Our lives have become pretty monotonous in between dealing with work and life’s other responsibilities. Because of this, finding peace and relaxation has become vitally important, especially at home. Making your own candles can help create a warm, relaxing atmosphere in whichever room you choose to enjoy them in. Not only do candles help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, creating something with your own hands can bring additional satisfaction and fulfillment to your life.
Many candles found on the market include ingredients such as paraffin and synthetic fragrances, which give off toxic properties when burned. Making candles at home ensures you can avoid this, giving you the peace of mind to enjoy your candles without worrying about potential health hazards. Another benefit to making your own candles is that the number of fragrance combinations are endless!
You can mix and match your favorite VINEVIDA Essential Oils to create the perfect blend of fragrance to suit your preferences.
If you are willing to learn the effortless yet dynamic process of DIY candle making, follow our blog and make the candle of your choice with or without our complete DIY candle making kit supplies!
Requirements for DIY Candle Making
There is nothing to worry about if you’re new to DIY candle making. DIY candle making for beginners is pretty easy. First, let’s begin with a complete list of the tools and materials required for your candle making venture!
Equipment/Tools
- A Pot and Double Boiler — to melt the wax of your choice.
- A Heat Resistant Bowl — to put over the double boiler.
- Wooden Stirring Stick — to mix the wax while melting.
- A Measuring Scale — to measure the wax.
- Electric stove/Induction/Hot Plate — to heat the pot with wax.
- Cooking/Candy Thermometer — to measure the temperature of the wax.
- A Pair of Scissors — to trim the wicks.
Materials
- Wax (Beeswax/Soy wax/Coconut wax)
- Small heat-proof glass or ceramic jars (Old mason jars/Old candle holders/Any jar that can retain heat)
- Pre-made wax wicks that fit your jar
- Fragrance (Essential Oils)
- Color/Non-toxic crayons (Optional)
- Dried flower petals (Optional)
- Chopsticks/Clothespins/Popsicle sticks.
10 Easy Steps for DIY Candle Making
Step 1: Prepare the Work Station
The first thing you need to do when making candles is prepare your working area. Once melted, wax will harden quickly if spilt and isn’t easy to remove. We recommend covering a flat surface with newspaper, which will minimize damage if you do have a spill.
Step 2: Measure the Wax
Once you decide which type of wax you prefer to use, it’s time to measure it out. You may be tempted to skip this step, but we find it helps to make your preparation simple and waste-free. For every fluid ounce of volume you will need one ounce of soft wax in weight. Measure this out using your scale.
Step 3: Prepare the Container
Before melting the wax it is important to ensure the containers you’ve chosen are clean, using soap and water if necessary.
Once the container is clean and dry, place the wick in it. The end of the wick should be at the bottom of the jar, in the center. Later, you will fix the end with a bit of molten wax.
Step 4: Melt the Wax
Once you are done preparing the containers, the next step is melting the wax using either pots or a double-boiler placed on a stove or hot plate.
For double boiling, fill up 2/3 of your pot with water and heat it. Now, put a small amount of soft wax onto the heat resistant bowl. Once the water starts to simmer, put the bowl over the pot and melt the wax, using a method similar to that of melting chocolate. Remember to only use small amounts of wax at a time so it doesn’t overflow.
Use a cooking thermometer to check the molten wax’s temperature. Stop heating once the molten wax reaches 180ºF.
Step 5: Add Your Desired Fragrance and Color
Here comes the fun part. You can customize your candles any way you want with colors, decoration, and scents.
When your wax reaches 180ºF the last thing to do before turning off the heat is to add the Essential Oils of your choice! Make sure to add them at the right temperature and stir well to combine. We recommend adding at least 15-20 drops of oil for every 4 ounce candle. This works out to about 1 ounce of fragrance for every pound of molten wax.
To make your candles more attractive you can add color to them as well! To do this you can use any coloring agent available in the market, or even opt for non-toxic crayons. If going for the latter option you will need to cut the crayons into smaller pieces and melt them. Then, you can mix the colors with the molten wax to get your desired color.
Step 6: Adding Flower Petals into the Candle
If you feel like getting more advanced, you can make your DIY candle even fancier by adding dried flower petals to it. While pouring the molten wax, simply add in your choice of colorful flower petals. This step is completely optional, and depends on your own personal preference.
Step 7: Pour the Wax into the Containers
Finally, when you are done customizing your wax mixture, it is time to pour it into the containers. First, secure the wicks at their place with a bit of hot wax at the bottom. Use popsicle sticks or clothespins to keep the wick steady in its place.
Let the wax cool down to 140ºF before pouring it into the containers.
