Skinny Dip Candle^tm Q & A

Q:   What makes the Skinny Dip Candle different from some of the other “body candles” or “massage candles” on the market?  

      We believe there are two key factors that make Skinny Dip Candles distinctly different from others.  First, unlike some of the other “body” or “massage” candles on the market, we do not use traditional soy wax in Skinny Dip Candles.  We do, however, use a high quality, cosmetic grade soy derived from soybean oil. While this is still technically considered "soy wax," it is not of the same texture and composition as soy wax commonly used in room candles. 

      Traditional soy wax does not have the skin nourishing and moisturizing qualities one desires in a bath and body product which is why we only use cosmetic-grade soy.  We also add avocado oil, coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter and vitamin E to our candles. These time-tested ingredients are all well documented for their beneficial skin care properties. We take great pride in using only the finest skin care ingredients that are of cosmetic grade quality.

        Second, we pride ourselves on our affordability.  At just $12.95 for a 6 oz. tin, the Skinny Dip Candle is perfectly priced as a gift or special pampering treat for yourself.  Don't be mislead by competitors claiming that a company charging a lower price must be using inferior ingredients. We are proud of the fact that we use only high quality, cosmetic grade ingredients, yet keep our prices affordable.

Q:   I've heard that all soy is skin safe. Can't I use any soy candle on my skin? 

      No. A candle made for home fragrancing is very different than one made for use on the skin.  When a product is intended for body use, it comes under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As such, we make sure that all aspects of our Skinny Dip Candles are manufactured to FDA specifications. We use only skin-safe fragrance or essential oils, and we use them in skin-safe amounts as approved by the FDA for body use.  
        IMPORTANT NOTE: Candles promoted as being highly fragrant should NOT be used on your body. More than likely, if a candle can scent your entire room effectively, it contains far more than FDA approved amounts of fragrance for bath and body products and could be very unsafe for use on your skin! 

Q:   Why do you package the Skinny Dip Candle in a tin? 

      We chose to package the Skinny Dip Candle in sleek and elegant tins for several reasons. First, market research found that the tin was preferred by customers because it is convenient and easy to use.  Tins provide an easy-to-use size and shape to dip your fingers into for mess free application.  It's also simple to pack into a suitcase or slip into a purse or gym bag.  Tins are less expensive than jars and that helps us keep our price point as affordable as it is. Finally, tins weigh less than jars and keep shipping costs lower as a result.

Q:   Do you use soy wax in your candles? 

      The soy that is used in Skinny Dip Candles is cosmetic grade soy derived from soybean oil and specifically processed for use is cosmetic products. Most soy candles on the market are made to scent the home, and accordingly, the wax is a standard soy wax that typically is made to hold scent to fragrance a room. For this reason, such candles are not made from cosmetic-grade soy.  Soy wax used in typical soy candles will feel heavy on your body and will not fully absorb into your skin the way the Skinny Dip Candle does. Traditional soy wax has not been processed in such as way as to maintain the properties necessary to effectively nourish and moisturize skin.  The Skinny Dip Candle is made specifically for us on the skin, and thus, contains not only cosmetic-grade soy, but also a combination of skin-nourishing ingredients including cocoa butter, shea butter, avocado butter and vitamin E.   

Q:   Is it really safe to use the melted lotion directly on my skin right after blowing out the flame? 

      It sure is! The most important safety element is that you blow out the flame and never put your fingers in the warm lotion while the candle is still burning. Once the flame is extinguished, the liquid lotion will not be hot like the melted wax of a traditional candle. Skinny Dip C andles are made of a proprietary blend that is designed to burn at only 102 degrees.  At just the temperature of a warm bath, the melted lotion is warm, soothing, and can be directly massaged into the skin.  Once applied, the lotion will leave your skin feeling soft, nourished and lightly scented.  We promise, after you extinguish the flame, you can use the lotion right away and it will not burn.  (Do note that you should NEVER use other candles in the same manner!)

Q:  Can I use my Skinny Dip Candle to fragrance the room? 

