First off I'm writing this guide because I have seen A LOT of supply listings that are misleading or the items being sold are unsafe.

Let's first go over buying fragrances. When a fragrance is listed as 100% Natural, please ask the seller what they mean. Fragrance Oils by definition are synthetic oils. To be 100% Natural they must be essential oils (which are quite expensive and are made from plants and flowers). Also, if the seller says that the fragrance is "Gel Wax Safe" make sure you ask if the fragrance is Polar or Non-Polar. If they cannot answer you DO NOT BUY THE OIL! Also let the seller know that you will be testing the fragrance. To be a Gel Safe fragrance oil the fragrance MUST have a flashpoint above 170 degrees (Non-Polar). If the fragrance is Polar (flashpoint below 170 degrees) it will seperate from the gel wax when cooled, and when the candle is lit the oil can ignite, turning your candle into what looks like a sterno can.
FYI... If a seller claims to have Gel Safe Fragrances and lie about the flashpoint they can be held liable for damages! ALSO, if the seller lies about the type of oil, saying it's essential and it's not, THAT IS FALSE ADVERTISING! If you would like to know how to test your current fragrances, please contact me and I will email you instructions from the Penreco Corp. or See my other guide for testing fragrances for gel wax!

Secondly, let's talk about waxes. Soy Wax is listed a lot on a variety of supply listings. Soy wax comes in flake form unless it has been pre-used. Also, Soy Wax rarely has a melt point above 135 degrees unless it has had additives (Steric, Vybar) or is blend (usually with paraffin) whichs in that case it can not be listed as 100% Natural. Also, I have seen listings which read 100% Natural Kosher. In all my years of candle making and selling supplies I have never seen "Kosher" wax, there is a brand named Kosher. The wax is Soybean Wax with some Cottonseed oil and the melt point is 125 degrees. There are Vegan waxes.

>>When buying Gel Wax, I highly recommend that you ask the seller who the manufacturer of the Gel is. Penreco holds the Patent on Gel Wax. Their are some out there who have tried making making their own wax. This is very Unsafe! Gel Wax is essentially a very complex mixture of Polymer resin and Mineral oil, if it is made wrong it can become unsafe for ANY fragrance or wick. I recommend only buying Penreco made gel. Usually the seller should know what you are talking about!

>>Okay now Paraffin Wax, which is a Petroleum bi-product. There are a ton of different Paraffin waxes. BUT.... Do not buy pre-scented wax, it's a waste of your money. When you re-melt the wax you will loose at least 60% of the scent. Also, you cannot guarantee the fragrance was a quality scent and remember, paraffin does not have a high fragrance load. It is the wax that takes the least amount of fragrance unless you add Steric or Vybar (wax hardeners).

Lastly, lets go over a few other topics for instance buying dye for your candles.

***Make sure the dye is either a CONCENTRATED Dye Block or Liquid Dye. A dye block is a small .5oz block (rectangle) that can color large amounts a wax (about 25 pounds) a medium color. Liquid dye will color more wax but is VERY messy. I have seen A LOT of listing claiming to have dye blocks and what they are is Pre-colored wax (look at the pictures they are round and came from a tart mold!). You can usually tell because the block looks like a Wax Tart or what could be a floating candle (once again a waste of your hard earned money!). Also, with concentrated dye blocks there are no flecks of white in them. Another warning is a concentrated dye block you can use in gel without it clouding the wax, the FAKE dye blocks WILL CLOUD gel wax, that is A FACT!
***Wicks is a varied topic. It depends on the candle you are making. I HIGHLY Suggest going to the Pick a Wick Database (http://server.com/WebApps/db-view.cgi?id=71493) they have a chart of what wick for what size candle from other candle makers.

WAX MELTERS that are being sold can be purchased at Walmart, they are just standard double boilers (or two pots one inside the other) that are usually used for soups, roasts and such.

      (These pictures were taken from actual auctions! Different user names but same type of backround... see last paragraph for more info.)

Also, if you go to Bittercreek.com they have instructions on how to convert a $20 Presto Pot into a wax melter (it has a temperature control). I USE THE PRESTO POT A LOT, it's more reliable than any double boiler, unless you spend at least $300 for a professional wax melter. You can get the Presto Pot at Walmart for $20 here is what it looks like finished.  (Sold on eBay for $45+).

I hope this guide has helped you. If you have ANY questions please feel free to contact me LoveLightCandls@aol.com
Quality products make quality candles and will help the candle industry. Those who sell unsafe products only give the industry a bad name.

And there is a seller out there that has used 5 different User Ids. When one ID starts getting a lot of negatives, he starts using another. If you would like to know who it is please email me (hint: They're from Kentucky and as of Oct 2007 they are starting another username) They will probably be starting another one soon, the new one already has negative feedbacks!!! JUST CHECKED (12/03/07).... and another name has been created for this seller. So now they are using 3 at one time!!!!  Currently (07/08) I haven't seen them use more than 1 (they switch depending on how many negatives an account gets!)

Remember ask the seller questions to ensure you are getting SAFE Supplies!

If You found this guide helpful please click "Yes" below. Thanks!