How to Make Soywax Candles

Making your own soywax candle is a pretty easy project to do but there are tricks to it. 

First, start off with a good bag of soywax. Some soywax comes in flakes. Ours comes in off white buttery pellets. Temperature, scent throw, burning time and hardness all depends on the type of wax you pick, so pick well and start with small batches. 

Here are some of the basic things you'll need to get started. A candle jar, wick with metal base (sustainer) and some fragrance oil blends. Here we use Eco-wick 14. 

Eco-wicks are ideal because they were designed specifically for soywax. They burn well, create less soot and carbon deposits. They burn with a controlled consistent flame and also works well with other natural waxes to ensure an even burn. Eco-wicks are made from natural flat cotton threads interwoven with paper threads that produce a rigid structure for easy pouring. It does not contain lead or zinc. 

The size of the wick depends on the size of the candle diameter. Make sure you pick a good sized wick. Eco-2 are for smaller candle diameters and the larger wick sizes suit wider diameters. Trial and error is how you pick the right wick.

Glue the base of the wick to the middle of the jar. Make sure you only use glass jars. Plastic jars are a huge no-no since they will melt and produce toxic fumes. Centering the wick is also very important because an off-center wick will create an uneven burn.

Here we use transparent glue dots to glue the wick down. This means you can reuse the jar again once the candle is all used up, just peel the glue dot off and reuse the jar. For a more permanent attachment, we like using the E6000 adhesive glue. It holds well and is a clear strong glue that does not show at the bottom of the jar.

To centralize the wick so that it stays upright, we tie the end of the wick to a stick (chopstick here) It can be a little tricky to do as the wick base will tend to dis-attach from the base.

The easier way is to use a bow tie clip, as seen below. This tool helps you slot in the wick easily and the sides are designed to rest well on at least 4 different candle jar diameters.

Melt the soywax in the microwave. To be honest this is the lazy crafter's way of melting wax. the better way is to slowly melt soywax in a double boiler. This way you can control the heat of the wax.

 So only use a microwave if you know exactly how your microwave settings work. We don't want to over boil the wax. 

Here we zap the soywax a few times under low temperature in short 1 minute bursts. 

The melted soywax looks like any other regular oil. The heat can be quite high so this is where you will need to be careful and keep any running kids and pets away from the kitchen.

The common question we get asked is much soywax do you melt ? As a general rule of thumb, if your jar is 100ml, melt 100g to 120g of soywax. Don't worry, if you melt more, you can always keep the extra wax and remelt for the next time.

Once the temperature gets down to to 40 degrees Celsius, add in your essential oil or fragrance oils. We use 8% oil to the weight of the wax. Scents are tricky for soywax. Some fragrances are strong and lingering. Others are weak and fleeting. It is best to do a small batch test before confirming the scented oils you need to make a larger batch. Always remember, soywax can be very picky with its fragrances.

It is known that essential oils won't leave a lasting scent so many crafters blend their essential oils (natural) with fragrance oils (synthetic). The first is to have a therapeutic claim on their candle (lavender aka calming / lemon aka uplifting) and the later oil to create a stronger more lasting scent. 

After adding and stirring the essential oil in, gently and carefully pour the hot wax into the jar. Be careful not to move the wick and even if you do, just reposition the wick after pouring to make sure the wick is always in the center of the jar.

By this time, the wax temperature would have dropped below 40 Celsius. The reason why we would recommend you add your scented oil under 40 Celsius is because scented oils in wax that is too hot will tend to evaporate fast. So keep the temp low when adding your essential or fragrance oils. 

Now all you do is wait. Don't move your jar anywhere as it may cause unclean edges or uneven surfaces. Just let the wax cool.

Here you will see the wax start to cool. 

Once cooled, do not be amazed if you see the wax surface looking like the photo above. It's quite normal for soywax. To avoid this uneven surface, you can add a wax blend of paraffin or beeswax. However, if you want your candle to be 100% soywax, you can add up to10% soywax additive that will help stabilize the wax.

Soywax additive is a great addition to soy wax candles because they add firmness to the candle, imparts a smoother pour and eliminates the trouble of a surface top-up or post pour maintenance.

Candle additive also helps the candle burn longer and improve the scent throw and fragrance retention. Also, because the price of additive is slightly cheaper than pure soywax, adding up to 10% wax additive can help reduce the overall price of your soywax candles.

