CANDLE ADDITIVES. I use molding machinery and FR Chinese paraffin

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1 CANDLE ADDITIVES I need to produce candles 8" long with a I I - 1/2 diameter, a perfect surface. a lot of shine and very soft. What can I add to the paraffin to help me achieve this? I use molding machinery and FR Chinese paraffin My advice would be to use I % of Epolene C 10 or C 15 and 0.5% of a polyolefin (PB 165 SS or Vybar* 103). In your manufacturing process, I recommend that you pour the mixture in the machine at a temperature of approximately C and that the water used for the cooling of your machines be at a temperature of approximately 10C. *Vybar is a registered mark of Baker Petrolite Corporation. We work with Chinese wax semi-refined and due to costs we can t mix it with others waxes. We are always pouring additives but we can t achieve a good performance. We very often find that the quality of the paraffin we receive varies from shipment to shipment and we are always pouring additives with no optimal performance. My question is without revealing the additive that I am now using, which additive do you suggest in order to obtain a better candle quality? One of the most common problems of the candle manufacturers that buy from China is the big difference they find from one lot to another. Even though many suppliers sell Chinese wax in a generic form, that is only mentioning semi or fully refined as well as its melting point, the problem is that there are several refineries producing wax and each one uses a different crude as well as a different refining process, which can produce physical properties and unfavorable appearances. Based on our experience semi refined waxes from Jinxi and Fushun No. 2 refineries are the worst in quality. The best are from Dalian, Daquing, Fushun No. 1 and Yanshan. Whenever you buy products ask the supplier for the name of the

2 refinery. Regarding additives there are polymers which are high in prices but the amount to be use is very small, also there are hydrogenated vegetable waxes that act as hardeners but that can create a dull appearance in the final product. An additional comment received regarding this question: It is difficult to suggest something in order to fix it, without knowing the problem with the wax and the additive. I am writing to you in the hope that you can resolve a problem we are having with a particular kind of candle. The problem is that we have scented, pastel-colored container candles, 4" wide and 6" tall. The paraffin mix is 50% semi-refined paraffin and 50% petrolatum. The problem lies in that after 15 hours of burning, the container starts to fill with smoke. We ve already tried using a thinner wick, changing the formula, and adding Vybar to the mix. What can we do to solve this smoke problem? Dear members: Yours is a common problem with this type of candle. There are several things that could be leading to the smoke emission of your candles. The first is the high quantity of petrolatum in your formula; normally, petrolatum affects the viscosity of the final mix as well as the way in which the wick absorbs or utilizes the paraffin as fuel, in many cases, leading to the wick developing a fungus at the tip and the emission of a great deal of smoke. Petrolatum is used in these types of formulas more typically in order to help with adhesion. Perhaps you are using such a large amount of petrolatum because the paraffin you are using is too hard, which affects the aesthetic of your candles. I recommend that you try paraffins with melting points between 48 and 54C with 25C penetration of between 40 and 80 ddm and oil content of less than 3%. You can combine it with Vybar as well as a soft microcrystalline wax (with penetration over 20 ddm). One possible formula would be 70% Paraffin, 25% Petrolatum, 4-4.5% Micro Wax, and % Vybar. The second cause could be that the quantity and quality of fragrance that you are using has contributed to this burning irregularity. Remember that the scent also affects the viscosity of your formula which in turn affects the way in which the wick's capillarity absorbs the paraffin.

