Oh yes I most definitely have!! Honestly covid really slowed down the process for me! My supplier has been super low on stock and I haven’t been able to make that many candles (not even close to enough for a market) But once I’m able to I really really want to be a vendor ☺️
I think what confuses me is that if you are using the same container the same wax and the same essential oil then why do you need to test it. Some EO's or FO's are heavier then others but why do you need to repeat the testing every single time.
Probably because of the wick. Getting the right wick according to your candle container and wax , it is pretty hard. You don't want to sell a candle that burns out so quickly
I love watching your videos you tell it like it is,l admire that,l only watch 2 videoed,you ans stan headly,l think thats how you spell it,keep it up your doing great,thanks Joe
Thanks for this video Erica! How long do you let your candles cure before you test them? There's so much controversy over this topic it seems. Thanks! :-)
You will know better what to excpect from a certain candle with a certain wick. Instead of making many candles with different wicks. Worked very well for me with GW 464.
Reuse the jars for testing purposes not for selling. Keep about a dozen to test with and clean them out after each test and reuse them instead of using new jars each test
I understand it takes time and money, but is there a point where it becomes too much money put into it? I'm about to start the testing process and I'm curious I'm nervous putting to much money and not getting enough money out in the end
Thats exactly what I was thinking too. I’m about to start the testing process and I saw some people saying that they invested 1000 dollars before even opening the business with the testing process. Kinda scares me 😳
Just make sure you’re still doing extensive testing on the exact candle/jar/FO%,etc that you are going to be selling. That’s the most important thing to test 🙂 Jars make a huge difference when testing.
If you're using the same size jars every time and the same formula for wax and scent then why are you still testing. Because nothing would have changed the first time you tested.
Every single fragrance oil is different. Even if it's the same brand from the same company, every scent has a different makeup and will cause the candle to burn differently. For example, some are heavier and will need a thicker wick. Some are lighter so you may need to add a higher percentage or use a smaller wick. Anytime you change ANYTHING, you have to test. If you are making more of a candle you already made that was successful and it's EXACTLY the same, then you don't need to test those.
Girl, this was such perfect timing!!!!! I just was talking about how I felt I was spending so much money on "wasting" materials. Thanks for this. :)
I’m so glad it helped you! Thank you for watching ☺️
Me too!
It’s not a waste, it is a candle for me to enjoy. Then I reuse the jar after it’s burned all the way down.
That is what I do! Then it won’t be a waste!
That’s exactly what I do!!!
Me too. I love testing...but it really grinds my gears when I get the exact wick recommended for my wax and container and it doesn't work right. Frustrating!
When the power goes out, in an emergency, you'll be set with those testing candles
100% agree 😅 ironically enough when I first started making candles the power DID go out in my apartment and my boyfriend asked me “do you have any candles?”
My response: “DO I HAVE ANY CANDLES”
And I pulled out 7 we could use haha
@@MemoryBoxCandleCo lol
This is the truth. ‼️
@@MemoryBoxCandleCo HAHA!!!
So very, very true 😂🤦🤷
I am experiencing the same thing myself. Working different job and then testing out candles, buying all these fragrances, testing out different jars. So much money spent😭!! Then waiting for candles to cure. It's a long waiting process all together. But yes, the reward we get after we succeed is priceless. I completely relate to what you are saying. Helps a lot to know others candle makers go through the same feeling ❤🕯
I come back to this video a lot 😔 I really need this motivation, and it reminds me every bit of testing is me getting closer to launching my final product on my Etsy shop 💗 Thank You Erica!
I read the title and loudly replied, “YES” lol
😂💜
I’ve used those same jars before, small tip hopefully it helps you out. The matte jar gets messy (this works for me) if you use a cotton ball with 100% acetone just gently rub the jar it should get the oils off the surface of the matte.
You are incredible! Thank you sooo much! I’m definitely going to try that!
@@MemoryBoxCandleCo Did that tip work?
