Alabaster Fragrance & Color Incorporated

Closed Monday January 10, 2011

2011-01-10T04:37:00.000-06:00

Due to a winter storm that has left everything dangerously icy, we will be closed today. We will re-open Tuesday, January 11, 2011 weather and road conditions permitting.

We did not receive any snow that I know of, but we did receive plenty of ice. At my house, there are icicles everywhere and a layer of ice on the back deck and steps close to 1/4" thick (taking the dogs out this morning was an adventure).

We apologize for the inconvenience, but driving conditions are not safe and we would rather everyone be safe on this icy day. Orders placed since noon CST on Friday through Monday evening will be processed upon our return on Tuesday.

Product Updates

2010-11-09T19:53:00.000-06:00

A shipment arrived today, and 8oz Jelly Jars are back in stock!

Fragrances are on order and should be in early next week.

The fragrance sale is still going. Stock up now while the prices are low. Irish Cream has sold out.

Recent fragrance additions: Apple Streudel, Jack Frost, Holiday Cheer, and Huckleberry Pie.

Soon to be in testing: Banana Split

Reminder: As shipments arrive, the website is updated once the contents of the shipment is verified. Also, the website is kept up-to-date with in and out of stock products. If an item is marked as out of stock, it is out of stock.

Save on Fragrances!!

2010-10-17T14:14:00.000-05:00

Save up to $5.00 per pound on specially priced fragrances! Prices are good while supplies last. Once the fragrance is sold out, the sale ends. No backorders on these fragrances.

Grandpa's Pipe ** Tutti Fruitti ** Modern Man ** Modern Girl ** Summer Sorbet ** Wild Huckleberries ** Rapture ** Sleigh Bells ** Spearmint Lime ** Irish Cream ** Sunflower ** Jade ** Eternity ** Cheer ** Buttercup Blossom

Also on sale are our Fashion Wick Dippers at just $1.99 each! Dipping the wick into the melt pool not only extinguishes the candle safely and cleanly, but also results in less smoke and reconditions the wick for its next lighting.

Ceramic Lamp Rings are on sale too for just 99 cents each! And don't forget about our already low prices on other diffuser supplies ... Diffuser Oils just $6.99 per pound; Diffuser Bottles (no lids) just $4.99 per dozen; and Diffuser Reeds just 42 cents per pack.

4 New Fragrances!

2010-10-15T08:39:00.001-05:00

We've added four new fragrances this month!

Jack Frost - a fresh, minty aroma with a buttercream top note.
Apple Strudel - fresh baked and yummy!
Holiday Cheer - a different type of holiday fragrance with sweet citrus and almond.
Huckleberry Pie - fresh baked yumminess!

Check them out today!

New Candle Classes at Alabaster!!

2010-07-10T09:15:00.001-05:00

They're here and starting soon! Class size is limited so be sure to register soon. Learn to make both soy candles and paraffin candles in each class!!

For more information about the classes, what they cover, and to register, visit

Candle Making Classes

Click on the individual class name for a full description.

Classes include:

* CL1001 Beginner - Pillars & Votives
* CL1002 Beginner - Container Candles
* CL1003 Beginner Class Duo
* CL1010 The Business of Candles

Both individual supplies and kits will be available for purchase after each class.

Coming as soon as we finalize details, CL1011 Design Your Own Candle Class!

Intermediate and Advanced classes will be available soon!

As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact me.

Carol

This and That

2010-05-21T11:14:00.001-05:00

Another Fragrance Shipment is Due in Today! Coming back into stock are Kudzu, Amish Harvest, Apple Jack & Peel, and Cool Citrus Basil.

Do you love mysteries or surprises? Then our Ceramic Lamp Mystery Box is for you!

In each box is an assortment (our choice) of ceramic aroma lamps at a discounted price! They may be one of a kinds, or ones we pick from stock. You won’t know until you open the box!! Assortment includes 4 lamps at a minimum retail value of more than $6.50 for only $4.99!!!

Ceramic & Glass Aroma Lamps - While we were straightening up the warehouse, we found more aroma lamps! Check out our aroma lamps to see what we've added!

With our teenager's high school graduation looming and party preparations ongoing, I haven't had a chance to do much fragrance testing. BUT I did a lotion making demonstration at the Tennessee Soap & Candle Social on the 15th (where a good time was had by all!), and I brought our new Fresh Marshmallow fragrance to use. Oh my goodness, this fragrance smelled soooo good in the lotion! If you haven't tried this fragrance yet, you should. I can't wait to try it in soap and candles.

I'm also preparing to attend the Alabama Soap & Candle Association's annual meeting in June. I'll be particpating in 3 swaps, chatting with friends old and new, listening to our guests speakers, and giving a candle making demonstration. If you would like to attend, visit the website to register. Registration closes on May 29th.

Father's Day and Summer are fast approaching. Now is the time to stock up on fragrances. On Monday, I'll be posting a list of suggested fragrances.

Fragrances Back In Stock!

2010-05-17T12:55:00.000-05:00

We received a shipment of our of stock fragrances late Friday. Back in stock are:

Amber Romance
Banana Nut Bread
Birthday Cake
Brown Sugar & Fig
Citronella
Downy April Fresh
Fresh & Clean
Georgia Peach
Hot Apple Pie
Jungle Fruit
Pomegrante & Cider
Red Currant

We have another fragrance order in with our manufacturer. Check back here to know when they arrive!

Fragrance Specials

2010-05-04T08:58:00.006-05:00

The following fragrances are available at 25 pound pricing with no minimum purchase!!

Fresh Squeezed Orange - $9.95 per pound
Hawaiian Paradise - $10.95 per pound
Papaya Mango - $9.95 per pound
Peach-Magnolia-Raspberry - $9.95 per pound
Peppermint - $10.95 per pound
Rapture - $13.95 per pound
Spearmint Lime - $10.95 per pound
Tobacco - $8.95 per pound
Wild Huckleberries - $9.95 per pound

Our newest fragrances - Fresh Marshmallow, Grapefruit & Blackberry, and Vanilla Grapefruit - are now available on the website!! Try them today.

