How to Make Beeswax Candles
Even Kids Can Discover How to Make Beeswax Candles
Did you know that beeswax candles are some of the simplest candles to make? No mess, no fuss. So if you’re an art teacher and would like a nice clean project for your kids, this could be the one! Not to mention that it will make your classroom smell oh-so-sweet!
Supplies Required to Make Beeswax Candles
- Beeswax Sheet
- Primed Wicks
- Sharp Knives
- Cutting Boards
Get Started
Let’s start learning how to make beeswax candles.
- Pass out sheets of beeswax and have the children fold it in half. While they pressing slightly on the wax have them pull it a part into two pieces with their hands.
- Have them lay one of the beeswax pieces on a flat surface or any type of table available. Tell them to position the wick along the beeswax sheet’s border, allowing a half-inch of wick to protrude out at both sides of the candle.
Explain that this is so later they will have the opportunity to decide which end of the candle they would prefer to be the top.
Start Rolling the Beeswax
- Once they have placed the wick, have them begin rolling their sheet of wax, tucking edges as they go, making sure to seal the wick in. Roll slowly, keeping in a straight line until they have reached the end of the wax sheet.
- Seal edges by pressing sheet lightly with fingertips.
Remind them that pressing too much will cause their candles to crack!
Finishing Touches for Your Candle
- Finally, it is time for them to choose which end they want as their top. Have them trim the wick about 1/2 inches above the wax and remove the wick cleanly at the other end.
The children now have something they have made themselves and any parent would be overjoyed to receive as a gift!
Useful Info About Beeswax Candle Making…for the Kids
While they are learning how to make beeswax candles, throw out a few tidbits of information about candles.
For instance: not only are beeswax candles long lasting and clean burning, but in the 14th century they were one of the most preferred candles because of their naturally sweet aroma.
They have also been given a stamp of approval by the ALA (American Lung Association) as the ideal candle. Other candles such as paraffin candles emit tiny amounts of toxins like benzene, lead, and mercury.
Now….send them home and have them tell their parents to shut off the lights, save on the electric bill and let their beeswax candles light the way!
Candle Making Recipes for Beginners
Balloon and Beeswax Candle Making Recipes
Below you will find two very unique and easy candle making recipes that are just perfect for beginners.
So if you’re tired of the cost for those fancy, expensive, store bought ones and not quite ready to give up on the ambience, the following candle making recipes will do the trick.
The Beeswax Candle
First let’s try out the beeswax candle recipe. Items needed are short and simple. A pair of scissors, 1 beeswax sheet and a cotton wick.
Ten easy steps are required for this candle making recipe.
Step 1: Fold beeswax in half
Step 2: Cut along the fold
Step 3: Lay out one of the pieces
Step 4: Place wick on edge of beeswax
Step 5: Leave wick, half an inch, extending over each edge of beeswax sheet
Step 6: Slowly roll edge of beeswax around wick
Step 7: Press edge of beeswax gently with fingertips sealing wick in place (Allowing the warmth from your hands to melt the wax, thereby sealing the seam)
Step 8: Roll candle slowly – keeping a tight, straight line while doing this
Step 9: At end, attach edge of beeswax to candle with the heat of your fingertips
Step 10: Trim wick flush on one end for the base and snip wick 1/4 inch from top on the other
Congratulations! With this candle making recipe you have created your first candle.
Let’s Try a Balloon Candle
Items for a Balloon Candle: obviously a balloon, wax (paraffin) and a sized wick.
Step 1: Fill balloon with water (No water fights permitted!)
Step 2: Secure top of balloon
Step 3: Best using a double-boiler to melt the wax
Step 4: Keep wax anywhere from 165 to 185 degrees until completely melted
Step 5: Let cool until almost set
Step 6: Dip balloon in melted wax, pulling out quickly and letting wax layer cool and set
Step 7: Dip in wax again, letting that layer cool and set
Step 8: Continue until a good wax shell develops around balloon approximately 1 cm thick
Step 9: Pop balloon once satisfied with the shell and remove from candle
Step 10: While rolling the shell in your hand, add warm wax so that it coats the inside of the shell. Continue adding wax until the inner cavity is nearly filled
Step 11: Before the last pouring, place a wick in the center of the remaining cavity and then pour wax around it to fill the cavity. The wax will cool and support the wick as it solidifies.
Voila! You have mastered candle making recipe number 2. You are now ready to get creative and try playing with color, size and style. Remember – it’s all about the fun!
Candle Making Classes
Candle Making Classes: Business or Diversion?