Love your delivery, always clear and right to-the-point . Good advice and great tips too. I learn a lot from watching your videos. Thank you.
Thank you so much for watching! ❤️
Erica...this has TRULY motivated me as I am stuck in testing and want to give up. 🙏🏽
I use the Matt black aura. Your right on the part that once they are used it ruins the finish but they can be used again for testing. Never sold to a customer but they can be washed dried and used again. I have a old toaster oven that I put on low melt that wax wash/dry then reuse.
Thank you for your video. If you want to reuse some of those jars, I would suggest using an electric candle warmer. When the wax melts, you can empty the jar out, remove the wick, wash and ready to test something else on the same vessel.
Honestly this might be the way to go!! Thank you ☺️
I have a rare condition that leaves me unable to use electrical lights, and candles and oil lamps are my only sources of light at night. I makes my own candles to save on cost and I burn off all my experimental candles no problem.
Thank you for this video. I’m in the testing phase right now and I needed to hear this.
I love watching your videos so much when I see your instagram storys shows a new video I immediately go and watch 💜💜💜💜💜
You are so sweet! Thank you so much 🥰
Testing is so much fun. It gives the opportunity to try out different oils while testing quality. This weekend I'm making rose-scented candles.
Lovely 😍
Thank you for being a beacon of light 🕯
There's a reason why I'm seeing this video now, I needed to hear this! thank u alot Erica! ❤
Posted! 60 seconds and here I’m watching you!! ❤️
Aww thank you so much!! ☺️
You are so encouraging. Because i feel like a failure right now. I keep getting sink holes' need help. I have so much wax and supplies' have wasted so much wax and oil. Thank You for you encouragement
On point, I have been buying supplies left and right. But that is how I will learn if I like those products or not. And “patience” is key to this business. Love your videos always inspirational.
Exactly! Thank you so much for watching ☺️
Thank you, Erica. Now, I don't feel so bad, still testing tho.
I'm just about to start my candle business today and thank you for this. Here is an idea for re-using those jars. Getting a black spray paint and see if you can apply a new coat. try and see.
Recently started my own candle company this was much needed. These test trials have been stressful lol.
Wow good information I am in the process of testing and I have felt that way that I was just wasting product and you’re right everyone does things differently what works for one will not work for the other thank you for sharing this information
Thank you for all of your content! It’s so helpful to us just starting out!
I’m so glad! ☺️
I started testing and then decided to change the jars entirely...I hate being so indecisive!
I know this video is a month old, but hope you'll see this. I order from CA Candle Supply too and know your jars well. They make your exact sized jar in clear glass as well. Use those! They're the same - no difference - other than the fact that they are super easy to clean and reuse! I do it constantly and it saves a lot of money!! ; )
This is so true 🥺 have been testing for the whole week! Thanks for this 🙏🙏🙏
I dont know who sent you in to my youtube life but you are ALWAYS on time! Now let me watch. Im running low on jars and have more testing to do 😩
😅 I’m so glad I was right on time! I understand the struggle! 🤍
I needed to hear this...thank you ❤
I swear I have spent almost $1000 on candle supplies, and I totally felt like I was getting no where. I really have been going from video to video trying to get the perfect candle. I’m sitting over here with a box full of supplies and vessels and was about to give up! I just wish I had a one on one with someone. Videos are good, but like you said, there is so manyyy videos with all different information. Whew. Information overload!
I've been working on my candles for about 4 years now. I got so frustrated, I took about 18 months off, but restarted earlier this year, and this time, I think I've cracked it. I'm hoping to get my first candles market ready in the next month or two. I must have spent well over £1000. This time around I've been slowing it all down and testing in steps, instead of making a load and then they all fail because the wick is incorrect.
It hurts my heart that you felt the need to apologize for your hair. Don't apologize for your appearance :[ you're beautiful. No one noticed your hair until you brought it up🤣🤷🏼♀️
I'm doing my testing now so I'm glad I watched this!
