"The En-Light-ener"
Candle Making Newsletter
Welcome to the En-light-ener, Candlewic's newsletter for the candle making community.

On behalf of the Candlewic Company we would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read each edition of the En-Light-ner. This newsletter has been developed for candle makers of all levels to assist in learning new things about candle making. We have covered a wide range of topics including: A Wax Overview, Paraffin waxes, Natural Waxes and Gels, a series of articles on How to Market your candles and one of the newer features which is the “project” of the month. We truly encourage you to visit past issues to assist in many aspects of candle making.

CANDLE MAKING
AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
In this issue we would like to focus on candle making as a “second language.” For many people making candles requires learning new terminology. Learning the terms and definitions and simplifying their meaning can make candle making a little easier to understand. In the upcoming issues of The Enlightner we would like to provide explanations to many of the terms and phrases which are commonly used by Technical Staff, chat lines and reference materials. These are definitions you probably will not find in your latest Webster’s dictionary.

It also seems as though new terminology and phrases are constantly being added. Terms such as polar and non-polar have always existed, however their reference to candle making is relatively new. This seems like an appropriate place to start.

POLAR/NON-POLAR These phrases generally apply when making gel candles and clear candle technology products. In order to be safe when using the referenced products a fragrance must be non-polar. In general, non-polar fragrance means it will be compatible to the gel that it is going into. A polar fragrance can bleed out of the gel causing a safety concern when the candle is burned. If making paraffin candles this terminology is not necessary.

MOTTLING This is a fracturing of the wax which will create a look on the exterior of the candle that is “whited out,” snowflake looking or “washed out.” This look has been made famous by several “big name” candle companies. Not all waxes are designed to mottle so be sure to chose a wax designed for that application. If you are making mottled candles be sure to check out our brand new product being offered below.

BACK FILL/TOPPING OFF With the exception of those blended waxes that have been designed as one-pour, all waxes have some level of shrinkage. As the candle sets up it will shrink around the middle of the candle requiring additional wax to be added. The back fill/top off will be necessary to create a smooth top in containers or in the case of pillars a fairly uniform bottom to the candle.

MELT POINT This is the temperature at which the wax will become fully liquid. There is an important distinction between melt point and pouring temperature. Be sure to check the product data sheet to determine which one is applicable to you.

VYBAR This is an additive used in straight paraffins to help hold the fragrance in the wax. This a is patented and trademarked product.

MUSHROOMING This is what can appear on top of your wick during the burning cycle. Specifically, these are carbon deposits. The following factors are some of reasons why this can occur: the core of the wick, lack of oxygen (in containers), scent load and incorrect sizing of the wick. Other factors can cause mushrooming, but these are the most common. Mushrooming can cause excessive smoking in the candle and should be reduce as much as possible.

CORED WICK This is any wick that has zinc, paper or cotton in the middle to provide additional rigidity to the wick. Wicks such as flat braided, square braided and round wicks do not have any type of core.

In future editions of the Englightner we will continue to provide additional definitions that should be helpful in understanding the “World of Candle Making.”

October 2002

We hope you enjoyed this issue of the En-Light-ener.
Thank you for your continued interest and support.
Our goal is to make this newsletter as entertaining and educational as possible.
Let us know if you have any ideas on how we can improve.

Issue Index

October 2009 -- Taking the Scary out of Candle Making, Snowball Candle Project, and more...

September 2009 -- 4 Quick Tips to Improve Your Candle Line, Layered Candle Project, and more...

August 2009 -- Is Big Always Better?, Cookie Cutter Candle Making Project, and more...

July 2009 -- How to Set Candle Prices, All Natural Beeswax Garden Flare Candle Making Project, and more...

June 2009 -- 5 Tips for Avoiding Margin Drain, Tri-Color Candle Making Project, and more...

May 2009 -- How To Select a Candle Wick, Chunk Candle Making Project, and more...

April 2009 -- Candle Making Ideas for Summer, Candle Making Projects, and more...

March 2009 -- Mold Techniques in Candle Making, A Simple Candle Project, and more...

February 2009 -- Setting the Right Mood Year Round, Tealight Candle Project, and more...

