What Is The Cure In Candle Making? Explained

Over the past few years, we can see the rapid growth of domestic accidents. Some of these minor accidents have occurred due to domestic candle lighting. It caused the low or no production quality of lots of candles.

Most candle makers have little knowledge about candle curing. Once you finish reading this article, you may be wondering what this candle curing means.

I wanted to give you a basic understanding of the importance of the candle curing process not only for the readers but also for all those who are passionate about making candles involved in those manufacturing activities.

So, what is the meaning of candle curing? Or What is the “cure” in candle making? Candle curing is a term that means how long a candle is poured to when it finally burns. Sounds good. But, it is mandatory to define the various types of waxes for testifying the best performance during the curing period.

It is not compulsory to cure; if you can grant a safety guarantee to your valuable customers about the quality of your candles without doing the curing process then, it can be an acceptable answer for this matter.

Doing candle curing will provide you with a possible benefit. Depending on the wax types, it takes different periods to cure. Fragrance oil, hardness, scent throw are some types of standards that you should consider while curing. 

Read – Candle Making As A Hobby

After you read this article, you will gain good knowledge about why it is required to have curing? Curing times for candle making and what will happen when you do not cure the candles? Then, why should we be any longer to start up the topic? Let’s see how the candle curing process continues.

How do you cure a candle?

When curing a candle, two factors occur while you pour a candle,

•  Wax stiffens into a semi-solid mixture

Candlemakers generally keep the candles in a semi-solid form. They believe that is an unfavorable sentiment to keep them in a solid format. 

These three parts of a candle are defined, solid (wax), part liquid (fragrance), and semi-solid. Among them, fragrance oil remains a liquid at room temperature. Wax turns into a thick format when they pour into a candle.

The cooling process is a significant phase to the thickness of wax but, some types of wax get a long duration to be solid. When it comes to the polymorphic product, soy includes the vegetable wax category, which takes more time to solidify.

Depending on the time and temperature, crystals turn into wax even though paraffin becomes full-thickness within a short period. Most of the time, paraffin needs at least one or two days to get hard.

It means that waxes get different times to solid. Strong-thermal energy needs to become thick wax types, softer waxes fuse than other waxes.

It is mandatory to melt the wax with less heat in the first 48 hours if you expect to gain good results.

• Fragrance oil is tied up into the wax

Fragrance oil is another vital fact for the candle curing process. Though most candle makers mention fragrance and wax types make significant texture in reality, they do not bring expected results. 

The knowledge of organic chemistry is required to get a deep comprehension of mixing both fragrance oil and liquid wax. 

Various fragrances and wax candles are available in commercial marketplaces and shops. Though they have included a diverse range of chemicals, some information about them is not clear. 

• Stir up process can be explained below the formation.

The wax expanding process happens when its formation flows into a liquid and cringing wax into a solid form. The format is called “wet spots” placed in container candles.

The liquid performance of both wax and fragrance does not show any chemical binding because they are being as yet in a natural way.

• Cooling wax traps fragrance oil molecules that will abide in a thick format.
• During the thickness process of the wax types, the aromatic molecules spattered.
• The candle curing process means turning waxes into a solid.

Do candles really need to be cured?

There are many arguments for this. Most candle-makers admit that candle curing is a mandatory factor when making candles. 

During the curing process, the three primary factors directly influence this,

• Scent throw

Do you know fragrance plays a key role when curing candles? You can attempt to smell candles. Then, you will know what I mean. Gas chromatography-olfactometry is the standard method to recommend the scent. 

Most small candle operations exhaust the subjective rating scale through a variety of people to conclude whether it is strong or not.

Hot throw is the general process to use candle design. Although that is the opinion of many people, scent throw is the first burn; expectant results depend on the candle and creator.

Before burning, the candle becomes a strong-hot throw for approximately 24 hours. But, you do not need to misunderstand that candle cure does not need a long time to cure.

• Hardness or stiffness

Polymorphic stiffening is a scientifically proven process to measure curing candles. Do you remember the soy candle which I have mentioned earlier? 

When it pours you on Monday, you can get the hardest candle on Sunday. This candle needs slightly larger wicks in occurring heat to liquefy the wax.

You must have the patience to harden these candles. When pouring time is aged, the results will be good. For example, vegetable waxes take a long period to harden. Sometimes, it gets over the lifetime of wax. 

According to the idea of the candle-making community, it is possible to take a thorough hardening first 14 days after finishing it pouring. But, continuous changes can happen for weeks and months after that process.

Paraffin is the more stable wax that does not differ well within 24 – 48 hours after pouring. The scent throw is an example of how the hot throw is strong enough in the middle of the curing process that a deeper broad melt pool may occur in the middle of the wax.

Keep this in your mind. Burning candles too early directly affects the quality of the candle curing process.

