How to Make Highly Scented Candles

These unusual little vintage glasses make interesting candle holders.

Scented candles can be a key element for chic interior decorating, as they appeal to multiple senses. Highly scented name brands, however, can be expensive. For a thrifty and more personal touch, make your own scented candles out of wax beads. They're easy to work with and burn well. Many different types of wax -- paraffin, palm oil, soy -- are available in bead form. Different colors of beads are also available. Choose a color that complements your decor, but buy them unscented so you can add your own custom-made fragrance.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Glass or ceramic jar
• Fragrance oil
• Wax candle-making beads
• Wicks
• Wooden skewer

1. Wash and dry a glass or ceramic container with a top opening of at least 2 inches. Jars or glasses with interesting shapes and colors that coordinate with your decor work well. Craft and hobby stores carry jars made especially for candle-making, and you can find unusual containers, such as a small bowl or teacup, at thrift stores, yard sales and even your own home.

2. Experiment with various mixtures of fragrance oil to mix a custom fragrance. In small glass saucers, mix together a few drops of different oils, playing around with the proportions. There are many varieties of scented fragrance oils -- combinations are endless.

3. Pour enough of the wax beads to fill your container into a small zip-close plastic bag. Add a few drops of your fragrance blend and shake. The oil makes the beads stick to the plastic, so gently knead the bag to make sure all the beads are coated with oil. Open the bag and sniff. The scent of the finished candle will be less strong than the beads alone, so add a small amount of oil and mix again. Repeat until the scent is strong enough. While it's tempting to just dump in a lot of oil all at once, it's impossible to undo if the scent is too strong.

4. Fill the container, up to about one-half inch from the top, with the scented beads. With a wooden skewer, poke a hole where the wick, or wicks, will be and gently guide the wick(s) in place. Be sure the wick is at least three-quarters of an inch from the sides of the container.

5. Tap down the beads gently with a disposable plastic spoon, being careful not the crush the wick(s).

Tips & Warnings

• A few wicks will usually be included with the beads. If not, purchase wicks separately.

References

• Candle Making at Home: Candle Ingredients