Since we did not use any additive in this candle above, we needed to do a second top up pour. Now the surface is even and smoother. And here is where you trim the wick and admire the fact that you just made your own handpoured soywax candle.

DO NOT burn the candle immediately. Wait for at least 7 days before using the candle. This waiting time will help infuse the oils, harden the wax and improve the fragrance especially if you are using a blend of oils. 

To maintain your handmade soy candle, burn the candle for no longer than 2 hours each time. Before relighting the candle, always trim the top part of the wick. Wick trimming is hard with scissors especially when the wax starts receding and the wick gets shorter. Here is where you can trim with a wick trimmer. 

When you take care of your handmade soy candle, the flame will burn well and this homemade soywax candle can last many many rounds of burning. 

Remember, never ever leave a burning candle unattended, even if it is in a glass jar.

More craft materials available online and at our craft supplier at Craftiviti Sdn. Bhd. (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia).

The best DIY Sunscreen Materials

With the growing trend of making your own DIY skincare , some important tips need to be shared.

Sunscreens are NOT as easy to make at home and whatever recipes and formulas out there needs to be vetted through very carefully before attempting to make your own sunscreens.

While some sites recommend using various oils such as coconut oil, carrot seed oil or shea butter, these oils contain very low SPF values that won’t provide much protection. You could end up with a bad burn or worse.

The video shared below is one of the most important videos to watch if you are attempting your own sunscreen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRTLllYADU

Craftiviti is a Malaysian based craft supplier. Get soap making supplies or candle making supplies at our retail store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. You can also purchase online at www.craftiviti.com

EPOXY RESIN VS POLYESTER RESIN

Image by KengLye

Many people get confused between epoxy resin and polyester resin. So here’s a quick summary to set things right.

Clarity

Epoxy resin gives better clarity compared to polyester resin. While epoxy resins are not crystal clear like water, they still have more clarity compared to the yellowish tinge found in polyester resins.

Scent

Polyester Resin has a very strong smell and is often hazardous to inhale in large amounts. Epoxy resin has almost no fumes or smell which makes it more pleasant for you to work with it. However, it is important to have proper ventilation while working with both epoxy resins and polyester resins.

Price

Due to its formulated requirements, epoxy resin is generally more expensive than polyester resin. There is a significant price difference between both of them and if you are into jewelry making and craft, it is a more popular ingredient to use because of its lower cost.

Health

Polyester resins are made from volatile organic compounds and styrene, an ingredient that is said to kill brain cells. Epoxy resin is a healthier option for you to choose and this is why it is the go-to material for jewelry makers.

Hardness

And lastly, epoxy resin is harder than polyester resin and more resistant to wear, cracks, peeling, corrosion and damage resulting from environmental and chemical degradation. Polyester resin is more fragile and flexible which makes it easier for you to do casting and mold.

For more craft materials, pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. You can also purchase online at www.craftiviti.com

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The Art of Wood Burning

Pyrography is a craft to burn a design on a clean piece of wood. This activity is great if you like to draw since the two of them are very similar.

You need a pyrography pen and a clean piece of wood to create your own piece.

Types of pyrography pens

You only need very little tools to start doing this. With many types of burner pens and woods in the market, it is important that you pick the correct ones.

There are 3 types of burners and they are wire-nib burners, laser cutters, and solid-point burners.

Wire-nib burners have regulated temperature controls and the nibs are interchangeable on some models.

The solid-point burners work like soldering irons because they have a tip that is used to burn the wood.

Laser cutters can scorch the wood instead of cutting it.

Types of wood

You should also be careful on the type of wood you choose. Never use treated wood as this wood is treated with special chemicals and will not burn well. Balsa wood is a very light wood that burns fast and is good for beginners however the best wood is hard wood.

Other useful tools

You may also want to obtain some carbon paper. Carbon paper allows you to draw your desired design on the wood. You can then use it to trace the design onto the wood. Using Carbon paper also allows you to make duplicates of your piece.

It is always best to prime your wood before starting. Give the surface a good sanding to clean and level out the wood. Splinters can get in the way so a good sand paper rub will work wonders.

How to use a pyrography pen

To use a pyrography pen, press it against a wood canvas and hold and lift it at different intervals. The longer you keep the pen in contact with the wood, the darker and more pronounce the mark. This shading effect is used to create a sense of depth and texture in the work.

