Candles are one of the finishing touches you give to your home décor and can add beauty to your house.
They are excellent stress releasers and can be an exciting refresher for you when you enter your house after a long day at work.
They can make your baths all the more calm and soothing, and they can even keep you warm during the winters.
With all those DIYs you see online, you might have wondered if making a candle was something you could do yourself.
So how do you make a candle yourself? Simple. It just takes seven simple steps.
Table of Contents
How to Make Candles?
Step 1 – Finding a proper workspace
First, you need to make sure you have a clear workspace. You don’t want wax on your personal belongings, so put an old newspaper on a flat surface to avoid spills.
Step 2 – Melting your wax and adding fragrance oils
Measure the volume of the container you wish to make your candle. Double that volume, which would be the amount of wax you would need to melt.
Take this amount and place it into a double boiler. Allow the steam to melt your wax completely and stir frequently.
This should take no more than 10-15 mins. Let your wax cool for a bit and then add fragrance oils, taking measurements according to the wax packaging, and then stir gently.
Step 3 – Add the wick
Use super glue to attach your wick to the bottom of your container. You could also use the melting wax by dipping your wick into it, sticking it to the bottom of the container, and waiting for it to harden.
Step 4 – Add the wax
Hold your wick in place vertically and add the wax into your container. Make sure you let your wax cool a bit before you pour. Also, make sure you leave a bit of wax to pour later.
Step 5 – Secure the wick
You don’t want your wick to fall into the wax. Use chopsticks or any other alternative to make sure your wick does not fall into the melted wax and stays vertical instead.
Also, make sure your wick is in the center of the container. Allow the wax to cool for about four hours while keeping the wick secured.
Step 6 – Add more wax
Reheat and add more wax to the container to give your candle a nice, even finishing. Allow it to cool.
Step 7 – Cut the wick
Make sure your wick is no more than an inch from the wax. If you can add more wax to increase the level of the wax, do so.
If the capacity of the container is full, then simply cut and shorten the wick with a pair of scissors to make sure the flame does not flicker.
Does the Type of Wax Affect How You Make Candles?
No, the type of Wax does not matter in the process of making the candles, but it does matter in the purpose for which you are making candles.
Paraffin candles can be harmful to pets, so you might want to consider that if you have pets.
You can conversely use Coconut wax, Vegetable wax, Soy wax flakes, beeswax, or other organic waxes.
These are even environmentally friendly and last longer. Regardless of the type of wax, the manufacturing process remains the same.
Making a Scented vs Unscented Candle
The only difference between scented and unscented candles is when we added fragrance oils to the melted wax in Step two.
If you do not like scented candles, simply skip this and do not add fragrant oils to your wax.
Some waxes have their own scents and chemicals may be needed to neutralize these, but usually, these are not strong enough to be a problem.
Is it Cheaper to Make Your Own Candles?
Candle-making supplies can be expensive. So, if you only plan to make one or two candles, it may be easier to simply buy them off the shelf for ten to fifteen dollars.
However, if you wish to try out new scents ever so often or wish to make some candles for your friends and family as well, then it might be a good idea to invest in the supplies.
Once you have purchased them, your cost per candle should reduce to three to five dollars.
What are the Best Ingredients for Candles?
If by best you mean most economical, paraffin wax would be the way. Most companies use this because they are a lot cheaper.
However, they are not very environmentally friendly and can even be harmful to you and your pets.
If you care more about the environment, then you might prefer soy wax, beeswax, coconut wax, or vegetable wax.
They are all organic, environment friendly, and even last longer. Soy Candles are even preferred because they produce minimal black soot, which makes keeping the candle clean a lot easier.
Beeswax candles can purify the air around them, an added benefit.
When it comes to fragrant oils, it is all about preferences. You can mix and match different proportions of oils to create your perfect scent.
Can You Use Perfume in Candles?
Perfumes are a massive NO in candle making. Perfumes were not meant to burn, and they can clog up your wick which would ruin your candle.
Aside from being much more of a fire hazard than the usual candles, burning perfumes can even generate toxic fumes that can potentially cause cancer.
Can You Use Essential Oils in Candles?
Yes, essential oils can be used in candle making, but you should know that you need to be very careful in using essential oils as they are very easily evaporated. Adding them to hot melted wax will leave your candle with little to no scent.
Final Remarks
Candle making may not necessarily be very economical but if you enjoy DIYs and simply want to work on an afternoon project or enjoy working through different scents to create the perfect scent, then candle making may be the craft for you.
My name is Candice and I have always loved candles since I was a kid. I continue to buy candles and try out new candle brands to this day! I started this blog to share my love of candles so I’m glad you’re here and hope that my content helps you out in some way!
