Making Scented Candles
Making scented candles is easy! Once you experiment, you will be a pro at adding scent. Imagine walking into a room that smells like Christmas or the Holidays; or you can choose from the light delightful scent of wild roses or lilacs. The olfactory (our sense of smell) is the strongest of the five senses. You may find a smell that takes you back in time, the smell of cinnamon makes me think of my Grandmother’s cinnamon rolls.
You set the mood of any room or house by simply lighting a candle, the soft glow, the alluring smell that fills the air. If you want a romantic ambience, there are dozens of essential oils to choose from. You are going to love working and experimenting with scents; because once you do your first scented candle, you are hooked!
How do I know what scent to add?
Finding essential oil to work with is the easiest part, selecting the scent will be more difficult. My solution; just try them all! The supply is unlimited, either through your local craft store or online. You will want to use the oil based scents, as your wax is oil based instead of water based fragrances, hence, oil and water don’t mix. You don’t want to be left with all your scent floating to the bottom of your candle, or as your candle burns, to have pockets of scent ruining it.
The rule of thumb with adding scents is less is better. If you were mixing a pound of wax (16 oz.) you would never want to add more than one ounce of essential oil to your batch. I like to start out with a smaller amount, and work my way up to the full ounce. I have a very sensitive nose, so I am very conservative on the amount of essential oils that I use.
When do I add the scent?
Choosing the type of wax is important. Soy, palm or beeswax mix great with essential oils. Paraffin is another wax that mixes well with scents, especially if you are just beginning. Gel wax will work with the higher density, but you have to work with the right percentages. Your recipe will give you guidelines for adding the right amount of scent. Then experiment to see what you like best.
The process is the same for making scented candles as regular ones. Melt the wax, using your double boiler or wax melting pot, closely watching the temperature. Then you cool it to the temperature that the recipe suggests to add the scent, mixing it thoroughly with the wax. Have your container or mold ready to go, and then place your wick. Gently pour your wax into your mold or container. Position your wick and cool.
Keep a Record
It is a good idea to keep a record of the recipe – so that you can go back and make notes about your finished candle. I like to take a picture, especially if I’m making a new type of candle.
Making scented candles is fun and easy. Finding the right colors and scents to consistently make your favorite candles is so rewarding. Once you feel comfortable making your candles, you will start to give them as gifts. Last year, by sisters and I all agreed that all our presents for Christmas was going to be homemade. I have to tell you, my scented candles were a hit!
See! I told you making scented candles is easy. Now it’s up to you. Experiment and have fun with designing the right candle for the right situation. Let me know how you do!
Gel Candle Making for Beginners
For the new candle maker, the options for candle making molds are many. Molds are a very important part of the equipment necessary to make beautiful candles. These tools of the craft are made out of plastic, rubber, latex, metal and even glass. With the surge in candle making, you can find many inexpensive molds for any kind of candle that you want to make.
The candle mold holds the hand poured wax until it cools and sets up. Once it has cooled completely, your candle retains the shape of your mold. Be sure to look for durable, reusable molds. Here is a brief rundown of the different types and uses of candle making molds
Aluminum molds are a popular choice. They are reasonably priced, durable and heat resistant. They are also easy to clean up after each use. After you finish, all you have to do is place these molds upside down (on a lined cookie sheet) in a warm oven (150°F) and the wax melts right off. These are popular molds for making votive, pillar and floating candles. You can get these in round, square and octagon shapes and many different sizes.
Latex molds are so flexible you will need to take care that they don’t tip over. Create a stand, usually made of card board, for safety purposes. The best way to use a latex mold, once you are more experienced, is to create your own. This is actually an easy process. Basically, you paint latex onto a candle model right at home. This will take many layers to create your handmade mold.
Metal molds have a history of long life and fast cooling rate. Most metal molds are for cylinder shaped candles (votive and pillar candles), giving a smooth appearance.
Plastic molds are the most reasonably priced, but not the highest in quality. They do not last as long as many of the other molds. There is a great variety to choose from. For the beginner candle maker, this is a great way to perfect your technique, still enjoying the candles that you make. The cleanup is easy, warm soapy water and you are back in business. (Note: Just make sure that your plastic molds are completely dry before you use them again or you may get water bubbles in your candle.)
Polyurethane is another kind of mold, however, they have a strong odor, which may be passed along to your beautiful candles and you will also have to add a releasing agent. Favorite molds are for tealight candles, pillar, taper molds, and beeswax candles. These specialty molds also have unique shapes, like animals, that are one piece with slits on the side
Silicone molds are the top of the price range. They have the highest quality, leaving no seams on your candles. Their flexibility allows you to release your candles after cooling without any releasing agents. Once you determine your favorite design of candle, these molds are worth the investment. Silicone is especially suited for making your pillar and taper candles.