I decided to use the matte white container. Sad that they can't be reused. Thank you for sharing your experience and for your reassurance. At my newbie level, I need all the reassurance I can get.
You are a gem!!
Love the matte white 🤍
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for your comment ☺️
hi where do u guys. purchase the matte black & white jars from?
I love watching your videos. They're so helpful & you really relate to your watchers. Especially the information overload, that's the point I'm at haha. Between watching tons of videos and taking notes, it gets a little overwhelming on the brain. Thank you so much. Have a good Christmas & New Years! 💗
Thank you for the kind words, needed it💕
Thank you for watching ☺️
Also, so important to test on what materials your customers will use. Not random stuff from thrift stores
How many fragrances and how many candles of each fragrances do you recommended to start selling at the beginning?
Goodwill or any thrift store sells vessels for as cheap as a $1 or even cents. Don’t waste your money on expensive vessels to practice with. Also, pouring hot water and allowing the wax to soften helps get the wax out. I know because I took them out of my black matte vessels and it didn’t mess them up.
It's not about practicing. Everytime you change an element in your candle recipe - whether it's the jar, the dye or whatever - you need to start the testing again.
Also the cheaper thrift store jars are often not suitable for candles and will shatter when exposed to the heat of the burning candle.
Pretty cool that you ONLY “wasted” 40 jars. seems like a small amount considering everything that goes into testing!
Why I like the LX series and use the same size jar in different ounces.
Test smaller ones, find wick, clean out.
I agree that wick testing is very necessary. Yes, it requires patience, but there is nothing worst than making a big batch of candles that don't burn properly.
Agreed!
Love this! Your message is so encouraging. Totally changing my perspective after watching this!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad ! 😄
I definitely needed this, thank you Erica!!
Loved this motivated me to restart and made me feel better🙂
Whoa, whoa, whoa little girl, lol! Let me help you with your matte black jar issue. You'll need 1 jar to test a fragrance! Take the wick you want to start with clip off the bottom tab. Fill your jar with wax and fragrance. Let it set up over night. Take a thin nail, that's long and the size of your wick. Run the nail down the middle of your candle. Pull it out replace with wick.. if this wick isnt working properly, while wax is hot pull it out. Let candle firm up a bit. Use your nail, next wick size put in. Trust me this works very well. Ok when you got that scent worked out, burn the candle down in a long burn. Get a stack of news papers. Lay them out as the candle burns dump the wax on the newspapers. ( or make fire starters).. Throw out newspapers. The minor wax left in the bottom is no big deal. Pour your next candle scent, rinse and repeat. Ive been using 3 jars for 2 years! I started a luxury line this year, some of my jars cost 7-8$ a piece! Do you think I can afford to have 40 of those suckers laying around! H*ll no! It works with wood wicks too. In fact that's how I learned to deal with this exact issue. I never think testing is wasting time or money. I paid to go to school decades ago, lol! I was a business major back then. First rule of business, spend your money wisely!!! I really hope you'll give this method a try. I promise it works. I don't have candles that fail. I really love your positive out look and topics you discuss. However 40 jars, no, no, you can do better than that! If I'm wrong you can call me out on it, but I won't be. Your only out time if I'm wrong. I know you just got a bunch of new fall and Chris scents to test! Now a favour for me! See if you can get a coupon code for % off fragrance oils at one of the candle companies to share with your fans out there. Thanks for listening, pass on the tip, lol! Newbies just starting will maybe find it helpful. Make a video on it, whatever you like. Also, please don't give out proprietary information about your business. If someone is genersally stuck, try to help, but your business is your business! Not someone copying your business model.
I'm starting out on a small scale using 8 ounce candle tins, fragrance and 464 wax. I thought one of my candles was a bummer because it didn't have good hot throw and the reason was I didn't allow the candle to cure. After sitting for some time the fragrance was able to permeate throughout the wax and when the candle was lit I got fragrance. From the wax of old candles I test and other candles, I make candles for the bathroom.
