Have you made soy wax candles, but notice some problems? Is this normal? Don't worry, we are here to help you. We've compiled the most common complications you may encounter when making soy wax candles. So, follow our recommendations and you will see, you will never have any more inconveniences!
Summary
1. Why is my candle frosty?
2. The walls of my candle have moisture stains
3. The surface is rough…
4. My candle has cracks
5. Why is my wax lumpy or wet?
6. Air bubbles in the wax
7. Why is my candle wax cloudy?
8. Why is my wax discoloring?
9. The formation of holes
Why is my candle frosty?
Frosting results from the growth of tiny crystals on the surface of the wax. This is normal, as all natural soy waxes frost over time, but fortunately, frosting is only a cosmetic issue and does not affect the way your creation burns or smells.
Potential causes could be the presence of too much oil in the wax or the wax cooling too quickly.
Mix your melted wax more gently:
Excessive stirring of melted soy wax can increase and/or accelerate crystallization, producing that frosted appearance.
Preheat your glass containers:
Preheating your glass containers can help reduce the speed and extent of frosting of your soy wax candles. You can easily preheat your glass containers in a hot oven by setting the thermostat to its lowest temperature.
Be careful not to heat your containers above 40°C and be careful not to burn yourself when handling hot tealight holders.
Pour your wax at a lower temperature:
Pouring your wax at a lower temperature can help reduce crystal formation as it hardens.
Let your poured candles cool more slowly:
Make sure your creations cool to room temperature (ideally 20-25°C) in a draft-free space. You can place your candles on a cooling rack, they will cool more evenly than on a solid surface like a table. Solid surfaces can also attract the heat at the bottom of the container, and thus cause the wax to cool too quickly.
The walls of my candle have moisture stains
What appear to be moisture spots on the sides of your clear container candles are actually places where the wax has come loose from the container as it cools, giving that damp appearance. This phenomenon is caused by the wax cooling more quickly in some areas of the container than in others. Part of it comes off the glass while the rest sticks to the walls of the container. This is the most common tealight adhesion problem for poured candles. It does not affect the performance of your creation and can easily be hidden by a label.
To avoid these stains in your next batch, try the steps outlined below:
Clean and preheat your glass containers:
It's always a good idea to wash your containers with mild, soapy water and then dry them thoroughly before using them. Preheat your tealight holder in a hot oven at 35°C before pouring your wax to allow it to cool more slowly, and therefore prevent it from coming off the wall.
Slowly pour your wax:
By gently pouring your wax into your containers, you reduce the chances of adding air to your wax (which prevents even cooling). It is also useful to gently tap the sides of your containers just after pouring the wax to release any air bubbles that may have formed.
Space your candles as they cool:
While your candles are cooling, space them about 10cm or more apart. Glass containers placed next to each other retain heat. Their walls therefore cool more gradually than the rest of the container. Allowing air to circulate around your creations as they cool will promote even cooling.
You can also place your creations on a cooling rack rather than on a solid surface. Solid surfaces can also attract heat from the bottom of the container, causing the wax to cool too quickly, shrinking and breaking away from the tealight holder.
The surface is rough…
It can be very frustrating to see an unattractive rough surface on your cooled candles. This phenomenon is common when working with soy wax. When your poured candles cool, they naturally begin to form solid crystals. Ideally, these crystals are nice and uniform, giving the wax that smooth, creamy look that soy is known for. But if the wax cools too quickly, too slowly, or contains small air bubbles, the finish on your creation will tend to become rough.
Don't worry, there are several steps you can take to prevent and correct these imperfections:
Avoid stirring too much:
Stirring too vigorously can produce air bubbles in your melted soy wax, which can lead to imperfections in your finished candles. If you notice any air bubbles, gently tap the container right after pouring the soy to help the air bubbles escape to the top.
Adjust your pouring temperature:
It may take some experimentation to find the perfect pouring temperature. So start by adjusting your pouring temperature by +/- 5°. Finding the right temperature will help your creations cool more evenly, reducing the likelihood of imperfections.
Cover the imperfection with a layer of wax:
When pouring your candles, especially if you're just starting out or if you often experience irregularities, it's always a good idea to save some of your wax to remelt and cover any imperfections in your cooled creations. Please pour approximately 3mm of melted wax onto your candle to cover surface imperfections.
Reflow the surface with a heat gun:
Minor imperfections can easily be corrected using a heat gun, also called a heat gun, which you can find here. Turn the heat gun on low and hold it fairly close to the container where the defect you want to correct is located. Allow the soy to melt slightly, which will correct most small surface imperfections.
My candle has cracks
It is common to spot a very thin crack in a circle approximately 2.5 cm from the wick. This is due to the combination of the wax shrinking slightly as it cools and tiny air bubbles stuck in the bottom of the container. Once the latter has hardened, it sinks a little where the air bubble left a void. Don't worry, it won't affect the burning of your candle.
Gently tap the container:
When you gently tap your container on your work surface, this helps release any air bubbles stuck in the wax. Of course, don't hit too hard or your glass will break!