Whatever the type of mold you choose for making a candle, the selection is great. Try all different kinds so that you can find which candle making molds you like best.
Homemade Aromatherapy Soy Candles
Are you ready to graduate to the next level of candle making? If you have mastered the paraffin wax candles, you will be ready for homemade aromatherapy soy candles. Soy wax is an all natural, vegetable wax that is better for our home environment, burning cleaner and longer than the petroleum based paraffin candles. Made from the soybean, this is becoming a very popular wax.
You should already have the right equipment from making the paraffin candles. The process is almost identical, except the temperature of the molten wax. Here is an overview of the easy instructions for making beautiful aromatherapy soy candles.
First, decide on the type of candle you want to make so that you can calculate the amount of soy wax flakes you will need. For example, if you were going to make votive candles, each one requiring 2 oz. of wax, a pound could make 8 candles. Prepare your candle molds, making sure they are clean and dry.
Next you melt the soy wax using the double boiler system. Stir the wax while it melts. At this point, you will want to add your color, a candle dye, stirring the wax with a wire whisk or a chop stick until evenly distributed. Remove from the double boiler to let it cool.
Now you are ready to add your fragrance. If you are using the pound of wax, you would want to add one and a half ounces of essential oils for your fragrance. Let it cool to 125°F – stirring the fragrance for at least 2 minutes to fully bond to the wax.
Warm your votive molds in a warm oven, around 100°F, to prepare them for the wax. Slowly lower the wax temperature to 115°F. When the wax is ready, use your pot pour to hand pour each mold to within ½ inch from the top. Pour slowly and evenly, avoiding bubbles.
It’s time to place the wick. Slowly lower the wick to the bottom of the mold, keeping the wick straight and centered. Leave the candle to completely cool, about 5 to 6 hours. Gently tug on the wick and the candle should come out easily from its mold.
Here is one last thought; a special note about aromatherapy soy candles. Experiment with different essential oils until you find one that you really like. Different fragrances have different effects on us.
Consider using a combination of essential oils to:
- Cool and refresh, especially in hot weather, use spearmint, peppermint or palmarosa
- Relax, reduce stress, use lavender, rosewood or rose geranium
- Woodsy smell, use Rosewood, Cedarwood or Ylang Ylang
- Soft, Sensual mood, use Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang and Veltiver
There are over 100 essential oils. Finding the fragrances that you enjoy can make your aromatherapy soy candles truly elegant and delightful.
Choosing the Right Candle Making Molds
For the new candle maker, the options for candle making molds are many. Molds are a very important part of the equipment necessary to make beautiful candles. These tools of the craft are made out of plastic, rubber, latex, metal and even glass. With the surge in candle making, you can find many inexpensive molds for any kind of candle that you want to make.
The candle mold holds the hand poured wax until it cools and sets up. Once it has cooled completely, your candle retains the shape of your mold. Be sure to look for durable, reusable molds. Here is a brief rundown of the different types and uses of candle making molds
Aluminum molds are a popular choice. They are reasonably priced, durable and heat resistant. They are also easy to clean up after each use. After you finish, all you have to do is place these molds upside down (on a lined cookie sheet) in a warm oven (150°F) and the wax melts right off. These are popular molds for making votive, pillar and floating candles. You can get these in round, square and octagon shapes and many different sizes.
Latex molds are so flexible you will need to take care that they don’t tip over. Create a stand, usually made of card board, for safety purposes. The best way to use a latex mold, once you are more experienced, is to create your own. This is actually an easy process. Basically, you paint latex onto a candle model right at home. This will take many layers to create your handmade mold.
Metal molds have a history of long life and fast cooling rate. Most metal molds are for cylinder shaped candles (votive and pillar candles), giving a smooth appearance.
Plastic molds are the most reasonably priced, but not the highest in quality. They do not last as long as many of the other molds. There is a great variety to choose from. For the beginner candle maker, this is a great way to perfect your technique, still enjoying the candles that you make. The cleanup is easy, warm soapy water and you are back in business. (Note: Just make sure that your plastic molds are completely dry before you use them again or you may get water bubbles in your candle.)
Polyurethane is another kind of mold, however, they have a strong odor, which may be passed along to your beautiful candles and you will also have to add a releasing agent. Favorite molds are for tealight candles, pillar, taper molds, and beeswax candles. These specialty molds also have unique shapes, like animals, that are one piece with slits on the side
Silicone molds are the top of the price range. They have the highest quality, leaving no seams on your candles. Their flexibility allows you to release your candles after cooling without any releasing agents. Once you determine your favorite design of candle, these molds are worth the investment. Silicone is especially suited for making your pillar and taper candles.
Whatever the type of mold you choose for making a candle, the selection is great. Try all different kinds so that you can find which candle making molds you like best.