I felt that way when I was working at Starbucks 😂 you know how many drinks you throw away just training.
You’re not allowed to drink them?
@@Valentina.m407 I was allowed 1 or 2 but that’s a lot to drink 😂 you’re literally making a bunch of lattes
Great video! Yes testing is part of learning and part of the growing pains. You think candles is patience and money, I make cosmetics... OMGosh I have thrown so many formulas away LOL... but I totally love it!
Oh my gosh I bet!!
Needed this today
OMG I NEEDED THIS VIDEO !!! THANK YOU Totally thought it was just me .
Aw good! You’re welcome! ☺️
I just came back to this video to remind myself that purchasing supplies is a part of the testing process. My weakness is that every time I go to the store, I want to buy different FOs because I’m not satisfied with the smell of the previous ones, not the intensity. So, it is like I’m starting over again and again to find the right ones for my collection.
Your topics are always so on point 👌
Thanks girl! ☺️
Isn't there something like the "CNC kitchen" version in the candle-making community, where I can watch someone test a bunch of containers, waxes, and wicks and give some formula/graph/rules about designing my candles? Everybody is giving this general advice.
This helped me so much! Thank you! :-)
I’m impressed!!!
Sell your testers if they are good as a second goods at discounted prices
you are amazing! Thank you for giving us hope!! and yes, at least you don't have to go buy candles lol ahahha
Is it ok to make candles that are only half full when testing the wick/wax blend/fragrance oil ?
I have to test many many options and my candles are quite large, so I would like to avoid using so much "material". Thanks!
I’m not sure if I understand what you mean by testing candles. What are you testing? The scent?
I don’t know... I figured you just melt wax and add fragrance. Can you do a video on areas you test for?
I had the same question before I made my first candle. Now I’m about 10 tester candles in and I’m still trying to figure it out.
The most important things I realized you gotta test out are:
-wick size
-fragrance load
With wick size I realized that there’s an art not just to making the candles, but to properly burn the candles when using. When I use a CD18 wick on my 3.25 inch diameter candle jar, it eventually reaches an even melt pool at about 2-3 hours. When I size up to a CD20 wick it reaches it within the hour. Which sounds great, but then you get mushrooming, your candle will run out faster and it’s a fire hazard, BUT the smell will be even stronger.
The fragrance load. I’m currently doing 10% which is the highest recommended by the manufacturer and some fragrances are stronger than others so you have to try out each scent individually.
Other details:
-temperature to which you should melt your wax
-temperature at which you add your fragrance oil
I find that when I heat my wax past it’s melting point and let it reach 170 degrees F, there is less frosting on the candle once done and dried.
Also, I wait till it cools down to 135 degrees F to add the fragrance oils, rather than 150 degrees F like I did at first. The reason being, since it’s a cooler temperature the fragrance oil won’t “burn off” while the candle is cooling down.
Lastly, I learned to heat my candle jars before pouring my wax mixture so that the temperature of the jar doesn’t impact the temperature of the soy and it can cool down at an even rate of speed.
I’d keep going but it’s a long enough comment😂
katy thank you so much! I learnt a lot!
I think you are doing an absolute amazing job not only with your candles but also your RUclips channel! It’s growing quickly and it means that you now have an audience, which you can market your products to. So I wanted to come up with a bunch of motivational quotes to put on candles, wax melts, T-shirts, you name it, and I am choosing to go with Big Cartel. I went ahead and upgraded and got my own URL link for $12.99 (under construction)
You can add your own products, and they also integrate with Printful. Helps to save on Etsy fees, just a thought and idea for maybe you to ponder. Keep up the great work, your personality is magnetic and I have a feeling your channel is going to take off and grow quickly. I also commend you in the middle of a pandemic you started a successful business #girlboss
❤️
Oh my gosh you are sooo sweet!! Thank you so much girl!! Also, you read my mind, I am in the middle of designing some merch I’m going to be launching very soon 🥰❤️
I sell on bigcartel also. It’s easy to design and affordable
I really enjoy your videos. I'm now one of your subcribers. I'm wondering this. How long do you wait until you start doing burn tests on your candles. A lot of folks say 2 weeks (I'm using soy/coconut wax)? I'm wondering if I need to wait that long. Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi! I personally wait two weeks. Vegetable waxes like soy and coconut are polymorphic which means they continue to harden over time. The candle wax will be softer at 1 day than at 2 weeks so waiting 2 weeks will give you a better idea of the size wick you will need
@@MemoryBoxCandleCo Thank you for taking your time to answer my question. I really appreciate that. Take care.