Fragrances - Back in Stock and New Ones

2010-05-01T15:22:00.000-05:00

We received a fragrance shipment yesterday, and some of our out of stock fragrances are once again available. These include Amish Harvest, Butterscotch Brulee, Country Clothesline, Cucumber Melon, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Mango Papaya Splash, Oriental Apple, Passionate Kisses, and Vanilla Bean.

Other fragrances have sold out since we placed our last order, and they will be back in stock sometime in the next 2 weeks or so.

Our fragrance shipment included 3 new fragrances!! Here's a sneak peek:

Vanilla Grapefruit - The fresh, crisp scent of grapefruit is delightfully blended with the sweetness of vanilla to create a magnificent mix.

Grapefruit & Blackberry - An absolutely incredible blend of grapefruit and ripe blackberries.

Fresh Marshmallw - Remember sneaking marshmallows when mom wasn't looking while you helped top the Sweet Potato Casserole? Our Fresh Marshmallow will bring back memories of fresh-out-of-the-bag marshmallows. Fresh Marshmallow smells just like the velvety, sugar sweet confection. No toasted or roasted notes (see Campfire Marshmallow for that), just the sweet white goodness of fresh marshmallows.

All 3 are skin and candle safe. They have not yet been tested in cold process soap.

Look for these new fragrances to be added to the website in the next few days!!

Soap for Mom

2010-04-30T07:29:00.002-05:00

Mother's Day is May 9th, just 2 short weeks away. Make Mom a special gift with our our Lavender Mini Soap Kit.

The kit includes:

* 2 pounds* of soap base
* 1 soap mold (3 bar Lavender Flowers)
* 1oz of Lavender fragrance oil
* 1 oz of Purple bath & body colorant

*Choose Opaque, Shea Butter or Goats Milk

If purchased separately, the kit would cost $16.83, but it's on special for just $14.00 - a savings of 16.8% !!!

Melt & Pour Soap Bases Are Back

2010-04-22T07:35:00.000-05:00

We've received our first shipment of Melt & Pour soap bases, and they're available on our website. Back in stock are the Goat Milk, Shea Butter, and Opaque (white) bases. These three bases were our biggest sellers last year, so it made sense to bring them in first.

Additional bases will be added based on customer inquiry and requests. You can help us in our planning by participating in the poll on the right side of this page.

We make no guarantees of which bases will be brought in next or when they will be brought in since so many variables are involved, but your valuable input will be greatly appreciated.

Our poll closes on Friday, April 30th, at 11:59pm.

Mandarin Lime & Basil

2010-04-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

Mandarin Lime & Basil is one of our newest fragrances (you can read about it here). The other day, Blake brought out a sample for me to put on our fragrance display. I kept it on my desk all day, periodically opening the bottle and sniffing it. I am in LOVE with this fragrance, so much so that I bought a bottle today so I can make test candles, soap and lotion with it.

The bright citrus makes Mandarin Lime & Basil both fresh and refreshing, while the peppery note of the basil and herbaceous notes of the white thyme round it out to create an incredible unisex fragrance.

Look for my testing notes of this fragrance to be posted here over the next few days. I plan on testing in both soy and paraffin waxes, as well as lotion and both cold process and glycerin soaps.

Carol

Jars Are On The Way!!

2010-04-21T14:13:00.000-05:00

If you've been waiting for any of our out of stock jars, we have good news. Our shipment (12 pallets of glassware!!!) is on the way and will arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon.

As soon as the shipment arrives, we will begin the process of putting jars back in stock on the website.

New Fragrances!!

2010-04-16T08:01:00.002-05:00

We've added two new fragrances to our offerings! Both can be used in candles and are skin safe. Neither has yet been tested in cold process soap.

Tulip Bouquet will transport you to springtime open air flower markets. The warm, soft tulip notes are supported by notes of rose, lemon, clove, sage, and rosewood for a complex, fresh green fragrance. Compare to French Tulip by Seda France.

Mandarin Lime & Basil is reminiscent of the scent of limes carried on a Caribbean sea breeze. Fresh limes and zesty mandarins are undercut by peppery basil and aromatic white thyme in this alluring blend.

Don't delay, try them today!

We're Back!

2010-04-07T20:29:00.003-05:00

The computer problems were corrected today. Our internal network was back online about 12:30pm CST. Unfortunately, our shipping software was down until about 3pm.

Blake had packed as many orders as he could today while waiting for the computer issues to be resolved, and once the shipping software was back online, I processed as many as I could before the UPS driver showed up.

Not as many orders went out as we would have liked, and this means we are still behind in processing and shipping orders, but we will be working hard tomorrow to catch up as much as possible, and hopefully will be completely caught up by close of business Friday.

Again, we apologize for the delay and inconvenience.

Order Delays

2010-04-06T15:50:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we returned from a 3-day holiday weekend to a cart full of orders. We started processing and packing as fast as we could. To say we were swamped might be a bit of an understatement, but we made a sizeable dent in the mountain of orders.

This morning we picked up where we left off at the end of the day yesterday, and everything was going great until about 11am. We switched telephone providers today, and experienced sporadic outages throughout the morning to our phone, internet and intranet. About 11am, our internet went down for the count, and it wasn't until about 12:30 that we were back online.

That's the good news. The bad news is that our intranet is still down, and we are not able to process orders for shipping. Our computer tech is not able to get here until early tomorrow morning.

What this means is that order processing is delayed, and therefore shipping is delayed. All orders placed as of this moment have been entered into our system, and I will begin processing them as soon as the tech has the order desk computer up and running properly.

We sincerely apologize for this delay, but the situation is beyond our control. We will be working hard tomorrow to catch up on orders.

Happy Easter from Alabaster!

