Learn about Candle Waxes and Additives - Candle Making Help Universal Additive
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The first decision that needs to be made is which wax to use.We carry over 25 different waxes.The wax is designed for a specific purpose.The many variables that go into deciding which wax is best for your application will be explained in this section.
What they are made of is a major difference between waxes.Paraffin based candle waxes have been used for a long time.Soy based waxes have become more popular in recent years due to their improved quality.Natural products produced by American farmers are preferred by many customers.Clicking on the link will take you to our selection of candle waxes.We are an authorized distributor of IGI.
This is the most popular type of candle and the easiest to make for beginners.Because container candles are poured directly into the container from which they will be burned, there is no need for the wax to be hard and able to support itself while burning.There is no requirement for mold release.Shrinkage can cause the wax to partially pull away from the glass, leaving a less desirable appearance.Wax companies developed softer waxes because of the need for little-to-no shrinkage.It's convenient and shortens production times as compared to waxes which require more than one pour.The waxes we carry are best suited for container candles.For a soy container wax, use Naturewax C-3.IGI 6006 is a blend of soy and paraffin.IGI 4 630 and 4636 are our most popular container waxes.
Votive candles do not need to be as hard as pillar candles because they are placed into a holder for burning.Shrinkage is still required because votive wax needs to be able to release from votive molds.Some votive waxes require more than one pour.IGI 4761 is the best suited for votive candles.IGI 4794 is our most popular votive wax.
Although they do not have to be as hard as a pillar candle, they still need some shrinkage so they can be removed from a mold.If you want the wax to melt in a warmer, you need a wax with a low melting point.If you choose a wax that is too soft, you won't be able to remove the tarts from the mold.We have two waxes that we recommend for tarts.The IGI 4794 has a lower melting point and is easy to melt in most ceramic or glass warmers.
The Wax General Guidelines can be used to learn more about heating and pouring instructions.
Most of our waxes are pre-blended, which means that the base paraffin was enhanced by other ingredients so that no Additives should be necessary.Although many candlemakers will experiment with different formulas to achieve the results they are seeking, as a general rule we do not recommend using any pre-blended waxes.A base product, generally at a lower price, has no performance enhancing Additives blended in at the time of manufacture.Adding vybar will likely achieve the best results.There is a link to browse our wax Additives.
Vybar is an alternative to stearin.Vybar is primarily used to aid in fragrance oil retention, but it also benefits the candle by increasing transparency and enhancing dye colors.When using vybar, the wax can hold more oil than if it were seperated from the mixture.This allows the candlemaker to put twice or even three times as much fragrance oil into their mixture, which will cause the candles to have a better hot throw.There are two types of vybar.Vybar 103 is used for higher melt point waxes.Vybar 260 is used for softer, lower melt point waxes.It is recommended that you use 1/3 of a pound of wax.Too much vybar can reduce the hot throw of your candle.
It is also known as UV Absorbant.The exposure to UV light rays can cause candles to fade.There are fragrances that can cause colors to change.UV Stabilizer can prolong the fading process, but won't completely eliminate it.If your candles will be on store shelves for a long time, this Additive is useful.The use of this Additive is recommended for all wax types and candle types.It is recommended that you use 1/3 of a pound of wax.