How to Make Scented Candles at Home

Many people enjoy the smell of scented candles and during the holidays they also make a great gift for friends and family. Making your own scented candles is easy and you can do it a variety of different ways. If you have candles at home that could be reused, you could simply melt the wax down and pour it with a new wick into a decorated jar to make a jar candle.

If you prefer to make your own scented candles from scratch, here is how you do it. All of these items can be found at craft stores such as Michael's Crafts, Ben Franklin, in the craft department of your local Wal-Mart or online at places such as http://www.candlewic.com/ and http://www.brighterscents.com/.

Materials And Equipment Needed:

· Wax - paraffin can be used

· Wick

· Scent - there are numerous scents to be found, the best ones to use are essential oils which hold the aroma best during burning. You can mix these to get the scent you want.

· Color chips

· Stove

· Double boiler or two pots that can act as a double boiler

· Thermometer - a meat or candy thermometer is perfect

· Candle mold - you can purchase one at the craft store, use decorative jars or even a sturdy coffee cup. Make sure the sides are smooth and that the base is not larger than the top or else your candle will not come out unless you break the mold.

· Kitchen skewers

Making Your Candles:

1. Layout all of your supplies and cover the work area with old newspapers in order to catch any dripping wax. Place the wax you wish to melt into the melting pot and place the pot into the double boiler or another pan of water if your do not have a double boiler. Boil gently and melt the wax at medium heat. Never let the water boil to the point that it splashes into your melting wax.

2. While your wax is melting, prepare your mold per the manufacturer's directions if using a store bought mold or by making sure the mold or glass you are using is clean and dry. Set your wick into the mold and secure it to a pencil or pen to hold it upright. Measure the temperature of the wax and when it reaches 175° F, the wax is ready to pour. Don't pour. You're not done yet.

3. Add the color chips to your melted wax. Start with one and continue adding until you get the color you want, stirring consistently to get the color mixed in well. You can always deepen the color by adding one chip at a time, but you cannot lighten the color if you're added too many. Because wax changes color as it cools, remove a small amount and allow it to cool in a bowl or cupcake paper to see the final color tone before adding more chips.

4. Once you get your color, add your scent. You should only need about a half teaspoon of scent because if you add too much, your candle may not burn properly. Stir the scent in thoroughly and then pour your wax into your prepared candle mold until it has reached the proper height.

5. Let your candle cool skewering it to allow air into the wax. This helps the candle come free the mold easier. Because wax will shrink as it cools, you will need to add more wax to it. Skewer the cooling wax every twenty minutes or so and add the wax to it until it reaches the desired level.

6. If your candle is in a jar, let it cool on its own. If using a mold let it cool for about four to five hours before removing. Trim your wick and enjoy!

Sources: essortment.com/all/candlesmaking