Making Homemade Candles

Making homemade candles is a fun process that yields a wonderful reward at the end.

It is difficult to not like candles, and when you make homemade candles yourself they're even better.

There is a whole range of styles and types of candles that you can make, so it is easy to choose something that you will really like.

But if you are making candles for the first time, just make sure that you start simple. Thankfully, making a basic jar candle can be a very easy process.

The Basics Of Candle Making

One of the first things you need to do is to decide what kind of wax you want to use. There are many different types, so you need to do a little research to figure out which kind you like best.

Paraffin wax is some of the most commonly used because it is inexpensive and easy to work with. Beeswax is an option that has become very popular lately due to how natural it is. Soy wax is another type you may want to look into.

Which type of wax you use is completely up to you. But for a little more help you can read though our different Candle Making Wax Options page.

The next step in your candle making process is that you need to make sure you have a wick that is appropriate for the type of wax you are using. Some waxes need very thick or dense wicks, and others do better with wicks made of certain materials. Generally a package of wicks will be very clear on what wax they work best with.

Finally, when you make homemade candles you need to choose a container to put your candle in and a fragrance for it. As far as containers go, as long as it will hold up to having a hot candle in it and won't leak, the sky is the limit. So these two candle making items are completely up to the crafter.

Making A Basic Homemade Jar Candle

For making a very basic homemade jar candle, using a glass jelly jar as a mold is a good start. Set the wick in the jar, for best results use container wicks which come already fixed to metal sustainers.

If you don't have a container wick, put a dot of hot glue or pour a tiny amount of melted wax in the bottom of the jar and fix the wick to this. You can tie the end of the wick to a straw or a wooden skewer and balance it across the top of the glass to make sure the wick is held straight and make sure it is centered in the jar. This is actually one of the more difficult parts of the candle making process.

Next, check the instructions on the wax to see how much you will need to fill your jar. I would normally allow a little extra just in case.

Once your wax is completely melted and reaches 180F (82C) add in your color and fragrance according to the instructions (about 10 drops of essential oil). Then pour the wax slowly into the jars, being careful to not overfill them.

Whilst the wax cools it contracts and sinks, so when the candle is half set, pierce the top of the wax in several places using a skewer or needle. Then top up with the remaining wax, you may need to do this more than once.

For longer burning homemade candles let them sit for a couple days before using, and pop them in the refrigerator for half an hour before lighting.