Candle Making: A Simple & Fun Guide for Beginners
Hey there! If you love candles as much as I do, you’re in for a treat. We’ve been sharing our candle-making wisdom on this blog for almost ten years, so I decided it was high time to put together an easy-to-follow beginner’s guide. Plus, I’ll give you some links to past projects you might want to tackle next.
Making candles is a pretty simple DIY project that almost anyone can do. You just need a few basic supplies, including a stovetop or something to melt wax.
I absolutely love making candles for myself—I always have one burning in my kitchen every evening. And homemade candles make such heartfelt gifts for housewarmings, weddings, birthdays, Mother’s Day, or holidays. Basically, any occasion is a good excuse to make a candle!
Candle Making Supplies – Basics
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- Wax: You can use beeswax, soy, paraffin, palm, or gel.
- Wick: Options include ECO wicks, hemp, or wood (pick different sizes based on the thickness of your candle).
- Adhesive: Wick stickers or a hot glue gun.
- Scent: Essential oils or ready-made blends.
- Containers/Vessels: Glass, ceramic, or metal.
- Melting Pot and Larger Pot: To create a double boiler.
- Kitchen Thermometer
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Spoon
- Clothespin or Stick: To hold the wick in place (pencils, skewers, or chopsticks work too).
- Candle Wick Trimmer or Scissors
- Kitchen Scale (optional but handy)
How to Make a Candle – the Basics
- Measure your wax: Fill your container with wax pellets, then use a kitchen scale to weigh the wax and determine how much scent oil you need.
- Melt the wax: Add the wax to your melting pot.
- Double boiler setup: Fill your larger pot with enough water to cover the melting pot halfway.
- Heat it up: Place your double boiler on medium heat. This will prevent the wax from overheating.
- Check the temperature: Heat the wax to 185°F, using your thermometer to check.
- Add the scent: Stir in the scent oil for a well-distributed fragrance.
- Cool it down: Let the wax mixture cool to 125°F.
- Prepare the wick: Attach the wick to the bottom center of the container with a wick sticker or hot glue. Use a clothespin or stick to keep it centered.
- Pour the wax: Once the wax has cooled, pour it into the container. If the wick moves, adjust it while the wax is still liquid.
- Trim the wick: After your candle hardens, trim the wick to about 1/4 inch.
Types of Wax & Wicks
- Beeswax: Natural, with a subtle sweet fragrance. Check out our tutorial on making beeswax candles.
- Soy Wax: Natural and often blended. Usually cheaper than beeswax. Learn how to make soy candles.
- Paraffin Wax: Most affordable but less natural.
- ECO Wicks: Made from cotton and paper.
- Hemp Wicks: Made from hemp.
- Wood Wicks: Explore our DIY wood wick candles guide.
These are the most common types you’ll use as a beginner.
What is Scent Throw?
Scent throw refers to how far the fragrance from your candle will spread. It depends on:
- The type of wax
- Thickness of the wick
- Amount of scent oil used
- Temperature of the wax when you add the scent oil
Hotter wax usually means a smaller scent throw. And while you might think extra scent oil equals more fragrance, too much oil can actually hamper your candle’s performance. Aim for about 1 ounce of scent oil per pound of wax. A kitchen scale will help you get this right.
How to Make Molded Candles
Making molded candles is a bit different since you won’t need a container. You can reuse molds if you take good care of them. Check out our guide to making flower pillar candles for detailed steps. Some cute mold options:
- Bubble candle molds
- Twisted candle stick molds
- Knot candle mold
- Geometric candle molds
Where to Buy Containers
- Used: Thrift stores or repurpose cleaned-out food containers like pickle jars. Avoid plastic or anything flammable.
- New: Options include pretty pink glasses, handblown colorful glass, or footed planters.
- Check out our tips on removing wax from used candle containers so you can reuse them!