Gel Candle Wax Useful Tips

Useful Tips When Working With Gel Candle Wax

By Daniella Lawrence

Gel candles are popular primarily because of the wide array of attractive colors available for gel wax. Gel wax is also cheap and can be readily purchased from almost any brick-and-mortar hobby stores as well as online candle-and-soap supplies stores.

Making gel candles can now also be enjoyed with kids because manufacturers have come up with wax that can be molded easily by handling instead of heat-melting. This could certainly be a fun, family activity with your kids. What’s more amazing is that your kids will be able to “take away” beautiful, colorful candles that they “make themselves”. Wouldn’t it be great to see their imagination take off and how they apply it on their own creations?

But if you are looking to work with traditional gel wax, this guide is definitely for you. Here are some really useful tips:

Use only non-polar fragrances when making gel candles. Polar fragrance may not bind completely with gel wax and this can cause flammable spots in the candle. These small fragrance bubbles or pockets can cause flare-ups that can cause fire.
Whatever you add to your gel candles, always ask the supplier for proof that the product is ‘gel-wax safe’.
To check whether a type of fragrance is safe for gel candles, mix 1 tablespoon of the fragrance that you want to test and 2 tablespoons of plain mineral oil. Mix the two together and wait for half an hour, then observe the clarity of the solution. If the solution is not clear, do not use the fragrance for your gel candle projects.
Did you know? Gel wax isn’t really wax; they just added a polymer to regular mineral oil to make the stuff burn steadily like wax.
Use crack-resistant containers that can withstand up to 200 degrees of temperature.
If you are using low-grade gel, about three percent of fragrance concentration is sufficient.
High-grade gel can handle up to five percent of fragrance oil concentration.
Low-grade gel should not be used for projects that require the embedding of objects such as decorative items.
Gel wax can only be melted through the application of direct heat. This type of wax requires at least 220 degrees Fahrenheit to melt – and it takes longer to melt than paraffin wax or beeswax.
Use gel wax if you want to give your creativity with candle making free reign – because this wax is the clearest of all the wax used for candle making.
If you want to use the candles for more than ten hours at a time, gel wax would be a great choice because they burn at a much slower pace than traditional types of wax.

Wasn’t that interesting? Explore more ideas and start crafting your own beautiful, colorful gel candles at home. Also check out useful tips and tricks on gel candle making — how to work with gel wax, safety guidelines, and what you need to know before you start. Discover the joy of candle making today. Get more insightful ideas and articles for FREE from http://www.CandleMaking-Guidebook.com.

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