3 I recommend that you send a sample of your mix and your container to your supplier and let him help you choose the appropriate wick. What paraffin variable would be useful to give us an idea of its cold scent retention? We have received some responses to your questions from several associate members. A fragrance producer indicates that penetration is a factor and the softer the paraffin, the better the release of scent in the cold. A paraffin supplier holds the opposite opinion, that a harder and crystalline paraffin would emit more fragrance. In terms of retention, it would be difficult for a physical variable (penetration, melting point, color, etc.) to give you an indication as to the retention of fragrance in the cold. This is usually easier to determine through a gas chromatography, GC, under the theory that the larger the number of iso-paraffins or abnormal carbons, the greater the tendency to retain fragrance. This is why when fragrance is added to a refined paraffin, it is recommended to use a percentage of microcrystalline wax or polyolefin, in order to change its crystallization and increase the number of iso-paraffins. What do you recommend we do to achieve good glass adhesion in terms of glass filling? You can vary two parameters in order to control glass adhesion. 1- The mixing of the formula 2- The production process In mixing your formula, as I mentioned above, try to use a soft semi-refined paraffin base, with a ddm penetration or even more, and moderate oil content, preferably less than 3%, but a larger oil content is acceptable if you can control your other parameters such as stability, fragrance compatibility, and burning. I know people in our region who use a product with 12 and 13% oil;

4 they use fragrance and achieve good burning properties. You can also add petrolatum/vaseline and soft microcrystalline wax (penetration above 20ddm.). In your production process you should control the glass temperature (temper it, don t fill it in the cold) and the room temperature of your factory. Filling the glass at 16C or 32C doesn t just affect the cooling time, but also the temperature of your mix; I recommend that you pour your mix into the container at approximately C above the melting point. Keep in mind that your product can go through some changes during transport. Unfortunately, this is not an exact science, but I think that by controlling these parameters, you can make the most of your efforts. How can I obtain beautiful, even and non oily mottled candles? The formula we currently use has oil in it. Also, I would like to know if it is common for the mottling finish to disappear over time. A mottle is the result of something (in this case oil) interfering with the paraffin wax crystal formation. Where these interruptions occur a mottle pattern is formed. But over time the oil will migrate to the surface of the candle creating an oily candle and as a result of the oil migration the mottle pattern may also start to disappear. This is the danger of using oil as a mottling agent. Alternative solutions could be, a) use a solid mottling agent stearic acid at a level of % can also be used as a mottling agent and it has the advantage of bring non migrating, or, b) use a crystalline paraffin paraffin waxes are available with varying degrees of crystalinity with some being better for mottling than others. Using highly crystalline paraffin will produce a better mottle with the minimum of mottle agent and in fact some will self mottle. Ian Rudkin P. T. Megasurya Mas [email protected] Adding 0.5 to 1% of PB 150 to the candle will help you solve your problem. PB 150 is designed to allow adding more fragrance and keeping the mottling without the bleeding. Caromex International is the exclusive representative of this product in Latin

5 America. Jose Luis Montes Caromex International What is the best paraffin for making fragranced candles in glass containers? What additive shall I use to make the fragrance last longer and avoid airtight packaging? Is it necessary to seal the glass jar in order to avoid the fragrance from dissipating? Undoubtedly, a scented jar candle will always retain better characteristics over time if it has a lid. If the jar design and product image allows it, a lid is ideal to avoid fragrance loss among other benefits. There is no single paraffin or wax that is perfectly ideal for what you are looking for, it must be a blend. Some of the most important characteristics are; it should not be too crystalline (hard) and, it should not contain too much oil, as you are adding fragrance, this could not incorporate well upon cooling. The addition in small percentages of micros and alpha olefins among the other additives available, help incorporate and hold the fragrance in the final formula. The best option now days, is to formulate your own blend based on the materials available in your region. First, identify which characteristics are most important to you. Based on the materials available to you and the most important characteristics, speak openly with your suppliers and they will help you design the best formula for your base wax. For a fragrance to last longer, several factors collaborate jointly. Two of the most important ones are; the base (paraffin or wax blend), the fragrance and the percentage of this added. There is no single fragrance fixative additive to solve your doubt by itself. The formula, the profile and percentage of application of the fragrance have a lot to do with this. Speak to your fragrance supplier and explain to them your worries and the characteristics that you are looking for. A balanced fragrance will provide better cold throw, hot throw, and permanence in the candle. Supply a sample of your base wax to your fragrance supplier so that they may do the testing and be able to offer you several options. As there are an infinite number of fragrance formulas, I recommend that you approach several fragrance suppliers and I am sure that you will find a fragrance that together with your base wax will achieve the characteristics that you are looking for.

