Scented Soy Candles

April 16, 2016 § 9 Comments

If you love candles as much as I do (and maybe spend a little too much on them), this is a must-read.

Like many things in life, making candles at home was never a thought that came into mind. That is, it wasn’t until one day I came across a fantastic blog post on DIY soy candle making and it looked like a possible fun weekend project. I promptly ordered a basic set of supplies from Amazon, and I got started. (I ordered all of my supplies for candle making on Amazon, links are below!)

Little did I know that I awakened a candle-making beast inside of me and my “fun weekend project” became a new near-daily obsession. (You might be able to see my crazy-eyes in the video…that’s how much I love this new hobby!) For how much I spent on candles per year (you don’t even want to know…) this is an excellent, cost-effective way to make a lot of candles. The best part about it is being able to make candles for people near and dear to my heart because they are wonderful homemade gifts. The most expensive part about this process is the essential oil, so if you’re unsure of what scents to try, start with my below combinations since they’re tried and true. Then, as you feel more comfortable, you can try using different oils.

Making candles at home is incredibly relaxing and fun. Plus, it will make your home smell AMAZING always.

Here is a video tutorial on how to get started on a very fun, relaxing hobby.

To get started, you will need the following:

Bag of soy flakes (wax) – I used 444 blend
Heatproof melting pot
Thermometer
Glass jars
Plastic drinking straw
Wicks
Clothespins
Disposable spoons
Tablespoon measure
Mixing bowl
Essential oils
- For the 3 scent combinations in my video, I used the following essential oils:
  - Lavender
  - Rosemary
  - Thyme
  - Bergamot
  - Lemon
  - Cedarwood
  - Fir
  - White Musk
  - Vetiver
  - Sandalwood
  - Jasmine
Paper towels

Directions (for one 8 ounce candle):

Heat a medium pot of water to a boil and add melting pot. To the melting pot, add your wax. For the wax: 2 cups (16 ounces) of solid wax = 1 cup (8 ounces) melted wax, so for three 8 ounce candles, I used 6 cups of solid wax (48 ounces).
Once the wax starts melting, use your spoon to take a few drops of wax and add to the bottom of your jars. This will be the “glue” you use to secure the bottom of your wicks to the bottom of your jar. Act quickly because the wax hardens immediately!
Use clothespin to secure the cotton wick to the center of the jar. If using wooden wicks, no need to secure it (it will stay in place due to its rigid shape).
Once the wax is melted to at least 180 degrees, reduce the heat on the stove so that the wax will stay at a constant temperature. Melting the wax to 180 degrees makes sure that the wax will stay warm enough when poured into the mixing bowl.
Pour 1 cup of melted wax into the bowl and add your desired scent.
1. Lavender/Rosemary/Thyme: Add 1 tsp each of lavender and rosemary essential oils and 1/2 tsp of thyme essential oils.
2. Bergamot/Lemon/Cedar/Fir: Add equal parts bergamot, lemon, cedar, and fir essential oils to measure 1 tbsp total.
3. White Musk/Sandalwood/Vetiver/Jasmine: Add equal parts white musk and sandalwood, (around 1.5 tsp each) and then add 10 drops each of vetiver and jasmine.
Stir thoroughly for at least 30 seconds so that the essential oils bind to the wax and blend evenly throughout the mixture.
Pour slowly into prepared jar with the wick, and then leave undisturbed for at least 24 hours before moving/burning. Your candles will be ready to enjoyed after 24 hours!

All items purchased from Amazon:

Bag of soy flakes (wax) – I used 444 blend – https://amzn.to/2PNDaO3

Heatproof melting pot – https://amzn.to/2RHDjQi

Thermometer – https://amzn.to/2REo9va

Glass jars – https://amzn.to/2JSP1VT

Plastic drinking straw

Wooden Wicks – https://amzn.to/2JSPp6N

Candle wicks: https://amzn.to/2JN8erY

Clothespins
Disposable spoons
Tablespoon measure
Mixing bowl
Essential oils
For the 3 scent combinations in my video, I used the following essential oils:
Lavender – https://amzn.to/2REpt16

Rosemary – https://amzn.to/2DaYmae

Thyme – https://amzn.to/2JOzdDo

Bergamot – https://amzn.to/2ASskOl

Lemon – https://amzn.to/2JNsiub

Cedarwood – https://amzn.to/2ASLMLe

Fir – https://amzn.to/2JNIxHN

White Musk – https://amzn.to/2JMyfrk

Vetiver – https://amzn.to/2JOyPET

Sandalwood – https://amzn.to/2D4O6QJ

Jasmine – https://amzn.to/2F9ky6Z

Cost breakdown (approximate):

10 lb bag of soy flakes (wax) – I use 444 blend $25.00
Heatproof pouring pot $12.00
Essential oils
- Lavender – $12.00
- Rosemary $12.00
- Thyme – $22.00
- Bergamot – $18.00
- Lemon – $13.00
- Cedarwood – $15.00
- Fir – $15.00
- White Musk – $20.00
- Vetiver – $20.00
- Sandalwood – $25.00
- Jasmine – set of 6 floral notes for $20.00
Mason jars (12-pack) – $7.00
Wicks (around 200 cotton & wooden wicks) – $24

Total: ~$250 – $260

I have probably made around 40 candles so far and I have barely made a dent in my essential oils. You will need to buy soy wax/flakes frequently as you will go through one 10-lb bag quite quickly, along with the mason jars.

You may notice different fragrance oils online to be a lot cheaper, but I recommend staying away from those synthetically produced oils. Essential oils are pure, distilled scents extracted from organic ingredients and there are no synthetic chemicals involved. Since these are candles and flames are involved, I personally want to reduce as much chemical exposure in my life as much as possible so it is much, much cleaner to use essential oils rather than fragrance oils.