How to Make Candles (the easy way)

Hey everyone! December totally escaped me and I hadn’t had time to post this blog but I’m really excited to share it now. Right after David and I got engaged, my mom found out she had leukemia. After doing some research, we discovered that paraffin wax (common in candles) is linked to cancer. My mom and I’s favorite Bath & Body Works candles contain paraffin wax so we had to put our obsession to rest. A few months later, I learned how to make my own candles from soy wax! So I’m sharing how to make soy candles (the easy way!)

What Do You Need to Make Candles?

• Pouring pot
• 2 quart pot
• Soy wax
• Candle wicks
• Jars
• Scent
• Wick center

Melting the Wax

The first thing you need is a 2 quart pot filled with about two inches of water. Set it on your burner and turn the burner up to medium. Then you’ll take your pouring pot (the one I use is linked here) and you’ll fill it about half way with soy wax. Rest it between the pot and it’s handle as shown above. This will make enough for a votive candle like the one shown above. It takes about 30 minutes for the wax to melt all the way, so just keep an eye on it!

Adding Candle Scent

Once the wax has melt in the pouring pot, continue letting it heat up for 5 minutes or so. You don’t want it boiling per se, but it needs to be good and hot! I don’t use a thermometer as that just complicates the entire process, however many others I’ve talked to do use them for accuracy. I don’t sell my candles, so having them be “perfect” isn’t my goal. I just want to enjoy them and give them as gifts!

Once you’ve let the wax get hot, then you can remove it from the pot and add your scent in. Candle Science makes really great scents and so does Michael’s! In my experience, you need to add a lot of scent oil to really make the fragrance strong. This comes with a little trial and error. For a votive-sized candle, about 15-20 drops of the oil should work. Be sure to stir it in so the scent is equally distributed. A wooden skewer works well to mix it with!

Pouring the Wax

Take your candle wicks and put them in your jars. Don’t worry about keeping them straight right now. The hot wax will melt the outer coating of your wicks and become limp (but there’s a way to fix this!) Slowly pour the wax in the jar.

Take your candle center and thread the wick through it to center it. That’s it! Your done! The wax will harden completely after a few hours. I gave these candles to a few of David’s workers and they liked them! They’re really great for simple, inexpensive gifts that are still personal and well-thought out. If you have any questions, let me know!