Step 8: Wait till the Liquid Wax Cools Down
All that is left is patience. To ensure your candles dry perfectly, keep them at room temperature for at least 24 to 48 hours. Afterward, you can burn them whenever you like! While the candles are cooling, you will likely notice some extra space appear at the top. You can top this up after 5-6 hours.
Step 9: Trim the Wicks
Now that your candles are dry, it is time to clean them up. Use the scissors to trim the excess wick to about 1/4” long for ideal burning. Also, wipe the glass jar to remove any extra wax around it.
Step 10: Now Relax Near the Burning Candle
Finally, sit back and relax while enjoying the soothing scents of VINEVIDA Essential Oils being emitted from your custom candle. Embrace aromatherapy and dive deep into a world of tranquility!
Things to Know for DIY Candle Making
Unlike other DIY projects, you don’t necessarily need a DIY candle making kit to make unique candles at home. There are, however, a few key things to be aware of to get the best results possible.
Selecting the Right wax
Wax is the main component of your candles and you will find many different types to choose from.
- Paraffin Wax – although most popular, paraffin wax is of synthetic origin. It does not burn as neatly as other options would, and is known to give off carcinogenic properties when burning. However, if you choose to work with paraffin your candle will still turn out.
- Soy Wax – it is a natural wax derived from soybeans. It is environmentally-friendly, making it a better option for candle making. Not only does it burn more neatly, but it also can be customized with your favorite scents and colors more easily. In the case of DIY candle making for beginners, soy wax is an ideal choice.
- Coconut Wax – Another natural wax, derived from coconut oil. It has a high melting point, which makes it ideal for mixing waxes together.
Choosing the Ideal Containers
For your containers you do not need to spend a lot. Using any old, appropriate glass or ceramic pot is fine. Popular options include teacups, bowls, mason jars, and even pot plants - feel free to get creative! Many thrift shops also carry small heat-proof containers if you don’t have anything suitable around the house.
Choosing the Right Candle Wick
- Paper-core Wicks – burn very hot, and at a high-intensity. Not ideal for candle aromatherapy.
- Zinc-core Wicks – are the most commonly used ones. The wick remains steady thanks to the makeup of the wick.
- CD Wicks – are a favorite among avid candle makers. The base makes the burning consistent and smooth no matter which wax you prefer.
- ECO Series Wicks – are designed specifically for natural wax candles. These burn with lower soot and smoke than the paper-core ones due to their unique braiding.
- Wooden Wicks - environmentally friendly and offer a pleasant crackling sound, similar to that of a wood-burning fireplace.
Fragrance for the Candles
One of the best things about DIY candle making is the ability to easily customize the scent based on your own preferences. For a safe and relaxing scent, we recommend using Essential Oils. You can also mix 2 or 3 oils together to get the perfect blend to suit your mood!
Here are some oil blends that we find perfect for candles. Make sure to mix the oils when the wax is melted at 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
For stress-relief, use any of the following mixtures per 4 ounces.
- Mix 15 drops of Lavender Essential Oil with 7-8 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil
- Mix 10 drops of Sweet Orange Essential Oil and 10 drops of Spearmint Essential Oil.
- Create a blend of 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil, 7-8 drops of Chamomile Essential Oil, and 5 drops of Ylang-ylang Essential Oil.
To rejuvenate and energize, try the following blends.
- 7-8 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil mixed with 7-8 drops of Lemongrass Essential Oil and 7-8 drops Eucalyptus Oil.
- Mix 7-8 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil, 7-8 drops of Lemon Essential Oil, and 7-8 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil.
Things to Remember During DIY Candle Making Process
While you are making the candle of your choice, it is important to keep a few things in mind.
- Don’t forget to protect your workstation using either old newspapers or paper towels
- Try cleaning the wax from things while it is still liquid, or it will become much more difficult to remove
- Keep note of the temperature when melting the wax, as well as when you are mixing essential oils and colors into it.
- Wipe the sticks and thermometer immediately, while the wax is still liquid.
- You can top-up your candle pot after 6 hours of cooling
- Do not forget to trim off the wick to 1/4” once it dries completely. Use only after trimming the wick.
- Do not forget to reheat the mixture if adding color to it.
- In the case of soy wax candles, for a longer burning time, use candles of bigger diameter with multiple wicks. On the contrary, for shorter burns, use a candle with a smaller diameter.
- For natural wax, using an ECO series wick is the best choice.
- Do not worry if the candle does not burn properly at first. If you see tunneling in the middle, let it burn for some time and it will revert to its proper shape.
Final Verdict
Hopefully, this article has proved helpful to you. We created this step-by-step guide to ensure your candle making process goes as smoothly as possible! Whether you are an intermediate or a novice, you can easily follow our DIY candle making instructions without having to order a DIY candle making set!