2010-04-01T19:50:00.004-05:00

The Easter Bunny has made an early visit to Alabaster, and we have hidden his Easter Eggs around the website! Find an egg and receive 10% off your order, not including shipping!! Pass your mouse over an egg and see the SECRET CODE!

Just copy and paste the SECRET CODE! into the discount/coupon box during checkout. The cart will verify if you have successfully claimed a discount.

Don’t delay in visiting the website because only the first 25 customers who submit orders with the special code will receive the discount.

The Rules:
* Discount does not apply to wax.
* Discount does not apply to shipping.
* Only 25 discounts available.

Promotion runs from 12:00 AM CST on Friday, April 2nd through MIDNIGHT CST on Sunday, April 4th.

Promotion will end when all 25 discounts have been claimed.

Last Chance for March Specials

2010-03-30T09:07:00.003-05:00

Our March specials, as advertised in this month's newsletters are about to expire. Order by tomorrow to take advantage of the savings!

* Lip Balm Tubes - $8.00 per 100
* Lip Balm Filling Trays - $6.99 each
* Unscented Incense Sticks - $0.99 per 100
* Votive Clamshells - $0.25 each with no minimum
* 6oz Hexagon Jars with Lids - $5.79 per case of 12
* 16oz Terrace Jars with Dome Lid - $13.20 per case of 12
* 4oz White Double Wall Jars with Dome Lids - $0.40 each

And don't forget to check out our newest fragrances: Juicy Fresh Lemon, Fresh & Clean, Green Tea, Pomegranate Cider, and Indonesian Ginger.

Holiday Closing

2010-03-29T16:31:00.003-05:00

We will be closed Friday, April 2nd, in observance of Good Friday, and will re-open for business on Monday, April 5th.

Orders place over the holiday weekend will be processed beginning Monday morning.

Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day

2010-02-15T12:52:00.004-06:00

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th … just 32 days away. Now is the time to make your purchases for this fun holiday. Green is the theme of course, and here are some products for you to consider.

'Green' Fragrances:
* Bergamot Spruce
* Citrus Cilantro
* Coconut Lime Verbena
* Cool Citrus Basil
* Cucumber
* Cucumber Melon
* English Ivy
* Eucalyptus Spearmint
* Ginger Lime
* Green Apple
* Green Tea
* Honeydew Melon
* Kiwi
* Kiwi Blossom
* Kiwi Cucumber
* Sage & Citrus
* Spearmint-Lime

Color Blocks:
* Lime Green
* Forest Green

Mix your own colors with additional color blocks in Canary, Sunflower, Cobalt Blue, Navy Blue, Royal Blue, and Seafoam.

Liquid Dyes:
* Green with Envy
* Forest Green
* Green Shine
* Pale Moss
* Grasshopper

Mix you own colors with additional dyes in Just Yellow, Cobalt Blue, Country Blue, Gold Tint, and Neptune Green.

Don't delay and stock up now for St. Patrick's!

Pre-Valentine's Day Super Sale

2010-01-25T19:27:00.004-06:00

Biggest Sale in the History of ALABASTER Fragrance & Color!!

This sale will last 7 days only! Do not delay! When these items, at these prices, are gone they will be gone!!! First come First serve. We are cleaning out our warehouse to make room for New Spring inventory. Help us de-clutter, and treat yourself with these amazing up to 50% off DEALS!

Merchandise Specials!
* Lip Balm Trays (standard and slim) $6.99
* Lip Balm tubes with cap $.08 (must buy 100 quantity)
* Loofah Bars 140 gram bars $.90 a piece
* Loofah Bars 80 gram bars $.60 a piece
* 6oz Foaming Bottles with sprayer $.45
* Double wall white cosmetic containers
o 2oz. $.23
o 4oz. $.45
* Perfect Soap Making Spoons $1.99
* All Candle Dye Blocks $.60
* All Scented incense $2.50 per hundred
* Unscented incense sticks $.99 per hundred
* Unscented incense cones $1.75 per hundred
* All incense burners $.99
* Square Reed Diffuser Bottles $5.00 per case of 12
* Diffuser Reeds 10 pack $.42
* All Reed Diffuser Fragrance Oils $6.99 a pound
* Liquid Candle Dyes $2.99 an ounce (minimum order is 4 ounces - you can mix and match colors)
* Votive Clam Shells $.25 a piece
* Smelly Jelly Lids $.10 a piece
* Aroma Lamps
o All currently price $1.50 lamps are now slashed to $.90 per piece
o All currently price $1.65 lamps are now slashed to $1.45
o See Aroma Lamps section for multi-pack Specials!

Fragrance Specials!
* Grandpa's Pipe $11.99 per pound
* Summer Berries $4.50 per pound
* Fudge Brownie $4.50 per pound
* Ginger Amber $4.50
* Asian Spice $4.50
* Crisp Cumber $4.50

Sale ends Sunday, January 31, 2010!

Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know about new products, sales, specials, and more!

Love is in the Air

2010-01-21T05:28:00.006-06:00

Valentine’s Day is just 3 short weeks away! Now is the time to order fragrances to produce your Valentine products.

Traditional Valentine Scents
• Hot Fudge Brownie – What can we say, it’s chocolate!
• True Rose – Roses are the flowers of love.
• Wine & Roses – White wine and rose petals.

Other Foodie Scents (Semi-Traditional)
• Chocolate Raspberry – Try blending with a bit of True Rose to make Turkish
Delight, a confection created for a sultan’s harem.
• Creme Brulee - For the vanilla lovers!
• Strawberry – Try blending with a bit of Hot Fudge Brownie to create
chocolate covered strawberries.
• Strawberries N Cream – Sweet berries and cream are a luscious combination.

Duplicate Fragrances
• Amber Romance
• Angel
• Black Currant Vanilla
• Black Raspberry Vanilla
• Breathless
• Cool Water
• Drakkar
• Dream Angel Heavenly
• Endless Love
• Issey Miyake
• Love Spell
• Lovely
• Passionate Kisses
• Pure Seduction
• Rapture
• Romance
• Very Sexy for Men
• Very Sexy for Women
• White Diamonds

Don’t delay! Order your Valentine fragrances to fill the air with the sweet scents of love!

