Crafting Candle and Soap Making 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the 'flash point' of a fragrance oil in candle making?
- The temperature at which fragrance vapors can ignite (Correct answer)
- The temperature at which wax melts
- The maximum fragrance load a wax can hold
- The point at which a candle's flame is extinguished
Correct answer: The temperature at which fragrance vapors can ignite
Flash point is the lowest temperature at which fragrance oil vapors can ignite when exposed to an open flame, and it's critical for safety when adding fragrance to hot wax.
Question 2: What is 'fragrance load' in candle making?
- The maximum percentage of fragrance oil that a wax can safely hold (Correct answer)
- The weight of the candle wick
- The number of fragrance notes in a blend
- The temperature at which scent is added
Correct answer: The maximum percentage of fragrance oil that a wax can safely hold
Fragrance load refers to the highest percentage of fragrance oil by weight that a specific wax type can absorb without causing seepage, sweating, or poor burn performance.
Question 3: Which wax type is derived from soybeans and known for a cleaner, slower burn?
- Soy wax (Correct answer)
- Paraffin wax
- Beeswax
- Palm wax
Correct answer: Soy wax
Soy wax is a natural, renewable wax made from hydrogenated soybean oil that burns cooler and longer than paraffin and produces less soot.
Question 4: What does 'wick centering' prevent in candle making?
- Tunneling and uneven wax pool formation during burning (Correct answer)
- Fragrance evaporation before the candle is lit
- Wax shrinkage during cooling
- Wick mushrooming
Correct answer: Tunneling and uneven wax pool formation during burning
Keeping the wick centered ensures the entire top layer of wax melts evenly, preventing tunneling where only a small hole burns down the center.
Question 5: In cold process soap making, what chemical reaction creates soap from oils and lye?
- Saponification (Correct answer)
- Emulsification
- Oxidation
- Hydrolysis
Correct answer: Saponification
Saponification is the chemical reaction between sodium hydroxide (lye) and fats or oils that produces soap and glycerin.
Question 6: What is 'lye discount' (or 'superfat') in cold process soap making?
- Using less lye than needed to fully saponify all oils, leaving free unsaponified oils for skin-conditioning benefits (Correct answer)
- Adding extra lye to speed up saponification
- Reducing the temperature of the lye solution
- Diluting lye with milk instead of water
Correct answer: Using less lye than needed to fully saponify all oils, leaving free unsaponified oils for skin-conditioning benefits
A superfat or lye discount means intentionally using slightly less lye than the full saponification value so that some oils remain free, resulting in a more moisturizing soap.
Crafting Candle and Soap Making 1
What is the 'flash point' of a fragrance oil in candle making?