Gel wax is a translucent wax with the consistency of jelly. It is made using a combination of mineral oil and polymer resin, which gives the wax a slow melting rate and a long burn time. The finished candle will have a longer burn time, making the wax good value for money even if it is more expensive than paraffin wax. Because of the clarity of the wax, it is common to find gel candles with embedded insides, such as sliced dried fruits, small glass ornaments, glitter, or anything that won’t melt at a temperature lower than the wax. Candle gel wax can only be used in containers because it does not have the rigidity to stand on its own. If you want to color the wax, we recommend using our dye chips, but if you add too much, it may lose its transparency. Gel wax has a higher melting point than paraffin wax and must be melted in a pan over direct heat. It tends to bubble during melting, to avoid this heat the wax to a temperature above 110°C, but do not exceed 125°C as the wax may burn. We recommend a stiff zinc or paper wick for the gel wax, such as our TCR series wick. Use the size larger than you normally would to compensate for the slow-burning properties of the gel wax. We recommend priming the wick with gel wax, as this wax tends to be cast at a higher temperature than kerosene wax.
Wash Specification
Fragrance oil: Contains up to 6% fragrance or essential oil Appearance: clear gel Odor: Odorless Softening point (°C): 70-85 Boiling point/trajectory (°C): >250 Set Point (°C): N/A Flash point (ASTM D 93) (°C):> 250 Self-ignition point (°C): >180 Density at 20°C (g/cm3): Approx. 0.86 Solubility in water (% by weight): insoluble
Fragrance oil use
Our wax can contain up to 6% fragrance oil. Please note, not all fragrances are suitable. The fragrances recommended for this wax are referred to as ‘non-polar’ and have a flash point greater than 77°C. Not using the right gel wax fragrance can be dangerous. Unscented Gelwax has a combustion bath temperature of 130°C, which is well below the general flash point of 227°C. However, adding fragrance lowers the flash point of the wax, possibly low enough to ignite the wax, so avoid these odors and test your gel wax candles in a safe, controlled environment.
Why is polarity so important?
Gel is a non-polar substance, and therefore only mixes completely with other non-polar substances.
It can sometimes appear to mix with some polar substances, but appearances are deceptive!
Even if it seems like it mixes well now, the chances of de-mixing in the future are greatly increased.
Because of the wide variety of ingredients used in fragrance oils, the end result is a wide range of polarity levels in the final products.
Some oils are more polar than others, some more non-polar than others.
For a fragrance to blend well with gel, it must be as non-polar as possible.
Polar fragrances can cloud the gel, which is a sign of separation.
They can also form pockets, or ” puddles.”
Puddling can occur anywhere in the candle, not just at the top, where it is easily detected.
It can sometimes take months for separation and puddling to occur.
If you burn a candle with “pockets” of fragrance oil that have separated, the flame reaching that oil pocket will likely flare up and possibly cause injury or fire damage!
Polar fragrances also lower the overall flash point of the gel more than a non-polar fragrance with the same flash point.
Fragrance oil testing
Test 1 Take 3 parts fragrance oil and mix it with 1 part mineral oil.
(Example: 3/4 tsp. to 1/4 tsp.).
The mineral oil you can get at many stores online will work fine.
You cannot use baby oil, as it already contains fragrances and will not give you accurate results.
Mix the oils thoroughly (put it in a clear glass bottle with cap, and shake well).
If the mixture clouds for a moment as you mix it, but then clears up again as you continue, that may be good.
Let it sit for a few minutes.
If it remains cloudy no matter how much you mix, it is polar & unsafe.
If a dividing line or beads can be seen, it is polar & unsafe.
If it remains clear and there is no separation, do the second part of the test below. Test 2 The next step is to reverse the proportions and do the test with 1 part perfume and 3 parts mineral oil.
It is important to do it both ways and make sure there is no clouding or separation in either mixture.
The easiest way to do this is to add 8 parts mineral oil to the mixture you already have in the bottle and shake very well.
Do not let it sit for more than 5 minutes.
If cloudiness or separation occurs, then it is polar & unsafe.
If the mixture is completely clear without any cloudiness, pearling or separation, then it is non-polar, and therefore safe to use.
Polar(not safe) | Non polar(safe) |
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