Below is a table of the most common problems candle makers experience when working with soy and soy blended waxes. Try as we might, it takes a lot of practice, and (sadly) many mistakes to create a consistently good quality candle. Try not to get too frustrated if you experience any of these problems, every candle has its own personality!  Problem      ...

As a professional trainer teaching students how to make wooden wick candles, the most popular question in class was: “What makes a wooden wick crackle”. A few weeks later after several attempts at home, that question changed to: “Why won’t my wooden wick candle stay lit?". If you've made candles, you’ll understand it’s as much about science as it is about creativity! ...

What happens when we light a candle? All candle waxes are essentially hydrocarbons, that means they are mostly composed of hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) atoms. When we light a candle, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the candle wick. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The temperature of the flame vaporises the melted wax (turns it into a h...

Candle Fragrance is not an afterthought  it's the driving force amongst consumers in deciding which candle to buy! Scientists have proven that pleasing aromas alleviate stress, heighten mood, enhance sex drive, and even affect alertness in the office, just by stimulating the olfactory pathways to the brain.  When consumers buy a scented candle, they often base th...

The Chandelle Galerie cupcakes are aromatic, delicious looking, melt-in-your-mouth delights. And, clients drooled in anticipation of their first bite, until told it’s a candle! It’s the delightful aroma and the visually enticing layer of rich frosted icing and sparkle that tricks them!  The thing is some sparkles (glitters) are unsuitable for use i...

Have you ever had a soy candle change colour after lighting? The most common reason for discolouration of candle colour is due to the ultraviolet effects of light, BUT sometimes that a missed assessment and the cause is oxidation of the candle.  If you have an un-coloured candle, once exposed to UV lighting, the candle will change to a yellow shade. Som...

Sweating is the candle making term that refers to the beading or puddles of oil sitting on the surface of the candle. There are many reasons why "sweating" occurs in candles, but often it’s a combination of several factors. If you have candles, you can avoid sweating by keeping your candles away from drafts, direct sunlight, and rooms with temperature variations. The candl...

We all want our candles to look stunning, perform well, and burn safely - I have heard many stories of grief in my years as a professional candle maker and trainer, and I cannot overestimate how important it is to conduct test burning on your candles before selling them.  When things go wrong, its a fact they can go VERY wrong! I used to share this story with my candl...

In candle making, a 'wet spot' refers to an air pocket or watermark showing through the wall of a jar candle.  In South Australia wet spots are common due to fluctuating temperatures throughout the day, particularly in the colder months. However while its frustrating because the wet spots can be visually unappealing, they do not affect the burn performance of a candle...

The key to a well-scented candle is to use the correct ratio of fragrance oil to wax. Most waxes will hold no more than an 8% fragrance load (unless stipulated by the manufacturer) before the stability of the candle starts to become affected. Measuring in millilitres can create problems as fragrances often have varying viscosities (the thickness of the oil). If you measure...