Today’s Choices for Candle Making Wax
Candles are a symbolic of hearth and home; creating an atmosphere ranging from homey to serene. Candles are so versatile; unscented or scented, a variety of colors, ranging in size and function depending on any given situation. Candles are a source of not only light, but reflect the mood we set. What can be better than making a candle?
With any handmade candle, the wax is most important ingredient. The innovations in candle wax are amazing, even over the last 100 years. There are many different kinds of candle making wax that you can choose from. Here is a breakdown of the more popular candle wax used today.
Paraffin wax: The vast majority of candle wax today is a highly refined petroleum product, the paraffin wax candle. The more refined the wax, the higher the quality of candle. The availability and economical cost is the reason why it’s the most commonly used wax today. We suggest that you use paraffin wax at first until you become familiar with working with wax as a medium.
These candles have an odorless smoke, but do have some soot. The melting point tells you how refined the paraffin wax is. It should be between 121° F to 160° F. Anything below that is called slack (less refined) and of poor candle making quality.
As you become more experienced, you will learn at what temperature the molten wax is best, how long to cool before pouring into a mold, and for the type of candle you are making. Work with paraffin wax that already has additives mixed in. Steariac, for example, aids a candle in retaining its shape even during warm weather. Another additive might be vybar, which enhances the addition of scents in some candles.
Soy wax: Soy candle wax is fast becoming very popular. Soy candles burn slower with less soot than a paraffin wax candle. Soy’s properties are sung due to being good for the environment and are a product of the United States. Soy candles last twice as long as paraffin wax candles. They also have less soot, as well as, the ease of adding scent and color to the melted wax. This wax melts at temperature of 155°F. You will find yourself quickly moving up to working with soy wax.
Beeswax: You are going to love working with beeswax, not only for the ease of working with it, but the smell and that golden glow. The rate of burn of a beeswax candle is much slower and cleaner than both paraffin and soy candles. Because of their purity, for centuries, this is the only candle making wax that is used in many churches. When burned, beeswax candles emit negative ions that actually clean the air. OK, back to the wax. Beeswax comes as a solid or in sheets. The sheets are great for rolled candles. Once you learn this technique – they will be your favorite! You have to be careful to watch the temperature closely. The melting range is 144 to 147° F. If you heat to 185° F or above, discoloration occurs.
Bayberry wax: This wax is made from the berries on the bayberry tree, grown predominately in the New England states. The wax is brittle and may acquire a white powder on your candle after several months in storage. It is important to store these candles in a cool, dry place to protect their shape. The appeal of the bayberry wax is the distinctive natural scent. Due to the rarity of this wax, it is very expensive, typically with a natural olive green color. The process to get the wax is to simply boil bayberries, skimming off the wax, after is has risen to the top of the water. Dating back to the colonial times, these candles were used only around Christmas and the Holidays and saved for special occasions.
Gel wax: Gel candle wax is really a mineral oil mixed with an agent that makes it thicken. The mixture of 5% polymer resin and the rest is mineral oil. Gel candle wax can catch fire, so temperature control is of the utmost importance. Gel candle wax is available at your craft store in convenient buckets. The appeal is that you can add nonflammable decorative items to personalize your candle. The melting temperature of gel candle wax is 190° F. It looks more like syrup than melted wax. If you use this wax for candle projects with children, become very familiar with how to work with this wax before you include children. The great thing about gel wax is if you don’t like it – it’s easy to re-melt it and start all over again. (Note: Good decorative items are glass, rocks, seashells and pottery, and used as a container candle. Never, ever, try to melt this wax in the microwave oven!)
Palm wax: Palm wax is another wax that is clean burning and lasts a long time. It is eco-friendly, with little to no soot. It is not a by product of petroleum and is another natural agent. The final product is very hard, hence the slow burn, making it a great candle for the hot summer months. You will get a candle that is hard, dry surface, smooth and is stable. Palm oil melts at 199 to 203° F.
Palm oil is processed very much like olive oil, stream pressed; the end result is a flaked, hard white wax. When combining the palm wax with scents and color, they mix well due to the natural minerals in the palm wax. Because of the crystalline structure, there is a beautiful play of light and color when lit. This is an expensive wax to purchase, but once you are experienced, they make elegant candles. (Note: Palm wax is an excellent choice for pillar and container candles.)
Wax can come in chunks, beads, sheets and blocks. You can find wax that already has color in it. As you explore the different kinds of candle making wax, you will discover your favorite.
A special note; get in the habit of keeping a journal. In the journal, record your recipe, the amount of wax used, the exact amount of color and scent and be sure to keep a record of your best candles. Take a picture! Follow instructions closely. This will document your journey to becoming a candle making expert! Enjoy!
