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Marveled By Ideas On How To Make Scented Candles at Home?

Want to learn how to make scented candles at home? It’s essential you start by learning candle fragrance terms and types, as well as how to calculate the right amount of fragrance to get the best scent throw!

Who isn’t marveled by candle scents? I’ve been on a scented candle making streak! It starts in the autumn for me when the temperatures begin to cool off, and I crave the coziness.

Nothing says cozy like reading a good book by the glow of a homemade scented candle. Am I right?

What’s even better about learning how to make scented candles? As autumn leads into winter, I happily kick my candle-making into full gear for beautiful yet practical handmade gifts. Frankly, there are several reasons you’ll love discovering how to make candles at home, no matter the season.

7 Reasons to Learn How to Make Scented Candles at Home:

  1. Homemade scented candles cost less than store-bought.
  2. Choosing candle containers is just the beginning of the fun.
  3. Creating your own blend of fragrances is inspiring, and you can easily control the strength of the fragrance to make strong scented candles or lightly scented candles.
  4. You can also go green by upcycling containers such as glass yogurt jars or coffee mugs.
  5. If you like to decorate for the seasons, you’ll love creating candles for each season.
  6. Did I mention homemade scented candles make great gifts for any occasion?
  7. You can make candles at home to match your decor and style, from the container to the scent and even color.

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Seven reasons to make scented candles at home.

It all comes down to knowing how to make scented candles to suit your needs, wants, and likes! 

If you look at it this way, scented candles are one of life’s little luxuries and help many of us feel calm and comforted, a.k.a. cozy. Maybe it’s in our genetic code, from lighting fires to keep harm away at night or lighting candles to chase the dark away and extend our days.

Either way, you look at it, candlelight has been a mainstay in human history, and our lives wouldn’t be the same without it. 

In modern times candle fragrance has become the most defining characteristic of a candle. And if you want to learn how to make scented candles at home, it’s essential you start with learning candle fragrance terms and types. As well as how to calculate how much fragrance a candle needs. Let’s get started!

Related To: Soy Candle Making Guide

Related To: Candle Making Supplies Index

Start Here – Beginner Candle Making: Candle Fragrance Terms

Cold Throw: 

What is the candle fragrance term cold throw? It describes the amount or strength of fragrance that is emitted from a candle when it is unlit. 

What makes a candle’s cold throw important? If you are giving a candle as a gift or selling candles, the first thing anyone does is smell the candle before it’s ever been lit. And if they can’t smell anything or it’s a really weak scent, they are likely going to assume it won’t smell any differently when lit (even if that’s not true). 

Hot Throw: 

What does hot throw mean? This candle fragrance term describes the strength of fragrance that is emitted from a candle when it is burning. 

A hot throw is the part of a candle that is enjoyed the most. Striking a match to light a candle that will fill your home with moody musks, rich spices, or fresh florals can lift your mood and truly transport your senses. So, it’s important to get this candle making step right. 

Sweating: 

What does candle sweating mean? Sweating is characterized by little beads or sometimes pools of fragrance gathering on the top of a container candle or seeping out the sides of a pillar candle. 

There are many reasons candle sweating can occur, but it has a lot to do with the fragrance load. 

Fragrance Load: 

What is a fragrance load? The fragrance load of a candle correlates to the percentage of fragrance used in candle making. It will determine the scent throw of the candle, which includes the cold and hot throw. 

How much fragrance should you add to a homemade scented candle? 6% is the most common fragrance load. Although some waxes can hold up to 12%. However, there are several things to keep in mind when you want to make strong scented candles at home. 

This is what you need to know first about candle fragrance and how to scent candles.

Tips for Adding Fragrance to Candles

  • Adding too much fragrance to a candle can cause it to self-extinguish or not burn properly. (This happened to me several times when I was learning how to make scented candles.) 
  • Eyeballing the fragrance load instead of calculating and measuring it correctly can cause candle sweating, among other problems. (I am also shamefully guilty of this. Don’t rush your candle making – do the math always!) When all else fails, use a candle fragrance load calculator to get the best ratio for your homemade candles.
  • Also, read labels to make sure you are adding the fragrance at the correct wax temperature. Standard fragrance oils can typically be added at 185 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas natural options should be added at a much cooler temperature. It is imperative this is done right so the wax and fragrance bind together for an optimal scent throw. 
  • Another key step to candle making is sufficiently stirring the fragrance once it’s added to the melted wax. It should be stirred for a good two minutes! 
  • After making homemade scented candles, they need to cure for a minimum of three days for a good scent throw. A cure time of 1 to 2 weeks is even better for natural waxes. 

Beginner Candle Making: Candle Fragrance Types

Now let’s talk about the different candle fragrance types available. I’ve included the pros and cons of each choice of fragrance to make scented candles.

Essential Oils:

It’s no surprise essential oils have become incredibly popular for all kinds of things, candle-making included. But do they deserve the hype when it comes to scented candles? Here are the pros and cons of using essential oil for candles. 

