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How to Make Massage Candles for a Spa-Worthy Experience

Here’s how to make massage candles for a spa-worthy experience at home. Follow my massage candle recipe with the best wax for massage candles!

I’ll be the first to admit I am no stranger to the spa. I love how it smells like a secret garden when I walk in the door, and the glasses of ice water they give you always taste incredible (what do you think they put in that stuff?). And I can’t help but notice I feel glowy and lighter when I walk back out the door hours later. 

After becoming a mother, my spa visits have gotten shorter and less frequent each year. It’s not because I feel guilty about spending time or money on myself – you never should either; you’re always worth it. 

It’s because I learned how to duplicate that glowy, supple skin and the feeling of stress lifted from my shoulders more often at home. And I am dying to share my latest at-home spa experience with you. 

Drumroll…. D-I-Y Massage Candles! 

Learning how to make massage candles has combined my passion for self-care and candle making into utter satisfaction. 

At the light of the wick, your spa time at home begins while you wait for the candle to melt into massage oil. Soak in a soothing milk bath, and jade roll your facial muscles, then towel off and put out the wick. 

Pour the warm massage oil onto your skin and work it into any remaining kinks or areas of stress until you feel gloriously glowy from head to toe, just like the spa! 

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How is making massage candles different from making ordinary candles?

The process of learning how to make massage candles is similar to making other types of homemade candles except for two key things. 

The first is that every ingredient in a massage candle must be skin-safe. We never have to consider this when making candles just for scent or decoration. But, because the ingredients in a massage candle are intended to be applied to the skin, you must ensure all components meet skin-safe standards. 

This starts with scent – few candle fragrances are skin-safe, so I’ve found it best to use essential oils to add scent to massage candles. I created a blend of comforting vanilla essential oil and sandalwood essential oil to clear the mind and relax. And I also made sure to compare my ingredients to an essential oil dilution rate chart out of extra caution. 

After scent, you want a blend of natural ingredients that ultimately softens and soothes tight muscles and tension. For this, I choose the following from Better Shea Butter. I’ve been using their products for years to make skincare recipes. I love that their motto is all about a smarter way to be beautiful, and they are right here in Texas!

P.S. Save 15% off your total order at Better Shea Butter with my exclusive coupon code KRISTYH15

Cocoa Butter

Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids, cocoa butter is an excellent moisturizer and feels wonderful on the skin. It helps melt a massage candle fast with a low melting point of 93°F. And if you choose unrefined cocoa butter, you can also enjoy the natural chocolate scent. 

Shea Butter

The semi-soft consistency of shea butter melts right in your hands at a low melting point of 89°F, which is quite perfect for a massage candle. Not to mention, it’s a nutrient-dense ingredient you’ll skin will appreciate, too. 

Jojoba Oil

Next, we have jojoba oil, packed with nourishing properties to moisturize the skin. It helps to thin the butter and wax mixture into really good massage oil.

With these specially chosen ingredients, you have yourself a massage candle that will not only leave your muscles feeling soft and supple but your skin, too. 

But what about candle wax…

Related To: Candle Making Supply List

What’s the best wax for massage candles?

The best wax for massage candles is not only skin-safe but also has a low melting point (which we’ll talk more about later). So, looking for wax used in skin care recipes, such as lotion bars, under-eye cream, or lip balm, is best.

These include the list of wax types below that will leave your skin feeling very moisturized and soft after using a massage candle. 

Best Wax For Massage Candles:

NatureWax C-3 Soy Wax Flakes or Pure Soy Wax Beads

Beeswax Coco Creme

Coconut Wax blended with Pure Soy Wax or Yellow Beeswax 

Learn more about choosing wax for different candle types here and find many printable candle-making resources in the Simple Living Library. 

Related To: How to Make Massage Soap Bars

Can Massage Candles Burn You?

If you make massage candles with ingredients with low melting points and use massage candles correctly, then they can never burn you. 

This is, in fact, the second key difference in how to make massage candles versus other types that I alluded to earlier. You want massage candles to be ready to use fairly quickly so they don’t get hot and instead warm the ingredients while melting. 

In other words, we must choose ingredients with low melting points that allow a candle to heat up and form a melt pool on the top of the candle before it gets hot. 

This is why soy wax is a common ingredient in massage candles. 

How do you make a massage candle?

Massage candles are a luxurious treatment like no other! You’ll be surprised to learn that you can quickly make massage candles in the microwave with little to no candle-making equipment. 

Massage Candle Supplies and Ingredients:

4 ounces pure soy wax

4 ounces shea butter

3 ounces jojoba oil

3 ounces unrefined cocoa butter 

¼ teaspoon (40 drops) vanilla essential oil

¼ teaspoon (40 drops) sandalwood essential oil

4 amber glass 4-ounce jars with lids

4 cotton, soy wax-dipped natural cotton wicks

How to Make Massage Candles:

First, use a digital kitchen scale to measure each ingredient to be exact. Combine 3 ounces of unrefined cocoa butter and 4 ounces of soy wax in a large glass measuring cup. 

Melt the cocoa butter and soy wax in the microwave at 45-second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between. Repeat until completely melted. 

Then remove the mixture from the microwave, add 4 ounces of shea butter, and stir slowly until the shea butter melts. 

Next, add 3 ounces of jojoba oil and slowly stir into the mixture to combine. Dip the metal tab of one cotton wick in the wax mixture and secure it to the center of a glass jar. Repeat until you’ve wicked all four jars. 

After that, check the mixture’s temperature with a no-touch infrared thermometer. At 125°F or less, add ¼ teaspoon (40 drops) of vanilla essential oil and ¼ teaspoon of sandalwood essential oil to the wax mixture. Stir while adding the oils for 1 to 2 minutes for a better scent throw.

Now, use a heat gun to warm each glass jar before pouring the mixture to reduce shrinkage. Recheck the wax temperature; at 99°F, pour it into the glass jars. Remember to leave room for the wick to fit under the lids of the jars. 

Place a wick holder over each wick to help keep them straight during the curing process. Allow each candle to cure for a minimum of 24 hours before lighting. But remember, if you want a stronger-smelling candle, you’ll need to wait for 3 to 7 days. 

Last, trim the wicks to ¼ of an inch with a wicker trimmer before lighting. 

Now, you can also experience the spa at home by learning how to make massage candles that indulge all the senses! 

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Pin these instructions on how to make massage candles and Tag #lifenreflection on Instagram to share yours with us. And Save 15% off supplies to make massage candles at Better Shea Butter with my exclusive coupon code KRISTYH15