Most scents work well with EcoSoya™. However some scents can have a dramatic effect on your final candle. They can cause frosting, a lumpy surface, poor adhesion, small diameter burn pools and even poor burn (combustion) quality including mushrooming or sooting. If you are experiencing problems with your candle make sure the scent is compatible with the EcoSoya™ you are using. Click here to isolate problems with PB wax, or click here to isolate problems with CB.

Yes, remelting and reusing EcoSoya™ has no ill effects as long as normal melting directions are followed.

Yes, all EcoSoya™ waxes are compatible with each other. Some of our customers do blend different EcoSoya™ waxes to get a special combination for their needs.

Generally speaking, for container candles we recommend using about 5% and for molded candles about 3%, with a maximum of around 12% for both, although people have used more.

We recommend powder dyes to start. Powder does not have a solvent or paraffin base which adds an additional variable toward finding your candle formula. Liquid, block and chip dyes do work very well in EcoSoya™ waxes and should be explored also. Testing your combinations is the only way to find which is best for you.

Non-cored wicks work best. Try such wicks as: HTP, RRD, CD, Eco, flat braid, square braid, hemp, etc. Wick size and type is totally dependant on candle size and type, shape, scent, color and the type of burn characteristics you desire.

Burn tests should be done at least 48 hours after you make your candle. This will give the best accuracy and reproducibility between your test candles.

EcoSoya's™ chemistry is very different from that of paraffin so please inform your supplier that you are using it. Many fragrance companies have experimented with EcoSoya™ enabling them to give recommendations. Most scents work with EcoSoya™ waxes but if you do come across a scent that doesn't have good hot and/or cold throw try another type of scent or the same one made by a different company.

Also, a proper burn pool is critical. For container candles you should achieve a ¼ to ½ inch deep (side to side) pool in about 4 to 5 hours. At this point you will have the best hot scent throw. You may need to adjust your wicking to achieve this.

Yes, our waxes are used in many soaps. Please click on Specifications Page for the appropriate saponification number.

The main factors contributing to "mushrooming" are the choice of wick (type and size), the fuel (wax) and what has been put into the fuel. EcoSoya™ waxes themselves burn exceptionally clean. Adding scent and dye to the wax "contaminates" the combustion process of a candle. Scent and color are non-fuel sources which can collect in the wick creating the "mushroom" or carbon ball you see. Changing the wick, scent and dye combination will correct this problem. We recommend using NON-cored wicks only.

Frosting is the result of two different factors. The first is simple. Glass container candles can experience what looks like frosting but is really the candle pulling away from the container and leaving wax residue on the glass. This is an issue of glass adhesion not frosting. The second condition is frosting, also known as "bloom" in the world of fats. You may be familiar with this condition in chocolate. Bloom is the white that appears on chocolate, even fine chocolates will experience this.

When a liquid turns into a solid it forms crystals. Frosting is the formation of a different type of crystal than that of the body of the candle. The frosting and the body are the exact same material with a different crystal structure. For example, when water freezes you may see clear ice with white looking frosting on it. While they appear different, both are made of water.

There are many factors that effect the formation of frosting such as fragrance, dye pour temperature, cooling temperature and storage temperature. Click on Isolating CB Problems or Isolating PB Problems to determine what aspect is causing your frosting. Try altering the pour temperature either up or down by 10 to 30 degrees and make sure the room temperature is about 70°F while the candle cools. When possible store your candles at 70°F. Cold storage temperatures will cause the candle to frost but when warmed to 70°F for a day or two the frosting should disappear.

Click on Isolating CB Problems or Isolating PB Problems.

Please click on Specifications Page.

EcoSoya™ has no determined shelf. It should be stored in a cool dry location away from direct heat, sunlight and moisture. Temporary extremes in temperatures cold or hot have no adverse effect. EcoSoya™ waxes may be used frozen and if partially melted, allow it to cool and re-solidify before use.

To date we have not experienced, nor have our customers reported a shelf life for candles made with EcoSoya™. We have candles made in June of 1999 that are perfectly fine.

Please visit The Nature of EcoSoya.

Yes, going over 200°F for an extended period of time may cause poor burn quality and the wax to discolor. If the wax reaches high temperatures such as 200°F for short periods of time and is immediately cooled down there should be no adverse effect.

Be sure your containers are clean and wicks centered. Try a different fragrance and dye. Pour, cooling and storage temperatures are very important. Try altering the pour temperature either up or down by 10 to 30 degrees. Slowing the cooling rate may also help. Cool storage will cause the candle to pull from the container, store at temperatures of about 70°F. Also, click on Isolating CB Problems or Isolating PB Problems.

Unless your container is dirty, washing or dry wiping is unnecessary and not recommended.

Space your containers about one half inch apart so that air may flow between them. Containers too close together can cause slow uneven cooling resulting in a poor candle surface quality and frosting.

A general rule of thumb is to have a full burn pool 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, from side to side in about the same number of hours as the number of inches the diameter of the container. For example: An Apothecary jar with a diameter of 4 inches should achieve a burn pool depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch, side to side, within about 4 to 5 hours. Too large of a wick will produce deeper, quicker burn pools but may also cause sooting and short burn times.

Try any or all of the following:

Candle release spray
A mold made of a different material
Changing your fragrance and dye
Add a few percent Triple Pressed Palm Stearic Acid
Increase your pour temperature
Decrease your cooling temperature

To get the stuck candle out of the mold either place the mold in the freezer or melt the wax out. The wax may be reused.

Be sure your wick is appropriate for the candle. The wick should leave a thin wall as it burns down without guttering (causing a hole in the wall that allows the wax to spill out). Thick walls tend to crack. If your wick is not the problem try any or all of the following:

• Change your type of fragrance
• Add a few percent soybean oil or castor oil
• Change your pour temperature either up or down by 10 to 30 degrees
• As a last resort add about 10% to 20% beeswax

Generally no. Sometimes the fragrance, dye and technique combination do cause excess shrinkage resulting in the need for two pours. Make the first pour at 155°F by filling the mold to within 1/8 inch from the top. Allow the candle to cool until it's still warm with a congealed center that has no liquid. If the top of the candle has "skinned" over, poke two holes into the candle near the wick and pour a second time at 145°F to completely fill the votive mold.

Do the first pour at 155°F by filling the mold to the top and allowing the candle to cool until it's still warm with a congealed center that has no liquid. If the top of the mold (bottom of the candle) has "skinned" over and left a void inside, poke two holes into the candle near the wick and pour a second time at 145°F. Do not pour past the solidified wax of the first pour; in essence you are "filling" the first pour. Cool at room temperature.

That is one huge candle! Yes, it can be done. Pour as you normally would for a pillar candle. You may have to do more than two pours due to the size of your candle. Wicking type again is the same. Practice with some smaller candles and find a wick that you like the burn and flame size & quality. Then measure the diameter of the burn pool for that wick. When you layout the wick pattern overlap the burn pool diameters a bit to get even burning. Leave about a half inch wall on the candle as it burns done.

The contents of EcoSoya™ waxes are considered GRAS under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

GRAS Definition: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has its own set of standards by which it tests substances for human use. GRAS is a term which stands for generally regarded as safe. When you see a FDA GRAS designation, you will know the FDA has tested and passed whatever the substance is for use by people.