Can you help ? When I take the lid off my candles it smells good but when I burn them it doesn’t smell that much. Can you suggest anything?
When testing candles just to see how well the wick works and if it creates a perfect pool, should you also use fragrance in it or only add it after you created the perfect tester and final product?
No, don't do that. You need to find a baseline wick for your chosen unscented and uncoloured wax and container. Once you have that you then step it up by trying that wick in the wax, fragrance and container combo.
Everytime you change even one thing, you must start the testing again, as the wick may not be correct for the new combo.
If you test as you suggest, your perfect tester would only be perfect for that unscented and uncoloured combo.
I have a ton of jars in my kitchen and i am still in the testing process
Lol. Going back and forth between waxes !!!!! 🖐 yessss
😅
Memory Box Candle Co the struggle is real ! Thanks for the video !
Thank you for watching :)
How much money do you spend on testing and how many candles do you test?
Hi! Although I've never used that particular jar, but have you tried when allowing the candle to burn down and cleaning out the remaining wax and wick....try using some black matte spray paint or another color to reuse the jar? I personally like using the hot glue gun method to secure my wicks and they are easier to get out. You may be able to reuse the jar and if the repaint doesn't work, perhaps sell that particular candle at a discount if while attempting to clean it it has 2-3 scratches in the matte color on the jar.
I’ve always been curious about spraying my own jars and how that would work 🤔 I’m still trying to figure it out if it’s safe to do or what I should use haha
Thank you so much for this advice i sooo needed to hear it at this point of my testing stage, I’ve wasted so much money trying to perfect my candles. I’ve recently switched over to soy wax but there’s so many different kinds. What kind of soy wax do you use?
I’m so glad it helped you :) currently I use soy 10!
I am struggling with this. But here is a thought: environmentally speaking, could you have changed your jars to be reusable. As a customer first, then candle maker, this is the number one frustration with products on the market. You burn these candles and can't refuse jars. Can we get some candle makers on board with helping to create candles that are environmentally sustainable and can be repourposed. This isn't a judgment but something that I see time and time again and really hope someday this will change.
With that said, I totally understand the frustration of testing. We are currently in the middle of testing and feel the same way. I like how you equate the learning process to school. I keep reminding my husband this. I would rather be correct and have amazing products than have half ass shit on the market. Thanks for this video. It made me feel not alone.
Have you ever considered selling at a farmer's market?? I'm starting up a candle business with an online presence but I'm also planning on spending my days off (I work full time) at a farmer's market selling in person. A goal at some point is to also sell as a vendor at an art festival or handmade goods festival. If you've thought about any of these why did/didn't you decide to go that route? Love your videos! Thanks in advance :)
Oh yes I most definitely have!! Honestly covid really slowed down the process for me! My supplier has been super low on stock and I haven’t been able to make that many candles (not even close to enough for a market)
But once I’m able to I really really want to be a vendor ☺️
I think what confuses me is that if you are using the same container the same wax and the same essential oil then why do you need to test it. Some EO's or FO's are heavier then others but why do you need to repeat the testing every single time.
Probably because of the wick. Getting the right wick according to your candle container and wax , it is pretty hard. You don't want to sell a candle that burns out so quickly
Thats i was saying when I saw this video if nothing changed
Helpful video, thank you. Where do you buy those wooden lids?