Pros: 

  • The biggest pro of making candles with essential oils is that they are 100% natural. Each is made from plant material – who doesn’t love that? 
  • Using natural ingredients is always a good thing! And it’s a highly appealing characteristic for many consumers, including myself. 
  • Pure essential oils are highly fragrant.
  • Essential oils are also loved for their therapeutic capabilities and are the most common way to experience aromatherapy

Cons: 

  • Unfortunately, despite their strong fragrance, essential oils have the least hot throw compared to other candle fragrance types. This is due to the way essential oils degrade when exposed to high temperatures.
  • When it comes to essential oils, you have a limited selection of scents to choose from as they are only derived from specific plants. 
  • I hate to break it to you, but essential oils can be expensive. Considering it takes 100s of pounds of plant material to produce a single pound of oil – it’s gonna cost ya

Standard Fragrance Oils: 

This candle fragrance type is the most common ingredient for scented candles. Often listed as broad terms such as perfume, fragrance, or “parfum” to cover the trade secret of candle makers. 

Pros:

  • They give a great cold and hot scent throw.
  • Practically unlimited choices of fragrance oils are readily available for candle making.
  • A little goes a long way; you don’t need any plant material to make standard fragrance oils, as they are basically chemicals combined to mimic natural scents. 
  • Fragrance oils have a higher flash point, meaning they have more wiggle room when melting wax and blending in the fragrance.

Cons:

  • Fragrance oils are likely to contain harmful chemicals such as phthalates and parabens that can cause all types of health issues. They are listed as 2 and 3 on my list of the top five ingredients to avoid
  • Most often, standard fragrance oils are not made cruelty-free.

Natural Fragrance Oils:

I came across natural fragrance oils years after I began making candles. They are composed of aromatic isolates from nature and essential oils. Similar to the way the French have been making perfume for centuries, extracting scents from nature.  

Pros: 

  • This type of candle fragrance is phthalate and paraben-free.
  • Many can be found cruelty-free as well.
  • They have an excellent scent throw.  
  • Natural fragrance oils are more cost-effective than using pure essential oils.

Cons:

  • They can be hard to find; unlike standard fragrance oils and essential oils, natural fragrance is hard to come by in the States.
  • There’s not as much information out there about using natural fragrance oils for candle making, so pay close attention to the packaging.  
Want to learn how to make scented candles at home? It’s essential you start by learning candle fragrance terms and types to get the best scent throw!

My Best Advice on How to Make Scented Candles

Steer clear of standard fragrance oil for your health and your family. Use the next best thing – natural fragrance oil. You get nearly all the pros of using essential oils without the cons of standard fragrance oil. 

And if your heart is set on making candles with pure essential oils, add them at a very low temperature and use all the tips above under fragrance load to get the most out of them! For a sophisticated scent, blend them like did to make pumpkin spice essential oil candles instead of using a single oil. 

And if you are going the extra mile to make candles with toxins, choose a natural candle wax like soy, beeswax, or a carefully crafted blend of waxes

Wondering which wax holds the most scent?

Natural candle waxes are actually known to have double the life of the scent. This means you’ll enjoy a stronger scented candle and more hours of burn time! 

Ready to make your first homemade scented candle?

Start with this creamy vanilla and coconut sugar natural fragrance. Its aroma is decadent sugared vanilla with a light swirl of creamy coconut. Are you drooling yet?  You can get it separately or in a sample natural candle fragrance set. Which is a very useful and fun way to choose and create your own scented candles. 

Blend this fragrance into an amazing pure coconut oil soy wax and enjoy its candlelight from a lead-free cotton wick. Here’s how to make scented candles at home! 

Learn how to make luxury scented candles at home with this vanilla coconut candle tutorial!

Candle Making Supplies for Creamy Vanilla Coconut Candles:

How to Make Candles at Home Step by Step: 

Step 1. Measure Soy Wax

Use a kitchen scale to measure 1.13 pounds of pure coconut soy wax blend to make 2 candles. Or use a quick candle wax calculator to find the right amount for your containers. 

Step 2. Melt Soy Wax

To safely melt the wax, pour measured soy wax into a candle melting pot. Place the pitcher filled with wax inside a large saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water. Using the double boiler method, heat on medium to low heat with a gentle simmer at most. Stir often with a metal whisk or heat-resistant silicone spatula.

Step 3. Cool & Scent Soy Wax

Remove the pitcher from the heat immediately after melting to avoid the wax from becoming too hot or burning. Then use a contact-free infrared thermometer to monitor the temperature of the wax.

Allow the temperature of the wax to cool to between 150°F before adding 2 ounces of natural creamy vanilla coconut sugar oil. Thoroughly incorporate the scent by stirring constantly for 2 minutes. 

Step 4. Pour Soy Scented Wax & Place Wicks

If you’re working with clear glass candle jars like these, use a heat gun to warm the jars first. Then place a candle wick sticker on the base wick clip and into the center base of the candle jar.

