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How To Make Candles
By Jennifer Hall
Making homemade candles can be a fun hobby, whether making them as
gifts or for yourself to enjoy. Candle making usually requires some
experimentation, but when you discover how to make those perfect
candles, it's well worth the effort.
There are a few basic supplies needed for making most candles:
* wax
* wicks
* mold or containers
* wax melter
* candle making thermometer
* fragrances
* dyes
* putty for molds
First decide on a wax you would like to start with, there are three
different kinds to choose from: paraffin wax, soy wax, and beeswax.
Paraffin wax is most commonly used in candles, this wax is found at
most candle making stores. Soy wax is all natural, made from soybeans,
and cleans up easily with soap and water. Beeswax is all natural too,
and making beeswax candles is often easiest because you simply wrap a
sheet of beeswax tightly around a wick then seal it with your thumb,
which means no melting is required.
To begin, spread newspapers around the candle making area. First you
melt your paraffin or soy wax and it must be double-boiled. Usually
you place a large pot that is about half-filled with water on a burner
over low-medium heat, place a melter in the water, then gradually
place wax pieces into the melter. When the wax has melted, you can add
coloring or fragrance as desired.
To make molded candles, cut the wick two inches taller than you want
the candle to be, then thread it through the hole at the bottom of the
mold, then plug the outside of the hole with putty. Place a pencil or
similar item over the top of the mold and tie the top of the wick to
it, centering the wick. If the mold is cardboard, plastic, or glass,
heat the wax to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. If the mold is metal, then
heat the wax to 190 degrees. You can use a candle or candy thermometer
to measure this. When the right temperature is reached, lift the
melter by the handle and slowly pour the wax into the mold. Let cool
for twelve hours then refrigerate for twelve more hours, then your
candle is ready to be removed.
To make votives and other small container candles, you can use pre-
tabbed wicks by simply placing them in the center of the votive candle
molds or containers, then pour the wax mixture over and let stand for
twelve hours, refrigerating the votives.
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How To Make Gel Candles - 11 Easy Steps
By Tanya Turner
Do you love burning beautiful, scented candles? And do you know that
you can easily make them yourself? It is exciting and not at all
difficult. Here are 12 easy steps to creating unique candles that you
can burn at home, give as gifts, or even sell.
Materials for gel candle making
You will need:
- gel
- zinc wicks (don't use cotton wicks because they absorb too much gel)
- essential oil for fragrance
- liquid color dye
- embeds (optional)
All these materials can be obtained online from candle making
suppliers. It is important to use essential oils and colors specially
made for gel candles; fragrance oils you can buy in a cosmetic shop
are not suitable. Also, you can buy a gel candle making kit. Getting a
kit is the best solution for a beginner, because it will include
everything you need to make your first few candles
And of course you will need a container. The best container for a gel
candle is glass, so people can see the embeds you put inside the
candle, but any non-flammable container would do. You can use any
glass, wine glass, or even a small wide vase, but your container
should be at least 2 inches in diameter. Garage sales and second hand
stores are gold mines, when it comes to candle containers.
For embeds you can use anything non-flammable - colored aquarium
gravel, marbles, glitter, sand, sea shells, pebbles, crystals,
polished stones, artificial jewels or pearls.
Steps to making a gel candle
1. Place a little bit of hot glue in the center of the container
bottom. Stick the wick in it and let the glue set.
2. Cut the gel into small pieces so it melts faster and more evenly.
Melt it in a stainless steel pot over a medium heat.
3. The trickiest part is the temperature - you should get it to
exactly 200°F, because overheated gel looses its clarity. For that,
you will need a suitable thermometer.
4. Maintain the temperature at 200°; all the gel should melt and
become smooth, like syrup.
5. Add color dye to the melted gel, a little bit at a time, until you
get the desired color - remember, you can always add more dye to make
the color stronger, but you can’t take dye
away. For a candle with embedded objects, you should use only a little
color, so the objects remain visible
6. Add the fragrance - 1/3 teaspoon for each glass of melted gel will
give it a nice scent. For a stronger scent, add a bit more fragrance.
7. Heat the container in the oven or microwave to about 150-160°F.
This will help to reduce the appearance of bubbles
8. If you want to use embeds, dip them in hot gel first and then
arrange them in the container as you like. It is better to keep the
objects closer to the sides of the container - they will be easier to
see, this way.
9. Now it is time to pour your gel into the container. Place your
container on a level surface and pour the gel slowly and carefully
down the side. If it is your first time, you will probably get a few
bubbles; to avoid that, the gel should be still very hot.
10. Pull the wick up. Roll it on a pencil to keep it straight.
11. Let the candle cool. Trim the wick and you are done! You have a
beautiful, unique gel candle, made by yourself.
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