“What is the difference between Soy, Paraffin and Beeswax?”
Soy, for one, is 100% naturally made from hydrogenated soybean oil. They are also said to be non-allergenic. The soy candle usually comes in a glass container because the soy wax liquefies very easily. If you purchase a soy candle without a glass holder, we suggest that you buy one that is a bit taller than the candle in order to keep the liquefied wax from coming in contact with the surface it is on. The soy candle also burns cleaner than most candles. They should cause little or no black smoke to come from your wick when blown out; however we caution you that there is no such thing as a soot-free candle. Some, like the soy candle, produced light grey or white soot, but still produce even the smallest amount. Also know that soot is not harmful to your health. Soy candles are also cheaper in price without an effect on the quality, they are said to last 50% longer than many other candles and the soy wax is easier to clean when spilt. The only down side of the soy candle is that they can deform easily in hot weather.
Paraffin wax is a more solid wax that usually does not require a container surrounding it but if is desires, you may do so. The outer wax on the candle usually acts as a wall around the liquefied wax and keeps it in, but if is burned too long, the wall may become warm and fragile to the heat of the liquefied wax. Paraffin wax is based with petroleum and if the correct quality of paraffin is not used in the candle, it produces carcinogens and often soot when it is burned. The paraffin candles we sell at Aromas and Accents are carefully chosen and selected for perfect value and quality. To make sure you are buying the right kind of paraffin candle, do a test on some candles if you’re ever at our store or a store that carries them. Smell some candles and if you smell an oily scent beneath the fragrance, it is poor quality paraffin that produces a large amount of black soot and can cause your candle’s life span to be shorter.
Beeswax is another alternative for those with allergies. These candles are also supposed to last longer than any paraffin candle although slightly more expensive. It can also emit toxins from your home. Dust, odors, pollens and other allergens are positively charged from static electricity when they float through the air. Beeswax produces negative ions and burn away the positively charged ions, which can help your home be allergy-free. Beeswax is made from none other than honeybees and their wax glands. They collect nectar from flowers and concentrate it in a beehive into honey. After the honey is harvested, the cappings (the ends of the hexagonal cells in the hive) are scraped off, allowing the honey to come out. The cappings are then melted, cleaned and made into bulk beeswax.
“Whenever I am in the incense section of your store, I always see the words “nag champa”. What is Nag Champa/ What does it mean?”
Nag Champa is a fragrance from India. It comes from the Champa flower, which is better known to many as Plumeria and has a high absorption of Sandalwood. It is commonly found in incense form, such as sticks, cones and resin, but we also carry Nag Champa paraffin and soy candles, soaps, oils and perfumed sprays.
“Are there any type of instruction I should know on how to burn my candles properly?”
Yes, there are many different things you should know on how to burn a candle properly. First and foremost is the burning of a brand new candle. When you first burn a candle, make sure you are around long enough to keep it burning for an hour for every inch the candle is wide so that the candles can burn evenly and will last you a long time. For example, if your candle is 4 inches wide, it is advised that you burn the candle for 4 hours to ensure even burning. Something people tend to do is leave the match in the wax pool after it is lit. Do not do this! It can be a definite fire hazard. If the wick on your candle is becoming very low while burning, extinguish the flame and rid the candle of the liquid pool of wax and reignite. The wick should be a bit larger than it was before.
Another tip that a lot of people do not commonly know about is wick trimming and wick dipping. Wick trimmers are instruments that are just like scissors for your candle. To trim the wick, you cut the top of the wick after it has been lit about ¼ of an inch, or as much is needed. This prevents your candle from “mushrooming”, or forming a black shriveled ball at the tip of the candle that causes larger, smoky flames and uneven burning. Wick dippers are tools that are used to put out the candle instead of blowing them out. The wick dipper has a hook on the end that hooks the wick into the liquid wax pool and when pulled back up into a vertical position is extinguished. This is smokeless and coats the wick in wax, which helps the wick burn longer (because the flame must first burn through the wax and then the wick, which can take some time).
“Is there a real difference between incense sticks and incense cones?”
There is not a big difference between the two except for the burning time. The sticks tend to last a while longer because of the small portions burned at one time. The cones are small at the tip but widen to the base, which causes larger portions of incense to be burned at one time.
"What is Japanese incense and how does it differ from any other incense?"
Indian incense, which is more commonly known, starts as a bamboo stick and is dipped in a paste that makes the rough coating on the incense. Japanese incense do not start out as bamboo sticks; they are pure hand rolled paste. This makes the fragrance of the Japanese incense typically lighter and it causes less smoke because it does not burn bamboo along with the paste.
“I’ve looked inside your store but have never come in because I am unsure of your price range. Aren’t candle stores normally pricy?”
Most candle stores tend to be pricy but we are not. We try to give you, the customer, a better value for your money with the best quality we can provide. All of the items we sell are of good worth but we know that we wouldn’t want to spend tons of money on candles and accessories! We hope you will find our prices to be exceptionally low. For instance, our votive candles range from paraffin, which are around $1.50 to soy, which are $3. Come check it out for yourself!
"What is the difference between Fragrance Oils, which you sell a wide variety of, and essential oils?"
Fragrance oils, which are often extracted from flowers and other fragrant plants, have medicinal purposes, but they are not specifically for these purposes. They are mainly used for relaxing purposes, although many also act as disinfectants, and help cure ailments such as swelling, acne, burns, pains, digestion, headaches, circulatory problems and many more. Pure essential oils, on the other hand, are used specifically for medicinal purposes and often are not fragrant.
"There are various products I like to buy that I can't find in your store. What are your policies regarding special orders?"
We are always looking for new products and product lines to serve our customer base. Be sure to let the staff know what it is you would like us to carry, and all these requests will be carefully considered. If you want to, you can leave your name and phone number and we will get back to you regarding your request. Many times we will order an item specifically because of a customer request and will contact the requester when it arrives, and will hold it for a week or so before putting it our on the floor.