Here's a comprehensive list of key terms used in candle making:
Additive - Substances mixed with wax to improve burning or alter its properties, such as Vybar, stearic acid, or UV inhibitors
Afterglow - Light emitted by a wick after it's been extinguished
Burn Rate / Time - Amount of wax consumed per hour. Burn time refers to how long it takes for the wax in a candle to be fully consumed
Chatter Marks - Lines that run horizontally on a candle's surface that can occur if you pour wax into a cold container or mold, or if the wax is poured at a temperature that's too cool
Cold Throw – Describes the strength of the fragrance released by a candle before it has been burned
Container Candle - A candle that is poured directly into the container in which it will be burned
Core - The interior of a candle, or the inner material of a wick
Coreless - Refers to wicks without a core material
Curing Time – Letting a candle set or age to improve its fragrance. The period of time between pouring the candle and the candle reaching a state where it can be lit to give optimum performance. Curing time will vary depending on wax type / fragrance oil combination
Diameter - Widest point of a candle, mold, or container
Double Boiler - Two nested pans used for slow, even heating
Double Scenting - Adding one ounce of fragrance per pound of wax
Dye - Colorants used to give wax color, typically sold in Liquid or Block form
Essential Oil - Oil derived from natural substances such as plant material, flowers, leaves, wood, or grass. An oil obtained by distillation of plant extracts, intended to capture the characteristics fragrances or ‘essence’ of the plant
Flashpoint - Temperature at which a substance can ignite if exposed to an open flame or spark. The flashpoint of a fragrance oil is the temperature at which the liquid give off enough vapor that could cause it to ignite if exposed to a source of ignition
Floater (Floating Candle) - A shallow candle with a tapered base that will float in water
Fragrance Oil - Blend of synthetic and/or natural components used to create scented oil
Frosting - White crystalline structure that forms on the surface of natural waxes such as soy. Also referred to as bloom. The ‘frosting’ often referred to in candle making is an example of polymorphism, where the solid mass of wax and fragrance oil changes into a different crystal form over time, causing a frost-like effect on the surface of the candle. This commonly occurs with soy wax candles.
Glass Adhesion - Also known as Wet Spots or Delamination/Separation. This is when the wax pulls away from the glass. Somewhat common with container candles. A term used to describe how well a particular wax/fragrance mixture adheres to a candle glass. As wax cools, it contracts and pulls away from the glass leaving visible gaps on the inside of the glass. Soy waxes generally have better glass adhesion Paraffin
Hang Up – Unburned wax that remains on the wall of the jar candle when the candle has expired
Hot Throw - Term used to describe the strength of fragrance while a candle is burning. This evaluation is typically done after the candle has been burning for 2-4 hours
IFRA Statement - Name for the “Certificate of Conformity to IFRA Standards”. The IFRA Statement lists the maximum permitted levels of use of each fragrance oil in different product categories, such as candles, soaps, and lotions
Jump Lines - See Chatter Marks
Melt Point - The temperature at which melting wax gets hot enough to turn from a solid into a liquid
Melt Pool / Full Melt Pool - The liquid layer of wax that forms as the candle burns. When the melt pool in a container candle covers the entire surface of the candle
Mold - Form used to create a freestanding candle, usually made of metal.
Mold Plug - Cone-shaped rubber pieces used to close the hole in the bottom of a mold
Mold Release - Agent to coat the inside of a mold, making candle removal easier
Mold Sealer/Mold Putty - Clay-like substance used to seal mold bottoms or block extra space around the wick
Mottling - Surface effect in wax with a snowflake appearance
MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) - Product safety info sheets provided by manufacturers
Mushrooming - Carbon build-up on wick tips after burning
Neck - Vertical shaft of a wick tab securing it to the wick, with varying lengths
Opaque - Not transmitting or reflecting light, impenetrable to sight
Out of Bottle - The first evaluation of a fragrance happens as soon as you open the bottle, this is referred to as out of bottle or OOB evaluation
Overdip - Coating a finished candle with alternate wax for color or effects
Overwicked - When the wick in a candle causes a burn rate that is higher than expected or desired
Palm Wax - Resinous wax made from a wax palm, offering a clean burning natural alternative to paraffin
Paraffin Wax - Common candle wax made from refined petroleum
Pillar Candle - Candle made in a mold and meant to be free standing
Primed – Candle wick that has been coated with wax
Relief Holes - Holes poked in candles to release air pockets that can form as wax cools to prepare for a second pour
Repour / Double Pour- A candle pouring technique in which a container candle is poured in two stages. Typically, the first pour will fill 70-90% of the candle. After cooling when the wax has contracted, the second pour fills the candle to the desired level
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) / Material Safey Data Sheet (MSDS) - Document that provides detailed product information on physical and chemical data that is required by material handlers and emergency workers. Includes melting point, boiling point, flash point, reactivity, first aid instructions, and other important information
Scent Load - Amount of fragrance a wax can hold, usually stated as a percentage
Single Pour Wax - A wax that does not shrink enough to require a second pour
Soot – Black powdery carbon deposit caused by incomplete combustion of candle wax and fragrance oils
Soy Wax - All-natural wax made from soybeans, a clean burning wax that is a natural alternative to paraffin
Stearic Acid - Used to increase opacity, slow burning, and harden wax
Taper - Tall, thin candle tapering at the burning end, requiring a candle holder
Tart - Small scented wax portion used in tart burners, usually 2.5” diameter
Tealight - Small, self-contained candle poured in a tin cup
Triple Scent - Adding 1.5 ounces of fragrance per pound of wax
Tunneling - Wick not creating a full melt pool in a candle, leaving unmelted wax on the sides of the container
Underwicked - When the wick in a candle causes a burn rate that is lower than expected or desired
UV Stabilizer - An additive used to prevent fading when a candle is exposed to UV light
Votive Candle - Small candle requiring a holder, designed to liquefy completely
Vybar - Polymer aiding in fragrance oil retention, increasing opacity, and enhancing color, also called Polyboost. A modern alternative to stearic acid.
Water Bath - Container of water to accelerate candle cooling
Wet Spots - Areas where wax pulls away from container sides, see Glass Adhesion
Wick - Material that delivers fuel to the flame in a candle. The part of a candle that is lit, creating a flame that melts more wax. The liquid wax is then drawn back into the wick via capillary action to fuel the flame and continue the burning process
Wick Clip Assembly - A precut length of wick with a wick tab already crimped in place
Wick Tab - Flat metal disc holding the wick at a candle bottom