Whether you are thinking about a new diversion or perhaps investigating the possibility of opening a candle making business of your own, candle making classes can be an entertaining and simple way to carry out your intentions. They are:
- For young and old alike
- An superb way to spend time
- An inexpensive way to be taught a skill
- A way to acquire a new hobby
- An option for adding to the candle making skills you all ready have
Candle making classes can be accessed at various locations and offer:
- Exclusive children lessons in candle making
- Both online and offline availability
- A superb way to learn different varieties of candle waxes
- Information on equipment needed
- Various skills used to create each type of candle.
For lots of people, creating candles in a person to person situation is more motivating and appealing then with an online course. You can locate hands-on lessons in the area by:
- Checking with local craft stores
- Calling candle supply shops
- Contacting your library
- Finding a recreational center
- Going to your community center
- Dropping by a civic center
- Surfing online
- Reading the local newspapers
The following illustrations are samples of candle making programs set in a variety of locations:
- One Stop Candle offers classes at Williston Park, NY. Hands-on classes limited in size. Enrollees receive individual attention.
- In Point Richmond, CA, The Nova Studio provides general candle making classes plus those specializing in natural aromatherapy candles.
- Michaels Arts & Crafts located all over the country offers classes in a variety of crafts, including candle making.
Taking candle making lessons is a perfect way to find out everything you ever needed to know in order to have a creative, rewarding pastime that may even escalate into a profitable business. Entrepreneurs of all kinds have used what they learned from their candle making courses to begin their own business while doing something they get pleasure from and earning money at home.
No matter what your reason is for participating in a candle making class, go ahead, reap the rewards and bask in the benefits of candle making art!
Candles: Homemade for Business
Ideas for Starting a Homemade Candle Business
Put simply, the main challenges of the homemade candle business are as follows:
- Make your candles
- Sell your candles
- Get paid for your candles
Learn the Candle Trade
The venues mentioned below typically offer instructional videos, courses and programs geared toward to starting up a business venture.
- Local libraries
- Colleges
- Community centers
- Neighborhood craft stores
Take advantage of what they have to offer.
And don’t ignore the internet as it is undoubtedly the world’s #1 source of information on how to do just about anything you could imagine.
Concentrate First Efforts Here
You need to come to grips fast with homemade candle basics such as:
- Creating or copying unique designs that will sell in your market.
- How to source molds and, preferably, how to make them yourself.
- Where to find reasonable prices for materials like soy wax, beeswax, paraffin and cotton wicks.
- How to select the most appropriate kinds of wicks.
- How to enhance your candles with coloring, decorations, fragrances and special techniques.
Attention that Pays
When it comes to producing a saleable product, it also pays to:
- Be aware of who your buyers are
- Be aware of what their needs consist of
- Be original in everything you do
- Be innovative with your packaging, using unique boxes, vibrant ribbons, and ornaments to adorn them
- Be clever by topping off with appropriate gift cards and tags.
Keys to Success
The success of a homemade candle business, as with any type of business, is dependent upon your willingness to take the extra steps and put forth a continuous effort to:
- Staying alert to developments in the industry and rolling them out if appropriate to your market. This applies particularly to product design.
- Perfecting your production process, thereby avoiding waste and producing a consistent quality product.
- Developing a core of regular customers that buy in volume and pay your invoices on time.
- Establishing a policy for setting credit limits and sticking to those limits without exception. Bad debts are the bane of most businesses, large or small. You cannot afford to ignore your account receivables. Appreciate the fact that new customers may not deserve credit terms and insist that they pay cash.
- Being alert to new markets for your candles, but entering them cautiously when it comes to customizing products and offering credit terms.
- Seeking your buyers suggestions as to what they like about what you do and, on the other hand, areas in which they would like to see improvement.
Inherent Advantages of the Business
Without question, the homemade candle business has the “4 P’s” working in its favor.
- Popular for gifts
- Pleasing to the eye
- Pleasant to the nose
- Pleasurable to the sole
Be Alert But Cautious
However, you must create an efficient, well managed operation to capitalize on these inherent advantages. Otherwise, consider your homemade candle making purely as a hobby and enjoy using your candles in the home and giving them away as presents.
Candle Making Fragrance
Art – Atmosphere – Anatomy of Candle Making Fragrance
Imagine the smell of a flower or fresh baked muffins. Matching your candle making fragrance to your favorite scent can be accomplished with just a few well placed steps.
Consider delving into aromatherapy. Did you know plants have been used through the ages for just this purpose? Fragrances have had an effect on us for as long as we can remember. Drops of Eucalyptus oil are used to open congested nasal passages, lemon oil is known for lowering stress levels as well as acting as an anti-depressant.
Citronella oil aids in repelling insects while Oil of Lavender, calms, relaxes and is said to sooth the savage beast…or was that music? Regardless, see how choosing your candle making fragrance is not just about atmosphere but could be for practical and medicinal purposes too.
Creating Candle Making Fragrance
Everything you need in order to get started can be found as close as your local hobby store or as convenient as surfing the internet.
