How to Make Scented Candles

Purchasing commercial scented candles can become an expensive habit to break. That's why making your own scented candles at home is an excellent alternative. Making your own scented candles at home only requires a few basic materials, but the creative process is all your own. From bold and colorful designs to simple and scented, making homemade candles is a breeze. Homemade scented candles add accent and freshening capabilities to your home surroundings and they also serve as sentimental, creative and attractive gifts for a range of occasions.

Materials
Making scented candles from scratch is an option that beginners should probably avoid. Instead of going the homemade route, opt for a variety of melt & pour wax blends. Melt & pour waxes come in many colors and textures such as carnauba, soy, ecosoya and beeswax. Choose a melt & pour wax according to what fits your budget and availability.

Decide whether or not you're going to make molded candles, or container candles. Container candles are popular, and easy to make because they don't require that you carefully work with molds and different casting techniques. However, container candles aren't necessarily as decorative as molded candles. Fortunately you can customize the containers in which you pour the candle. Candle molds vary in shape, size and texture so choose from a selective wholesale company such as New Directions Aromatics or Wholesale Supplies Plus. The same variations occur with containers for container candles, so choose according to your own personal tastes.

Wicks are absolutely necessary for making your own candles, and different types exist commercially for your craft. Wick spools present themselves as thick rolls of wick that you snip from the roll and anchor yourself. This step can be bypassed, however, by purchasing pre-anchored wicks of varying sizes. These wicks can be dropped into the mold, or container, and centered while it cools and hardens.

The most important part of making scented candles is using a variety of fragrances. Essential oils, fragrant oils and herbal oil extracts add a wide range of differing aromas to your homemade scented candle crafts. Lavender, lemongrass, citronella, chamomile, chocolate and literally hundreds of other oils exist to help you enhance your homemade candles for a variety of occasions and atmospheres.

Quick Recipe
1 cup melt & pour candle wax
8 inch anchored wick
8 oz. candle jar
2 qt. glass bowl
40 drops essential oil

Add the melt & pour candle wax to the glass bowl. Microwave the bowl on high for four minutes, until the wax melts into a liquid consistency.

Drop the anchored wick into the center of the candle container. Make sure it is centered at the bottom and the excess of the wick is bent over the outside of the candle jar to avoid slippage.

Stir in the essential oil. Use a 40 drop blend of lavender and vanilla for a basic, calming scent.

Pour the melted, scented mixture into the candle container carefully. Make sure the wick doesn't slip inside, or move from the bottom center of the container. Let the candle sit for six hours so it can harden and cool to room temperature.

Snip the wick until only 1/2 inch protrudes from the hardened candle. Light and and enjoy the scented, homemade candle.