A Rainbow of Colors

2010-01-20T07:43:00.003-06:00

While there is nothing wrong with white candles, adding color to your candles can bring a new dimension to them. People usually associate a particular color with a particular scent. They also associate certain colors with specific times of the year or special events.

With 46 colors to choose from, our liquid dyes can help you create a myriad of colorful candles. Pastels for spring and Easter, rich fall colors, fragrance coordinated colors (such as blue for Ocean Mist), and more are possible with our liquid dyes.

Our high quality dyes are very soluble in wax and won’t result in residue settling at the bottom of the candle. They are easy to use, requiring NO shaving or grating, and NO weighing or volume measurement. Just count the number of drops.

With a maximum usage rate of just 12 drops per pound of wax, they are very economical. You can also mix dyes to achieve even more colors.

Did you know we sell a sampler pack of our liquid dyes? You can order 12, 1 ounce bottles for just $49.99. That’s like buying 10 and getting 2 free!

Try our liquid dyes and add a rainbow of colors to your candles.

Beginner Basics – Part 2

2010-01-08T08:39:00.001-06:00

Whatever your reason for wanting to try making candles, in the beginning you don’t need a whole lot of anything. You only need a few basic tools, wax, wicks, and candle glass.

Basic equipment and tools are simple and few:
* Pour pot – put the wax in it to melt, mix, and pour
* Sauce pot – for a hot water bath to melt the wax
* Thermometer
* Stirring tool
* Scale
* Shot glass or a small, clean glass jar (like a baby food jar)
* Candle glassware
* Wicks
* Wick Stickum, Silicone Caulk, Glue
* Popsicle Sticks (optional)
* Drinking straw (optional)

You should never melt your wax on direct heat, so using a hot water bath is the safest (and least expensive) way in the beginning. The pot you use should be large enough to hold the pour pot plus wax, and enough water to come at least 1/3 of the way up the pour pot without the risk of water splashing out.

You could use a double boiler, but you will then need to pour the hot wax into a pour pot. By melting directly in the pour pot in a hot water bath, you remove the risks of spillage and injury.

Pour pots come in two sizes – large, which holds about 4 pounds of wax, and small, which holds about 1 pound of wax. The small is useful when you’re first learning and only wanting to pour one or two candles at a time. The larger pot is more useful when you are using larger amounts of wax. Which pot you use also depends on which wax you’re using. Flake wax, pellet wax, soft wax (very cut-able), and hard wax will all fit into the pot differently.

For the thermometer, you can use a basic candy making thermometer or any type you prefer. No special type is needed, but I do recommend one that is long enough to sit in the wax and has a clip to hold it to the side of the pot. You do not want to be sticking your hand down into the pour pot to take the temp.

The choice of a stirring tool is entirely up to you. For small amounts of wax, I use bamboo skewers. For larger amounts, I like paint stirring sticks. You’ll only use this tool to mix color and/or fragrance into the wax.

You don’t need an expensive scale, but it should be digital. Digital scales are more accurate than any other type for typical home use. You can use a postage scale or a kitchen scale, both of which can typically be found in discount stores and stores that sell kitchen equipment. Suppliers also carry scales. Again, I recommend one that you can put to use in the kitchen if you decide to not continue this craft.

Once you’re ready to try making fragranced candles, you’ll need something to weigh the fragrance oil in. For small amounts, a shot glass works well, as do stainless steel condiment cups. My vote is for the condiment cups. I own 2 sets (total of 8), and love them for weighing small amounts of ingredients. For larger batches of wax, which will require more fragrance, you can use a clean glass jar of an appropriate size.

For a beginner, jelly jars are probably the best and least expensive jar to begin your candle making journey with. If you decide you like making candles and want to continue, then you can investigate other glassware. You can use either 4oz or 8oz jelly jars.

Most chandlers use pre-tabbed wicks. These are length of wicking with a metal disc attached to the bottom. You can use Wick Stickum, glue dots, silicone caulk, or glue (either hot glue or liquid) to keep the wick where you want it in the glass.

If making container votives, use self-centering wicks. These nifty little wicks require no “glue” and don’t usually need help staying centered while the wax cools.

When making container candles, popsicle sticks can be used to keep the wick centered. After “gluing” the wick tab to the glass and pouring the wax, position a popsicle stick on each side of the wick. Gently position them to keep the wick upright and centered. You can also wick centering tools that sit on the rim of the glass to keep the wicks centered. In the interest of saving money while learning, I suggest using the popsicle sticks (often called craft sticks at stores).

And I bet you’re wondering about the drinking straw. Well, this is just a nifty (and inexpensive) wick placement tool. Just slide the wick into one end, and use the straw to place the wick in the jar. Bent-nose pliers also work well for this. While not absolutely necessary, using a tool to place wicks in jars can be helpful when the opening of the jar is smaller than your hand, the depth of the jar is deeper than you can comfortably reach into, and/or any other reason, such as stiff fingers, that keeps you from being able to place the wick without help.

I absolutely would not worry about investing in any other equipment at this time. You need to be sure this is something you like and really want to do before you spend more money than you need to.

Beginner Basics - Part 1

2009-12-23T09:13:00.005-06:00

The type of candle and which wax to use are usually the first decisions that need to be made when selecting your candle making supplies. There are many, many different types of wax, so many in fact that it can be totally confusing when you first start making candles.

The major distinction between waxes is what they are made from. Paraffin wax is still the most popular, but natural waxes have gained in popularity over the years, especially with the improvements of today’s soy waxes over earlier versions. Paraffin waxes still tend to have better hot and cold throws (how well you can smell the fragrance in a lit and unlit candle), but many of today’s soy waxes are almost as good.