They come with my jars! ☺️
Do you have to test all the way down the jar? Or when to know when your candle is all good to sell?
Probably all the way down. You'd need to do that anyway to get your burn time.
I agree with both of the statements above ☺️
Lucky Sport thanks! Should the complete melt pool achieved on the first burn time or when to know when melt pool is perfect? Thanks in advance!
Should candles be smooth once after you have burned it?
If they are testing jars would the outside of them really matter? Or does it affect the test?
Also I needed this. Thank you ♥️
I love watching your videos you tell it like it is,l admire that,l only watch 2 videoed,you ans stan headly,l think thats how you spell it,keep it up your doing great,thanks Joe
Thank you!!
@@MemoryBoxCandleCo your very welcome,cant wait until you next video
i just have a question if anyone sees this please help. cant we melt the waxes that we used for testing and use it again?
everyone keeps telling me to not mix the fragrance when the temp is too high. they said wait till 150 degrees F, but I'll try a higher temp for it
Thanks.
Thanks for this video Erica! How long do you let your candles cure before you test them? There's so much controversy over this topic it seems. Thanks! :-)
Ahh okay so at first I only waited like 48 hours. Now I try to push it to 7 days (5 days at the earliest!)
I melted 16 oz of paraffin wax for 3 8 oz jars an there was only enough for a jar an a half WHY
Lovely video. Motivating! Have a nice day! :)
Thank you! 🤍 you too!
Where did you get your container from please ?
I have a question.when you do your burn test does your melt pool reach faster and deeper as you continue to test the candle each day?
Yes, especially as it starts to burn lower in the jar!
Doing research will make the process so much easier and save alot of money. Also test wickless.
I still have to learn about how to do that and what the benefits are to doing so.
You will know better what to excpect from a certain candle with a certain wick. Instead of making many candles with different wicks. Worked very well for me with GW 464.
I love your channel
Thank you so much! ❤️❤️
Reuse the jars for testing purposes not for selling. Keep about a dozen to test with and clean them out after each test and reuse them instead of using new jars each test
Do you do a test burn for every new fragrance?
Yes!
great wisdom
I have a question, how do you ship your candles out with it being so hot outside? I’m scared mine are going to melt 😭
Tiny ice packs wrapped in plastic with and a thermal bubble mailer is what another RUclipsr chick said to do
You can reuse the "ruined" jars to make new test candles though. They don't need to be pretty... unless you are using them as photo props obviously.
Yes that’s what I do :)
I understand it takes time and money, but is there a point where it becomes too much money put into it? I'm about to start the testing process and I'm curious I'm nervous putting to much money and not getting enough money out in the end
Thats exactly what I was thinking too. I’m about to start the testing process and I saw some people saying that they invested 1000 dollars before even opening the business with the testing process. Kinda scares me 😳
How was your experience with Coco83? I love this wax
I really like it! I would love to do some more testing in my own jars with it ☺️
@@MemoryBoxCandleCo go for it girl
What works for me during testing is using votive containers and old mason jars not the jars I will be using to sell. I have saved money this way.
Just make sure you’re still doing extensive testing on the exact candle/jar/FO%,etc that you are going to be selling. That’s the most important thing to test 🙂 Jars make a huge difference when testing.
No worries. Your hair is fine.. brb I'll see your next vid.. *wink
You can't believe all the candles l messed up
If you're using the same size jars every time and the same formula for wax and scent then why are you still testing. Because nothing would have changed the first time you tested.
Every single fragrance oil is different. Even if it's the same brand from the same company, every scent has a different makeup and will cause the candle to burn differently. For example, some are heavier and will need a thicker wick. Some are lighter so you may need to add a higher percentage or use a smaller wick. Anytime you change ANYTHING, you have to test. If you are making more of a candle you already made that was successful and it's EXACTLY the same, then you don't need to test those.
You can pour hot water into the jar and the wax will just come up to the top
Couldn't you clean up the jars as best you can and use them for future testing. Enjoy your vlogs.
Yes you can!