The big question.... here I will share my methods and what has worked for me. I spent a lot of time and quite a lot of money testing waxes and different methods to find what worked best for me to create what I find are the strongest wax melts
I only use wax, I do not use gel wax as you are limited to what fragrances you can use.
I do like gel wax melts and buy them from other vendors who have done their research however I will not make them.
`I took this from Supplies for candles' about gel wax....
The scents recommended for this wax are called 'non polar' and have a flash point in excess of 77°C. Not using the right scent for gel wax can be hazardous. Unscented Gel wax has a burn pool temperature of 130°C, this is well below the general flash point of 227°C. However, adding fragrance lowers the flash point of the wax, potentially low enough to cause the wax to ignite, so avoid these fragrances, and be sure to test your gel wax candles in a safe controlled environment.
WHAT I USE-
Favourite wax - Rapeseed & Coconut
Favourite Fragrance oil Suppliers - Craftastik, Supplies for candles, Pure Scented, Blossom Oils
Glitters/Mica supplier - Glitter Hut, Shotfeet emporium
Packaging - Ebay ,Amazon
Clamshells - Whicks & whacks
CLP - Magic CLP's
Website Host - WIX
Insurance - Craft Cover (You need product & public liability if you're selling your products)
This is a comprehensive list of everything I use when I make wax melts and what you will need if you want to start making
WAX
Something to melt your wax in
Candle wax thermometer
fragrance oil
precision scales and trade scales if you're selling your melts
Something to mix your fragrance oil & wax (I use a steel candle jug)
Mica/Glitter
Clamshells or Silicon moulds
Packaging (I use PET plastic recyclable clamshells & glassine bags) glassine is biodegradable
CLP Labels (very important if you're selling your wax melts)
Branding & safety labels
I don't want to drone on in this post so I will keep this light and will detail more in my next post, however if you have any questions AT ALL please do reach out, there is no silly question and we all have to start somewhere wether you are making wax for personal use or starting your own business.
So a quick run down of my method is as follows..
I add 10% fragrance oil to my melts, so the CLP labels I use are for 10% which I buy from Magic CLP
Measure out the amount of wax you want to make
Melt the wax to 75
Remove wax from the heat source
In a separate bowl measure out your fragrance oil, at this point add dye/mica if you use it
Allow to cool to 58
Add wax to the fragrance oil and stir thoroughly for a full 2 minutes.. time yourself, make sure you mix it in fully this is very important
Pour wax into clamshells or silicon moulds
Leave to set before packaging & labelling
There is a legal side to making wax melts that MUST be followed if you're making to sell. I will cover this in another post and I will post it soon as its particularly important, after all some of these neat fragrance oils are hazardous and you want to stay safe and keep your customers safe and also keep it all legal and above board
Please note that this method works for me using the wax I just, other waxes behave differently and need different levels of heat. The wax I just has a low melt point and I find this method works best for me but the best advice I can give you is to test test test and find your method that works for you
If you are looking to start your own business keep your eyes peeled for my next post where I will cover the legal side, I will talk about CLP, Insurance, SDS, IFRA, Allergen reports and everything you need to know to keep your business legal and safe and build, important to build a good reputation and to gain the trust of your customers, they want to know your products are safe!
Disclaimer- I run a small business making wax melts, I am self taught and am simply sharing what I know, I am not a lawyer or an expert and anything you do or try is entirely up to you. Do your due diligence and take care when handling materials such fragrance oils, familiarise yourself with safety aspects and have fun with it.
Get in touch if you want to discuss anything
Sarah :)
