Candle Making For Dummies

Soy candles are natural and burn cleaner then paraffin candle wax.  The popularity of them is growing.  Although soy wax is a little bit more expensive then paraffin wax, people who have used and made soy candles are quickly becoming addicted to them.

Soy wax is a vegetable wax that is made from soybeans.  The oil is extracted from the soybean flakes and hydrogenated.  The majority of the world’s soybeans are grown in the United States in Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana.  It is believed that soy candles burn cleaner then paraffin candles.  This is true to an extent.  All candles emit soot.  There is no way around that.  But, paraffin candles emit black soot while soy candles emit white soot.  While soot is not harmful to people, white soot is a little cleaner then black.

The only thing that is really different about making soy candles then paraffin candles is the wax.  They both use the same techniques and equipment.  You can use a double boiler to melt the soy wax.  A double boiler is a smaller pot with the wax is placed in a larger pot full of water that is placed on the stovetop.  Heat the soy wax to 150 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.  Be careful not to keep the melted wax above 150 degrees Fahrenheit for too long because it could burn which will give the wax a yellowish appearance.  Ounce the wax is fully melted you can add the color you would like.  You can then remove it from the heat and add the fragrance.  It is best to use 7% fragrance by weight.  That simply means that for every one pound of soy wax, you can use 1.12 ounces of fragrance oil.  If the fragrance concentration is too high, it may bleed through the candle.  The soy wax can be about 140 – 150 degrees Fahrenheit.  You can then pour the wax into the mold to cool.  Be careful not to pour the wax at too low of a temperature or the candle could crack.  The wax should be between 95 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit.  You should also not use water to cool the candle quickly.  This could also cause the candle to crack.

Although soy wax candles and paraffin wax candles are mostly the same, there are a couple of differences.  Soy wax is a softer wax so it is not suitable for some types of candles.  For instance, soy wax does not work well when you are trying to make novelty candles.  It also do not work well for pillar candles.  You can also not make taper candles with soy wax.  Floating soy candles can be made if they are up to 3 inches in diameter.

If you can make candles with paraffin wax, you can make candles with soy wax.  Making candles is kind of like trying out a new food recipe; sometimes you have to try things one way then the other to see which works best for you.  The bottom line is that soy wax and paraffin wax both hold scent and color the same in candles but, it is great to learn how to make a new kind of candle and offer a variety in your candle making whether you are making candles for pleasure or a business.

Gel candles exude a beauty of a different kind when lit. These transparent candles glow and burn for longer periods, as compared to the wax ones. Gel candles are perfect for decorating your home or as gifts. If you are conversant with making gel candles, you can also start selling them, as homemade gel candles are very much in demand. You can enhance the beauty of these candles by adding some unique fragrances and embeds, like glitter, shells, glass beads, etc. It is very easy to make gel candles, provided you have all the materials required. Let us take a look at how to make gel candles.

Materials Required

Making gel candles is not exactly like making wax candles and so, the materials required are also different. You need gel, zinc wicks, fragrance or essential oil, liquid color dye and embeds, the last one being optional. You may not get all these materials from a local store. If you could not get these materials, go online and purchase them, or else buy a gel candle making kit. Such kits are very much suited for beginners, as these kits contain everything needed for making gel candles. If you are purchasing the materials from suppliers who do not specialize in the field of gel candle making, then you have to make sure that the colors and fragrances are suitable for gel candle making.

You should have some sort of container to pour the gel into. Glass is the best option, as it can display the transparency of the gel as well as the embeds. The containers should have a minimum diameter of 2 inches. If you don’t have a glass container, any non-inflammable container will serve the purpose. The same is applicable for embeds too. The materials should not be flammable. Unlike wax candles, zinc wicks are used in gel candles, as cotton wicks absorb too much gel. Gel candles are made of gel, which consists of 95% mineral oil and 5% polymer resin. The resin, which is in the form of a powder, transforms to a more solid state like jelly, when mixed with mineral oil. This gel comes in three different forms, according to the density. Namely low, medium and high density. As the density of the gel increases, it can hold more fragrance and embeds, but it takes more time for a thicker gel to melt and pouring thick gels is difficult, as compared to the lighter versions. However, unlike paraffin wax, gel takes very long time to melt.

How to Make Gel Candles?

You can make your own gel candles with the required material and a little patience. But the whole process has to to be done very carefully. The following are the various steps regarding how to make gel candles.

