Why our Candles...
..... are Special
What’s the big deal with CANDLES? A candle is a candle is a candle, right?
A few short years ago this is exactly what I was thinking. But as I embarked on the Candle Making journey myself, it quickly became clear to me that not all candles are created equally. And I have come to deeply appreciate a well-made quality candle.
Looking at the simplicity of a candle, it is hard to imagine the amount of details, supplies, choices and skill that goes into making these humble, simplest of treats or lavish indulgences.
Every single element in a well-made candle is crucial and born from endless testing. A single candle can be the final product of weeks months even years of trial & error, test after test.
An experienced Chandler will use words like Fragrance Throw, Heat Throw, Cold Throw, Melting point, Jar adherence, Sizing, Vessels, Curing etc.
The main starting point is which wax to use, blending different waxes for different results. Soy, Coconut, Paraffin being the most popular. Vegetable waxes burn cleaner and are more ecologically friendly and renewable.
You can also use Beeswax, which we do for our Pure Beeswax Candles. It’s such an amazing wax to burn as it is naturally air purifying. Beeswax is in a league of its own.
At our HomeGrownHOME we prefer Eco-Soy wax, Coconut wax or a blend of both. They make the most beautiful flat top candles. We especially love the natural clean creamy texture of these waxes. And because our vessels are reusable and recyclable the waxes we choose are gentle, soft and easy to clean. With no toxic residue.
You also need to choose the right wax for the type of candle you want to make. Container candles are made with wax designed to help adhere the wax to the sides of containers. Where pillar wax is designed to shrink making it easier to remove from the moulds.
The next important elements are wicks. Choosing the right wick for the right candle will ultimately influence how well the candle burns, how efficient the candle burns the fuel. Yes, a good candle has good fuel economy. This is mostly done with testing, testing and more testing. Like wax, there are a multitude of different type of wicks.
At HomeGrownHOME we use eco clean burning wicks in all our candles. Which means they contain no zinc, lead or other heavy metals. We also use natural wooden wicks in some of our large candles.
Fragrance oils are what is added to the candle to give you that beautiful fragrance that is probably the reason you choose to buy that candle once you take that first whiff. And just like every other element in candle making, which fragrance oils you choose to add to your candle makes a huge difference to the quality of your candle. We use high quality fragrance oils from reputable suppliers. And it is probably one of our biggest expenses after wax and containers. But we feel that it’s absolutely worth it!
What is the difference between hand poured, handmade candles and the candles you buy at your local store? Everything!
Large corporate mass-produced candles are made from cheap materials. Profit trumps quality. They contain toxins that gets released into the air as they burn. Plus, they are made in mass by machines.
When you buy from an artisan Chandler you know exactly what went into making that candle. Being hand poured means that your candle was hand created by master craftsmen.
Because just like with every single other element of your beautiful handmade candle. Which temperature the wax needs to reach, to melt. At which temperature the fragrance oil should be added. How long the wax should be stirred to incorporate the oils. At which temperature the candle should be poured. At which speed and location in the container in relation to the wick the wax should be poured. How much wax to pour. How long to cure the candle before testing? Burn testing to see how well the different elements in your candle hold up to each other. Extreme testing for safety to see how well your candle burns in case people don’t adhere to the burn warnings you post on the bottom of your candle. Which happens more often than you would think. Choosing lids, dust covers etc. Packaging, labeling. Curing & storage.
All of this can only be done born from honed candle making skills and a wealth of experience. A passion for creating quality, beautiful candles. It matters.
Like everything else in life, you get to choose what you introduce into your home. With our candles you know that time and thought was dedicated to every single element in our candles to make them set apart, special handmade one of a kind. Just for you!
