How to Get Started Making Candles for Fun or Profit

You love candles. You love their look, their scent and their practical applications. They make great gifts for just about any occasion and every time you are in a store you find yourself wandering over to the candle section. You see people selling hand made candles on ebay and at craft fairs. You see candle making kits at Wal-Mart. You keep saying you want to try your hand at making candles or are thinking of starting a candle making business for both fun and profit. Candle making is both an art and a science and it offers an outlet for creativity. These four web sites are loaded with candle making information for the beginner from what you need to get started using many items you already have in your household, and what you need to buy. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you desire. Candle making can also be a rewarding hobby or venture. These candle making sites will help you navigate through the process of decisions and offer step by step instructions and ideas from making your first candle to packaging and selling the final product. They also offer a venue to discuss troubleshooting and ideas with other people who practice the candle making craft. Have fun and you will walk away full of candle knowledge and inspiration!

The Chandler's Workshop

The Chandler's Workshop is a blog devoted to covering topics about starting your own candle making business. From choosing you wax to type of container to the packaging and finished product. It is suggested that you read the blog in reverse order, the oldest post first. It covers the range from choosing wicks, how and where to buy supplies, using fragrance oils and discussion about the typoes of wax to choose from. There are useful tips and advice for first time candle makers.

http://chandlersworkshop.blogspot.com/

The Scent Review

This site has a wealth of information from learning all the basics of candle making. You will learn how to color wax, learn detailed candle making instructions including how to use fragrances, dyes, making gel candles, and gain insight into burning times and recipe formulas for perfect candles. There are candle decorating ideas, links to candle making suppliers, business marketing tips, and information about first aid, clean up and safety. The Scent Review also has a forum where only registered users can post, however you don't need to register to have the benefit of viewing information and discussions. There is a wealth of pictures and useful information for anyone wanting to make candles and market them. You can chat with other craft mall vendors and auction sellers and learn the best ways to handle your candle making business. The Scent Review is a site worthy of bookmarking for anyone interested in making candles.

http://www.thescentreview.com/

Candle Making Techniques

Candle Making Techniques is a comprehensive candle making site that covers all aspects of candle making. You will learn how to melt wax, make shape and pillar candles, container candles and votive candles. You will learn about choosing a safe container, scent mixing, creating candle water baths, color suggestions, how to calculate the ratio of ingredients in a given batch of recipe, and constructing your own do it yourself wax melter. You will learn techniques and ideas for creating draped layer candles, wax dripped teddy bears, creating cold pour and rustic candles, making hurricane shells and marbled candles as well as how to embed photos in candles. Candle Making Techniques also touches on some bath and body products for making some beautiful hand made soaps. They have a mailing list and forum of message boards where you can interact with other experienced candle makers. Candle Making Techniques is another must have bookmark for anyone interested in making candles for fun or profit.

http://www.candletech.com/forums/

Candle Center

Candle Center Helps you find what you need in terms of candle making supplies. They review products such as melting pots and dipping vats and thermometers. They discuss techniques to jazz up your candles with paints, brushes, appliqués and blades. They discuss candle presentation and luster sprays and glitter. From candle wicks to molds to pigments and waxes and fragrances, Candle Center will center your focus on the candle making process and help you trouble shoot your mistakes. They also have a free e book on their web site as well as a free e newsletter.
http://candle-center.com/