A practical glossary for candle makers

A

Adhesion

Adhesion refers to how well candle wax sticks to the inside of a jar or container.

Poor adhesion may appear as:

• wet spots
• gaps between wax and glass
• uneven appearance

Adhesion can be affected by:

• pouring temperature
• room temperature
• jar temperature
• wax type
• fragrance oil
• cooling speed

Minor adhesion imperfections are often cosmetic only and do not necessarily affect candle performance.

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C

Cold Throw

Cold throw is the fragrance strength of a candle before it is lit.

It is the scent you smell:

• when removing the lid
• while the candle sits unlit in a room
• during curing

Cold throw can vary depending on:

• fragrance oil quality
• wax type
• fragrance load
• cure time

A strong cold throw does not always guarantee a strong hot throw.

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Cure Time

Cure time is the resting period after a candle is poured before it reaches optimal performance.

During curing:

• wax structure stabilises
• fragrance binds more evenly with the wax
• scent performance often improves

Typical cure times:

• Soy wax: 1–2 weeks
• Coconut soy blends: several days to 2 weeks
• Paraffin wax: often shorter cure periods

Testing too early can produce misleading burn and scent results.

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F

Fragrance Load

Fragrance load refers to the percentage of fragrance oil added to candle wax.

Example:

• 1000g wax + 100g fragrance oil = 10% fragrance load

Higher fragrance load does NOT automatically mean:

• stronger scent throw
• better performance

Excessive fragrance load can cause:

• sweating
• oil seepage
• poor combustion
• weak hot throw
• wick drowning

Every wax has practical saturation limits.

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Frosting

Frosting is the natural formation of white crystal-like patterns on soy wax candles.

It is common in natural waxes and occurs due to:

• temperature fluctuations
• wax crystal formation
• cooling behaviour

Frosting is cosmetic only and does not usually affect candle safety or performance.

Many candle makers consider frosting a sign of natural soy wax.

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H

Hot Throw

Hot throw is the fragrance strength of a candle while burning.

Hot throw performance depends on:

• wick size
• wax type
• fragrance oil compatibility
• burn temperature
• jar diameter
• fragrance load

An overheated candle can sometimes produce worse scent throw by burning off delicate fragrance notes too quickly.

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J

Jump Lines

Jump lines are visible horizontal lines or ridges that can appear in candle wax after pouring.

They are usually caused by:

• inconsistent cooling
• temperature fluctuations
• partial wax contraction during setting

Jump lines are generally cosmetic and common in natural waxes.

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M

Melt Pool

A melt pool is the liquid wax that forms around the wick while a candle burns.

The size and depth of the melt pool affect:

• scent throw
• burn performance
• wick behaviour
• candle temperature

Contrary to popular belief, achieving a full melt pool immediately is not always ideal, especially in natural wax candles.

Overheating a candle can:

• reduce fragrance complexity
• shorten burn time
• create carbon build-up

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Mushrooming

Mushrooming occurs when carbon builds up on the tip of a candle wick, forming a mushroom-like shape.

Common causes include:

• oversized wicks
• excessive fragrance load
• incomplete combustion
• overheating

Excessive mushrooming may lead to:

• soot
• smoke
• unstable flame
• faster burning

Trimming the wick regularly helps minimise mushrooming.

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S

Sink Hole

A sink hole is a cavity or depression that forms around the wick as candle wax cools.

Sink holes commonly occur because:

• the outer wax cools faster than the centre
• trapped heat remains beneath the surface
• air becomes trapped during contraction

They are especially common during:

• colder weather
• fast cooling conditions
• pouring into cold jars

Minor sink holes are normal in many waxes and can often be corrected with a heat gun or relief pour.

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W

Wet Spots

Wet spots are areas where wax appears to pull away from the glass, creating translucent patches.

Despite the name, they are not actually wet.

Wet spots are caused by:

• wax contraction
• temperature changes
• adhesion shifts

Wet spots are cosmetic only and extremely common in container candles.

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Wick Drowning

Wick drowning occurs when the wick cannot stay hot enough to properly burn because excess liquid wax overwhelms the flame.

This can happen due to:

• undersized wicks
• excessive fragrance load
• incorrect wick series
• overly deep melt pools

Symptoms include:

• small weak flame
• flame extinguishing itself
• poor scent throw