Play with different tips in your pyrography set. You will find different tips create widely different effects.

Using a good tool with proper heat control can create dark and light shades according to what you desire.

What to create

Aside from portraits and display arts, pyrography art can also be used to embellish furniture, kitchen utensils such as wooden stirring spoons and cheese boards/cutting boards, treasure chests, jewelry boxes and more.

Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Best Essential Oils for Work Space

You’ve probably heard that sprinkling a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillowcase at night will help you get to sleep faster (anything to catch more ZZZs, right?). It’s true, natural oils are revered for their relaxing and calming properties, but essential oils for concentration can also be extremely beneficial (although we seem to forget it at times). You see, certain oils are actually able to stimulate the brain almost immediately, resulting in better focus… and sometimes a little mood boost, too.

Chances are, you’re thinking: how does this all really work? Well, the emotional hub in our brain is directly linked to the olfactory epithelium in our noses, and this tissue communicates the effects of fragrance to our mind. “Aromatherapy is used to cure a variety of maladies while boosting other bodily processes,” says Emily Feldon, a certified health coach. “In particular, essential oils can profoundly improve memory, helping to boost both your focus and your recall time.” Speaking of focus, we’ve rounded up the top 5 essential oils for concentration for when you just need to get things done.

ROSEMARY
A recent study found that students who worked in a room with the fragrance of rosemary essential oil in the air actually scored 5 to 7 percent higher on memory tests. The findings were not all that out of the ordinary, said Dr. Mark Moss, one of the researchers working on the study. He explained that the herb has been associated with memory for years, and even references a line in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.”
Of note: To reap the full effects of any of these oils, either inhale the scent or rub a few drops into your wrists, palms, or scalp (avoid this particular oil if you’re pregnant or suffer from epilepsy).

LAVENDER
Lavender is often though of when it comes to promoting relaxation (remember what we said about putting some on your pillowcase at bedtime?). But, a Japanese study actually discovered that when inhaled during a work break, this essential oil can improve your concentration once you get back to the tasks at hand. The research specifically focused on students on their recess (some were exposed to lavender oil; others to jasmine essential oil, which didn’t have any effect).
Of note: The study points to the fact that lavender’s ability to lessen stimulation and decrease stress was likely helpful in allowing the students to take an appropriate break and refresh themselves for their next round of work.

PEPPERMINT
In case you didn’t know, peppermint is actually a cross between a spearmint and water mint plant. According to a study conducted in 1991, inhaling peppermint essential oil is helpful when it comes to sustained attention tasks, those which “require observers to remain alert and to detect infrequent and unpredictable stimulus events over prolonged periods of time.” A good example of this would be if you worked in quality control—you would need to be on your A game and focusing for long periods of time. (Although let’s be honest, many of our careers require us to be thinking on our feet most of the time).
Of note: Peppermint does not seem to have the same effect when it’s ingested (like in peppermint tea).

CYPRUS
If you want a more mild scent, opt for cyprus oil. “This evergreen scent can help to increase concentration without suffusing your entire house with the scent of licorice, à la basil essential oil and some of the other more pungent oils,” says Feldon. What’s more, it blends well with other essential oils.
Of note: A go-to concentration blend is one drop of cyprus, two drops of cedarwood, two drops of lemon, and one drop of pine.

LEMON
Seriously, the punchy, fresh scent of lemon alone could wake us up. In one study, inhaling lemon essential oil helped improved participants’ ability to type—workers who inhaled this fragrance made 54 percent fewer errors (wow). Another study found that using a lemon essential-oil blend in aromatherapy helped to improve cognitive function in a group of Alzheimer’s patients (they inhaled lemon and rosemary oils in the morning and lavender and orange oils at night).
Of note: Breathing in this citrus essential oil will also give you natural stress relief.

View original article here>>>

Craftiviti is a Malaysian based craft supplier. Get soap making supplies or candle making supplies at our retail store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. You can also purchase online at www.craftiviti.com

How to Thicken Liquid Soap Base

Making soap requires several stages and one of them is to thicken the soap. Here’s how to do it.

Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum is a plant-based thickening agent while guar gum is a thickener in cosmetic formulations. Add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum to ¼ cup of room temperature distilled water. Then, use a mixer or use your hands to mix thoroughly for 5 minutes. It is important that you mix it thoroughly with the water or else it may clump up. We find giving the bottle a good shake will often do the trick.

