DIY: Making scented candles
Did you know that you can easily make your own candles? Nice for the winter when the candles come out of the closet again, what about your own citronella candle in the summer against mosquitoes, or just for a nice evening on the couch with a nice book. I'm happy to explain to you how to make these.
SUPPLIES
- Glass in which you want to make your candle (see tip below)
- 50 g soy wax (amount depends on the size of your final candle, see tip below)
- A (cotton) candle wick
- approx. 2 ml essential oil of your choice* (easy to measure with a pipette )
- Optional: mica powder for some extra sparkle and/or gemstone chips
- Handy: Bain-marie melting pot
PREPARATION
- Fill a small (sauce)pan with water and bring it to a boil. Then place the melting pot on the pan with boiling water, so that it is heated by the steam from the boiling water.
- Place the soy wax in the melting pan and let it melt slowly (au bain-marie).
- Dip the bottom of the wick in the melted candle wax and stick it to the bottom of your glass where you want to make the candle. This will keep it centered later.
- Once the soy wax has melted, remove the melting pot from your other pot and let the mixture cool slightly, until it starts to solidify a little around the edge. 💡 TIP: I place the melting pot on a tea towel or a coaster on the counter.
- Add the drops of your chosen essential oil(s) and stir to ensure they are well incorporated and distributed throughout the soy wax.
- If desired, add some mica powder to the mixture.
- Pour your melted mixture into the glass and let it solidify.
- If desired, decorate the top of the candle with some mica powder and/or some gemstone chips.
And voilà, a beautiful evening can begin!
TIPS & TRICKS
💡 TIP: You can buy glasses to make your candle in at stores such as Hema or Action. I recommend choosing a glass that is suitable for the oven because of the heat of the candle.
💡 TIP: The recipe above is designed to make a small candle (slightly larger than a tea light). Do you want to know how much soy wax you need for your candle? As a guideline, use 1 ml of water = 1 gram . This is not quite the same for wax, but you can use it as a handy guideline to determine approximately how much wax you need. Fill your glass with water and measure this amount in a measuring cup, this is approximately how much soy wax you need to make your candle. If necessary, adjust the recipe to the amount of soy wax you have chosen.
💡 TIP: In addition to melted candle wax, you can also use a clothes peg to secure (hold) your wick in your glass. There are also special holders that you can put your wick in.
💡 TIP: Only add the drops of essential oil once the melted wax has cooled down a bit. The hotter the wax is, the more your essential oil will evaporate and the less strong your final candle will be. What a waste!
💡 TIP: Is your candle finished and do you want to reuse your glass? Simply clean your glass by filling it with boiling water, which will melt the remaining wax. Once the water has cooled down again, the wax will solidify on the surface of the water and you can easily remove it. Just wipe the glass and you can reuse it. By the way, you can also clean your melting pot this way ;)
💡 TIP: Prefer to watch a video? Check the highlight 'DIY Candle' on our Instagram account .
*NB:
- Essential oils used in candles often have a less strong scent than the synthetic substances often used in ready-made scented candles.
- Take pets and (small) children into account when choosing your essential oils.
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Disclaimer:
It is very important that you use 100% pure essential oils and that you are well informed about which oils you can take responsibly and which oils you cannot take.
There is a potential interaction between medications and essential oils, including an increase in the side effects of medications. Consult your physician if you have any questions about implementing essential oils into your daily routine. Pay particular attention to which essential oil is safe to use in the event of a (possible) pregnancy and when using blood thinners. Special guidelines also apply to children. Consult a qualified physician for this.
This information has been compiled with the utmost care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease, nor is it intended to replace medical advice from professional physicians and medicines. Anyone suffering from illness or injury should consult a qualified physician.
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