Car Freshie Tips and Tricks

If you are new to car freshies this page can help troubleshoot some beginner pains and help starting out less frustrating! 

Tips & Tricks

• First, pouring raw beads into your freshie mold before adding mica can help you see how much beads you need for that mold.
• I like to dust my molds with mica powder before adding beads - this will help get a smooth pearl or metallic finish. You CAN add glitter BUT only EXTRA fine cuts. If your mold has a lot of tiny details I suggest sticking with mica. The glitter can build up in tiny line causing the beads to NOT sink down in the cracks to get good fine lines.
• I also add mica to my beads. A little goes a long way. Most mica packs come with small mica scoops, I do one tiny scoop per mold (around 2oz of beads). Too much mica can lead to extended bake times so keep that in mine. Less mica= shorter bake time. A lot of mica = longer bake times.
• If I am using my kitchen oven I bake around 300 for 25 minutes.
• If I am using my convection toaster oven I bake around 275 for 22 minutes. 
• Different ovens will have different bake times.
• I like to use matte acrylic paint with the needle nose precision tips (you can get on amazon) I also thin them out with water! If your paint is too thick, it can crack as it dries. 
• I also like to SAND my detailed freshie lines lightly with a sanding a sponge and then wipe with acetone or alcohol, this will help the paint grip the freshie details and not chip off as easily.

How do you know when your freshie is ready?

• You want your beads to melt together but not so much that the back Is flat or has what looks like 'pools' of beads. You also want a crisp edge. If you pull the mold back and you can still see fully formed beads along the side then bake 2 more minutes. If your beds are completely flat, take them out a few minutes earlier. 
  

What if my beads are over baked?

• If your beads are completely flat or bubbled up I don't suggest selling those.
• If your beads are slightly melted together more than you would like but the freshie does not smell chemically or plastic like - you should be good to go, just adjust your temps for next time. Leaving them in 1-2 minutes more than the ideal time is not going to cause the scent last any shorter. 
• you will be able to smell a difference if your beads are beyond sellable. 

Have fun on your freshie journey!!