Lets talk about Wax, particularly Soy Wax and why I've decided to start testing new wax suppliers and different natural waxes.
When I say Soy Wax in Queensland is hard to work with, I mean it.
As a candle maker I should always be testing my products and testing new waxes as well. I know that Soy has the stigma of being the best natural wax BUT there are also other waxes out there that are just as natural and good for you as soy.
In keeping with my new theme of transparency I wanted to let you know what is currently going on behind the scenes. I'm excited to be testing some of these waxes as I've wanted to do it for quite sometime.
Please know, that I will not compromise on what a lot of my loyal customers have said is already a great product. I just want to start tweaking it so it becomes a fantastic product.
So what are some issues with Soy Wax:
In winter the jars will be cold and the wax can cool very quickly. You need to heat things up so the wax has good glass adhesion and to stop the wax from cooling to quickly which can create sink wholes and cracking.
In summer the room can get too hot and it can take what feels like forever for the wax to come down to the correct pouring temperature.
Humidity plays a huge part in candle making, so does moisture in the air. It is normal that a candle might not bind to the jar and will have frosting, thats just soy wax and doesn't affect your scent throw or how the candle burns. However its very important you have the temperature correct when mixing in the scent and that you are taking the time to mix it well.
I always get my Soy Wax from the same supplier but I notice variations from one box to another, sometimes its full of so much moisture that I just know its going to be an issue. If moisture gets into the candle it will definitely not burn correctly. Oil and Water do not mix.
So why am I discussing all of this with you? Well you will notice that sometimes my candles look different from one purchase to the next and I wanted to give you some context as to why. The candle will perform the same but there might be differences in the look. There can also be candle sweating. At times after your order has been posted it can sit in a hot courier van or shipping factory for days and if soy wax melts easy with a touch of your finger you can imagine what happens to it when its sitting in a 40 degree factory.
As you know from my previous blogs I am making lots of changes in my mindset and the projection of my business and looking at the wax I use is going to be one of them. I want to make sure my customers are getting a fantastic candle and this means I need to keep up with new raw materials and new soy wax recipes.
I want to try and eliminate some of the issues that can happen with a soy candle and the only way I can hope to do this is by testing new soy waxes. I want to try and eliminate the inconsistency, I want a better scent throw and I want the candle to burn evenly.
For the last month and over the next couple of months I have and will be testing different soy wax manufacturers. With new wax testing comes new wick testing so naturally I will also use this time to test different cotton wicks from different suppliers and see what works best.
Right now I am currently testing 6 different waxes, 20 different wicks and testing different pours temperatures and scent loads. As these will all change with the new wax.
I'm excited to be diving into the testing phase and I'm exited about showcasing my new amazing wax recipe with you all in 2024.
Feel free to reach out if you have questions. Please know that I listen to your feedback and plan on improving my candle business and your feedback helps with this.
Chat soon,
Christie