January 2009 -- Reacquainting Yourself with Candle Making Waxes, Tri-Color Candle Project, and more...

December 2008 -- 12 Days of the Candle Making Business, Candle Making Projects, and more...

November 2008 -- Candle Making Business Cliches, Miracle Molding Material Projects, and more...

October 2008 -- Candle Making Terms Explained, How To Make Mottling Candles, and more...

September 2008 -- Adding on to Your Candle Lines, How To Make Candle Luminaries, and more...

August 2008 -- Candles & Their Fragrances, How To Make Pillar Candles, and more...

July 2008 -- Sunscreen For Your Candles, How To Make Dipped Tapers, and more...

June 2008 -- Fall Candle Season Starts Now, Extraordinary Candle Making Project, and more...

May 2008 -- Green Candle Making, Green Candle Projects, and more...

April 2008 -- Recent Candle Industry Price Increases, Aluminum Mold Candle Project, and more...

March 2008 -- Straight Wax, Exciting New Candle Making Products, and more...

February 2008 -- Business Side of Candle Making, Ice Candle Project, and more...

January 2008 -- Basics of Blended Wax Candles, Rose Floater Candle Project, and more...

December 2007 -- 12 Days of Business, 2007 Candle Making Projects, and more...

November 2007 -- Show Time for Candle Making, Making Snow Candles, and more...

October 2007 -- Ready, Set, GO candle making, Candle Luminaries, and more...

September 2007 -- GREENING Your Product Line and Your Bottom Line…, One-Pour Candle Tins, and more...

August 2007 -- Candle Making's Center of Focus, Making Streak Candles, and more...

July 2007 -- The Latest in Candle Making Products, Votive Candle Project, and more...

June 2007 -- Setting Your Candles' Sale Price, Summer Candle Projects, and more...

May 2007 -- Determining Your Candle Making Costs, Using Extra Candle Wax, and more...

April 2007 -- Natural Wax Buzz Part 2, Layered natural candles, and more...

March 2007--Crucial details of candle making, Candle projects with no melting required, and more...

February 2007--How to choose a candle making mold, Making custom candle molds, and more...

January 2007--"Green" Candle Making, tri-color jar candle project, and more...

December 2006--Looking into the candle making future, 2006 candle projects, and more...

November 2006--Introducing...a candle making introduction, candle projects, and more...

October 2006--Prime time: candle wicks, taper candle projects, and more...

September 2006--Clearly still here:Gel candle making, one-pour tins, and more...

August 2006--Fragrance - the driving force of candle making, a new contest, and more...

July 2006--Planning your production, using granulated wax, and more...

June 2006--Our 35th Year, using aluminum candle molds, how much candle fragrance to use, and more...

May 2006--Summertime candle making, making natural lemon candles and more...

April 2006--Choose the candle wick, making tealight candles and more...

March 2006--Choose the right wick base, blending soy wax with paraffin, making palm wax candles and more...

February 2006--The roll of wax additives in a blended wax world, UV additives, making grubby candles and more...

January 2006--The secrets of soy wax candles, more ways to use candles, making soy wax container candles and more...

December 2005--Planning for the new year, announcing our new home, secrets about wicks, and more...

November 2005--Holiday candle making, ideas to sell more candles, making luminaries and more...

October 2005--Temperture issues when making candles, how to start making candles and more...

September 2005--Choose the right candle mold, ASTM safety standards, and more...

August 2005--Color and Fragrance trends, choosing the right candle making tools, and more...

July 2005--Planning for efficient production, Marketing your Candles, Making Swirl Candles, and more...

June 2005--New market trends in candle shapes and textures, Making Textured Candles, and more...

May 2005--The trends and science of candle fragrances, Making Mottled Candles, and more...

April 2005--How to select the proper candle wick, Top Colors, Making "Earthy" Chunk Candles, and more...

March 2005--Selecting the right wax Part III, Our Top Waxes, Making Floral Candles, Our History and more...

February 2005--Selecting the right wax Part II, Our Top Fragrances, Making Fruit Candles and more...

January 2005--Selecting the right wax, Using blended wax, Coloring wax, Making Layered Jar Candles and more...

