Because candles are so readily available on store shelves, you may have never thought much about what candles are or how they are made. If the process seems like a mystery, this guide will help break down the process and provide some resources to make the learning process a breeze.
What is Candle Making?
Cultures around the world have been making candles for thousands of years, since at least 3,000 BCE, when the ancient Egyptians produced primitive “rushlight” candles by soaking dried reeds in melted animal fat. Evidence shows that ancient Romans began producing the first dipped candles as early as 500 BCE by dipping a wick of rolled papyrus into melted tallow, and other ancient civilizations around the world such as India and China, were making similar candles for practical and religious purposes.
Although candles are no longer a practical necessity for providing light as they were in ancient times, the similarities between contemporary candles and their ancient counterparts far outweigh the differences. The same basic techniques for encasing a wick in wax, the most popular of which involve either rolling a wick in a hard sheet of wax, dipping a wick into a melted pot of wax and allowing the wax to solidify into a candle, or pouring melted wax into a mold or container then suspending a wick in the mold, are more or less the same methods developed thousands of years ago. Moreover, while our current usage of scented candles as a tool for setting ambiance may feel like a modern luxury, some of the earliest candles were used for just this kind of non-practical purpose. Candles found at ancient Indian religious sites, for instance, were scented with real cinnamon incorporated into the wax, supposedly to set a proper ambiance for a site of religious significance.
Benefits of Learning Candle Making?
Long past are the days when candles were a practical necessity, serving as a source of illumination, but even without such a practical purpose candles today retain their usefulness as a household item. While some might consider candles as purely decorative items, such a view would downplay the important contributions that candles can have in reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Much research has been conducted on the impact that scents can have on mood, and scented candles are shown to encourage relaxation and a more meditative mindset. Early ritual candles incorporated scents like cinnamon to induce a therapeutic or meditative effect at sites of ritual importance, and candles today can be crafted by similar means to promote relaxation. It is even possible to create special candles like lotion candles, whose melted wax can be used as a skin moisturizer, encouraging not just mental but also physical wellness.
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Beyond the personal benefits, candle making can be a great outlet for connecting with friends and family, or even with a larger community of like-minded artisans. Candles make great personalized, handmade gifts that can be customized and shared with friends and family, and local craft fairs are a great way to find a community of artisans willing to share their passion for the craft. While candle making is typically pursued as a hobby, it is also possible to spin the craft into an entrepreneurial endeavor. With a bit of extra effort, the hobby can become a source of supplemental income by selling candles at local craft fairs or in local boutiques.
Is Candle Making Easy to Learn?
Since the methods for making candles by hand have not changed much from those discovered thousands of years ago by the earliest chandlers, even novices with no prior experience can pick up the basic techniques with just a bit of time and persistence.
While early chandlers first developed these techniques through an extended process of trial and error, today there’s no need to go into the process completely blind thanks to the many readily-available resources found online and in your local community. A simple Google search can lead you to a variety of instructional videos and blogs with step-by-step instructions,
If the process feels a bit daunting, a formal class is a great way to start learning quickly and efficiently. For the price of what it would cost to purchase a DIY candle kit online, anyone with an internet connection can enroll in a quality online class like the Organic Soy Wax Candle Workshop from Coastal Design Workshops. Not only will this class teach all of the necessary techniques for making poured candles at home, but also the lovely people at Coastal Design Workshops will ship all of the necessary materials to your door. Online classes often provide a shopping list and ask that participants go out and purchase their own supplies, but this course makes the process even easier by sending a DIY craft kit right to your door, complete with organic soy wax, a wick, and a glass jar to house your poured candle.
What You Need to Know Before Learning Candle Making
Candle making is widely regarded as a hobby with a low barrier to entry, which makes it easy to jump into with minimal preparation beforehand. That said, doing a bit of research beforehand makes the process even simpler, and can help to avoid some of the common issues that first-time candle makers experience. Gathering some basic knowledge about the types of wax and the different wick sizes before the first actual attempt can go a long way. Read below for more information on the different types of materials.
What You Need to Learn Candle Making
Candle making requires only a few essential materials, making it very easy to get started in the hobby. The only absolutely necessary materials are wax, a burnable wick, and a container to hold the wax. Candles can be further personalized through the inclusion of fragrance oils, which can enhance the aromatherapeutic properties of a candle made for relaxation or for ambiance, and dyes, which allow for creative expression and enhance the aesthetic properties of the candle. While these components add a nice touch to a candle, they are by no means necessary; in fact, many waxes have natural scents and colors, making such oils and dyes redundant.
If you attend an in-person candle making class, these materials are typically provided and included as part of the cost of admission. Online classes, however, are a bit more of a mixed bag. While some classes will deliver a DIY craft kit to your door, others will instead simply provide a shopping list and ask you to secure your own supplies at a local craft store.