After, gently pour your vanilla coconut-scented wax into each container. Place an optional centering device over each wick to help keep them in place during the curing process. 

Allow the candles to cool and the wax to harden for 1 hour. Then trim each wick to about ¼ an inch using a wick trimmer. No matter how tempting, do not light your homemade scented candles until they have cured for at least 3 days. 

Want to learn how to make scented candles at home? Here's everything you need to know about candle scent!

Creamy Vanilla Coconut Candles

Yield: 2 candles

If you are finicky about scented candles, whether it’s allergies, toxins, or just a classy nose - a.k.a, you’re drawn to the pricey stuff, then you have even more reason to grasp how to make scented candles.

Materials

  • 2 candle wick stickers
  • 2 10-ounce glass candle jars
  • 1.13 pounds pure coconut soy wax blend
  • 2 pre-waxed cotton wicks
  • 2 ounces natural creamy vanilla coconut sugar oil

Tools

  • 1 digital kitchen scale
  • 1 candle thermometer
  • 2 candle wick holders
  • 1 candle melting pitcher

Instructions

  1. Use a kitchen scale to measure 1.13 pounds of pure coconut soy wax blend to make 2 candles. Or use a quick candle wax calculator to find the right amount for your containers. 
  2. To safely melt the wax, pour measured soy wax into a candle melting pot. Place the pitcher filled with wax inside a large saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water. Using the double boiler method, heat on medium to low heat with a gentle simmer at most. Stir often with a metal whisk or heat-resistant silicone spatula.
  3. Remove the pitcher from the heat immediately after melting to avoid the wax from becoming too hot or burning. Then use a contact-free infrared thermometer to monitor the temperature of the wax.
  4. Allow the temperature of the wax to cool to between 150°F before adding 2 ounces of natural creamy vanilla coconut sugar oil. Thoroughly incorporate the scent by stirring constantly for 2 minutes. 
  5. If you’re working with clear glass candle jars like these, use a heat gun to warm the jars first. Then place a candle wick sticker on the base wick clip and into the center base of the candle jar.
  6. After, gently pour your vanilla coconut-scented wax into each container. Place an optional centering device over each wick to help keep them in place during the curing process. 

Notes

Allow the candles to cool and the wax to harden for 1 hour. Then, trim each wick to about ¼ an inch using a wick trimmer. No matter how tempting, do not light your homemade scented candles until they have cured for at least 3 days. 

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If you are finicky about scented candles, whether it’s allergies, toxins, or just a classy nose – a.k.a, you’re drawn to the pricey stuff, then you have even more reason to grasp how to make scented candles. And if the cooler months are on the horizon or have settled in for you, there’s no better time to get started! 

Learn more in my detailed Creative Candle Made Simple Book and find my tried and true candle making supplies in an all-in-one place!

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Pin these candle terms and techniques on how to make scented candles and tag #lifenreflection on Instagram to share your candle making with me. I would love to see what you come up with!

New to candle making? Get a head start with candle terminology using our Candle Making Glossary Swipe File!

Grab many of my favorite essential oil blends for candle making and a Candle Making Glossary Swipe File in the Simple Living Library

14 Comments

  1. This looks so cool! What a fun gift to make for friends or to enjoy yourself!

  2. Thanks for sharing! What a great way to make sure there are no toxins in your candles!

  3. Love this stuff ! As I was working on getting more things about this, the article has helped me to solve various clarifications. Thanks for the great content.

    1. lifenreflection says:

      Happy to help Moksha

  4. Hi! I loved how informative this article is! I tried to follow the links for the natural fragrance oils, however it appears that shop is closed. Do you recommend any shops or sources now? Im very sensitive to fragrances so I hate to go the trial and error route.

    1. lifenreflection says:

      I totally understand, The Wooden Wick Co has great options.

  5. So happy I found this post! I was curious if you’ve ever used Candle science oils? I believe they are considered “clean” wanted to know if you’ve heard of them company!

    1. lifenreflection says:

      Nicole, no I have not used fragrance oils from Candle Science. They are not clean. You can read the safety hazards on each fragrance page of their site.

  6. I’ve heard extracts, like cinnamon or vanilla extract, can be used as a more natural fragrance. Have you heard this or tried it?

    1. lifenreflection says:

      Shyla, I have used extracts in bath bombs and body scrubs, but not for candles. Let me know how good the scent is in candles if you try it and if they cause any candle problems.

  7. First timer here, I enjoyed reading your articles on candle making. I tried downloading the calculators but got an error. Are they still available or is it something on my end.

    1. lifenreflection says:

      Kiesha, they aren’t available for download. All it takes is to make a copy of the calculators for use.

  8. Hi! This is such an informative post – thank you!! I clicked on the link for the natrual fragrances, but the item/shop is no longer available. Do you have any other recommendations for where to source them?

    1. lifenreflection says:

      Erica, sorry about that, the company changed its name to Makesy. You can find a couple of options for more places that have started carrying natural fragrances on our candle supplies page.

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