The easiest type of candles for a beginner to make is container candles. Container candles are very popular, and require a bit less work than free-standing candles, such as pillars. They are poured directly into the containers from which they will be burned, so you don’t need molds, mold release, or any special accessories or tools, such as mold plugs.

Unlike the hard wax required for free-standing candles, wax for container candles is softer because shrinkage is not desired. Shrinkage is helpful in releasing free-standing candles from their molds, but creates a less than desirable appearance in container candles. Wax manufacturers have created container waxes that are referred to a “one-pour” because you usually do not need to do a second pour to create a nice top on the candle. This results in shorter production time, and they are very convenient because they usually contain all the necessary additives except for a UV inhibitor.

If you want to make paraffin container candles, I recommend either J50 or J223, and for soy candles, I recommend GW464. Alabaster carries these waxes, and they are excellent starting points for your candle making journey.

Coming Next: Beginner Basics Part 2 - Equipment

Holiday Closings

2009-12-12T08:28:00.004-06:00

Our holiday schedule for the remainder of 2009 is as follows:

We will be closed from Thursday, December 24th through Sunday, January 3rd for the Christmas and New Year's holidays and inventory.

We will resume normal business hours on Monday, January 4th.

We wish all of you a bright and joyous holiday season, no matter how you celebrate it, and look forward to serving you again in 2010.

Beginning the Candle Journey

2009-12-10T10:53:00.001-06:00

Like with cold process soap, the process of making candles isn't particularly difficult once you get the hang of it. However, there is definitely a learning curve involved in making a good candle.

Making candles involves a lot research/learning and testing. There is no "one size fits all" for candles as there are a lot of variables involved. Variables that affect candle making include:

* Type of candle
* Type of wax
* Wick type and size
* Container type and size
* Fragrance oil
* Colorant

Making a good candle means doing a lot of experimenting and keeping good notes. The first step is deciding what type of candles ... pillar, votive, container, novelty, tarts/melts ... you want to make. Then begins the process of determining which wax(es) are best for that type of candle and testing the different ones available to see what you like best. Each wax behaves a bit differently than other waxes, including those in the same “family”, such as pillar waxes. So it’s really important you find a wax you enjoy working with and gives you the results you want.

If making container candles, during this phase you should also be testing containers to determine which you like best, which have the feature(s) you like best, which come in the size(s) you want to work with, and which will hold up to candles. Not all glassware is equal, so you need to test containers to be sure they won’t crack or break from the heat, which creates a fire hazard.

As you work through this, you'll learn which wick(s) work best for your chosen candle. The wick type and size relates to the candle type, type of wax, and the glassware if making container candles.

What you are working toward here is your ‘baseline’ candle. This uncolored and unscented candle serves as the standard for testing fragrances and colorants. Because you know how this candle performs, it will be easier to determine if any changes need to be made due to fragrance and/or color.

Once you've produced your baseline candle, then begins the process of testing fragrances since not all will work well (or you may just not like the way they smell when burned) in candles, and some may require you to change the wick size because of being heavier (like those containing vanilla).

If you want to color your candles, you then need to test candle dyes. Dyes can clog wicks, or otherwise cause them to not burn properly so you need to be sure your candles will still burn properly if you choose to color them. You will also want to determine which form of dye you prefer and works best for your candles.

It’s important to thoroughly test your candles, and keep a good notebook with all your notes for your candles and tests. This includes which wax, wick, container, fragrance, dyes used and how much, burn test results, and more. This notebook will become your most valuable resource for candles.

Coming Next: Beginner Basics

Making a Case for Weighing Fragrance Oil for Candles

2009-12-09T18:45:00.003-06:00

I'm still home sick (and feeling quite lousy). I have a gift basket order for a friend that I need to mail by Saturday. Problem is that I can't smell a darn thing. So how do I know if I've put enough fragrance oil in a product when I can't smell it?

As I sat here pondering what may soon become a problem, I realized that even if I cannot smell anything, I can make products (assuming I feel up to it, which I don't) because I weigh all my ingredients. It doesn't matter what you're making, all products have a recommended amount of fragrance you should add. And I'm using formulations I've created and made before, so I know exactly how much fragrance to add.

The industry standard for candles is 3%, or 1/2oz of fragrance per pound of wax. Most suppliers recommend 6%, but with the caveat to check the manufacturer recommendations for each wax you use. Each wax can only absorb a certain amount of the fragrance oil (referred to as fragrance load), so make sure to check you are not exceeding the recommended amount. Exceeding the recommended fragrance load can cause the fragrance oil to seep out of the wax or mottling under the surface of the wax. If you want mottled candles, but don't want to buy a mottling wax, using mineral oil is a less expensive option than using too much fragrance oil.

Volume measurements do not necessarily equal weight. If you're using 2 tablespoons to measure an ounce, you can either be adding too little fragrance or too much. The reason is density. Water is the only ingredient where both weight and volumetric measurements are equal. Anything else, including fragrance oil, is either lighter or heavier than water. This is why a new bottle of fragrance oil may not appear to have the correct amount of oil in it. Most fragrance oils, including those sold by Alabaster, are sold by weight, not by volume. A dense, heavy oil will take up less space in a bottle while a less dense, lighter oil will take up more space even though both contain the same amount of fragrance by weight.

Yes, it's easier to pull out the measuring spoon or cup, but it's not very accurate. A good scale doesn't have to be expensive, and weighing both the wax and the fragrance can help prevent any problems that may be caused by using volume measurements instead of weight.

And yes, I know some suppliers do recommend volume measurements. Shame on them! They've forgotten some basic science, and are perpetuating 'incorrect' practices. Here at Alabaster, it doesn't matter who you talk to. We will all tell you the same thing ... weigh your ingredients. It is far more accurate, creates fewer problems, and is more cost efficient.

Fragrance oil is the most expensive ingredient in candles. It makes sense to use only as much as is needed and minimize any waste. Remember that every ingredient you buy is an investment in your product and business. It pays to manage your investment wisely.