Wax
The bulk of the candle will be the wax, which acts as the fuel that keeps the candle’s flame burning. Wax is, broadly speaking, a solid substance that melts when warmed, containing fats and oils derived from animal, plant, or mineral sources. When it comes to candle making, the most commonly-used waxes include beeswax, plant-based waxes like soy wax, and petroleum-based paraffin wax.
The “best” type of wax to use is going to depend on the type of candle, and, to a lesser extent, the purpose of the candle. All waxes have similar chemical compositions, which means they burn in the same manner, so the differences are primarily related to textures, scents, and price points.
Beeswax is the most expensive variety, but there is a reason that it has been one of the most popular candle waxes for centuries. It can be used in a variety of different candles, as sheets of beeswax can be rolled around the wick to make a rolled candle, or the wax can be melted down to make a poured or a dipped candle. Beeswax candles also don’t need to use added fragrance oils or dyes; the wax carries a great scent of honey, and the signature golden color of a beeswax candle is instantly recognizable. While it is possible to add scents or colors to beeswax, it would be a shame to cover up the natural properties of the wax.
Doesn’t drip much
Plant-based waxes, like soy wax or coconut wax, are a popular option for the environmentally conscious. Like beeswax, these plant-based waxes are produced from all-natural, renewable resources, and they are typically much cheaper than the luxury option of beeswax. The most popular waxes, like soy, can be a bit limited in their applications because they are rather soft, so they make great poured candles but aren’t suitable for other methods. They also don’t tend to hold fragrances especially well, though there are some exceptions like coconut wax.
Paraffin wax is the most versatile type of wax, and also the most affordable. This combination makes paraffin the most commonly-used wax in candle making. Paraffin waxes come in a range of different melting points, which means that the wax can be as soft or hard as you need it to be to make a particular type of candle, from a soft container-poured candle to a hard pillar candle. Paraffin also has a great scent throw and holds colors particularly well, making it a popular choice for scented candles or elaborate decorative candles.
Wick
The wick, a cord of woven fibers, acts as a fuel pump, drawing the liquified wax up to the flame to burn. The size of the wick determines how much fuel is getting to the flame, so attention to the wick is essential in producing a consistent flame that doesn’t sputter out or flare too hot and produce soot.
In addition to the size, the construction of the wick influences the rate at which the candle burns. The two main types of wicks are braided (or plaited) wicks and twisted wicks. With a braided wick, the fibers are woven tightly together, which means that the wick burns at a slower rate and the candle lasts for a long time. A twisted wick, while cheaper, has a much looser construction that causes it to burn much more quickly, which leads to a shorter life for the candle.
Container or Mold
The type of container you need will depend on the type of candle being made. At a bare minimum, you will need a pot, pitcher, or other heat-safe container that you can use to melt the wax to a liquid state. A dipped candle involves dipping the wick into the A poured candle or a pillared candle requires an additional receptacle into which the melted wax can be poured. For a poured candle, the molten wax is simply poured into a receptacle and left to cool. Because this container is a part of the final candle, a glass jar is a popular choice because it makes the wax itself fully visible. For a pillar candle, the molten wax is poured into a mold (typically made of metal or silicone), and the candle is removed from the mold once the wax has cooled and solidified.
Rolled candles are an exception here. Because rolled candles involve rolling a wick in a solid sheet of wax, a container or mold is unnecessary.
Fragrance Oils (Optional)
Scented candles are a popular tool for relaxation due to the impact that scents have on mood and relaxation. While it is possible to make a naturally-scented candle—beeswax, for instance, carries a natural scent of honey—the most common scented candles are made by incorporating scented oils into the wax. The most common oils for these purposes are natural essential oils, which are distilled from the bark, seeds, roots, etc. of a plant. Essential oils get their name because they bear the “essential” or characteristic scentof the plant from which they are extracted.
A cheaper alternative would be to use a fragrance oil, which also bears the characteristic scent of a plant, but is produced with synthetic, rather than natural, materials.
If you do choose to add scent to a candle, be sure to use a non-flammable oil. Because many oils, especially synthetic fragrance oils, can catch fire, there will typically be options produced specifically for candle making.
Dyes (Optional)
Dyes are another optional component when it comes to candle making. Dyes are incorporated for purely aesthetic purposes, and are a great opportunity to flex your creativity.
Key Takeaways
- The essential materials for candle making are wax, which acts as fuel, and a wick, which acts as a fuel pump. With many different types of wax and sizes of wick, be sure to select the right materials for the type of candle you’re making.
- While some candles rely on the natural aromas and colors of the wax, many chandlers opt to incorporate fragrance oils or dyes. While these materials are not essential, they can greatly enhance aesthetic qualities.
- Candle making is an easy craft to learn, and there are many free resources and formal classes that can help teach fundamental candle making techniques.
- Formal classes are the fastest, most effective way to start learning how to make candles by hand. Secure the training you need by contacting CourseHorse, who can help you find the best online and in-person training, and can even organize options for private group sessions.