How to Get Started Making Candles

Making your own candles can be a fun hobby for you and your family to enjoy. Candles make the perfect homemade gifts. There are so many kinds of candles that you can make, including pillar, votive and container candles. Start by making a basic votive candle since they are usually the easiest to create. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Large pot
• Candle wax
• Additives
• Fragrance oil
• Dye
• Metal molds
• 2.5-inch pre-tabbed wicks
• Thermometer

1. Melt the candle wax in a double boiler or large kettle until it reaches a temperature of 175 degrees. Mix in additives such as vybar or stearic acid to increase hardness and reduce bubbles in your wax. Next, add your fragrance oil if you want a scent, and liquid dye or dye chips for color.

2. Line your work surface with newspapers to catch spills. Pour the wax into the votive molds up to the lip of each mold, without overflowing. Reserve at least a quarter of the candle wax.

3. Straighten your candle wicks while the wax is cooling slightly. Then, insert the wicks into the congealed wax until the tabs stick to the bottom center of the molds. Let the wax completely cool in the votive molds for three to four hours.

4. Melt the reserved wax until it reaches 190 degrees. Use the reserved wax to carefully fill the depressions left in the center of the votives as the wax cooled, so that each candle rises slightly above the lip of the mold. Again, cool your candles for another three to four hours.

5. Remove the candles from the molds by letting them slide out. Make sure the candles are completely cooled before removing them. Place the finished candles into votive candle holders before lighting them.

Tips & Warnings

• Lightly coat brand new votive molds with cooking spray so that the finished candle can be easily released. The wax, additives, fragrance oil and dye can be found at most craft stores or candle and soap making shops.
• You must always wait for the wax to begin congealing before inserting the candle wicks. The wax temperature is cool enough at this stage so that it doesn't affect the wick's firmness. Also, the congealed wax helps the metal tab at the bottom of the wick stick to the mold's base.
• If the candles don't slide out of the molds easily, place your candles in the freezer for up to 10 minutes, or gently press in the sides of the molds while rolling them with your hands.