Guar Gum

Add 3 to 4 teaspoons of guar gum to ¼ cup of distilled water. Then, use a mixer or use your hands to mix them thoroughly for 5 minutes. Some claimed that Xanthan gum is most useful in thickening liquid soap but guar gum does not mess up as easy as compared to Xanthan gum. The different between the two is that Xanthan gum is made by a microorganism and guar gum is made from guar seeds.

Salt

Another way you can also thicken your liquid soap is by using a simple ingredient found in your kitchen – table salt. Add 20g of salt into 80g of warm water and let the soap thicken over an hour. Add this you your liquid soap and give it a good shake.

Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. You can also purchase online at www.craftiviti.com

If you found this post useful, please join us on Craftiviti Facebook or Instagram for more updates and demos!

Amazing Fresh Aloe Vera – Benefits for skin and hair

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) is an extremely nourishing plant for the skin and hair. It is easy to grow in a pot or directly on the ground.

Here’s a photo of my pot of Aloe Vera. You can see how wild it grows without much care.

And if you don’t have any green thumbs, you can purchase it at organic shops or at the markets. They usually cost anywhere from RM8 to RM15 per leaf.

Aloe vera is a succulent plant which offers many benefits and is suited for all skin types, especially dry, damaged, broken, sensitive and irritated skin. It offers anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, humectant and soothing, anti-itch qualities for skin.

In Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese herbal medicine and British herbal medicine, Aloe is often used to effectively heal chronic skin problems, such as psoriasis, acne and eczema.

Benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is great for sunburn. The cooling gel helps sooth sunburn skin after a day out in the sun. Because of its nutritional qualities and antioxidant properties, the skin heals quicker.

Aloe Vera helps with acne. Aloe vera gel contains two hormones: Auxin and Gibberellins which helps with wound healing and reduces skin inflammation. Giberellin in aloe vera acts as a growth hormone stimulating the growth of new cells which helps the skin regenerate quickly.

It helps fight aging naturally. Aloe leaves contain a plethora of antioxidants including, beta carotene, vitamin C and E which helps reduce fine lines, wrinkles and keeps skin moisturized.

Aloe Vera helps lock in moisture. Aloe vera moisturizes skin without leaving that greasy oily feeling. This miracle plant contains over 75 different nutrients that are amazing for your skin including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, sugars, anthraquinones or phenolic compounds, lignin, saponins, sterols, amino acids and salicylic acid.

How to extract the Aloe Vera Pulp

Processing Aloe Vera on your own is very easy. Just harvest the plant, choosing the larger more mature leafs which produces the most pulp.

Be careful of the tiny spikes at the sides of the leaf. They were put there to protect the plant against the likes of you.

Slice off the spikes with a knife and cut the Aloe Vera right down the middle to expose the pulp. With a spoon, gently spoon the pulp out.

Place pulp in blender and blend. The pulp will bubble up during the blending process. This is normal.

Now you have fresh aloe vera gel base for your skin care recipes.

Easy Aloe Vera Skincare Recipes

Aloe Vera can be used directly on its own. However, it has a very strong green pulpy smell which some may find off putting. This can be easily remedied with a few drops of essential oils.

We like to use Craftiviti Therapeutic Grade Peppermint Essential Oil. It adds a cooling effect on the skin and is a wonderful oil to brighten skin, help with acne and dark circles, and act as an excellent skin toner.

Here are other recipes that you can try once you have made your fresh aloe vera base:

Aloe Vera Scrub

1. Mix your aloe vera pulp with sugar or pink himalayan salt. The exact measurements are totally up to you. You can mix until the scrub is at the consistency that you like.
2. For 100ml pulp, you can add in half a cup of sugar. Test the texture and add more if you wish.
3. Then, add in 5-8 drops of lavender essential oil. Lavender is very calming on the skin.
4. Store in fridge.

Aloe Vera for Dry Skin

1. Mix your aloe vera pulp with rich tamanu oil for deep skin nourishment. For 100ml aloe vera pulp, add in 2 tablespoon of oil.
2. You can also add in one teaspoon of honey for added moisturizing benefits.
3. Blend well.
4. To mask the green herbal scent, add in 5-8 drops of Ylang Ylang essential oil or Geranium essential oil.
5. Store in fridge.

