r/candlemaking • u/burntwave • 4d ago
Question What is this and why is it happening?
Hi there! Very beginner candle maker here. Two nights ago, I made my first “batch” of soy candles, 5 of them actually. They turned out very well besides the edges being a little wavy.
Last night, I made 4 more soy candles and this afternoon I checked to see how they dried and 3 out 4 have this weird… drying spots..??? I really don’t even know what you would call it. The candles smell fine but when you look at them through the glass there’s weird frost looking areas and spots along the sides? I don’t notice anything different through the top but it just looks like air holes.
Well, what is this? How did it happen and how can I make sure it doesn’t happen again?
I made 4 more candles tonight and poured much slower thinking maybe that will help but who knows.
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u/Entire-Ratio-9681 4d ago
I bought a heat mat that keeps things warm and it fixed it. Also the oven on keep warm until you’re ready to pour.
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u/vinylrain 4d ago
Do you have a link please to a similar type of mat?
I have an old heat mat that I used for keeping home brewed beer warm during fermentation - wonder if that could work!
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u/LoneStarCandleSupply lscs.com | Serving Makers Since 1999 4d ago
This looks like wet spots, which are pretty common with container candles, especially soy. There are a few things you can do to help minimize them!
First, make sure you're pouring at the recommended temperature for the specific wax you're using. Every wax is a little different, so I would check the manufacturer's guidelines rather than relying on a general temperature for soy wax.
Preheating your jars before pouring is great advice too. I'd also pay attention to what you're setting them on while they cool. A cool stone countertop or metal surface can pull heat from the bottom of the jars pretty quickly, so try putting a piece of cardboard underneath them. You can also turn an empty cardboard box or plastic tote upside down over the candles while they cool. It basically creates a little "greenhouse" around them and helps slow the cooling process as much as possible. That can help minimize both wet spots and frosting.
Once they're finished, try to store them somewhere climate controlled where they won't get too hot or too cold. Wax naturally expands and contracts with temperature changes, and you can sometimes have wet spots appear weeks after a candle was made even if it looked perfect at first. You may not be able to prevent them completely, but slowing down the cooling process and keeping the candles at a relatively consistent temperature can definitely help minimize them.
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u/burntwave 3d ago
This is SO helpful! Thank you so much for the detailed reply.
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u/LoneStarCandleSupply lscs.com | Serving Makers Since 1999 3d ago
You are very welcome! This subreddit has a great community of very knowledgeable candle makers, and it looks like you've gotten some really helpful responses in this thread.
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u/jeeter5 4d ago
Others' suggestions are great, but most important is the wax tou use. What type are your using and check its characteristics for glass adhesion.
In my experience the wet spots still appear days after a perfect pour with certain waxes
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u/burntwave 4d ago
Ahhh gotcha. I am using soy flakes I purchased on Amazon. The reviews were good so I didn’t think too much into it.
Thank you!!!•
u/Aggravating_Shift_95 2d ago
Try candlescience.com for wax. The prices are much better than Amazon and the quality is better also. When I make travel candles in metal containers or frosted glass I don't worry too much about wet spots. Also, it doesn't affect burn or scent so I wouldn't be too worried.
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u/TheGratitudeBot 4d ago
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u/minicooperlove 4d ago
If I have to use a heat gun to fix my tops, I do find I get wet spots a couple days later. That's why I've tried so hard to get my process to reliably get smooth tops so I don't have to use the heat gun. I'm using GW 464. About 95% of the time I have smooth tops and no wet spots so I'm pretty happy with my process. Now if I could just get my wicks right...
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u/minicooperlove 4d ago
Wet spots, usually happens when the jar is cool when pouring. Warm the jars up before pouring. I put mine in my toaster oven set to 110F and I don't get wet spots.