Cosmetics Legislation Update

2009-12-08T13:05:00.003-06:00

Leigh O'Donnell, President of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild, sent out this update early Monday (December 7th) evening. I urge anyone who makes handcrafted cosmetic products, such as lotions, shower gel, etc ... even if you use a ready-made base ... to read the links provided.

Carol

Last week, The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild (Leigh O'Donnell), Indie Beauty Network (Donna Maria Coles Johnson) & Bella Lucce (Lela Barker) went to Washington, DC and met with:

The Personal Care Products Council
The FDA
Members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee

Today both the HSMG & IBN posted information obtained from that trip. You can read the posts here:

www.soapguild.org/blog

http://www.indiebusinessadvocate.com/

If you manufacture cosmetics in the United States, this information is
very important.

Thank you.

Leigh O'Donnell
HSMG President

Catching Up on Happenings

2009-12-08T07:26:00.014-06:00

We have been exceptionally busy these past few months, and I apologize for not keeping up with the blog during this time. I've been home sick since yesterday and thought I would do a little catching up.

As I said, we have been very, very busy. The phones have been ringing, and orders coming in, pretty much non-stop. We have 4 phone lines, and just are not able to answer each phone call. If you get the answering machine, please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Our order processing time (the time from when you place your order to when we send it to the warehouse for shipping) is running 3 to 4 days due to the sheer volume. We are working to reduce this delay, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.

We are working on correcting the problems we have experienced during this time. Our goal is to eliminate them completely in 2010. We sincerely apologize to all of you for any inconconveniences these issues may have caused.

We have two new fragrances for the holidays, with special pricing: Peppermint Tea and Winter Wonderland. Regularly priced at $19.95 per pound, they are on holiday special for just $12.95 and $13.95 per pound. There is no minimum required to receive this price, and there are no further discounts. Each fragrance is in limited supply, and when they're gone, they're gone. Don't miss out on them.

Also on holiday special is our Alabaster Votive Pillar Blend Wax. Comparable to 6228/1, 4625, and Astorlite V, this wax is on special for just $66.50 per case with no fragrance purchase required. AVP is on special until 12/31/09 or until our currect stock runs out.

We've been too busy to work on the fragrance oil testing project for cold process soap, but we will start on it sometime in January or February. I have received the IFRA certifications from our manufacturers, and I will be planning out the order of testing based on them.

In conjunction with the fragrance testing, I am working on a new format for the information to be included on the individual fragrance information pages. This will be incorporated into the website after the beginning of the new year.

That's about it for now. I will post our holiday closings as soon as I know the dates.

Readers Choice "Supplier Awards"

2009-08-11T20:20:00.002-05:00

Once again, The Saponifier is collecting data for their 3rd annual "Raves for Faves" article.

From The Saponifier:

Since the past two years 'Supplier Awards' proved to be so popular across the industry, we've opened the polls for 2009!

This has proved immensely popular, both with suppliers and readers, so we have decided to make this an ongoing effort every year. The industry seems to love it, and has drawn so much interest both far-and-wide making our 'Awards' issue the largest one- both in single-copy sales as well as new subscribers.

Don't delay! This survey closes midnight on August 27th.

(Our 2009 Winners will be published in the November issue.)

Take the survey

Lunch with Birmingham Crafters

2009-08-09T06:59:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had lunch with five Birmingham area handcrafters, all of us members of the Alabama Soap & Candle Association. We had a wonderful lunch at Niki’s West, and enjoyed two hours of fellowship and discussion.

In addition to myself, in attendance were Sandi Garrett of Good Stuff Bath & Body, Alison Chappell of Luralu’s, Karen White of Natural Impulse, Grace Smith of Summer Sunrise, and Gail Stewart of Pregailia's Lathers.

Plans are in the works to meet again in September.

Vacation Week

2009-08-04T15:53:00.001-05:00

Despite the office being closed the past week, I haven’t been sitting idle. Admittedly I didn’t get to do as much ‘mad scientist’ play as I had hoped, thanks to whatever bug it is I got sick with after we closed for vacation.

Thursday, before the bug hit me full force, I started testing some colorants in Melt & Pour to see how they perform. I need to do one more test with them to check for migration, which can be an issue for embeds and designs. Once I’m up to making soap again, I’ll also test them in cold process. Whether or not we will carry them is dependent on the outcome of these tests.

While too sick to do much of anything except keep myself amused with the television or computer, I spent some time requesting catalogs and samples from a few vendors. Some of the samples I have coming in are containers. I’m looking not only for new containers for customers to package products in, but also containers for samples.

Today I am working on new bath & body bases for us to carry. At this point, this is still very much in the planning stage. I need to decide what type of products we will carry as well as working on initial formulations and product specifications.

If you have a question or suggestion concerning our bath & body offerings, please do not hesitate to contact me. I want to know what your needs and concerns are. I value your input in helping us to serve you to the best of our ability.'

Reminder: We re-open tomorrow morning! Our hours are 8am - 4pm CST Monday through Thursday, and closed for lunch from 11am - 1pm CST. We're still on summer hours and will return to normal hours soon.

It's a Boy!1

2009-07-29T20:28:00.002-05:00

Eli Joseph Ervin was born yesterday, July 28th, weighing a healthy 9 pounds. Mom and baby Eli are doing great, and dad is spending quality time with his family.

Congratulations to Todd and Jennifer!!

Vacation Notice

2009-07-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

We will be closed from Wednesday, July 29 through Tuesday, August 4.

We will re-open on Wednesday, August 5.

Any orders placed during this time will be processed upon our return.

Thank you!

Technology is great until it glitches

2009-07-23T12:07:00.003-05:00

I love being able to work on a computer rather than paper and typewriter. It saves me time and a lot of work. One of my accessories is a flash drive so I can bring work back & forth between office and home. I'm saving up for a laptop, so this was my best option ... until today.

