About the Author: Lyschel Bersch
Author Page for Lyschel Bersch
🌿 Background and Identity
I’m Lyschel Bersch, founder of Candle Cocoon and a lifelong explorer of how natural materials behave, transform, and interact. My academic foundation is rooted in the sciences, with degrees in Botany, Zoology, Biological Aspects of Conservation, and Environmental Studies. That training shaped the way I approach both candle and soap making: with curiosity, precision, and a deep respect for how chemistry and nature intersect. Whether I’m studying how a wick behaves in molten wax or how a fragrance reacts in cold process soap, I’m driven by the same scientific desire to understand why materials behave the way they do.
🔬 Scientific Approach to Candle and Soap Formulation
My work blends formal scientific study with more than two decades of hands‑on testing. I’ve spent years examining how waxes, wicks, dyes, fragrance compounds, and additives behave under heat, pressure, pH changes, and environmental conditions. This research-driven approach led to the development of one of the most detailed fragrance‑specific wick charts available, along with a growing body of soap and bath formulation testing.
The scientific disciplines I studied continue to influence my work every day:
• Botany informs my understanding of plant‑based waxes, natural aromatic compounds, and botanical additives used in soap and bath products.
• Zoology and Biological Conservation strengthen my grounding in chemistry, combustion, material interactions, and the behavior of ingredients under different conditions.
• Environmental Studies guides my focus on clean-burning systems, air quality, sustainable choices, and skin‑safe, environmentally conscious bath formulations.
This combination gives me a unique lens for analyzing both candle performance and soap formulation challenges—from tracing the cause of a tunneling candle to understanding why a fragrance accelerates trace in cold process soap.
🧼 Soap & Bath Formulation
Soap making is a field I’m continually learning and expanding into, applying the same scientific rigor that drives my candle work. I study how fragrance compounds behave in different bases, how additives influence texture and cure, and how temperature, pH, and formulation choices affect the final product. While I have a strong scientific foundation, soap making is an area with endless depth, and I’m actively testing, refining, and building my knowledge every day. My goal is to develop high‑purity fragrance oils and formulations that perform consistently across candles, cold process soap, melt‑and‑pour, and bath products—helping makers create safer, higher‑quality products with confidence.
🕯️ Mission and Philosophy
Candle and soap making are both an art and a science, and most frustrations come from not understanding the chemistry behind the craft. My goal is to make that knowledge accessible. I believe in:
• Clear, honest education
• High‑quality, transparent materials
• Testing over guesswork
• Safety as the foundation of creativity
Every guide I write—whether it’s about wick behavior or fragrance performance in soap—is grounded in real testing, real data, and a commitment to helping makers create products that burn beautifully, cure cleanly, and perform safely.
📚 What You’ll Find in My Work
Across Candle Cocoon’s blog and resources, I focus on:
• Wick behavior and selection
• Fragrance oil chemistry
• Wax performance and melt‑pool dynamics
• Burn testing methodology
• Soap and bath formulation testing
• Troubleshooting and safety
• Practical, science-backed explanations
My goal is to help makers skip the misinformation and get straight to understanding how their candles and soaps truly work—so they can create with confidence, clarity, and joy.