Guides
Notes from the bench
The reasoning behind the calculators, written out: what the numbers mean, where they come from, and the mistakes they help you avoid.
Add-oil and pour temperatures for popular candle waxesOctober 21, 2026 · The temperatures suppliers publish for GB 464, 444, 454, C-3, IGI 6006, 4630 and 4627, where they disagree, and what each temperature step is for.
Why your 8 oz jar holds about 6.4 oz of candleOctober 21, 2026 · Fluid ounces measure space and ounces measure weight. Here is how the two meet in a candle jar, and the one-minute water test that settles it.
Fragrance load, explained without the arguingOctober 21, 2026 · What “10% fragrance” actually means, why two calculators can give you different oil amounts for the same number, and how to choose a load to test.
How to run a wick test that actually tells you somethingOctober 21, 2026 · A step-by-step wick test: choosing three sizes, pouring and curing the test jars, the four-hour burn, and how to read melt pools, flames and soot.
Pricing a candle for Etsy: one candle, worked all the way throughOctober 21, 2026 · A full worked example of pricing an 8 oz soy candle: materials, labor, overhead, Etsy fees and shipping, and the price that leaves a real margin.
A US candle label checklist, line by lineOctober 21, 2026 · What goes on a candle label sold in the US: product identity, net weight in ounces and grams, maker’s name and address, type size, placement and safety warnings.
Five things people get wrong about wax meltsOctober 21, 2026 · Wax melts look simple, which is why the same mistakes keep coming up: fragrance load, wax choice, measuring clamshells, curing and labels.
Wet spots and frosting: what they are and when to worryOctober 21, 2026 · Answers to the most common questions about wet spots and frosting on soy candles: causes, whether they affect the burn, and what reduces them.