Creating your own homemade candles is an incredible way to express yourself. There are many recipes you can find online and in easy to follow steps. Many of these have you mixing, melting and stirring products to see what effects they have on each other!
Many people enjoy creating their own beauty products so why not add candle making to that list? In this article, we will go over some basics on how to make your first batch of votive style candles.
There are two main styles of votives which include white or color infused waxes and soft gel oils. Both types can be made into candles easily and effectively. Let’s take a look at both!
Disclaimer: This article contains links to Amazon where you can pick up various supplies used while making your candles. I may earn a small referral fee from purchases you make through my link.
Make a wish list of ingredients you need
In making your first batch of solid-wand candles, there are several components needed. This includes natural oils or fats, essential oil(s) for fragrance, colorants such as dried fruits, sugars, and/or herbs, aluminum foil to burn off any leftover alcohol, and a burner to melt all these materials in.
There are many different types of burners that use different temperatures. Some require very low heat which is good because most people do not have those handy!
We recommend using a pot with a handle so you can easily access it and take breaks while the candle melts down. Make sure your hand does not touch the hot surface because this could hurt or even cause burns!
As the wax heats up, you will want to stir it frequently to ensure everything mixes properly and it does not stick to the pan. You may also need to rotate the pan to get an even melting process.
Research the recipe you want to try
In many cases, people create their own candles by mixing different oils together and using a ratio of those oils to burn for heat. Oils are mixed into wax, which is then melted down and sometimes stirred or shaken to mix the components. Once it is cooled, your new candle will solidify!
A great way to learn how to make your own natural beauty products is to start with something simple. For example, one of the easiest ways to begin making your own lotions and potions is by starting with the basics: moisturizer.
There are several good all-natural skin care brands that have various types of moisturizers such as herbal extracts, vitamin A and C supplements, and minerals like cocoa powder.
Buy the recipe’s ingredients
When making your first batch of homemade beauty products, one of the things that can get expensive is the essential oils you use in the recipes. It is not recommended to buy pre-mixed bottles of oil, as these may contain excessive amounts of alcohol or chemicals that could damage your skin.
Some people suggest buying a small amount of each oil, but this can be very expensive if done on a large scale. The best way to deal with this is to find a source for every ingredient individually.
There are many sites where you can purchase pure essential oils, so do some research and see what works for you! You will also have a choice of how to receive your oils. Some offer full refund policies, while others don’t. See which ones have return policies before spending any money online.
Prepare your workspace
After you have gathered all of your ingredients, it is time to prepare your work space! This will include using either an existing hot plate or buying a new one. We recommend having both types of heat sources for this project to ensure it does not burn your waxes properly!
You will also need some type of container where you can store the finished product, as well as a cool place to put the pan while transporting and washing it.
Make sure to wash your candle wicks thoroughly before inserting into the melted wax. You do not want stuck wax residue that could cause fire when burning the candle! Finally, make sure to clean out the leftover bits and pieces from the process.
Make a plan for lighting your candle
After you have gathered all of your supplies, it is time to make your first light! Most people begin by pouring some melted wax into a glass container or pot. Then, they add clear glue to the top of the wax to create an air-tight seal.
After that, they use a tool called a wick to dip into the globs of wax and pull up some small pieces. These pieces will hold the balance between the two chemicals in the mixture.
Once you have enough length to match the height of the bottle, then roll the bottom half up the sides of the bottle. Let the excess wax drip down onto the floor and leave it there until it hardens.
Your new candle has been prepared! Now, it is time to choose a shape and position for it.
There are several different ways to do this, so feel free to explore different shapes and styles. We recommend doing research and experimenting with various types of candles before picking out colors and designs.
Make the candle
Making your first solid-wand wax candle requires very few ingredients, but it is not easy! There are many different recipes for making candles, so you can pick one that seems simple and start from there.
Just like with any other baking recipe, The Lilla’s Way starts with melting butter or oil into warm wax. Then, as you may have already guessed, you add all of your favorite additives to help promote clean burning, longer lasting candles.
The most important thing when adding colors and additives to the wax is being careful NOT TO SPLIT THE WAX WHEN ADDING THEM! That way, your decorations will still stay in place. Once everything is mixed in, pour the melted wax onto a cold metal tray or pot until it sets up.
After setting up, roll the balls of hot wax through a nonstick fryer basket or plate to create smooth, beautiful wicks.
Test the candle
After you have completed all of your ingredients, it is time to test your new candle! Burn your finished product and see what color it burns down to. If it melts down into nothing but white wax, then you succeeded!
Your candles will typically need at least an hour to burn down completely, so be sure to check them out soon!
Once it has burned down, make sure to admire how beautiful the colors are. The wick should also look good – no burnt parts or sticking going up the stick.
Improve your process
In creating our own handmade candles, there are several things that you can do to improve your process and create different shapes and colors. Many of these techniques are related to mixing your waxes and adding additional components to give your candle more variety.
Most people start off using soft or melted solid wicks because they feel that those work best. However, we have some wonderful professionals out there who know how to achieve beautiful designs with floating wicks!
These artists use various additives in their recipes to add depth to the color and shape of the finished product. By experimenting with different additions, you will too! If you are ever struggling to get your mixture to set properly, consider looking into alternatives such as olive oil or coconut oil. They both take longer to cool down so be sure to test your recipe on it until it sets correctly.
Another important factor in making good quality candles is ensuring your wick is stable before dipping it in the liquid candle fat. You want to make sure it does not burn when pouring the oils onto it.