6 Anonymous The best wax is the one that suits you needs the best, as far as performance. The base wax will depend on what you are trying to achieve. Remember, candle making is an art, anyone can make a candle if you define the candle by wax and wick, but a good candle is hard to make, one that combines a good look, good cold throw and a safe burn. Premium jar candle wax blends are available ready made from some suppliers that allow a good fragrance load. Additives such as PB 130 and some microcrystalline waxes are good binders for fragrance. It is not necessary to have an airtight container to have your candle hold the fragrance, your wax blend and quality of fragrance should take care of this. Having a lid will allow for a good first impression, but how your candle dissipates the fragrance as it burns is what will get you repeat sales. Jose Luis Montes Caromex International [email protected] Can you please tell me what Alfa-Olefins are? Where do they come from? Will they burn with the same wicks used in fully refined paraffin wax candles? Or, with the wicks used in candles made with slack waxes? How many different grades exist? Can they be mixed with paraffin waxes? Alfa-Olefins are a synthetically made product. They are produced through the polymerization of ethylene, which forms different carbon groups (fractions). Depending on their composition, they will either form a gas, a liquid or a solid at normal ambient temperature, display physical characteristics that resemble those of paraffin wax. They can be used in the manufacturing of candles, either as is or in blends with petroleum derived waxes. Two particular grades are recommended for the production of candles. One grade resembles a slack wax and can be used for filling containers. The other grade has a higher melt point and is recommended as a strengthening additive to blend with lower melt point or high oil paraffins.

7 We understand that the same wicks used for paraffin and slack waxes can also be used with the Alfa-Olefins. For further information, please contact me. Max J. Budwick GLOBALWAX, LLC You will find the answers to your questions in the Chevron Phillips technical presentation given in Puerto Vallarta at the ALAFAVE s Conference that took place in ALAFAVE s members may access the technical library located in the For Members Only section at our website You will need your username and password. If you need assistance to log in the page as member, please contact our office. María C. Sánchez ALAFAVE INC. [email protected] What additive should I use to obtain a smooth and whiter candle in molding machines? Polyboost 165 I just started to produce paschal candles and want to make beeswax candles. Is there an additive or blend that I should use to obtain better results? What advice can you give me? If it is pure beeswax I do not see the need for additives. Normally the church requires a 51% beeswax candle, therefore you should make sure you are buying pure beeswax, in the event you are going to mix it with paraffin wax. The recommended additives would be polyolefins and

8 microcrystalline waxes. Due to the current situation in South America, we have had to produce candles with Chinese paraffin, which is the least expensive on the market, but the paraffin we have received has different specifications and is very soft. It is supposedly semi-refined 58-60, congealing point. We put in a Clariant brand additive, but it's not working very well and the candle is still coming out too soft. We work with German machines, but they're NOT automatic, in fact they are the traditional ones from over 30 years ago. I hope you can help me. This seems to be a common problem lately. How much additive did you use? It is not recommended to use more than 1-2% of this type of wax, but you were on the right track, as polyethylene waxes generally work well in hardening paraffin. Another option would be to use 5-10% stearic acid. or use another paraffin. It seems that many of our members confuse the congealing point with the hardness of the paraffin, when the hardness is measured in terms of penetration. Normally, keep in mind the following: the oil content normally affects the penetration. The higher the oil content, the higher the penetration (the softer the paraffin). I have a semi-refined paraffin that I need to use in jars. What kind of additive should I use to avoid mottling? Can I use this paraffin to produce free standing candles? a- It depends on the paraffin. To better answer your question is important to know the oil content as well as to know the penetration and melting point for the second part of your question. b- You may use a microcrystalline wax or a polyolefin to help you. The percentage of additive will depend on the oil content of the base paraffin, but normally it would be between 0.5 to 2%. c- The temperature used when filling your jars may also have an effect.

