Candle Making Terms

These are common terms that pop up a lot in candle making. If there is a term that you see all the time but aren't sure about, feel free to email us.

Viscosity - a fluid's ability to resist flow. Ketchup or honey have a high viscosity. Milk or juice has a low viscosity.

Wick down - To use a wick one size smaller but within the same series. For example: going from an LX-26 to an LX-24.

Congeal Point - The temperature at which melted wax gets cool enough to begin to turn from a liquid into a solid. It's sometimes called the cloud point because the wax begins to look cloudy.

Flash Point - The lowest temperature at which vapors from a substance will burn when ignited by a flame.

Frosting - This commonly occurs with soy wax candles. You can reduce frosting by pouring your candles between 100-115 degrees.

Glass Adhesion - Also known as Wet Spots or Delamination. This is when the wax pulls away from the glass. Very common with container candles.

Gutter - Excess melted wax running down the outside of a self-supporting candle.

Hang-Up - Unburned wax that remains on the wall of jar candles when the candle has expired.

Melt Point - The temperature at which melting wax gets hot enough to turn from a solid into a liquid.

Mushrooming - Seen at the top of a candle wick, this is a small amount of carbon caused by incomplete combustion. Often the wrong wick size, wax additives or fragrance contribute to this problem.

Transition Temperature - The temperature or temperature range at which a wax cooling from the liquid to the solid state converts from non-crystalline form to a crystalline one.

Wick Up - To use a wick one size larger within the same series. For example: going from an LX-24 to an LX-26.