      We don’t recommend using your Skinny Dip Candle for this purpose.  While the Skinny Dip Candle does contain either fragrance or essential oil, we use only skin-safe amounts, which are typically not enough to fragrance a large room successfully. Because Skinny Dip Candles are meant to be used on the skin, they are considered a "cosmetic" product and as such, are governed by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements. This includes how much fragrance can be used to keep the product body-safe.  While the amount we use is sufficient to fragrance your skin and create a pleasing aroma in the air directly around it, it is not enough to scent a large room effectively.  Also, candles made for use on the skin do have a higher cost per ounce than a traditional “room” candle due to the specific body ingredients, and therefore, we would hate for you to use up your candle for home fragrancing purposes.

        IMPORTANT NOTE: Candles promoted as being highly fragrant should NOT be used on your body. More than likely, if a candle can scent your entire room effectively, it contains far more than FDA approved amounts of fragrance for bath and body products and could be very unsafe for use on your skin! 

Q:   Is there anyone who should not use the Skinny Dip Candle?

      Due to the use of nut-based ingredients, do not use the Skinny Dip Candle if you are allergic to nuts or nut-based products.  If you have a known allergy to fragrance commonly used in bath and body products, we encourage you to test our product on a small area of skin before using on large areas of your body. You might also consider trying our unscented Skinny Dip Candle. 

      And as always, keep children away from candles to prevent accidents or misuse.

Q:   What are the benefits of the high quality, cosmetic grade soy used in your candles? 

      Soy candles offer many benefits. For example, they:

• are biodegradable
• clean up easily with soap and water
• burn virtually soot-free
• do not emit toxins and carcinogens
• burn cooler than other candles
• last longer
• are a renewable resource
• support the U.S. agricultural economy and American farmers instead of the overseas petroleum market of which paraffin is a by-product

       More specifically, cosmetic-grade soy is developed specifically for use on the body. Cosmetic-grade soy contains skin nourishing and moisturizing qualities not found in traditional soy candle wax.< SPAN>

Q:   Is there a difference between fragrance oils and essential oils?

      There most definitely is! Contrary to what many think, these two terms cannot be used interchangeably.Fragrance oils and essential oils are two very different things, each derived in different ways and providing certain types of scents. This is why we offer both fragrance oil and essential oil options within our Skinny Dip Candle line.  

        Essential oil by definition is a volatile, rapidly evaporating oil obtained from the leaves, stem,  flower, seed or root of a plant, usually carrying the odor characteristic of the plant itself.  In other words, essential oils are all-natural as they are derived directly from Mother Nature.

       Fragrance oil is synthetically produced in laboratories to imitate common fragrances. Most candles and bath and body products use fragrance oil in their products.  Popular scents like Baby Powder, Wedding Cake, and Mango Papaya, for example, are man-made scents. Most food scents, floral scents, and commercially produced perfume and cologne scents, to name just a few, are scents created by man. This does not make them "bad" in any way; however, it's important that you know that they are not 100% natural scents and never should be marketed as such.

       In the case of our Skinny Dip Candles, all ingredients except the synthetic fragrance oils are 100% natural. For those who prefer a 100% natural candle including the scent, our Skinny Dip Candles scented with essential oils are indeed 100% natural in every aspect.

        If synthetic v. natural is a concern to you, always be sure that you are purchasing from companies that TRULY use essential oils as advertised, and are not just using fragrance oils inaccurately described as essential oils.  There is a growing percentage of the population that is interested in only purchasing pure, all-natural products, and in this instance, our essential oil scented Skinny Dip Candles or our unscented version would be perfect options .

Q:   Are Skinny Dip candles safe for my skin and the environment? 

      We go to great lengths to manufacture an all-natural* product (*with the exception of the fragrance oil used in our fragrance oil scented candles) that is not only safe for the body, but also safe for the environment.  For example, our candles: 

• are all-natural and made from cosmetic-grade soybean oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, sunflower seed oil, cocoa butter, avocado butter, vitamin E, and skin-safe essential oil or fragrance oil 
• contain no additives such as dye, stearic acid, or UV inhibitor
• use a cotton core wick that contains no lead or zinc  
• adhere to all guidelines established by the FDA for bath and body product safety 

Q:   What is the average burn time for a Skinny Dip Candle?

      When burned from start to finish, the Skinny Dip Candle will burn for about 30 hours. However, this product is not made to burn from start to finish.  It is very difficult to estimate exactly how many uses you will get from the candle due to the variation in applications (i.e. hands, feet, full body massage, etc.), but we can assure you that a little bit does go a long way, and you will get an amazing value out of your candle.

Click here to order Skinny Dip Candles.