homemade-candles

I was a bit nervous that making soy candles was going to be tricky but actually it was really easy, and fun!

They make perfect wedding favours for your guests, or you can use them to decorate the wedding tables. And if you are feeling super creative, why not try making your own signature wedding scent?!

You will need a number of supplies, most of which can be picked up on Ebay and hopefully you may have a few things already at home. The quantity of wax below made 11 x 120ml candles but you can double or triple the amount as required.

homemade-candlesYou will need:

– Heatproof jars or other vessels. I used 11 x 120ml emerald + ella mason jars but you can collect old jars or use items from thrift stores like tea cups or glass bowls.

– Candle wicks. You can get these on Ebay. Make sure you get the right size wick for the vessels. This chart may help you.

– Sticky dots, sticky tape or double-sided tape.

– Pegs if they sit comfortably across the top of your jars, otherwise chopsticks or icy pole sticks.

– 1kg soy wax flakes. You can pick these up on Ebay. This amount will make just over 1 litre of melted wax so choose your vessels accordingly.

– Two saucepans, one that will fit inside the other.

– Old wooden spoon.

– Kitchen thermometer.

– Pure essential oils or fragrances. Again these can be found on Ebay or even at $2 stores. Essential oils are stronger and you will need less of them, fragrances are a combination of oils and aroma ingredients and are generally slightly weaker. I used a lemon essential oil and a coconut cream fragrance.

– Measuring jug.

– Scissors.

homemade-candlesUse the sticky dots/folded-over sticky tape/double-sided tape to secure the wicks to the base of the jars. Use the pegs, chopsticks or icy pole sticks to hold the wicks straight.

homemade-candlesHalf fill the larger saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Place the wax in the smaller saucepan and place in the water, making sure the water doesn’t come up over the sides.

Heat the wax, stirring occasionally, until it melts and reaches 85°C. Remove the saucepan from the water, set aside until the wax cools down to 70°C.

Stir through your essential oil/fragrance. Generally you want about 4-10% of the smelly stuff, depending on how strong it is but the bottle should tell you. Don’t do this before the wax reduces to 70°C as some oils can ignite at higher temps.

homemade-candlesPour the scented wax into the jars. Leave to set completely before trying to poke your finger in! It can take a couple of hours or even overnight depending on the temperature of the room.

homemade-candlesTrim the wicks to 1cm long.

homemade-candles

Images, jars, washi tape (on jar lids) and tutorial by emerald + ella

I’m Jane Howard, the girl behind emerald + ella – an online shop and blog which encompass a world of beautiful, eclectic things. I’m also a recipe writer, food stylist, vintage collector, New Zealander, married to an Aussie boy, aspirational crafter, wine drinker, pulled pork sandwich lover and basically just a girl who likes pretty bits and pieces.