Whether you are creating unique gifts for family and friends or just finding a use for your authentic essential oil collection, homemade candles are a fun and easy choice.
Although your candles can get as complex as you want them to be, creating all-natural candles with essential oils is fairly simple. But there are a few things you should know before you get started. If all else fails, then you can always look on sites such as Little Miss Twiggie Twinkles, as an alternative, to find that perfect wax melt you can use instead of a scented candle!
Before you start melting your wax and rolling out wicks, read through these simple tips and tricks to make your candle creating processes run smoothly.
Why Use Essential Oils Over Fragrance Scents
Research has come out in the last few years revealing that many of the things we use to freshen the air in our house could be dangerous to our health.
Reporter John Naish from the Daily Mail recently compiled a number of studies in a hard-hitting article that outlined the health dangers scientists have found related to candles. Everything from asthma to cancer have been tied to fragrance candles, incense, and synthetic air fresheners.
Scientists have found that paraffin wax, what most scented candles are made of, leaves an ultra-fine soot that contains particles of acetone, benzene, and toluene-all known carcinogens that you would expect to come out of diesel emissions, not house candles. Other chemicals, such as formaldehyde, have been found in popular fragrance brands.
This news started a storm of upset homemakers looking for healthier alternatives to their favorite scents, and essential oils were an easy answer.
Essential oils have a lot of positive qualities that have made them popular choices for candle-making.
- They are 100 percent natural so you can burn candles without worrying about harmful chemicals being released into the air
- They are highly concentrated, so you can use as few as five drops to scent your candle
Winning Scent Combinations
Depending on the scent strength you want to give your candles and the concentration of your oils, you can use as little as a few drops or half an ounce per pound of wax.
Whether you want to conserve some of your favorite oils or get creative with a fresh aroma, combining essential oils can be a fun part of your candle-making process. You might even think about experimenting a little more and make some of your own scented wax melts, such as these wax melts you can find online. It could be an extra way to use unused supplies, or even reuse any wax you have.
Experiment with mixing your top scents to create new, interesting smells or follow some of these simple recipes for classic candle smells.
Floral
- 5 drops Lavender essential oil
- 3 drops Chamomile essential oil
- 2 drops Geranium essential oil
Woodsy
- 6 drops Chamomile essential oil
- 2 drops Myrrh essential oil
- 2 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
Sensual
- 7 drops Sandalwood essential oil
- 2 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
- 1 drop Jasmine essential oil
Ingredients and Tools
- Soy flakes or soy wax-although you don’t have to use soy to make your essential oil candle, many people choose to and it’s fairly easy to get a hold of. You can also use beeswax, but it can be more difficult to use and expensive.
- Wicks with a metal base
- Essential oils
- Glass or metal jars to house the candles
- A wooden utensil to stir the wax
- A glass bowl or double-broiler to melt wax
- Thermometer
How to Make Essential Oil Candles
- Place wick at the center of the jar, metal side down. Trim the top if the wick is too long.
- Melt wax carefully using a glass container. You can do this in the microwave or using a double-broiler. Heat wax until it reaches 170 degrees. Be careful not to overheat it.
- Once wax is melted, add essential oils and stir until they are completely mixed.
- Let wax cool to 100 degrees and then carefully pour the wax into the candle jar. Re-adjust the wick if necessary.
- Cover the candle with a cloth and allow it to cool gradually at room temperature.
- Let your candle set for a few days before burning it to achieve the best results.
Conclusion
Remember to use caution when handling hot wax and have fun with your essential oil scents. It may take a few tries to get everything perfect, but once you do you’ll never buy a candle again!
Sources
http://candles.lovetoknow.com/How_to_Make_Soy_Candles_With_Essential_Oils
http://candlemaking.craftgossip.com/fragrance-oil-vs-essential-oil-in-candle-making/2011/06/07/
http://blog.generalwax.com/scents/aromatherapy-candles/
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3497/5-Aromatherapy-Oils-Everyone-Should-Have-at-Home.html
http://www.easy-aromatherapy-recipes.com/soy-candle-recipe.html
http://livesimply.me/2014/11/30/diy-homemade-candles-natural-lavender-rosemary-scent/