Bounties of websites are available with endless lists of fragrance oils. With a little practice you will advance quickly in choosing candle making fragrance. Perhaps, even to the point where you will be able to request a manufacturer to create a “signature” candle fragrance.
Using the oils is quick and simple. Just before the melted wax is poured into the mold carefully place 1-3 drops of essential oil per candle so evaporation of the aroma is at a lower risk.
Endless Choices for Candle Fragrance
There are literally hundreds of oils to choose when making candles. Below are a few common oils. However it is the “tip of the iceberg” as they say…there are endless possibilities for candle making fragrance.
| Aloe Vera Balsam & Amber Basil Nectarine Bayberry Spice Blackberry Mist Boysenberry & Moss Brown Sugar & Spice Burgundy Wine |
Butterscotch Chocolate Cinnamon Jasmine Lavender Rose Sandal Wood Spearmint Vanilla |
And the scented oils go on and on……
As a special note: another way of making candle fragrances is with dry leaves and flowers but it is candles created with fragrant oils that have truly been embraced by the candle making world.
Words of caution before you purchase your oil for candle making fragrance. There are times you get what you pay for. While you may be tempted to buy the less expensive oils, some can cause mild skin rashes, aggravate the eyes and emit an odor that is far from what was advertised on the label.
If the oil is being bought to make a fragrant candle as a gift, it would be embarrassing if it smelled less than spectacular. Buy your candle making fragrance from a reputable manufacturer.
Making Beeswax Candle Tips
Making Beeswax Candles is Fun and Easy
Making beeswax candles is a delightful experience. At the end of your beeswax handiwork you will have created a candle that emits an amazing gentle aroma while making a luminous glow and creating a feeling of contentment.
A beeswax candle is about the simplest candle anyone can make. It is so simple that it would be perfect as a crafting experience for the whole family.
Because you do not melt the wax, a double boiler will not be need. Hence, the supplies are few and the mess is minimal. Gather together the following for making beeswax candle:
- 8 inch x 16 inch beeswax sheets
- A prepared wick cut a little above 1 inch
- A dull knife such as a paring knife or perhaps a razor blade
- A roomy, flat surface…a countertop or cutting board will suffice.
In preparation, clean your flat surface before you begin making your beeswax candle. Cut the wick approximately 3/4 inches longer than the edge of the wax sheet. The example below is an 8 inch sheet of beeswax with an 8 3/4 inch wick protruding on both sides. This allows you to choose which end of the beeswax candle to use for the top.
Place wick along edge of the beeswax. Fold 1/8 inch of the wax over the wick. Press tightly left to right, securing the wick in place. This will be the only time in the process of rolling your candle that you will ever need to firmly press the wax.
Proceed to roll the 1/8 inch seam down the length of the countertop. Be sure to roll your candle perfectly straight. Proceed to roll the beeswax to the end of the wax. When making a candle you might decide you want it thicker…just add an extra sheet of beeswax at the end of the first one and continue on until it has been completely rolled.
Upon reaching the end of the wax sheet, press the edge gently down along the length of the candle. Smooth out the seam with your thumb.
Using your own judgment, choose the best end of the candle for the top. Trim the wick 1/2 inch above the beeswax. Remember to cut off the remaining wick from tail end of the candle as well.
Good job! Now find your favorite candle holder, light the wick, breathe in deeply and smell the sensuous scent of your candle creation!
How to Make Gel Candles
Techniques to Make Gel Candles
The candle industry is on the rise owing to high demand for gel candles. To make gel candles is unique due to the making process and the attractive designs made possible by suspending decorations in the wax. And the light dancing from these suspended ornaments makes gel candles even more special.
Gel candles also have a longer burn life than regular wax candles.
Wax candles are prepared from an oil base. Gel candles are made with 95% oil and 5% polymer resin. Resin is added to the mix in powder form but when blended with oil it solidifies. Gel wax is available in three distinctive densities:
- High Density
- Medium Density
- Low Density
The density of the gel wax determines the amount of fragrance the wax will hold. In other words, higher density waxes accommodate more fragrance.
An advantage of making thickened gel candles is that decorations suspended in the candle will remain in place as the candle burns. Just bear in mind that higher the density of the gel, the more time required for it to melt and pour.
The process to make gel candles is the same as that of making regular wax candles.
- Melt the wax
- Pour the melted wax into a mould
- Allow it to dry
However, the techniques and the equipment to make gel candles is distinctly different from the conventional method of preparing wax candles. For instance, in the conventional method, most people melt their wax with double boilers…very time consuming.
For gel candles, many people use multi-cookers to melt wax. A multi cooker looks like a deep fryer and is made of metal covered with non-stick coating. They are equipped with a temperature dial for easy temperature control. This method is much simpler, as gel wax can be put directly put into the multi cooker without having to have two different pots for water and wax. Also, with the double boiler method, you will need to regulate temperature with a thermometer…requiring more of your attention.