9 d- Depends on the type of paraffin you have and the type of free standing candles you wish to make. Is there a way to remove the oil from an oily paraffin through temperature and what melting point should it be used to help remove a percentage of oil and at the same time continue maintain the mottling effect when making the candle? There is no way of removing oil through temperature if you don t have the proper equipment (solvent de-oiling, which is normally found in refineries) and depending on the oil content. There is no other way of doing this through temperature. You may keep the mottling effect by using an additive such as (PB 150). When using low oil content paraffin (up to 1%) you may add up to 5-6% fragrance and keep the mottling effect. There are several commercial processes that are used to extract the oil from waxes and make a more refined product with lower oil content and while it is true that large refineries use the solvent extraction process, there are other methods such as: a) Wax Sweating. This is a process whereby the wax is first cooled in a specially designed reactor with a bundle of cooling/heating coils and when the temperature of the wax reaches ambient (25C) temperature, the cooling media is changed to a heating cycle in very small increments causing the oil and softer waxes to sweat out and be drained away until the oil content reaches the desired level. b) A variation of the sweating process is staged sweating through a series of sweating chambers giving progressive sweating one stage after the next and this makes possible a larger output. An example of such process is the one jointly developed by Sasol and Sulzer. This, by the way, is the process that is presently being built in Venezuela by private investors. It is important to clarify that while the sweating process appears simple, it requires some basic equipment that can allow the wax to be heated and cooled with appropriate drainage systems to allow for the oil to flow. Additionally, not all waxes will sweat and those with lower melting points, namely lower viscosity and higher in normal paraffin are more approximate for this method, contrary to higher melting point grades with higher viscosity and higher content of isoparaffins, since they impede the migration of oil from the wax.

10 We have purchased a Colombian paraffin wax with a 56/58 C melt point. The paraffin is not performing as expected. We have been forced to blend it with Chinese paraffin wax and stearic acid, but the candles are still not coming out with the expected quality, they crack and break easily. My question is: Is there any other additive that can be used to improve this paraffin wax? Thank you. I think that you must consider several things, beginning with the possibility that the addition of stearic acid maybe worsening the situation. If the wax was cracking before the addition of stearic acid, this additive may now be affecting the blend negatively. By its own nature, stearic acid is hard, brittle and does not impart flexibility. You must also consider the proportion and type of paraffin you are blending. I believe that the type of paraffin you are blending with the Colombian paraffin wax must be Chinese paraffin with a melt point between 58 and 62 C. By simply increasing the proportion of this paraffin wax, the candle should come out acceptable. Another option would be to add a small percentage of a microcrystalline wax, which would impart a higher flexibility to the blend. Anonymous The light paraffin wax from Ecopetrol is good paraffin considering its Price/Quality. It can be used without blending with Chinese paraffin wax with the following blends, in order of cost optimization. a- 2-4 % of CAROVEL White candle, translucid and good shine b % CN 6100 or 5400 White candle, opaque and good shine c % PB 165 White candle, translucid and good shine d- 60/40 or 70/30 FR 5913 or 5711 White candle, translucid Jose Luis Montes Caromex International [email protected]

11 What is the benefit of adding microcrystalline wax to a candle blend, and what function does it play as an additive? Microcrystalline wax performs different functions, depending on the type of candle and the type of micro used. For example in a container candle, a soft micro that will improve the glass adhesion and color uniformity is recommended. In the case of a molded candle, the recommendation would be to use a hard micro that will not compromise the hardness of the candle and will make it burn a little slower. Microcrystalline waxes also help retain oil in oily waxes and improve fragrance retention. According to the application, one must consider that all micros are not the same and some perform better than others. Anonymous Microcrystalline waxes perform various functions and benefits in a candle blend. a- Helps retain oil and fragrance. b- Helps color dispersion, imparting a better finish on the candle. c- Being a hydrocarbon, it has an excellent compatibility with paraffin wax, which aids in the burning characteristics of the candle. d- Helps in obtaining a better bond and blend with hydrogenated animal / vegetable triglycerides. e- In container candles, the correct microcrystalline wax helps with glass adhesion and allows for lower quality waxes to be successfully used. f- In hand carved candles, it helps with paraffin malleability. Jose Luis Montes Caromex International [email protected] What is the benefit in using an additive called EPOLENE? In what cases should it be used? What is the best brand of EPOLENE that we can purchase? Can it be substituted with another additive?