I got my other half off to work, the cats fed, and sat down at my desk ready to start working on the newsletter I plan on sending out this coming Sunday or very early Monday morning. I plus the flash drive into the USB port on my computer and nothing. Since I had used the flash drive yesterday at work, I figured it was the port at fault. So I went to another computer and plugged it in. Still nothing. This was not looking good. The teenager wasn't up yet, so I decided to do some graphics work for the newsletter and blog (did you notice the new 'Follow' graphic on the right?).

Once the teenager was up and awake, I had him boot his computer and check the flash drive. Still nothing. By this time my mood had soured considerably since I first woke up. I drove him to school for an extracurricular conference, then returned home. I continued working on the graphic until it was time for me to go to a doctor's appointment.

After my appointment, I drove over to the office. I was hoping that somehow my flash drive had synced to the computer I was using and would work there. Nope. The flash drive apparently has died, and everything on it is lost forever.

I'm not worried about the vast majority of the files on the drive since they are on my home computer. However, I did lose all of this week's work, including the newsletter which was at the point of only needing a bit of tweaking.

So here I am at home, trying to figure out what files I have lost, and which ones I really need to worry about. Several were from Internet research, and I can replicate that easily, and in less than an hour. I lost the file I created for our fragrances, and I can re-create it, although it will take at least a couple of hours or so. I will have to start over on the newsletter, and I'm not even going to try to figure out how many hours that will take. I also have two documents to re-create, and hopefully my notes from a phone call and printed research will be enough for me to remember everything I had included.

Ever hear the saying "Modern techonology is wonderful ... when it works."? I forget exactly where and when I first heard it (yes, it's been that long), but it's true and is something you should remember. Do yourself a favor and backup your work and other important information that is kept on modern technological devices such as computers, flash drives, and cell phones.

I was lucky. I only lost 3 days of work. It could have been a lot worse.

Back Online ... Sort Of

2009-07-22T12:29:00.002-05:00

One week ago today, my work computer decided to crash. Terry, our tech, took the computer with him to work on. He's still working on it, so I'm still computer-less in terms of email and whatever work I had on the computer.

Yesterday, Todd set me up with the computer from the now-closed Kentucky location. It wasn't linked to our intranet, so I didn't have Internet access. Luckily, I had my flash drive with me so I was able to do some work. This morning, I spent about 1.5 hours getting my computer linked with the intranet ... or trying to. Networking is not my area of expertise.

The good news is that I at least have Internet access, even if nothing else. So I'm able to do a blog post, research what I need to research, and otherwise do most everything I need to except email. This is a good thing considering how much work I have to do.

Today I'm working on the re-launch edition of our newsletter. I haven't finalized exactly what will be in it, but there will be news and announcements, including a special sale. You can sign up for the newsletter at the Alabaster Fragrance & Color website, right on the main page.

Time for me to get back to work. Hope you're having a great week.

Happy Monday!

2009-07-20T08:57:00.005-05:00

It's a new week, and I hope everyone has a great one! I don’t know about you, but I am busy, busy!

As I mentioned in my first post, I’m in the process of sourcing new offerings for our bath & body division. I have a few things in the works right now, including soap molds, colorants, a soap tool kit, and a new base. As items are ordered and shipping dates are received, I’ll begin making announcements. I will also be adding various bath & body kits (and probably a few candle making ones too). No firm decisions yet, but I’m listing down ideas as I think of them.

Our customers are important to us, and we want to serve you by offering the items you need and want. If you have any suggestions for new products … books, tools & equipment, B&B bases, containers & packaging, etc … please contact me and let me know.

Coming next week is a special sale. I will post it here on our blog, as well as in our newsletter which will re-launch next week. Guess I’d better get busy on the html template for it!

And did you notice our new banner graphic for this blog? Our webmaster created it after I told him I had re-launched the blog and the link could be put back on the Alabaster Fragrance & Color website. I didn’t ask for a new graphic, but I am glad he created it. I really like it! So a big THANK YOU for a job well done!!

Remember that you can keep up-to-date with us here at our blog, through our newsletter (sign up on our website), and on Twitter.

Until next time!

Wanted: Soap Makers

2009-07-18T06:26:00.000-05:00

One of the projects I’m gearing up for is a revamp of our fragrance oil pages, including reorganizing and categorization, descriptions, and fragrance information. To do this, I need the help of soap makers.

I need volunteers to test our fragrance oils in cold process soap. Alabaster will provide the fragrances for free, including shipping.

If you’re interested, please email me.

What's New at Alabaster Fragrance & Color

2009-07-15T12:20:00.004-05:00

Well, me for one! My name is Carol Barber, and I'm the new Bath & Body person at Alabaster. I started making soap 15 years ago, falling in love with the cold process method. I've dabbled with various hot process methods, plus cream soap and liquid soap, but cold process is my favorite. I also love Melt & Pour soap. It can be so wonderfully creative, and even after all this time, I still look at things I see as potential soap molds. Over the years, I added bath & body products to my repertoire. You name it, I've probably tried it at least once.

Our blog has a new look. I felt it needed a bit of a revamp, and this is the result. I may or may not end up tweaking the design a bit in the coming weeks. Let us know what you think of the new look.

I’ll also be writing the customer newsletter, and I hope to publish my first one in August. At this moment, I have no idea what will be in August newsletter, but things to watch for in the coming months include new product offerings, sales and specials, information articles, projects, and more. You can sign up for the newsletter on the main page at Alabaster Fragrance & Color.

You will be seeing changes in the Bath & Body division. My “To Do” list (which is currently sitting at 35+ items) includes personally using and evaluating all of our bases, and beginning the process of having new ones formulated to enhance and expand our current offerings. I’ll also be evaluating and sourcing additional product offerings, such as books and raw materials. It will take time to start bringing in these new offerings, but it will happen. Don’t hesitate to let us know what you would like us to carry. I am open to suggestions!

Finally, I’d like to say that I am very happy and excited to be a part of Alabaster Fragrance & Color. This is a dream job for me in many ways. I love making soap and bath & body products, researching ingredients and other information to help me formulate, and playing “mad scientist”. I love sharing knowledge and helping others learn as much as possible about this fascinating craft. In a nutshell, I’m getting to do what I love, and getting paid to do it.