• Whether candles can use or not

In creating candles, there are some basic formats to follow,

1. Whether you ensure all the candles have thrived all safety tests?
2. Can you assure that both cool and hot throws are in a precise sturdy process?

The quality of candle-making depends on the time for curing. Burn testing is a long process because it differs from the solidness of candles. Testing is another part of identifying the curing of candles. 

When it gets, for example, a candle burns for 4 hours one day after pouring, was not cured entirely then, it is proof in subsequent burns.

The middle area of the candles stiffens at the end, showing evidence of how the center part is softer than the outside layer.

What is cure time in candle making?

As I mentioned earlier, curing time defines how long a candle takes to become hardened, scent, and for use. You should carefully heat the wax, add fragrance oil and other relevant ingredients at the appropriate temperature and time. 

Time to decide whether the candles are in a standard position to perform, use and safety. Indeed, you should have a kind of patience to get good results from candle-making. 

There are different time slots required for curing candles. You had a better concern about longer cure times than shorter ones. A longer cure will give you a better performance in candles. 

If you are supposed to build up your candle business, you should remember the curing time of the candle is a mandatory factor to consider deeply.

Most candle makers do not burn candles in a steady format and keep them in an unburned condition for a long time. It causes a lower quality of candles. 

There are varied types of waxes used to create candles. Based on the selected wax type, the wicking test will provide a wrong idea when the first burn of the wax does not occur ahead of the scheduled cure time, which will directly influence the safety of the wax type.

If you are a candle maker, you may already have known about the varied time slots for different waxes according to the curing. However, these are not scientifically proven periods. Experts in candle-making recommend the below-mentioned durations for the perfect candle.

As I discussed, some waxes need a long time to cure. Vegetable waxes are the perfect match for this. Most candle makers recommend it is a requirement to keep waxes in the first 14 days to achieve the expectant condition of candles.

Before making candles, you must have proper knowledge about waxes, candle curing methods, and the relevant time durations for curing candles.

What happens if you don’t cure your candles?

I believe you may have a question about whether it is compulsory to cure candles. Indeed, it is a necessary process to create strong candles.

But, lots of candle-makers are willing to go for a short cure time because they do not have a tolerance to keep in touch with the aging procedure.

But in the real world, most candles are not passed the right cure time. The first 24 hours of a candle is vital because it needs that time for the primary curing of the candle. But most candles are not burned in the first 24 hours. 

Even though the candles achieve to pass the first burns, if it fails to do something worth it is a fruitless achievement.

Perfectly made candles get in touch with customers comfortably. Unfortunately, many cheap candles wait to see a customer intermittently on the dusty shelf.

Suppose you are an owner of a candle shop. In that case, this is a topic worth discussing because it is a sign of deferring the burning test until you ensure the customer that the candles are in a condition to use.

But, it cannot say for sure when using vegetable wax due to its constant changes.

Suppose soy wax needs at least 1- 2 weeks of testing. Varied types of soybeans provide the changing of curing time. Further, the fragrance oil is influenced by curing candles. 

Some kinds of fragrance oil are exhausted for all types of waxes. Different peculiars of fragrance impact the demand for combining capabilities of varied wax types. Some fragrance samples need a long-term binding with other wax types but it takes a long curing time.

If you suppose that candle curing is not vital, do not think so. It is mandatory to ensure product quality and safety for the customer. Conversely, curing candles brings you a shred of evidence that your products have a good performance.

I like to define that testing is the best way to ensure standard quality, performance, and safety of curing candles.

Final thoughts about candle curing

Taken as a whole, I believe you have sufficient knowledge about the meaning of candle curing. Candle curing is a long process that you should understand; every process is vital.

The two procedures happen while curing candles called wax hardens into a semi-solid, and fragrance oil combines with the wax. The Semi-solid structure is the primary method of candle making, including another two structures defining wax and fragrance.

Wax becomes cool into a solid structure after pouring. Paraffin, soy, and coconut are some examples of different wax types. Based on the wax type, the curing process will belong. Vegetable wax needs to harden throughout the lifetime. 

Adding fragrance oil to the wax needs to make a pleasant scent. However, fragrance oil cannot bind with all wax types because every wax creates its composition. Without having prior knowledge, it is not advisable to use fragrance oil with wax.

Scent throw, hardness, and usage are the three main factors that are influenced by curing candles. Subjective rating scale and hot throw are some standards to measure curing candles.

The first 24 hours are mandatory during the scent throw to decide on the first burn of candles. But only 24 hours are not sufficient to cure a candle.

As I mentioned earlier, some wax types need to take a long period to harden. Typically, paraffin and soy waxes take approximately 3-5 and 10-14 days to cure.

When it comes to the usage process, you should ensure whether candles have passed all safety tests and both hot and cold throws are strong enough.

Finally, you have the patience to create a quality candle. Time is a necessary factor in curing candles. If you follow standard producers for curing candles then, you can confirm the quality, performance, and safety of the candles without any hesitation.