Candles are wonderful assets in our homes. They look great during romantic dinners and when we watch scary movies. These little burning wicks in candles are also the source of great scents so, when you make your own, it’s easy to incorporate the aromas you love the most.
This DIY candle tutorial will first lay out exactly what you need, how much wax you should use for different size containers, and even suggest some scents we feel would make wonderful blends for different areas of your home. Our only warning is that candle making is somewhat addictive. Don’t be surprised if you make so many that you start giving them out as gifts.
What You Need
The nice thing about DIY candles is you don’t need much to create tons of different scents and looks. In fact, in some instances, you can even use old things lying around your house.
Before you start, make sure you have the following:
Candle Wax
There are several types of wax you can use for your DIY project.
- Soy Wax
- 100% pure, all-natural wax
- Made hydrogenated soybeans
- Comes in many forms, including flakes
- Doesn’t leave toxins in the air
- Paraffin Wax
- Doesn’t have any additives
- Most commonly used
- Comes in many forms, including beads
- Possibly emits toxins into the air
- Palm Wax
- 100% pure, all-natural wax
- Made from hydrogenated palm oils
- May make distinctive patterns like crystals of feathers
- Not the best for molds or pillar candles
- Beeswax
- 100% pure, all-natural wax
- Comes in sheets and pellets
- Comes in white or yellow
- Granulated Wax
- Easy to use
- Made from paraffin
- Not for use in our project but worth mentioning
- Gel Candle Wax
- Not wax
- Made from mineral oil and polymer resin
- Can insert items for decoration as long as they aren’t flammable
- Not for use in our project but worth mentioning
For this tutorial, you need one of the melting waxes.
Double Boiler or Large Saucepan and Large Metal Bowl
I don’t have a double boiler, yet. Until then, I just take my large metal mixing bowl and put it over a pot of boiling water. I’ve used this method for chocolate too. The key is to make sure you have a potholder or oven mitt handy because the bowl will be very hot.
Wicks
These come in different forms.
- Cut with bases attached
- The advantage to these is less work. Pop it in and go
- The disadvantage to these is you waste some of it when cutting them down to size
- In a spool that you thread yourself
We suggest getting your wicks ready before you start making your candles.
Containers
You may think the scents are the only fun part of this project, but this area is where you can get seriously creative. You can use a container or mold to create a pillar candle, which means it stands up on its own.
Molds are fun because they come in different shapes like gemstones, flowers, and even owls.
Containers are also ample. You can use old jars that you have laying around your house. You can use plain or decorated metal tins. Mason jars are fairly inexpensive and are the perfect container if you plan on making these candles as gifts.
Essential Oils
The sky’s the limit here. I can’t think of one scent I have that wouldn’t smell lovely in a candle, which is why I’ve used every one. You can create your own blends for the sake of scent or even to achieve a specific goal. For instance, a candle made with equal parts of lavender, ylang-ylang, and rose is perfect for relaxation and also a perfect example of a floral scented candle.
I would suggest choosing fragrances before you begin.
Cooling Container
There will be a step where you need to let the wax cool. A large glass measuring cup made for liquids is perfect.
Centering Devices
You can pick up some little metal devices that will hold your wick in place while the candle wax is setting. One hack is to use a pair of bamboo skewers or chopsticks balanced on your container, but with that, you risk them rolling off. The centering devices surely do their job of staying in place.
Candle Dye
This is an optional ingredient but can be a ton of fun. There are kits with several colors available. While white is pure, colors are so much fun.
Accessories for Molds
If you are choosing to create mold candles, then you may need plugs for some of them as well as mold release, which is silicone-based and created to make removal easier.
Thermometer
This is needed for knowing when to add the scents you’ve selected to your wax.
Directions
Step One – Get Your Containers/Molds Ready
If you want your candles to have a nice clean look then heating your selected containers first will help make that happen. Most containers can be preheated in the dishwasher or even by running them under hot water and then letting them cool on the side while you continue.
Step Two – Get The Wax Ready
You want to make sure that you have enough wax for your containers but not too much. Once the wax is scented, it will stay that way. A good way to do this is to measure the wax in the container you plan on using. This is easier to do with wax that comes in flakes or pellets.
Step Three – Melt The Wax
When starting this step, make sure your essential oils are away from the stove because they all have flash points, which means temperature where they can ignite. Don’t fear though, you will be adding them to the wax a little later.
Using the double boiler or “metal bowl over a pot of boiling water” method to melt your wax. I always suggest doing this slowly and standing over it to make sure it doesn’t spill. Once it is in liquid form, shut off the flame and remove from the heat source.
Step Four – Add Your Color
If you have chosen to make colored candles, this is the part where you add it to your melted wax. Make sure to read the specific instructions that come with your dye quantity and special directions if any.
Step Five – Let the Wax Cool
Waxes have a pouring temperature they recommend. Find out what the manufacturer suggests and let your wax cool to that temperature by checking with your thermometer.
Step Six – Add The Scents
It’s best to add the essential oils at a low temperature, but it is too difficult to add them once the wax is setting in the mold or container, so this is the perfect point to start mixing them in. Depending on your container, you can decide how much you will add. Remember, some scents can go a long way while others are lighter.
One great piece of advice I found when I first started blending was to purchase a journal to keep my recipes. This way you can add to them or take away a few drops here and there. When it comes to candles, there is no rule. Although, some scents can be overwhelming if you use too much so know their individual cautions.
If you are making mold candles, you should spray the molds with the release. I would suggest reading the directions on the can and following those if they are different than ours.
Step Seven – Place the Wick
Get a readied wick and dip the base in the wax. Place it in the middle of the container or mold and let sit for a second. If you didn’t buy wicks that are already waxed and pre-set then this is definitely something you should do before you begin to make your candles.
Step Eight – Pour the Wax
Fill the containers slowly. A heavy pour will knock the wick out of place. Leave a little room on top for the “pour off” and make sure to leave some aside if you are filling more than one candle.
Step Nine – Secure the Wick and Let It Cool
Use the tabs we mentioned earlier or your own method to make sure the wick is held in place while the wax solidifies. Let your candles sit until the wax hardens. This time is different for each wax so you need to know your product and experiment a little bit. You can record the time it takes to harden in your journal -next to your recipe for reference.
Step Ten – Top Off
Some waxes may not look too pretty on top after drying so that’s where the extra wax comes in. Reheat it and let it cool to the pouring temperature. Top off each container and then let sit until the wax hardens.
Step Eleven – Only Molders Need Apply
If you made your own container candles, then you can skip this section. Mold candle makers should follow the directions on their specific mold to release their new pillar candle.
One Last Thought
Once you start making candles, you might not want to stop. So our only warning is to make sure you have friends to give them too or maybe try to sell them online if your collection gets out of hand, which is a simple trap to fall into. I am a lover of all things DIY and believe in the credo, “Why should I buy it if I can learn to make it?”
You will find that candle making is fun and offers so much variety as far as aromas, goals, containers, and molds are concerned, which is why this hobby is known to be rather addictive.
If you enjoyed this tutorial, let us know in the comments section below.
The post Essential Oil Candles DIY: The Steps For Personalized Scents appeared first on Better Mind Body Soul.
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