How To Make Candles At Home To Sell Mastering These 3 Things!
Grasp how to make candles at home to sell by mastering these three things! Shortcut to the success of starting your own candle business.
For many of us, candle-making started as a hobby or DIY project that piqued our interest. One of the things that drew me to candle making was the ability to create something completely unique.
Choosing a container to match my decor and scents to match the season had me hooked from the start!
What begins as a way to make our homes smell good often becomes a favorite DIY gift. When those recipients respond with exuberant, “YOU MADE THIS?!” gasps or ask if they could buy one – well, that can lead to some questions.
If you’re reading this right now,
I know you’re likely thinking about how to start a candle business. There’s no doubt that seeing others enjoy what you’ve created with your two hands feels rewarding. But can you make a profit from selling candles?
According to Candle Science, handmade candles have a high ROI: Return On Investment. “What might cost $5.00 to make can be sold for $20.00 or more.” Meaning if you sell a candle for $25.00 that costs you just $5.00 to make, you have yourself a product with a 400% markup!!
Not only that, but when you can make candles at home to sell you can market them at gift shops, farmers markets, pop-up markets, local coffee shops, Etsy, Instagram, Facebook, and your very own Shopify store.
Did you notice I wrote “AND” not “OR”? When you own a candle business, you don’t have to settle for one marketplace; you can sell candles at as many as you like.
So, where do you begin? To start a candle business, you need to master these three things to grasp how to make candles to sell! I’ll walk you through each as we make candles together.
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience; read the full disclosure policy.
#1 Candle Wax
The first defining component of a candle that sells is the wax. Because starting a candle business is not just about knowing how to make candles, it’s also about knowing your candle supplies.
You will be without a doubt, buying candle wax more than any other supply in your business. So, if you’re a candle business newbie, selecting your candle wax is a great place to start!
I recommend choosing a candle wax that has been well-tested, has excellent reviews from other candle makers, and fits your budget.
It is also helpful to note consumers will pay more for natural candles made from eco-friendly wax types.
Which Candle Wax Is Best? Each has advantages and disadvantages, making it hard to pick just one. That’s why I created a guide to choosing the best candle wax for your candle business!
at a glance
Candle Wax Types
These natural candle wax types are excellent sources for candle making. I’ve used each one with success! Read the reviews and learn more.
How Much Wax Do You Need?
That answer depends on the candle containers you choose for your candle business. I HIGHLY recommend choosing no more than 3 candle container styles.
By only offering 3 styles, you can help customers make faster decisions. Who hasn’t felt overwhelmed by the choices of candles at a market before? Using just a few container styles will also streamline your candle-making process, packaging, budgeting, and more.
However, utilizing only three container styles doesn’t mean you’re limited on customization. Choose candle containers that come in different sizes and colors.
Maskey does a great job of this! Take their Aura candle jars, for example – they are available in 3 sizes and more than 35 colors and finishes!! That’s a lot of ways to customize without causing chaos in your business.
How Much Wax Do You Need For Aura Jars?
For this candle tutorial, I choose a 12-ounce Aura vessel with a matte clay finish for a terracotta desert candle style. The vessel is a 12-oz fill or an 11-oz fill with a cork lid. (Did I mention they have lots of lid options for these jars?)
Use my candle wax calculator to ensure you’re using the right amount of wax for any container you choose. You’ll definitely want to bookmark that page.
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#2 Candle Fragrance
It may go without saying, but to have a successful candle business, you’ve got to create incredible candle fragrances!
Scented candles have become one of life’s little luxuries, helping many of us feel calm, comforted, and cozy. I can tell you from experience that creating your own blend of fragrances is inspiring, but there’s a lot to know when it comes to well-developed, full-bodied fragrances.
That’s why I recommend starting with a sample candle fragrance kit. Choose from a collection of natural fragrance oils composed of aromatic isolates from nature and essential oils. This is similar to the way the French have been making perfume for centuries, extracting scents from nature.
Makesy even gives you the option to build your own sample natural candle fragrance kit. This is very useful, allowing you to work with the scents you’re after! Whether that is bakery-scented candles, fall-scented candles, tropical-scented candles or another.
exclusive coupon
Use my exclusive code CREATEWITHKRISTY10 to save 10% off your candle fragrance kit and anything else you add to your candle stash!
Look to my beginner guide to scented candles for a wealth of tips and in-depth information.
Related To: How To Choose The Best Candle Scent
How Much Fragrance Do You Need To Make Candles?
I’m going to tell you right now that fragrance may be your candle business’s BIGGEST expense. I realized years back that candle-making requires accuracy.
An accurate amount of fragrance will not only save you $$$ money in the long run but also help you avoid a lot of candle problems!
So, how do you make candles at home to sell with just the right amount of fragrance? Use a calculator! Luckily for both of us, I worked with a computer engineer to develop a quick Candle Fragrance Calculator.
It makes formulating the correct candle fragrance load percentage a breeze!
I used it to calculate how much fragrance I needed to make one 12-ounce Aura candle jar. Why one? By starting with a single vessel, you can test your fragrance load, wax types, wick size, and more without burning through all your candle supplies. (pun intended)
For a strong 11% fragrance load, the calculator quickly gave me the answer of 1.2 ounces of candle fragrance.
To create a desert-inspired candle scent, I blended .70 ounces of Makesy’s vintage leather & oak noir fragrance oil with .50 ounces of their juniper fir & balsam spruce oil.