Aloe Vera After Sun Treatment

1. Blend Aloe Vera pulp with cucumber.
2. Add in 2 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and 2 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil.
3. Keep cool in fridge.
4. Leave on skin overnight, concentrating on the sun burned parts of skin such as the shoulders and face.

Aloe Vera for Hair Fall

1. Blend aloe vera pulp with 2 tablespoons Neem Oil. Neem oil is an amazing oil for hair. It helps nourish hair, maintain scalp health and strength the follicles of hair. It helps condition dry, malnourished hair. It is also traditionally used to treat head lice.
2. To mask the herbal aloe smell, add in 5-8 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil to 100ml of pulp. Rosemary Essential Oil is a wonderful oil for hair growth.
3. Rub this mixture into hair, towel wrap hair and leave in for 15 minutes.
4. Shampoo hair as normal.
5. Store mixture in fridge.
6. This recipe lasts for only 3 to 4 days so make a small batch and keep in the fridge. To prolong the shelf life, add a preservative such as optiphen plus or liquid germall plus.

Aloe Vera Storage

Because this is a natural recipe without any added preservatives, it is best to always make fresh pulp in small batches of 100ml or less.

Keep as much water away from your recipe as possible as water will reduce the shelflife of the recipe.

If you wish to dilute the pulp, you can use rosewater or lavender water instead.

For more soap making materials and DIY skincare ingredients, please visit our website www.craftiviti.com or visit our outlet at Petaling Jaya.  

Recipe: DIY Cooling Rosewater Facial Spritz

Facial Spritzers are a great companion on a super hot day. Make small batches and pop it into your handbag as a carry on wherever you go. Facial Spritz acts as a skin cooler, a toner and a moisture replenisher.

Best used when you are running around, caught in traffic, or under the cold harsh air-con all day. Also keep some in the fridge for a refreshing morning wake up splash.

What you need:

• 50ml PET clear spray bottle
• 20ml Rosewater
• 5 drops jojoba oil / macadamia oil
• 3 drops Raw peppermint essential oil
• 30ml distilled water
• Substitute 10ml water with liquid Aloe Vera for added skin benefits *optional

What you need to do:

Mix all ingredients into the bottle. Give it a shake every time before use.

This recipe makes a small batch of facial spritz. Feel free to make a bigger batch. Just double or triple the quantity. However, pay attention to the amount of essential oil added and follow the safe dilution levels. Because Raw peppermint therapeutic grade essential oil is 100% concentrated, it can irritate your skin if used at high levels.

Also, if you are making a larger batch, it is best to keep the stocks in the fridge and bring a small bottle along. Note that there are no preservatives in this formula, so it is best to chill the spritz or make as you need.

Why use Rosewater

Rosewater is a great skin moisturiser and nourisher. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the redness of irritated skin, get rid of acne, dermatitis and eczema. Rosewater is very gentle on any skin. It is a great hydrosol for aging skin or dry and sensitive skin.  Rosewater also helps hydrate and revitalise the skin giving it with that refreshed look.

Our rosewater comes from India. Our hydrosols are free of any preservatives. These are 5x  concentrated and the extra EO % in the hydrosols acts as a natural preservative. You may dilute these with filtered/distilled water further, but diluting will cause shelf life to go down.

You can substitute rosewater with witch hazel, chamomile hydrosol or lavender hydrosol.

Why use Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is unique in that it closely resembles serum which is a waxy substance produced by our skin glands, so it can act as a natural skin conditioner. Refined jojoba oil is completely odorless and  it is a good carrier oil for several essential oils. Adding this oil to this facial spritz will help put on an extra layer of moisture on your skin.

Why use Macadamia Oil

Macadamia oil is a very light oil for skin which makes it perfect for facial skincare. It does not clog pores and its chemical profile is very similar to that of human sebum. Macadamia oil is so rich in essential fatty acids, which also makes it great for a skin that has difficulty retaining moisture.

**Do note that without emulsifiers in the Facial Spritz recipe, this oils will not combine with rosewater, so give the bottle a good shake each time before you spritz.

This recipe lasts for only 3 to 4 days so make a small batch and keep in the fridge. To prolong the shelf life, add a preservative such as optiphen plus or liquid germall plus.

For more soap making materials and DIY skincare ingredients, please visit our website www.craftiviti.com or visit our outlet at Petaling Jaya.