Use a metal or hard plastic spoon to stir the gel occasionally. Stay away from wooden spoons as wood often leaves air bubbles in the gel wax mixture.
An Important Safety Precaution! – Be aware that gel wax has a tendency to catch fire, so you must have your chemical fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it.
Dyes are used to alter the color of the wax. To maintain the exact translucency of the gel candles it is advisable to use liquid dyes. Just a small pinch of dye is sufficient to change the color of the wax. Avoid using:
- Crayons
- Clothing dye
- Food colors
- Soap dyes
Learning to make gel candles is fast and interesting. You can create versatile designs and awesome candles, particularly because you can add attractive decorations into the gel wax which will float on the surface of your candle.
…And gel candles make fantastic gifts for your near and dear ones.
Making Scented Candle Tips
Scented Candle Making – Fast and Easy
Fragrances can enhance the atmosphere and set the tone in any room. So what better way to accomplish this than by making scented candles?
Fragrance oils for making scented candles are available either at local craft stores or by going onto the Internet to have them shipped directly to your home.
It is preferable to use oil instead of water-based fragrances as we all know water and oil do not mix. Also avoid using an alcohol-based perfume in the wax as well.
What’s so fantastic about creating perfumed candles is that even without being lit the fragrance gives off a scent that everyone notices as soon as they walk into the room.
And homemade scented candles are superb gifts for all occasions and are appreciated by every generation.
The procedure for making scented candles begins just as if you were creating a regular non-scented one. As there are a multitude of waxes available, take your time and deliberate carefully as this plays an important part in creating your candle.
Types of Wax for Making Scented Candles
You might like to go “Natural” using waxes in the likes of:
- Soy
- Palm
- Beeswax
You may also choose from paraffin wax (used more often then others) or gel wax. Either one of these selections are excellent for making scented candles. Just remember to keep in mind that the higher the gel density, the better it holds the fragrance.
Steps for Making Scented Candles
Before making scented candles, prepare the mold by placing the wick in the proper position. Once that is done, you may proceed to make your perfumed candle:
- Set up a double boiler
- Place the wax in the boiler to melt
- Check wax often with a thermometer, as temperature should be between a 170 and 180 degree range.
- Once the wax has completely melted add your chosen fragrance oil
(a)Remember – the formula is 1 oz. of fragrance oil to 1 lb. of wax.This gives your scented candle a 6 percent concentration. - Pour wax into your mold
On a side note: be cautious not to over do it on your fragrance as this will cause the candle to burn incorrectly and to produce puddles of liquid wax.
Creating a scented candle is not always a success the first time around. If you find the aroma is not to your liking, don’t give up. Continue to experiment. In keeping accurate records you will eventually have a journal of candle fragrances that people will be envious of.
How to Make Wax Candles
How to Make Your Own Wax Candles
Knowing how to make a wax candle was once an essential talent, as candles and the moon were the only source of light after dark. While wax candle making is no longer a critical survival skill, it has developed into a popular hobby for numerous reasons.
Today, wax candles are made for home use and gift giving, as well as for craft projects with children. And for few enterprising artisans, candle making has become a business for profit.
Learning how to make wax candles is relatively easy and definitely gives one a rewarding feeling. Local craft stores have all the items needed to create your own one of a kind candle. Wax, wicks, as well as molds…it’s all there. You can also add touches of color, decorations and even fragrances in your homemade candles.
Steps for Making Wax Candles
- First thing is to prepare wax by melting it in a the double boiler
- When wax is completely melted, hold wick in middle of mold and carefully pour in wax
- Allow wax to cool (about 4 to 6 hours)
- Remove from mold
Cooling Tips for Wax Candles
- Sometimes putting a mold into the freezer for no more than half an hour is effective in removing candles from molds with very little difficulty.
- Using any type of non stick cooking spray on the mold is definitely advantageous as well. Once sprayed you then pour your wax into it. You will then be able to easily remove the candle when it cools to room temperature.
The list goes on forever for the types of candles that can be made at home. With assorted fragrances, a plethora of colors and multiple choices of decorations your limit is only how good your imagination is!
How to Create a Latex Mold
Some enthusiasts develop their own molds with liquid latex. However latex molds are too flexible when pouring wax into them. You will have to cut a cardboard hole big enough for mold to pass through but just to the lip. The wax can be pored into the mold as the cardboard supports it.
How to Make Wax Candles a Business
Some people have used their love and talents for making candles and have devised a way to create a lucrative business. Simply buy supplies in bulk and at discount prices. Make the effort to create eye-catching packaging for your candles. Don’t forget innovative advertising too!
Candles are an old traditional custom and will never be out dated so as long as you have an imagination the sky’s the limit!
