KNOW YOUR CANDLES!

At Aroma On The Rocks, sometimes we, like other candle companies, may use some candle making jargon (fancy industry terms) that you may not know already. We have made this page in order to help you make an informed decision by knowing what the heck you are buying. Be sure to read through these terms before choosing your new boozy bestie.

terms we think you should know

Burning & Lighting

Burn Rate

The amount of wax consumed per hour in grams. Burn rates will vary based on vessel size, wax type, and the heat emitted from your wick. A good rule of thumb to follow is small candles with small wicks can burn for seven to nine hours per 1 ounce of wax while those with large wicks burn approximately five to seven hours per 1 ounce of wax.

Burn Test

(Also known as Test Burn)
A specific, controlled, structured burn generally used to determine proper wick size. This is step 4 in the candle making process and one of the most important steps. After wax, vessel sizes, and fragrances have been chosen, it’s important to conduct a burn test to evaluate the best wick size and type for your specific candle.

Burn Time

The total amount of time it takes for a candle to burn to completion. Different factors will contribute to different burn time such as wax type, wick size, and vessel size.

Flash Point

The temperature at which a fragrance can ignite when exposed to a spark or flame. This can can be found on the Fragrance Safety Data Sheet or MSDS.

Heat Transfer

When candles are positioned too close, the heat generated by one flame can transfer to its neighbors, creating a chain reaction of increasing temperatures.

Mushrooming

A phenomenon where a small carbon ball forms at the tip of the wick, resembling a mushroom shape.

Power Burn

Burning a candle for longer than 4 hours. This is often categorized as 8+ hours.
This is dangerous and we do not recommend it.

Soot

(Aka Candle Soot)

Is black smoke that comes from unclean-burning candles because they release unburned carbon atoms into the air.

Wick

Material that delivers fuel to the flame in a candle.

Wooden Wick

(Aka Wood Wick)

A single-ply, multi-layered, curved, and decorative-shaped wick made from 100% wood, semi-wood, fibrous material, or cotton and wood combinations.

terms we think you should know

Scents & Fragrances

Afterglow

The light emitted from the wick after the candle is put out.

Cold Throw

The amount of fragrance emitted from a candle that is not burning. This is unique to each candle maker’s preference. Certain waxes have a better cold throw than others. For example, 100% Soy Wax has a reputation for not having a very powerful cold throw. 

Fragrance Load

(Also known as Scent Load)

The percentage of fragrance concentration in one batch of candles. We recommend using 8-10% fragrance per batch of candles.

Fragrance Oil

A blend of synthetic and/or natural components used to create scented oil.

Hot Throw

(Also known as "Warm Throw" and "Scent Throw").

Similar to cold throw, the fragrance emitted from a candle when it is burning. This is unique to each candle maker’s preference. Various wax types will give better hot throw. 100% Soy Wax has a reputation of poor hot throw and you may need to increase fragrance load up tp 12% for desired scent throw.

Synthetic Fragrance Oil

Fragrance oil that is man-made.

Throw

(Aka Scent Throw)

This is how faint or strong the fragrance flows through the air, and how much it permeates a space.

terms we think you should know

Wax

Cure

To allow a candle to set, or age, to help enhance the fragrance.

Dye

Colorants that are used to give color to wax.

Frosting

(Also known as "Bloom")

The formation of white crystals on the surface of natural waxes (soy) caused by cooling at a different rate. This is not ideal with candle making as it can ruin the aesthetic of the candle. To help eliminate frosting, try heating your vessels and adjusting pour temperatures.

Melt Pool

The liquid pool of wax of a candle while burning. As a rule of thumb, you should expect a full melt pool to be achieved within 2-3 hours of burn time. An ideal melt pool at 4 hours is ½” in depth.

Melt Point

The temperature at which the wax begins to liquify. There are different melt points for each wax type so be sure to accurately follow the instructions of your chosen wax.

Paraffin Wax

Made of refined petroleum; most commonly used wax in candle making.

Relief Holes

Holes poked in candles to release air pockets that can form as wax cools to prepare for a second pour.

Sink Holes

Holes, craters, or actual cavities in the wax caused by air pockets trapped in a finished candle. This is fairly uncommon but most common with soy candles. They can be prevented by accurately following instructions for melting and pouring temperatures and ensuring that candles are setting on a flat, undisturbed surface. They can be fixed using relief holes and finishing with a heat gun. See Heat Gun for more information.

Soy Wax

Soy wax contains no artificial preservatives or chemicals, which makes it a better alternative to old-fashioned paraffin wax, which is made from petroleum oil and produces harmful by-products when burned or melted. Soy wax is non-toxic making it better both for the environment when crafting candles and your health as it produces less chemical burn smells, and can be used topically in lotion candles.

Sweating

(Also known as "leaching").

The fragrance separating from the wax (often collecting on the top of a container candle in small beads or even a small pool). This is fairly uncommon but is often caused by rapidly moving a candle from one temperature to another. Soy wax is most sensitive to extreme temperature changes.

Tunneling

When the wick is too small for the diameter of the candle and a full melt pool cannot be reached, a “tunnel” is formed. A wax wall will be left around the perimeter of the candle.

Wax

The filler substance that a candle is made from. The most common types are Paraffin, Beeswax, Soy, Coconut, and Vegetable Blend. At Aroma On The Rocks, we use 100% Soy Wax.

More Tips & Tricks

View all
1 3
View all