Together, they meld into the aroma of fresh-cut evergreen branches slowly burning over a campfire in the rugged mountains of the West. It’s a candle scent that invites you to experience the wilderness with a sense of warmth and adventure.
#3 Candle Labels
The next component of your success as a candle maker is your candle labels for two reasons:
- Just about every farmer’s market or local floral shop already has candles for sale by another candle maker.
- When selling online, it’s important to remember people can’t smell through a screen!
So, you need a way to pique customers’ interest. That’s where candle labels come into play!
For Candle Makers
I founded Made Simple so you can showcase your handcrafted candles with stylish candle labels in minutes! Each design is fully customizable in Canva – see for yourself in this video tutorial.
In the photos, you’ll see I labeled my Wild Spruce Noir Square Candle Label Templates. Infused with the hues of sage, terracotta, and sand, this design captivates with its natural charm.
Grab my free
Candle Maker Guides
Join thousands of members and gain access to all past, current, and future items in the Library along with our exclusive Simple Living Weekly Edition.
Read all about labeling candles and consider what you want to convey with this printable candle label checklist!
How Can I Make And Sell Candles From Home?
By following each of these key factors you’ll be making candles at home to sell with success! If you want to see how I make candles, watch this step-by-step video and follow along with the instructions below.
However, if this is your first time making candles, you may want to check out the candle resource center or my candle-making book.
(Having trouble displaying the video? Try turning off your ad blocker or watch on YouTube.)
Candle Supplies You’ll Need:
Candle Tools Needed:
How To Make Candles In Aura Vessels
- Cover your area with parchment paper or utilize a tray. Press the tab on the bottom of a natural cotton wick into a wick sticker tab. Then, peel it off the sheet and place it centered in the base of the aura candle jar. Slide a wick-centering stick over the wick to hold it in place.
- Place a candle-melting pitcher on a kitchen scale and tap to tare the weight. Then, pour scoops of soy wax inside it until you reach 11 ounces.
- Next, place the melting pitcher with candle wax inside a saucepan filled with approximately 2 inches of water. Use the double boiler method to heat the wax on low up to 160°F.
- Monitor the wax’s heat with a no-touch infrared thermometer. Slowly stir the wax, often with a heat-resistant spatula.
- Once the wax has melted, allow it to cool to 150°F before adding 1.2 ounces of candle fragrance. I blended .70 ounces of vintage leather & oak noir oil and .50 ounces of juniper fir & balsam spruce oil.
- Then, to thoroughly incorporate the fragrance, slowly stir it into the wax for 2 minutes at a time.
- After incorporating the fragrance into the candle wax, monitor it until it cools to 115°F (if you’re using a different wax, refer to the manufacturer’s temperature recommendation). Warm the glass jars before pouring the wax with a heat gun for the perfect adhesion.
- Then, place an optional clothespin above the wick centering stick to help keep the wick straight during the curing process.
- After curing, trim the candle wicks to ¼” with a wick trimmer. Wait three to seven days before lighting the candle for a strong scent.
How To Make Candles At Home
Join me for a behind-the-scenes look at how to make candles at home to sell!
Materials
- 1 aura 12-oz vessel
- 1 cork lid for aura candle vessels
- 11 oz soy wax or 12 oz without lid
- 1 cotton wick
- .70 oz vintage leather & oak noir oil
- .50 oz juniper fir & balsam spruce oil
- 1 wick tab
Tools
- 1 wick centering stick
- candle melting pitcher
- kitchen scale
- heat gun
Instructions
- Cover your area with parchment paper or utilize a tray. Press the tab on the bottom of a natural cotton wick into a wick sticker tab. Then, peel it off the sheet and place it centered in the base of the aura candle jar. Slide a wick-centering stick over the wick to hold it in place.
- Place a candle-melting pitcher on a kitchen scale and tap to tare the weight. Then, pour scoops of soy wax inside it until you reach 11 ounces.
- Next, place the melting pitcher with candle wax inside a saucepan filled with approximately 2 inches of water. Use the double boiler method to heat the wax on low up to 160°F.
- Monitor the wax's heat with a no-touch infrared thermometer. Slowly stir the wax, often with a heat-resistant spatula.
- Once the wax has melted, allow it to cool to 150°F before adding 1.2 ounces of candle fragrance. I blended .70 ounces of vintage leather & oak noir oil and .50 ounces of juniper fir & balsam spruce oil.
- Then, to thoroughly incorporate the fragrance, slowly stir it into the wax for 2 minutes at a time.
- After incorporating the fragrance into the candle wax, monitor it until it cools to 115°F (if you’re using a different wax, refer to the manufacturer's temperature recommendation). Warm the glass jars before pouring the wax with a heat gun for the perfect adhesion.
- Then, place an optional clothespin above the wick centering stick to help keep the wick straight during the curing process.
- After curing, trim the candle wicks to ¼” with a wick trimmer. Wait three to seven days before lighting the candle for a strong scent.
Notes
I hope you enjoyed this guide and the behind-the-scenes look at how to make candles at home to sell. If you’re just starting out, start small, read everything you can, and gradually gain experience as you go with a candle-making kit.
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I hope you enjoyed this guide and the behind-the-scenes look at how to make candles at home to sell. If you’re just starting out, start small, read everything you can, and gradually gain experience as you go with a candle-making kit.
Did you make this?
To share your creation on Instagram, mention @lifenreflection or tag #lifenreflection! What did you love most? Leave a comment below!