WAHM Forums

I recently have delved into making soy candles, love them!!! I was wondering if anyone has any advice/tips on making soy tarts?! Thanks!!!

Hi Krissymac,

I am going to go ahead and get a candle making kit mself and start making jar candles and I am starting up a candle making class in a few weeks.
I have some candy molds I am using to make candle tarts and little star shaped candle samples.

So,after you melt the wax (I am melting it in the microwave in a glass pyrex cup and also in a melting pot),you pour it into the little tart molds.
And let it harden-I throw it into the freezer fro 5 10 minutes to harden quicker.

What wax are you using?
Do you order from online source?

Paula

So let me get this straight... you JUST started making candles and think you are qualified to teach others? Oy...

Anyhow.. if you wish to make tarts with soy wax, you will want to use either a soy pillar or votive blend. The container waxes are too soft for tart applications and are a bear to get out of the molds.

If you are using soy wax.. its actually better to NOT put your tarts in the freezer. Don't use that method unless you cannot get them to pop out of the molds, and even then, don't put them in for longer than about 15 minutes.

I'd also advise against the microwave method, despite all the candlewealth people who peddle that method. Theres a reason why experienced chandlers don't use microwaves....

I am going from my Scentsy experience....sorry!
Who said I wasn't "experienced"in soy candle making?? I have done it before but not with CW.

I am experienced increating candles,meltingsoy wax,making scent samples and tarts.
Are you an expert?
Sorry, just alittle taken back by your rudeness.

Good luck, Krissy

Its a fair assumption since in your post you state "I am going to go ahead and get a candle making kit myself and start making jar candles"... that would lead a person to believe that you have little or no experience. The words "KIT" and "START" would be the operative phrases in that assumption. Not to mention recommending putting soy in the freezer. That works for paraffin, but it tends to cause horrible frosting and wet spots with soy, which would also lead me to believe that you are a novice.

Ladies, thanks for your replies!!! soy candles are my latest hobby! relaxing fun and by far the best smelling hobby I have tried http://www.wahm.com/forum/smileys/smiley32.gifI love burning tarts and was just curious if I could use my c3 to make them. Look forward to sharing ideas!

I makeSoy tarts and candle molds all the time.
We all (Most of us dsitributors in Scentsy and MB and most candle Businesses) put our candy molds and candle molds (unless of course,they pop right out of the molds by theirselves) in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, no longer.
I guess I shouldn't have said"start".
I bought candle making kit in the past and used paraffin-no wonder it didn't turn out very well! That was before I learned all about the benefits ofsoy, and longer lasting fragrance hold with soy and palm wax. I believe Palm wax holds the scent longer, according to makers of MB candles.

Krissy,

I hope you enjoy your new hobby! Bet you'll have a blast!
I can't wait for my new kit!

For me,it will be a Home Business and a funthing formy family to do together!

Scentsy is paraffin, therefore putting it into the freezer will not create the issues that can occur with soy. Mia Bella is a Palm based candle.. so even if it frosts, you wouldn't notice due to the crystalline appearance of Palm Wax. Soy is temperamental when it comes to hot and cold.

While I prefer to make my candles with soy and other vegetable waxes... to be truthful, the highest fragrance load award goes to paraffin, unfortunately. In terms of "hold"... MB candles burn for as long as they do because palm has the highest melt point of all the three major waxes used in chandling.

Made properly, you can make any candle "soot free" "smoke free" and "long lasting". Problem is.. too many people want the quick way out with no testing and no trial and error, and ultimately sell an inferior product, thusly tainting the industry. I can make a soy candle soot by burning it improperly. I can even make a MB candle soot by burning it improperly. Thats why, although I make my candles without paraffin... i don't get into the "bash paraffin" movement.

Well I don't want to start a huge debate here, but I feel I need to say this in case others read this post later on.

I would NEVER melt wax in the microwave....EVER. Reason being is you need to watch the temperature of the wax closely, and there's no way to do that if it's in the microwave. Plus you would have issues of hot spots and cold spots, possibly creating some huge problems in the pouring process (either it wouldn't be melted well enough, or you'd have scorched wax). Over all it's just a very bad idea. The only correct way to melt wax is with a double broiler of some sort.

While we are on the subject of scorched wax and tarts - you can also get the scorched wax effect from using too high watt bulb in an electric warmer. Right now I have a 40 watt in mine and it does get the "burnt" smell to it after it's been in there awhile (really it should be a 25 watt). While I don't care too much and will just dump it, a customer might. It's something you probably want to bring to their attention before they burn your melts.


Also, one last thing - legally you can not sell them as "tarts" because that term is trademarked by Yankee. Yes, they WILL send you a letter. I got one several years ago when I was selling wholesale. Luckily I had just started and didn't have to change much, but if you get "caught" later on, it might be a huge issue. You do not want that kind of headache. Just call them "melts" instead, since that seems to be a general term that most candle customers understand and most candle makers use.

Amen Kara...

Thats where I was going with the "teaching classes" when they were microwaving their wax! The microwave thing was born thanks in part to CW and it makes me ill every time I see it. So unsafe, and so many people don't know it because thats how they were "taught".

And I've got the lovely C&D from Yank-me too. One of the few trademarks out there that is actually legitimate in my eyes.... sorry, but I still can't believe things like "Sugar Cookie" can be trademarked.

I am using thewax from CW and using a double boiler and melting pot method now.
I used the microwave with my Scentsy wax because weused a certain amount,and timed it, therefore, we didn't get the hot or cold spots.
Scentsy wax is actually Quality food grade wax,same as the kind used on fruits,like apples.



I know I am still in the learning process, so I am learning here also.

A microwave will give you hot and cold spots no matter how well you "time" it. Its the nature of how a microwave works and has nothing to do with what you are using. Even water will have hot and cold spots. Paraffin IS quality food grade wax... when a company says they use quality food grade wax.. they are using paraffin.

my soytarts turned out awesome,thanks for the great advice....I'm not a big microwave fan, anyway........I only useit to pop popcorn! lol..
Thanks also for letting me know that Yankee has the trademark using the word, "tarts" I have zero desire to sell candles, this is just a fun hobby for me. I was tired of paying the big bucks to Yankee for the last 15 years!!