Raise your container:
Elevate your creations while they cool by placing them on a cooling rack. Solid surfaces can draw heat from the bottom of the candle and cause it to cool too quickly. Greater air circulation under the latter will allow more uniform cooling.
Adjust your pouring temperature:
As with the previous problem, finding the right temperature will help your candles cool more evenly, reducing the likelihood of imperfections.
Pour additional hot wax:
Melt the leftover waxes, or those that you have previously set aside. Slowly pour over the top of your candle a sufficient layer of approximately 3mm to fill any holes and cracks, and create a smooth top.
If you run out of leftover soybeans, you can use a heat gun to melt the surface and fill in the cracks. This may require one or two passes to completely smooth the surface.
Why is my wax lumpy or wet?
Soy is a natural element, which may vary slightly from batch to batch. Sometimes you will get oily flakes that clump together and sometimes they may be very dry. When wax is lumpy or oily, it is usually due to the outside temperature or a higher oil content in it.
There is no need to be alarmed, you will be able to continue with your usual creative processes if you follow this tip.
Heat the wax to 85°C:
If the clumping you are seeing in your wax is due to excess moisture, heat it to 85ºC – 95ºC and maintain this temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to help the moisture evaporate.
Air bubbles in the wax
When it is made, the soybean oil that ultimately becomes soybean wax is constantly stirred and agitated, allowing air to enter the oil. Sometimes some of this air becomes trapped in the wax during the processing process and is released when it is melted to create candles.
If your wax contains excess air, you may notice a slightly foamy appearance and bubbles rising to the surface as the soy heats. You may also hear crackling sounds similar to frying.
Let the air bubbles escape:
Slowly stir the wax to help release trapped air. Continue until the crackling stops and there are no visible bubbles.
Be gentle when stirring or mixing your ingredients:
If you stir the wax too vigorously, you will create air bubbles. So stir gently so as not to add extra air.
Slowly heat your wax to 85-95°C:
If you hear a lot of crackling, heat it to 85-95°C to release any trapped air.
Why is my candle wax cloudy?
As explained previously, soybean oil is constantly stirred during its creation, which allows air to enter the oil. When you melt your soy wax, it will usually become clear as it melts. On the other hand, you may sometimes notice that the wax becomes cloudy, such as when it cools and solidifies after being poured. This is because air or water was trapped in the wax during the creation process.
Let the wax heat up to 85 to 95°C:
Maintaining the temperature of the wax at 85-95°C will allow any trapped moisture to evaporate.
Give the wax time to air:
If cloudy wax is due to trapped moisture, keep your wax bag open and unsealed to allow moisture to evaporate.
Store the wax in a cool, dry place:
By storing the wax in a cool, dry place, excess moisture will evaporate and prevent it from building up in your bag.
Why is my wax discoloring?
Whether you add color to your creations or leave them undyed, they will, one day or another, be affected by natural and/or artificial light! In the same way that sunlight causes white fabrics to yellow or bright colors to fade, candles without dye will begin to yellow and colored wax will eventually fade. For good reason, scents with a high vanillin content and many other citrus fruits can give a yellow tint to the wax within 24 hours. As for them, scents with small amounts of vanillins and floral scents can cause progressive yellowing over time.
Use a UV inhibitor:
The sunlight makes the dyed candles fade. A UV inhibitor will act as a sunscreen for it, blocking UV light to prevent fading and yellowing. It is important to note that yellowing due to vanillin in scents is a separate issue and will not be resolved by UV inhibitor.
Add a small amount of ivory coloring:
If your candle is yellowing due to the presence of vanillin in your fragrances, use a small amount of ivory or cream candle colorants to help neutralize the yellow tint and achieve a more natural, even soy color.
Minimize your use of fragrances containing vanillin:
Vanillin is known to cause wax discoloration. If you find that UV inhibitor or ivory dyes don't work enough, consider minimizing your handling of vanillin scents.
The formation of holes
Air may become trapped in soy wax during the design process. When you melt this at home, you can sometimes see where you can hear some of that air escaping.
As the wax cools and hardens, air makes its way to the top and is released. However, if the surface of the candle hardens before the air has a chance to escape, it will be trapped inside. When the wax sets, the air pocket leaves a void in it, and the surface above the void collapses. These holes are sometimes very small, but can also reach a depth of 2 cm in the candle.
Pour additional melted wax:
Reheat the leftover wax, or the one you have set aside for this purpose. Then pour the wax slowly over the top of your candle in enough of a layer to fill the holes and create a smooth top.
Melt the surface:
If you run out of leftover wax, you can use a heat gun to melt the surface and fill the holes. This may require one or two passes to completely smooth the surface.
Check the wax and remove any existing air bubbles:
Monitor the wax as it melts for any visible air bubbles, and stir gently to bring them to the surface. After pouring the wax, carefully tap the container on your counter to release any trapped air.
Pour the wax at a lower temperature and heat your containers:
Pour your wax at a lower temperature, because the lower the temperature, the less shrinkage occurs. Preheating your containers can also reduce shrinkage.
Conclusion
Now you know all the possible problems you may face while creating soy wax candles . Please feel free to contact us or report any other issues not covered in this article. In the meantime, discover vegetable stearin and its little-known uses.