Have a great weekend!!

HURRY HURRY HURRY

2008-09-17T15:14:00.002-05:00

The FREE SHIPPING on Fragrance ends Tomorrow!! Make an order today.......

Have you heard the news??

2008-09-11T10:36:00.004-05:00

Just making sure everyone is aware of our newest SALE. For one week only (September 11 - September 18th) we are offering FREE SHIPPING on all in stock fragrances!!!! We're hoping this helps our customers start stocking up on all of your fall fragrances for the season. Place your order today before we run out of your favorite fragrance!!!!

By the way if you weren't aware of our new sale it is because you are not on our newsletter email list. Please sign up(located on the home page of our website on the left side) today so you will be one of the first ones to receive all of our company information and sales!!!

Finally what you've all been asking for has arrived...well kind of!!

2008-09-08T10:54:00.003-05:00

First let me say I have been a very bad blogger - but I'm officially rededicating myself to this blog. I think this is one of the best ways to let our customers know about new items, sales, or just overall important information.

So what have you all been asking for?? Shipping estimates online. Our website is now calculating your shipping when you place your order. However, we are very much in the testing phase on this. We are committed to reducing your shipping cost when possible - so we want to make sure our website is doing a good job. Please be patient with us while we continue our testing!!! If the shipping seems high please know that we will double check all shipping when we recieve the order - so if it needs to be adjusted we will do that for you. Hopefully, once we work out all the problems this will be very useful for all of our customers. We are all officially into the busy season - so please continue to stock your supplies! Nothing says Fall like a candle burning!!

For all you Tennessee People and those who are close by...

2008-04-30T07:31:00.003-05:00

We will heading to Franklin Tennessee in a few weeks (May 17th) for the Tennessee Soap and Candle Social. We are very excited about this event and would love to see a lot of our customers while in the Nashville area. This looks like it will be a great conference to learn a lot of new techniques and to meet fellow candle and soap makers from around the south. If you are planning on attending the conference and would like to place an order in advance we'd be happy to deliver it to you while in Franklin. Just make sure when you call it in that you specify you would like it delivered to you at the candle/soap conference. We try not to confuse ourselves if possible:)

If you haven't been able to stop by our new facility as of yet...please come by! We love our new building and feel like we've moved into a palace! Come by and spend some time at our sniffing station - we're pretty sure you'll find something new and exciting for this spring and summer. We've enjoyed seeing many of you at various craft shows this spring and we hope to see many more of you over the next few weeks. I love Spring because of the beauty of the many flowers that appear but I'm also a huge fan of traveling to craft shows. The smell of funnel cakes in the air gets me every time!!

Coming soon more photos of our new place and also new fun recipes for soap and lotions - these items can be big sellers during the summer so make sure to check back!!! Happy week to you all...

We're Moving!!!!

2008-04-04T14:58:00.003-05:00

We are so excited to be moving into a new warehouse/showroom facility. Alabaster Fragrance and Color will now be located back in Alabaster, Alabama - which is where we originally started 10 years ago. Our new facility is brand new. We will now have a big area for our showroom ... so in the near future we will be displaying all of our products and fragrances. Make sure when you pick up your next shipment you make time to shop and sniff in our display area.

We are very excited about this move - Alabaster intends to continue to grow and expand our supplies for our customers. We will be in our new building on Monday April 14th. We are located only 20 minutes North of our current location (Jemison) and 25 minutes south of downtown Birmingham. Our new address is:

245 Scottland Drive
Alabaster, AL 35007

Can't wait to see everyone at our new location!!!

Todd

Seasonal changes in our industry...

2008-04-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

I think I can finally say Spring is Here!! I have been waiting for Spring…my favorite season of the year. In my front yard I have a huge cherry tree – when spring first starts appearing the tree magically over a few days brings about beautiful white blooms. When the wind blows it almost appears to be snowing in my yard because of all the blooms blowing in the wind. Here at Alabaster I also feel like we’re “changing seasons”... With the economy swaying, gas prices rising, and fear among us all with upcoming elections. Although I have to say I think we should all be thankful for a talent in the craft industry. When money is tight and gas is killing us at least we have an avenue of making extra money to help out. I’ve challenged many of my customers lately to put more energy into candles and bath and body. When people are stressed out around us provide them with a product that brings relief and happiness…a candle to make their home smell nice, bath fizzy to bring about relaxation, lotion to provide soothing relief to sun burned skin. It is time to concentrate on building your product line so you can make extra money for your family but also provide a service to stressed-out Americans. Here is one of my favorite quotes on business and I continually remind myself of this, “ Fear should not drive business decisions. Fear paralyzes process.” Don’t paralyze yourself by what is going on around us. Recognize that the candle business may not be recession proof but it provides a product that everyone sees as comforting. Keep pushing forward and let us help you anyway we can.

As a reminder we have great shipping rates due to our 2 locations (Alabama and Kentucky). We will determine the cheapest way to ship your products to you and we guarantee one day shipping if you order before noon.

Mother’s Day is coming up (May 11th)…Order your new Spring Fragrances Now!!!

Our customers are our top priority…please call or email us with any and all questions!! Happy Spring-
Todd

I'd like to start by saying...

2008-04-01T12:19:00.000-05:00

For over a year now my wife has been begging me to start a blog for our customers. I really wanted too but I struggled with what to say in this blog...mainly because I want to make it relevant to all who read it. So finally I'm coming on board with my wife and we're going to start this blog together. We will both be posting here at least once a week. This blog will have upcoming news from Alabaster Fragrance and Color, inc. and it will also include relevant business issues for the candle/soap industry. Please bookmark this page and stop by frequently...we are hoping to build a big community of crafters who appreciate the art of what we do. The picture to the side is of our family (Jennifer, Sydney Kate, and Todd). Welcome to the family!