You can make your own high-quality soy wax candles at home and the process is probably a lot easier than you think it is. We are going to take a look at what you need to do to make those candles and a deep dive into the step-by-step process.
Let’s take a look.
| Table Of Contents |
| Equipment Needed Materials Needed How To Make A Soy Candle (Step-by-Step) Soy Wax Candle Curing Soy Candle Burning Procedures Frequently Asked Questions Conclusion |
Equipment
Equipment Needed To Make Soy Candles
- Saucepan
- Melting Pot
- Kitchen Scale
- Jewelers Scale
- Stirring Spoon
- Wick Holders
- Thermometer
- Cup
You can read more about candle making equipment by taking a look at our article titled Candle Making Equipment.
Materials Needed
Materials Needed To Make Soy Candles
- Soy Wax
- Dye
- Fragrance Oil
- Wicks
- Wick Tabs
- Container
You can find candle making supplies near you by checking out our list of Candle Making Suppliers.
How To Make A Soy Candle (Step-by-Step)
Here is the step-by-step process you need to follow to make your own soy candles.
1. Measure out your ingredients
Place your empty melting pot on the digital scale and begin filling it with the amount of wax required based on your recipe calculations. Place your cup on the jeweler’s scale and fill it with the amount of fragrance oil needed to meet your desired fragrance oil load.
If you need help calculating how much wax and fragrance oil you need to make your candles check out our Candle Making Calculator.
It takes out all of the math and guesswork and does it for you.
2. Begin melting the wax
Fill the saucepan with water to about a third full. Next, put the wax flakes in a pouring pot and place it in the water in the saucepan. Place the saucepan over a heat source to heat the water; as the water warms up, the wax in the bowl should start melting.
Stir the wax occasionally until it’s liquid soft and pourable, it will also become pretty clear. The other alternative is to place the wax in a bowl and heat it inside a microwave at one-minute intervals, stirring often until it turns into liquid.
3. Add fragrance oil to the wax
A pleasant scent throw is a sign of a well-crafted soy candle. Scent thrown can be cold or hot. The cold scent is how the candle smells when unlit, while the hot scent is how the candle smells when the wax is melted.
You must incorporate the fragrance oil or essential oil into the hot soy wax at the right time. That means knowing the flashpoint of your oil. The flashpoint is the exact temperature at which a particular oil begins to evaporate. You can check the details from the oil manufacturer’s website.
Some essential oils have a flashpoint of below 160 F; others have flashpoints between 160 F and 170 F, while still, there are some oils with flashpoints above 175 F.
Don’t add the oil when molten soy wax is heated above the flashpoint because the oil will evaporate, leaving little fragrance in the candle. Equally, avoid adding the oil when the candle is heated below the flashpoint as the wax and oil won’t bind correctly.
Another factor that determines the intensity of the scent throw is the strength of the oils. You can mix different oils to create a perfect scent.
When it comes to the amount of oil to use, subtly scented oils should make up 6-10% of the mixture, while stronger scented oils should be added in a 6-8% ratio. You can always try small amounts of oil first and increase to desirable levels in the latter candles.
Allow the wax to cool to the oil flashpoint, then scent it using your choice essential. Add a few drops of the oil to the molten soy wax and gently stir for about 2 minutes, so the oil and wax combine perfectly.
4. Prepare Your Candle Containers
Before you start pouring, give the mixture some time to cool. Meanwhile, cut the wick to the size of the glass jar, heat the jar, and set the wick at its center so that when you pour the molten wax mixture inside the jar, it moves evenly. Use a blow dryer to heat the glass jar.
Make sure the wick touches the center of the glass jar bottom, and at the top, you should remain with enough of it to hang over the glass jar. You can use wick tabs and wick stickers at the bottom of the glass jar to hold the wick in position.
You can buy these from your local craft supply shop. They usually have accompanying instructions that are very easy to follow. On the other end, you can use a clothespin across the top of the glass jar to keep the wick centered and straight.
5. Pour Your Candles
Stir the wax smooth and gently pour it into the glass jar when the temperature reaches about 145 F. Don’t fill to the brim; allow some room at the top. Any leftover molten soy wax mixture can be left to harden and saved for the next projects.
6. Let The Candles Cool
After pouring, allow the candle to cool so the wax firms fully and the oils are incorporated in it properly. Scents perform superbly after they’ve been allowed time to bind with the wax. Most people make their candles in the evening and leave the mixture to sit overnight.
7. Trim The Wicks
After the wax has had time to harden overnight, trim its wick, a trimmed candle illuminates more while an untrimmed one burns with a dull flame, giving off very poor light.
Trim the wick of your DIY soy candle so it burns brighter and clearer. Now your DIY soy candle is ready for use, but you can proceed to the next steps if you want something to improve your home decor.
8. Label & Decorate The Jars
Embellishing your candle can increase its influence on your home decor. It also makes it a perfect gift for your loved ones. You can customize the candle into a perfect holiday scented candle, or any other occasion candle. In this project, you can tie a simple eco-friendly ribbon around the neck of the glass jar.
Soy Wax Candle Curing
An important part of the candle making process is curing your candles. This is also a part of the process that is overlooked by many candle makers.
Why do candles need to cure? Candles need to cure so that the oil and the wax used to make the candle can have time to bond and form a solidified structure. During this process the wax essentially bonds with the oil, trapping it into place. This will increase the hot throw of your candles.
Soy Candle Burning Procedures
There are a few important rules to live by when you are using candles regularly.
How To Use A Soy Candle:
- Burn the candle for a minimum of 1 hour
- Burn the candle for a maximum of 4 hours
- Trim the wick to 1/4 of an inch after every use
These steps will help make sure that you get the most out of your candles.
Related Questions
It is cheaper to make your own soy candles. You can buy a candle kit for $60 that will allow you to make a dozen 8 oz candles from CandleScience which averages out to $5 per candle. Much cheaper than you can find pure soy candles anywhere else.
The maximum amount of fragrance oil you can put in soy candles is 10%. This is 10% fragrance oil by weight, so an 8 oz candle should have no more than .8 oz of fragrance oil in it.
You cannot make soy candles with pure soy wax. To make pillar candles with soy wax you would need to blend it with additives and paraffin wax to increase the melting point of the wax. Otherwise, your candle will turn in to a puddle as it melts too quickly.
You can make your candle shiny by adding one-half teaspoon of coconut per pound of wax when making candles. Take care to not add too much coconut oil or it will lower the melting point of your candle wax and can cause wet spots.
If your homemade candle does not smell it may be because you did not cure it for at least 7 days. Candles should cure for a minimum of 7 days to give the wax time to completely harden and during this time the scent throw of your candle will improve.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can see the candle making process is not as difficult as you may have thought. Anyone can make candles, and without owning a lot of candle making equipment.
Look at what you own, assess your needs, you can even go to your local Goodwill to get pans and containers for your candles.
Take your time and follow the step by step process and you will be making great soy candles in no time.