Make a Candle With Essential Oils

Making candles at home allows you to choose the scent and appearance of your candles. Craft stores sell scents specifically for candle-making, but you can also scent your candles with essential oils. The trick to using essential oils is adding the oils when the wax is hot, but not so hot that the oils evaporate. Because soy wax has a lower melting point than other types of wax and melts easily in the microwave, it is an ideal wax to use to make a candle with essential oils.

Steps

  1. Fill a glass measuring cup with exactly 2 cups (.45 kg) of wax flakes. Leave some room at the top of the cup in case the wax rises during the melting process.
    • Paraffin wax readily available at the craft store and the typical wax for homemade candle making.
    • Soy wax is eco-friendly and easier to clean.
  2. Place the measuring cup in the microwave and heat the wax for 30 second increments for 3 minutes total. Stir the wax with a wooden spoon or wooden craft stick every 30 seconds to distribute the heat and help the wax melt. Use an oven mitt to remove the melted wax from the microwave and remove the plastic wrap. Set the container on a stable surface.
  3. Stir several drops of essential oil into the melted wax with the wooden spoon or wooden skewer. The number of drops depends on the type of oil. You would use fewer drops of a strongly scented oil, such as eucalyptus or cinnamon, than of a lightly-scented oil. Start with 10 drops of the oil and use your nose and personal taste as your guide.
  4. Place a wooden skewer on the top of the mason jar and drop the wick into the glass. Hold the point of intersection and then wrap the wick around the skewer 3 times to secure it's placement.
  5. Pour the two cups (.45 kg) of wax into the mason jar.
    • If the wick does not stay upright, secure it to the bottom of the glass with craft adhesive or glue.
    • Pull the wick taut so that it is upright and centered in the candle. Hold the wick in place for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the wax hardens enough that the wick stands up on its own.
  6. Put the candle in the refrigerator for 2 hours to harden.
  7. Trim the end of the wick to 1 inch (2.54 cm).
  8. Light up the candle and enjoy.



Tips

  • Possible essential oil combinations for homemade candles include lemon and peppermint, rose and sandalwood, cinnamon and orange, or lavender and eucalyptus.
  • You can use your scented soy wax candle as a skin softener. Burn the candle as usual, blow out the flame, dip your fingers into the melted wax and rub it into rough areas of skin, such as your elbows and knees.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 cups (.45 kg) soy wax flakes
  • 2 cup heat-safe glass measuring cup
  • Plastic wrap
  • Microwave
  • Oven mitt
  • Wooden spoon or wooden craft stick
  • Essential oils
  • 1 16 oz. (.47 L) Mason jar
  • Candle wick

Related Articles

  • Make Aromatherapy Candles

Sources and Citations

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