Soy Wax Troubleshooting Guide

While candle making may appear to be a relatively easy project, any experienced candle maker will quickly admit that it takes significant commitment of time and resources to produce a quality candle. In our soy wax troubleshooting guide, we provide some helpful tips for candle makers when working with vegetable-based waxes like soy. Whether you’ve been trying your hand at candles for a bit, or are brand new, it’s helpful to know what to look out for and what measures you can take to avoid some common challenges.

In a previous post, How to get Smooth Tops on your Candles, we addressed causes & remedies related to rough or uneven candle surfaces. Below, we tackle some additional issues.

Frosting

This is the growth of crystals on the wax surface – usually that of plant-based waxes. It is purely an aesthetics issue and has no impact on candle performance.

Causes: Too drastic a drop in pouring OR cooling temperatures | Excessive fragrance oil

Remedy Recommendations: Bring temperature of jars/container at least up to room temperature | Reduce fragrance load | Reduce pour temperature | Manage cooling temperatures for a slower more even cooling process.

Cracking

Thin or thick cracks on the surface of the candle which can be around the wick, or extend to the edge of the candle.

Causes: Too drastic a drop in pouring OR cooling temperatures resulting in more rapid contraction of the wax | Air bubbles or voids in the wax.

Remedy Recommendations: Bring temperature of jars/container at least up to room temperature | Reduce pour temperature | Manage cooling temperatures for a slower more even cooling process.

Syneresis

Also known as fragrance bleed, this is when liquid accumulates on the top surface or bottom of the candle after cooling/curing.

Causes: Excessive fragrance oil | Fragrance oil doesn’t bind to the wax because it was added at too low of a temperature.

Remedy Recommendations: When using plant-based wax, add fragrance oil at 185°F and stir very gently | Adjust your fragrance load to the recommendation.

Tunneling

Melt pool stops short of the diameter of the container, leaving unmelted/unused wax around the perimeter.

Causes: Too small of a wick to produce a complete melt pool | Too large of a wick which burns too fast, before creating proper melt pool | Too much fragrance oil.

Remedy Recommendations: Adjust wick size | Adjust your fragrance load.

Mushrooming

Clump of carbon buildup on the end of the candle wick that resembles a mushroom.

Causes: Too large of a wick | Too much fragrance oil.

Remedy Recommendations: Adjust wick size | Adjust your fragrance load | Trim wick properly between burns.

Pull-away and Wet Spots

When the candle pulls away from the container causing the appearance of wet spots. This is only visible in clear containers.

Causes: Reduced adhesion | Too rapid of a cooling process.

Remedy Recommendations: Clean glass containers prior to filling | Bring temperature of jars/container at least up to room temperature | Reduce pour temperature | Manage cooling temperatures for a slower more even cooling process.

See more candle making resources:

• Wholesale Candle Wax (Soy and Coconut)
• TruScent Fragrance Oils for Candles and Personal Care Products
• Candle Wicks – ECO, HTP, Premier, CD (Stabilo)