Pour temperature

Pour temperature is the wax temperature recommended for pouring into a container or mold, and it is almost always lower than the temperature the wax was melted to. After melting fully and adding fragrance, the wax is left to cool to a specific pour temperature before it goes into the vessel, because pouring straight from the melter often traps too much heat and produces a rough finish.

Getting pour temperature right affects adhesion to the glass, the smoothness of the top, and how likely a candle is to develop wet spots or a sunken top as it cools. Pouring too hot can pull dye or fragrance unevenly and slow curing, while pouring too cool can leave visible pour lines or poor glass adhesion. Many soy and coconut wax blends are more sensitive to pour temperature than paraffin, which is part of why container waxes list a fairly narrow recommended range.

A digital or candle thermometer that reads quickly and accurately is worth using every pour rather than guessing by feel. A common mistake is pouring an entire batch at once without rechecking temperature between vessels, since wax keeps cooling in the pouring pitcher and later pours can land outside the intended range.