• You can start with adding some hot glue to the center of the container’s bottom. Now, stick the wick to the glue and let it set for awhile.
• In case you are making a scented wax candle, a double cooker is used to melt the wax, but it will take a very long time to melt the gel. Hence, it is better to use a multi cooker for this purpose. Even though a multi cooker is attached with a temperature control and heating element, it is advisable to double check the melting point and pouring temperature with a separatethermometer.
• Cut the gel into small pieces and let it melt in the cooker. Stir the gel with a metal or hard plastic spoon. Wooden spoons should be avoided as they can create bubbles in the mixture. Also make sure that you have a fire extinguisher handy, as the gel is more combustible than wax. The fire extinguisher should be the chemical kind and not the water kind, as water can augment the fire in this case. You must also use a heat-resistant apron and gloves along with safety glasses for fire safety.
• Check the temperature regularly and once it reaches 200° F, wait till the gel becomes smooth and syrupy. Now you can add the liquid dye, specifically meant for gel candles. Water-based dyes, paste dyes and color blocks can’t be used for this purpose, as these dyes won’t mix properly with the gel and can make the gel cloudy. Only a small amount of dye (less than a drop) is used to maintain the transparent look of the gel and also to make the embeds visible.
• If you want to make scented gel candles, you can add essential oil to the gel. You can also add fruit fragrances to get fruit gel candles. The fragrance you use should have a flash point of at least 170° F and should be non-polar, to avoid clouding the gel. It is always better to make sure that the fragrance is suited for gel candles, at the time of purchase. The recommended measurement is ½ ounce for one pound of gel. You can decrease or increase the amount as per the fragrance.
• Now you can pour the gel into the container. You can heat the gel in the microwave for a minute before pouring it, to avoid air bubbles. If you want any embeds at the base of the container, place them before you add the gel. Now pour the gel slowly into the container, and add the embeds, like fruit-shaped ones, shells, etc. Once the pouring is done, you have to quickly position the wick to the center of the container. Even the position of the embeds can be changed. It is always better for the embeds to be placed near the glass. Trim the wick and let the candle cool for at least four hours.

Your scented gel candle is ready. If you are satisfied with the results, you can practice till you find yourself conversant with the art. You can even get some gel candle ideas from the Internet or from your friends. Now splurge your creativity and create your own unique gel candles.

By Sonia Nair
Published: 8/25/2009

Scented candles are popular crafts that people use to decorate their homes or gift somebody on special occasions. These candles not only look beautiful but also spread wonderful fragrance. These decorative candles are expensive due to their rising popularity. Many a times it happens that you do not get long time fragrance of the candle after buying from the store.

Scented Candle Essentials
You must be wondering how to make scented candles at home! The answer is short and simple, all you need is basic equipments, like wax, molding container, scent and follow a proper procedure. Let us make a list of materials required for how to make scented candles.

• Paraffin Wax
• Molding Container of Desired Shape
• Scent
• Thermometer
• Candle Wick
• Pouring Container
• Color
• Heat Source

NOTE: Wax is an inflammable material, you need to be careful while handling it. Keep a fire extinguisher near you, you may need it in case of emergency. If you have small children around, then keep them away from the process of making candle. It is necessary that you take appropriate safety measures during the whole procedure of making scented candles.

How to Make Scented Candles?
Before you start working on making your candle, it is necessary that you arrange the required equipments properly. Paraffin wax is available at all stores and buy the amount that is required for the size of candle you want to make. Then comes the important material i.e. the mold for the candle. Usually pillar candles, that are cylindrical in shape, are common shapes for candles. You will get the molds for this shape at any store that keeps materials required for crafts. If you want to go for different unusual shapes you will have to explore more stores. You can even make scented candles in a glass or any transparent container at your home. Candle wicks are available at almost all general stores. Scents used for these candles are of two types, solid and liquid scents, out of which the aroma of liquid scents lasts longer as compared to solid scent. Buy the color you want to give for your scented candle. There are three forms for wax color, powder, liquid or color chip. Choose the appropriate one that fulfills your needs. You require a thermometer to keep an eye of the wax temperature. Heat source is required to melt the paraffin wax in a pouring container. You can use a simple burner for this. The heat source should be such that it is easy to clean in case the wax spills. For pouring container you can choose a tin container, with a small spout so that it makes pouring the melted wax into the mold easy. Once you have gathered all these materials you can start making the scented candle using steps given below.

Step #1: Place the paraffin wax in the pouring container kept over the lit heat source. Insert the thermometer in the melting wax. The temperature of the wax should not exceed 175 degree Fahrenheit or 80 degree Celsius.

Step #2: Add the chosen color of the wax and stir the mixture slowly. Color chips are the best to work with while making scented candles. Remember the color of the wax changes when it cools down, so add the color accordingly. Later add the scent to the mixture.

Step #3: By the time the wax melts, prepare the wax mold. Place the candle wick at the bottom of the container with its end protruding out. Use a pen/pencil or some wooden support for the same.

Step #4: Once the wax and the added contents are mixed properly, pour the mixture carefully in the mold. The wax will start cooling down and will contract, you need to make some holes on the surface to let go the air stuck inside. The surface of the wax will be a bit sunk near the wick, so add more wax into the mold until you get a flat surface through out. Leave the wax to set and your scented candle is ready.

Step #5: Carefully remove the candle from the mold. Use innovative ideas to decorate the candle.

Instead of spending money buying high priced richly scented candles at the shops, why not learn how to make scented candles at home with very less expenditure. Wouldn’t it be great to make a scented candle by yourself and gift it to your dear ones. You can even teach your friends about how to make scented candles and enjoy the craft.

