Gel candle making continues to be a favourite of many candle makers. Its ability to be customised and themed makes a gel candle an ideal present for times such as Christmas, birthdays and weddings. It is very easy for a candle maker to suspend decorations in the gel wax, and along with different coloring dyes and fragrances the assortment of gel candles is only limited by the candle makers imagination.
The addition of decorations in a gel candle is possible since the gel is transparent in nature. This characteristic gives gel an advantage over other waxes, as a lot of candle makers like using gel candles at home because decorations give them a unique appearance and style.
Although gel candles burn the same way as wax candles, they burn noticeably longer than standard paraffin wax candles. Gel wax is made from 5% polymer resin and 95% mineral oil, the polymer resin is a powder which turns solid when mixed together with mineral oil. There are 3 distinct densities of gel wax, high, medium and low. The high density gel, allows a higher fragrance ratio that can be used to make a gel wax candle. The higher density candle will also be better at holding the suspended decorations within the candle.
A downside to using a higher density gel wax is its viscosity; it takes a longer time to melt and is a little more difficult to pour. It’s worth pointing out at this time that it’s vitally important to only use specialized oils and colors purposely made for gel candles; fragrance oils that can be bought in a cosmetic shop are not suitable. The color of gel wax can be transformed by using dyes; the gel wax translucency can be maintained by using liquid candle dyes. On no account should you make use of clothing dye, crayons, soap dyes or food coloring in gel wax, they will cause problems and the gel wax candle will not burn correctly.
Care should be taken when adding the liquid candle dye to the melted gel wax, adding too much will ruin the translucency of the candle,so the dye should be added drop by drop untill the right colour is achieved. Great care should also be taken when adding the fragrance additive, this can be made easier by testing the fragrance on a gel wax sample until the right fragrance is achieved. Using this sampling method should only take five minutes to complete and will help guarantee flawless results in the finished gel candle.
However, if the test sample happens to go cloudy then a different fragrance should be used, this cloudy appearance is an indication that the flash point of the gel may be affected and the candle will not burn properly. A good rule of thumb is to only continue making candles if the test sample remains clear and transparent.
When making candles most waxes are melted using a double boiler, because of the consistency of gel wax using this method will take a long time and is not really recommended. Multi-cookers are more suitable for melting gel wax, they are in essence a non stick pan, comprising of a heating element and temperature control. They are designed for easily melting gel wax at a certain temperature, are easily cleaned, are easy to use and are a must for serious candle makers.
Even though the multi-cooker arrives together with a temperature controller, it’s still highly recommended to use a reliable thermometer to make certain the gel wax melts at the correct temperature.
When melting gel wax it should be stirred with something made of durable plastic or metal, using a wooden spoon can sometimes leave bubbles in the gel. Never leave any type of melting wax alone on a stove because of the risk of fire, but gel wax is especially flammable so it’s recommended to have a chemical type fire extinguisher close at hand.
If you would enjoy any extra general information on candle making at home or if you would like further tips on making candle then please call in at my web site www.swankeecandles.com.