Learn the Lingo!
Starting your fragrances journey? Or just need a refresher? Here are some handy terms to help you out!
Wax Terms
Melt Point: The temperature of the wax flakes when it turns into liquid.
Pouring Temperature: The temperature of the wax when it is ready to be poured into the container.
Melt / Burn Pool: When the candle has been burning for a minimum of 2 hours, the wax should be melted to the edges of the container.
Burn Time: 30g of wax with one wick should provide up to 7 hours burn time. On a 330ml candle the burn time should reach 60 – 80 burn hours. It also depends on type of wax, wicks, fragrance load, and colouring.
Cure Time: The total time the candle wax is cured before the first burning, we recommend at least 48 hours for the wax to settle completely.
Tunnelling: Happens when only a portion of the wax around the wick melts while the candle is burning. Instead of having the entire surface of the wax melting evenly, it will appear as though the flame is burrowing into the candle and creating what resembles a small, vertical tunnel.
Jar Terms
Inside Jar Diameter: The measured internal diameter of the jar or container.
Clear Jar: Jar has no inside colouring.
White Jar: Jar had been pre-coated on the inside with a white layer.
Black Jar: Jar had been pre-coated on the inside with a black layer.
Cure Time: The total time the candle wax is cured before the first burning, we recommend at least 48 hours for the wax to settle completely.
Wick Terms
Height: The height of the various size wicks.
Wick Thickness: The physical thickness of the wick.
Pre-tabbed: Each cotton wick is pre-tabbed with a metal sustainer.
Sustainer: The small metal disk that is used to apply the wick to the jar. Wooden wicks are not pre-tabbed.
Mushrooming or Balling: The “mushroom” shape, formed at the end of a candle wick after burning, is the result of carbon build up, where the flame consumes more wax than it can burn. It is a common occurrence and can be a sign that the wick is too large for the candle.
Black Smoke: The candle wick mainly to absorbs liquid wax and release wax vapour, which then burns in the candle flame. The wick itself only burns very slowly, unless it is too long.
Fragrance Terms
Fragrance Throw: The evaporation or releasing scent of the fragrance molecules whilst cold, or whilst burning. The warmer the wax becomes the further the scent will travel. Wick size directly influence this process, it is imperative to select the correct size with for the wax and container.
Fragrance Load: The recommended % to add to your candles for sufficient throw. For candle making, we recommend adding 6% – 9% of fragrance oil. 1 Litre of melted wax – 1000ml at 6% = 60ml fragrance. We recommend that no higher load than 9% be used when making candles, and that testing within these guidelines is essential to a successful candle. Please consult each fragrance page for diffuser blend ratios, room & linen mist ratios, and melt & pour ratios.
Ingredients List: Fragrance is a very competitive industry, formulas and ingredients for fragrance oils are rarely available. We offer a list of Top, Heart, and base notes to guide with selection.
Using the fragrance Oils: All of our fragrances are suited for the use in making of Soy and paraffin candles, melts and reed diffusers. As we are a candle supply business, these oils can be used in diffuser, room & linen making in the given ratios. They can also be used in Melt & Pour soap making at 1%. Always consult the application % guidelines with each fragrance. Our fragrances are highly potent in the % outlined. Natural ingredients in the fragrance oils can cause the product to change in colour over time. Own testing is always required.
Fragrance Bleed: When the % of fragrance is to high for the wax to absorb, the fragrance will “bleed” out on the top of the candle, or at the bottom of the container.
Discolouring: In some cases, the candle may discolour slightly, due to natural reactions from the ingredients when exposed to light and air. It does not make the candle any less fragrant. Own testing is required.
Blending: We have pre-blended our fragrances to serve a wide pallet. We are constantly creating new unique scents, if there is a specific fragrance you require, do contact us for a development meeting.
Fragrance Oils and Essential oils – The Comparison: There are many articles and research available relating to this topic, the simple answer is that Essential oils are natural products extracted from plant in a number of ways, although all plants do to not contain essential oils. They have healing and medicinal properties as well as pure fragrance properties. Fragrance oils are the synthetically created substitute to replace the many plant and flowers that do not produce essential oils. Almost any scent can be crafted into a fragrance oil. Some fragrances do even contain a certain percentage of Essential oils, but not as natural in its makeup.