12 EPOLENE waxes are high melt point polyethylene waxes that can be used as mold release aids in candle manufacturing processes. They also improve candle surface finish and shine. Polyethylene waxes can also be used for over dipping candles with a second dip that forms an external film on the candle. This helps during the burning process by improving the surface wall of the wax pool under the candle flame. In general, low viscosity polyethylene waxes are the most appropriate for candle wax blends. Besides EPOLENE polyethylene waxes, there are several other polyethylene waxes from other manufacturers that can also be used with the same results. MEGH offers a polyethylene wax, MEGHWAX CVM 300 that can be used in candle manufacturing with good results. Ricardo Motta Dittmer MEGH Indústria e Comércio Ltda. [email protected] EPOLENE is a trade name (brand) of a polyethylene wax manufactured by synthesis for specific purposes. EPOLENE C 10, N 11, C 15 and C 16 are adequate grades for use in candle applications. The principal purpose of this additive in candles is to provide surface shine & hardness and, must be used in small amounts of 0.5 to 1 %. EPOLENE waxes are composed of linear carbons and therefore will not retain oil as would a micro or a polyolefin wax. The most common used EPOLENE grades in candles are N 11 and C 16. EPLOENE can be substituted by microcrystalline wax, CAROVEL, PB 165/150/130 or other similar products, depending on what your principal objective is. Jose Luis Montes Caromex International [email protected] What is the benefit in using an additive called VYBAR and, in what cases should it be used?

13 VYBAR is a polyolefin wax that aids the candle manufacturer when the paraffin wax blend used contains a high percentage of oil or fragrance and the finished candle appears with what some people call a marbleized or dendrite look. With the small addition of this polyolefin wax, this effect is eliminated. Furthermore, it also keeps the extra oil in the wax blend from migrating to the surface of the candle which could stain the material used to package the candle. VYBAR is not the only product available on the market to fulfill these functions. MEGH offers a polyolefin ester wax, MEGHWAX CVM 100 that meets the candle application requirements but, is different from VYBAR that makes the candle creamy or opaque when used. MEGHWAX CVM 100 does not change the translucent characteristics of the wax. This is an important property especially in all paraffin candle blends where a translucent wax is required. Ricardo Motta Dittmer MEGH Indústria e Comércio Ltda. [email protected] VYBAR fulfills some of the functions of a microcrystalline wax at lower added percentages but at a higher cost per weight. A basic difference is that these polyolefin waxes do not aid in container surface adhesion as some soft micros do. VYBAR is only one brand of the various polyolefin waxes that are available of this type for candle applications. Anonymous VYBAR or POLYBOOST are brand names for polyolefin waxes. There are several grades which have different inherent characteristics and uses for candle applications. VYBAR 103 or PB Recommended dosage of 0.5 to 1% in molded candles, pillars, etc. Its main benefits are; oil and fragrance retention, improved wax hardness, increased surface shine and homogenous color dispersion. VYBAR 260 or PB Recommended dosage of 0.5 to 1% in container candles. Its main benefits are; oil and fragrance retention, creamy opaque finish and homogenous color dispersion. PB 150 was specifically developed for those that want the mottled / crackleled effect while using a high percentage of fragrance in the candle. Unlike PB 165 and PB 135 that eliminate mottling, leaving the candle with a smooth finish, PB 150 allows a mayor oil / fragrance content without affecting the mottling effect but

14 at the same time retaining the oil, leaving a dry candle without exuding fragrance on the surface. CAROMEX INTERNATIONAL distributes PB 165, 130 y 150 in Latin America. Jose Luis Montes Caromex International [email protected]