December 2004--All about candle making fragrances, Making Grubby Candles and more...

November 2004--Choosing Color for your candle making, Making snowball candles and more...

October 2004--Candle Making Busy Season, Making Palm Wax Candles, Speeding Up Candle Production and more...

September 2004--Candle Wax Melters, Making Sense of your Candle Scents, Making Taper Candles and more...

August 2004--Getting Ready For The Season, Using Votive Pins To Make Votive Candles, No Melt Candle Making and more...

July 2004--Some History & What's New, Paraffin Myths, Making Golf Ball Candles and more...

June 2004--Choosing the Right Candle Wax for Your Needs, Making One-Pour Tins and more...

May 2004--Investigating New Products, Burn Testing, Making Freestanding Gel Pillars & Novelties and more...

April 2004--Candle Making Trends, Rolled Candles with Beeswax Sheets, Making Taper Candles and more...

March 2004--Color Theory & Techniques, Floating Candle Molds, Making Tealight Candles and more...

February 2004--Mold Techniques, Computers and Candlemaking, Making Easter Egg Chunk Candles and more...

January 2004--Marketing Natural Wax and Paraffin Candles, Layering Natural Wax Candles and more...

December 2003--Holiday Greetings, 2003 Year in Review, The 6 P's, Making Icicle Candles and more...

November 2003--Building Your Candle Product Line, Making Holiday Ornaments & Soap-on-a-Wick and more...

October 2003--Marketing Your Candles, Polyurethane Molds, Making Lemon Candles, and more...

September 2003--Packaging & Labeling, Essential Oils, Making Rolled Pillars with Beeswax Sheets, and more...

August 2003--Using Palm Wax, Increasing Your Profit Margins, Using Aluminum Molds, and more...

July 2003--Ultra Violet Light Absorbers, Reducing Shipping Costs, Dipping Techniques, and more...

June 2003--Choosing the Right Wick, Using a Wick Stick, Making Floater Candles, and more...

May 2003--New Products Review, Pouring Temperatures, Finishes For Your Candles, and more...

April 2003--Selecting Paraffin, Natural and “Hybrid” Waxes, Using Pillar Pins, and more...

March 2003--Selling & Marketing Candles, Making it Easier to Make Pillars, Wax Art Crystals and more...

February 2003--Pouring Temperatures, Votive Tips, Making Grubby Candles, and more...

January 2003--Candle Making Safety Tips, Instruction Labels, What To Do With Extra Wax and more...

December 2002--Polycarbonate Molds, Making Clear Snowball Candles, and more...

November 2002--Candle Making as a Second Language, The Story of Chandler, Natural F Wax, and more...

October 2002--Candle Making as a Second Language, Projects Review and more...

September 2002--Accessorizing Your Manufacturing, Making Clear Pillar Candles, and more...

July/August 2002--Making Cinnamon Roll Candles, Clear Pillar Base, New Products, and more...

May/June 2002--Back to Basics, Making F Wax Candles, and more...

April 2002--Making Streaked Candles, Wax 101 part 3: Natural Wax, and more...

March 2002--Making Crackled Candles, Wax 101 part 2: Gel Wax, and more...

February 2002--Making Easter Egg Candles, Wax 101: An Overview, and more...

January 2002 --Review of 2001, Frosty Snowman Candles, New Products, Safety Info and more...

December 2001--Botanical candles, making white candles white and more...

November 2001--Chunk candles, clearance sale!, candlemaking books and more...

October 2001--The new candle market, choosing gels, votive wicks and more...

August 2001--New products, new location , new web site and more...

July 2001--Selling & Marketing Candles (part 3), Candle Burn Times and more...

June 2001--Selling & Marketing Candles (part 2), UV Light Absorbers, Wax Additive Recommendations and more...

May 2001--Selling & Marketing Candles, Burning Instructions, Selecting Sustainer Bases and more...

April 2001--Natural Waxes, Candle Burn Times, Wax Pouring Temperatures and more...

March 2001--Making Wax Inserts, Blended vs. Non-Blended Waxes, Colors, Fragrances and more...

February 2001--Whipped Wax, Wax Art Crystal Wax, Gel Candles, Using Containers and more...