How To Make Scented Soy Wax Candles

Nothing says Christmas like a gift from the heart, made with love and thought, received from a loved one. If you have a flare for creativity, appreciate personal gifts and enjoy the satisfaction of making beautiful things then keep reading! This is the second post in a series of simple ‘How To’ guides with step by step instructions to make homemade self care gifts (Read: Homemade Christmas Gifts: How To Make Relaxing Lavender Bath Salts). I always imagined homemade scented candles would be tricky to make… but with guidance and practice anyone can do it! With this step-by-step guide, you will be making elegantly scented candles in no time.

This is the second Christmas I have gifted homemade scented candles to family and friends, and they are always gratefully received. Since my first attempt, I have learnt some tips and tricks to improve the finished result and make the process easier (and less messy!). In this guide I will share how to make candles in glass jars with dyes and essential/fragrance oils. Let’s get to it!

WARNING: Please take caution using hot wax. Contact with the skin could cause burns, so ensure you wear sufficient protective clothing, keep a tidy workspace and use oven gloves to handle hot equipment.

Supplies

Before starting, please read this whole post to make sure you have all the equipment you need. The ingredients and equipment that you will need to make your blissfully scented candles are listed below with helpful guidance for quantities and links to products I used. Whilst you can use different types of wax, I prefer soy over paraffin. Paraffin wax gives off chemicals into the air when it burns, and can cause side effects such as headaches. Soy however is better for the environment and healthier for the home and the family.

Ingredients

Soy wax

Essential oils

Pre-waxed candle wicks and bases

Wax dyes (optional)

Quantities

Top Tip: Write a list of people you would like to gift a candle, with the style, colour and scent suited to them. This will help guide your quantities. The amount of wax you need will depend on the size of the jars you are using. I made 8 candles of different sizes (between 250ml and 500ml) with 2kg of wax.

Rather than weighing out wax, I choose to melt wax in a jug with millimetre measurements. Once it is melted I can see how many ml of wax I have. You will need to add between 5-10% of scent (depending on its strength). So for 500ml of wax, you will need between 25-50ml of scented oil. The Fresh Linen scent I use is strong enough to only require 5%, however Lavender is a subtler scent requiring around 10%.

If you wish to add colour to your wax, the product you purchase will have guidance on the quantity required to achieve the desired colour. The wax melts I use suggests 1-2 grams of dye per 1kg of wax.

Costs and links

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The cost of soy wax varies across suppliers and by quantity. Priced at £10.95 for 2kg of Moldmaster Soy Wax (as of 04/10/2020) on Amazon. They also sell larger quantities which work out cheaper per kg.

Essential oils and fragrances also vary greatly in cost. If you opt for essential oils, be sure they are 100% pure for the best scent and quality. I buy from FreshSkin Beauty, their Fresh Linen Fragrance Oil is lovely (my friends love it too!) and Lavender Essential Oil feels great quality for a reasonable price. Their oils cost around £7 per 100ml.

Wax dyes are completely optional. I love the cool fresh white of soy wax, but it is fun to play with different colours for new creations. I used wax dye melts from Hobbycraft, costing £4.50 for 3 colours with 3g of each.

You can buy unwaxed candle wick to dip in wax before use, or you can buy pre-waxed and cut wicks with bases. Both options are equally fine, but this time I opted for pre-waxed wicks with bases already attached from Amazon to save time. This set linked also comes with round stickers to keep the bases secured to the bottom of the jars, and a wick holder to keep it centred.

Equipment

Candle jars

Large glass measuring jug

Scoop

Microwave (if you don’t have one, to melt the wax place it in a metal jug and stand the jug in a saucepan of water on the hob)

Wick holders (or improvise with card, pegs or pencils)

Sticky tape (optional but I find useful for holding wicks in place)

Thermometer (I purchased this one from Ebay for just a few pounds)

Table mats (optional to protect surfaces from wax and heat)

Scissors

String

Labels

Pen

Instructions

Step 1

Line up your clean and dry jars on a heat protected, flat and level surface. Use stickers or sticky tape to secure your wick bases with wicks to the bottom of the jars. If you are using separate wicks and bases, use scissors to clamp the wick in the base. Use wick holders, pegs or simply cut a groove in a strip of card to hold your wick straight and centred in the jar. Your jars are now ready to go!

Step 2

Scoop soy wax into your jug, it will melt down so bear in mind the quantity may appear greater until melted. Place in the microwave and heat for 30 second intervals until the wax is translucent. You may wish to stir to melt the last few specs of wax.

Step 3

Once your wax is melted it is time to add your dyes and essential oils. If you are using dye, add a little at a time and stir until completely combined. You must only add essential oil to wax which is between 55-65 degrees celsius or the scent can burn off – what a waste! Add 5-10% of oil (see above for guidance) and stir well.

Step 4

Slowly pour the hot wax, being very careful, into your jars. Don’t worry if you run out, you can top them up with the next batch (however bear in mind it may be tricky to achieve the exact same shade if using dye). Now is a good time to double check you are happy with the position of your wick, as once the wax begins to set you should not move it.

Repeat the process of melting wax, adding dyes and oils and filling your jars until they are all full. If you switch colours, use kitchen towels or a cloth to wipe the dye from your jug and utensils between uses to avoid colour contamination.

Step 5

Allow your candles to set in room temperature. The time will depend on the size, but they should only take a few hours to set. Sometimes the center can crack, as the center takes longer to set than the outer edge. Use a hairdryer to remelt the surface to improve appearance (however I quite like these imperfections, they proves your candles were homemade!) Once dry, cut the extra wick, if any, off with scissors.

Step 6

Once set tie labels onto your candles to tell your lucky recipient the candles scent. You could also add a label to remind them that the first flame should be allowed to burn until the entire surface of the candle has melted. This will help to ensure an even burn throughout the candle. Then all that is left to do is admire your handy work!

Your beautiful unique creations can be given on their own as a gift, or added to a gift box of other homemade goodies such as Lavender Bath Salts.

Try it out for yourself? Tag us in your photos @sistablisstribe on Instagram.

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