By Mayuri Kulkarni
Published: 8/20/2009

Before electricity was invented, candles were used to illuminate houses. But these days, a candle has many uses, other than lighting. A candle is no more just a solidified form of wax; candle making is a craft that can be used as decorations in any room or make a great, romantic candlelight dinner. Wax candles can be decorated using lot of accessories. Scented candles that spread great fragrance are in trend these days. Candle making is an art that is easy to develop. Wax candles are simple to make and give you an opportunity to use the unique ideas of the craft. Before learning about how to make a wax candle, deciding the type of wax you want to use is equally important

Types of Candle Wax

There are a number of waxes that are used to make candles. They are paraffin wax, soy wax and beeswax. Paraffin wax is an inexpensive wax and is more commonly used for making wax candles. It is made from petroleum products and is easily available at all the general stores. Soy wax, as the name suggests, is made from soybean oil.Soy wax candles are quite popular these days, as they are renewable and burn longer as compared to other types of candle wax. Beeswax is made from the wax that is stored in the honeycomb. Beeswax, being a completely natural form of wax, is the safest to use for making candles, but can turn out to be a bit expensive as compared to other types of wax.

Step by Step Instructions on How to Make Wax Candles

Once you’ve decided on the type of wax you are going to use, you can collect the other ingredients and then follow the instructions as given below. The list of materials required to make wax candles is as follows:

• Wax (paraffin, soy, beeswax)
• Molding container
• Pouring container
• Melting container
• Candle wick
• Thermometer
• Heat source
• Color
• Scent (if required)

Step #1: Arrange all the materials required for making the wax candle. Candle wicks, wax and molds are available at all craft stores. Use an easy-to-clean heat source, as the wax may spill. The thermometer is necessary to keep an eye on the temperature of the melting wax.

Step #2: After arranging the materials required, you can start making the wax candle. Take a large container and fill it with water, leave it to boil on the heat source. Do not melt the wax directly. Take a small container with wax and keep it in boiling water. Insert thermometer in melting wax. The temperature should not exceed 80 degrees Celsius.

Step #3: Once the wax has melted completely, add color and fragrance. Stir the mixture, until all the ingredients blend properly. Place the candle wick vertically at the center of the base of the mold, with the help of supporting toothpick or pencil.

Step #4: Then pour the melted wax carefully into the mold. Tap the mold slowly to remove air bubbles, if any. Make a few holes on the surface of the wax and add melted wax, until you get a flat surface. Let the wax cool down for at least a day, after which your homemade wax candle is ready.

Now that you know how to make wax candles, try to make one. Scented wax candles are a piece of art that you can gift to your near and dear ones on special occasions.

Making your own candles is a favorite craft and hobby many individuals. They find the process to be enjoyable and relaxing. Candle makers have been know to turn to their hobby in times of stress. For some candle makers, once they learn the basics they are ready for new challenges. Purchasing books on candle making can provide you with everything from basic instructions, tips, and creative ideas to make beautiful candles. Most candle making books offer wonderful illustrations as well as step by step instructions.

The type of book you want to purchase will depend on your candle making experience, the types of candles you are interested in making, and if you are making candles for fun or to sell. Take the time to explore what each book has to offer you before making a purchase so that you won’t be disappointed. You might also check with your local library for books on candle making. If you find one there you really like then you have the option to purchase it. You can also find great discounts on used candle making books online at Ebay and Yahoo Auctions.

“The Candle Maker’s Companion” by Betty Oppenheimer and Deborah Balmuth is considered to be the “must have” candle making book. It offers information for everyone including beginners and advanced. Another great choice is “The Encyclopedia of Candle Making Techniques”. This book has gotten rave reviews for providing quality information in an easy to understand form.

For those of you who have a solid foundation of basic candle making processes, consider trying “The Complete Candle Maker Techniques, Projects, and Inspirations”. The book offers great photos of forty different candles you can make. There are step by step instructions to help you make any of them that interest you. This book includes great tips and points as well to help candle makers avoid the common mistakes that affect the results of their candles.

For those of you who enjoy making candles for special occasions and holidays, the book “Creative Candles: Over 40 Inspiring Projects for Making and Decorating Candles for Every Occasion” by Sue Spear is a great book to consider for your collection. This book features candle making ideas for Halloween, Easter, and Christmas. There are also ideas for creating candles to use as center pieces and for wedding decorations.

If you are interested in doing candle making with your children, “Great Candles” is especially designed with fun candles that are easy to do with them. The book is also written in a way that children will be interested in reading it as well. The internet is a great resource to find other great candle making books to meet your expectations.

Candle making is a great pastime. You can educate yourself on the areas of candle making by exploring various books. There are books designed for all candle making levels of expertise as well as on particular themes of candles and types of candles. The market is flooded with resources in the area of candle making, so the process of tracking down a few good books on the subject should be easy as well as fairly inexpensive. Remember to check the library, local book sales, and yard sales for these books as well. Compare prices online to make sure you get the best price for the ones you are interested in.