How to Label and Track Your Candle Test Batches

The fastest way to keep your candle testing straight is to give every test candle a short batch code, write that exact code on the jar and in one running log, and record the handful of things that actually change your results: wax, fragrance oil and its percentage, wick, pour temperature, and pour date. Do that from your very first pour and you will never again hold a candle with an amazing scent throw and have no clue how you made it.

When we started Garsnett Beacon Candle Co. at our kitchen table during the pandemic, I treated testing like a vibe. I would pour a few candles, scribble a note on a sticky that fell off by morning, and trust my memory. My memory lied to me constantly. I nailed a beautiful lavender one week and then spent a month trying to recreate it because I could not remember if I used a CD 10 or a CD 12 wick. A tracking system is not the fun part of candle making, but it is the difference between a hobby and a repeatable product, and it works hand in hand with burn testing your wicks.

The things to record every single time

You do not need fifty data points. You need the variables that actually move the needle. Here is exactly what goes in our log for every test candle:

• Wax: the type and the specific blend or number, for example 464 soy or a coconut soy blend. "Soy" alone is not enough. The number matters.
• Fragrance oil and supplier: the scent name and where it came from. The same scent name from two suppliers can behave completely differently.
• Fragrance load: the percentage you poured at. Always calculate your fragrance percentage on the total candle weight, meaning wax plus fragrance together, not the wax alone. Writing down 8 percent means nothing later if you cannot remember what you based it on, so be consistent and base it on the finished candle weight every time.
• Wick: the series and the size, such as CD 12 or LX 20. Both parts matter.
• Vessel: the jar, including the inside diameter. A wick that is perfect in one jar can tunnel in a slightly wider one.
• Pour temperature: the temp you added fragrance and the temp you poured at.
• Pour date: so you know exactly when the cure clock started.

If the math on wax and fragrance still feels fuzzy, our free candle business calculators will handle the numbers for you, and Candle Math Made Simple walks through the formulas in plain language.

Give every test a batch code

This is the trick that pulled everything together for us. Every test candle gets a short code that ties the physical jar to its row in the log. You can make the code anything you want, as long as it is consistent. We like a simple format that reads left to right: a batch number, the wax, the scent, and the wick.

So a test might be labeled 1042-464-SEABREEZE-CD12. That tells me at a glance it is batch 1042, poured in 464 soy, Sea Breeze fragrance, with a CD 12 wick. The matching row in my log has the full details: fragrance load, pour temp, pour date, and a blank space for burn notes. The candle and the log always share that one code, so they can never get separated in my head again.

If you test more than one wick in the same recipe at once, which you absolutely should, just add the wick to the end: 1042-464-SEABREEZE-CD10, 1042-464-SEABREEZE-CD12, 1042-464-SEABREEZE-CD14. Now three nearly identical candles are instantly distinguishable.

Label the actual candle, not just the log

A log is useless if you cannot match it to the jar in your hand. Write the batch code on the bottom of each test candle with a paint pen or a strip of painter's tape. I like painter's tape because it peels off clean and I can write the pour date right next to the code. Do not write it on the lid. Lids wander off and end up on the wrong jar, and then you are guessing again. One more small thing that saves real time: snap a quick phone photo of the candle next to its label when you pour it.

Where to keep the log

The best log is the one you will actually use, so keep it in a single place. A dedicated notebook works great when you are starting out. A spreadsheet is even better because you can sort and filter to compare, say, every test you ever ran with a CD 12 wick. The only rule is one home for all of it. Three half-finished notebooks and a notes app is how formulas get lost.

As you grow and start tracking batches, costs, and inventory together, dedicated software earns its keep. We co-founded Makers Manager partly out of this exact frustration, to keep recipes, batches, and numbers in one spot. You can use code CBP7DAYS at checkout for 7 days free if you want to try it. Early on though, a clean spreadsheet is more than enough.

Record what you see during the burn

The label and the recipe are only half the story. The other half is what the candle does when you light it. Let your tests cure fully before you judge them, because testing an uncured candle gives you results you cannot trust. For most soy blends we wait one to two weeks, and you can dig into timing in our guide on how long candles should cure.

Then, next to each batch code, note the melt pool width each hour, the flame height, any soot on the glass, how hot the jar gets, and your honest read on the hot throw. When a test finally checks every box, that row in your log is no longer a note. It is a recipe you can repeat and scale with confidence.

A few quick questions I get a lot

How many test candles do I need per scent? At minimum, pour the same recipe with two or three wick sizes so you can compare side by side. Change only one variable at a time or you will not know what fixed the problem.

How long before I can trust a test? Wait out the cure, usually one to two weeks for soy, then burn it the way a customer would, a few hours per session, all the way to the bottom of the jar.

Do I really need software, or is a notebook fine? A notebook or spreadsheet is completely fine when you are testing a few recipes. Reach for software once you are juggling many batches at once.

Start your log today, even if you only have one candle curing on the counter. Build the habit while your lineup is small and it will carry you all the way to a full product line. For a running start on organizing your supplies, grab our free candle making supply checklist, and come share your testing wins and messes with thousands of other makers in our free Facebook community. Future you, holding a perfect repeatable candle, will be glad you did.