Are You Ready to Ignite Your Soy Candle Making Desire?
Are you ready to begin soy candle making? Consider these things first to get candle making right the first time!
Soy candle making is a lot like soap making. You can fully experiment with scents and colors, unleashing your creativity! Even choosing the containers for candles is a part of the fun.
And just like making soap, you never know exactly how the color or scent will come out until you go through the steps. But before you jump in, there are a few things you should consider before gathering your candle making supplies.
So, hear me out –
Why Make Soy Candles?
Basically, anytime we burn poor or cheaply made candles, chemicals can fill and linger in our home – long past blowing out the candle, which in effect can cause the air in our homes to become fairly unhealthy.
It all comes down to candle ingredients. You see, many store-bought candles are filled with chemicals such as carcinogens and phthalates (Farley, 2016). Never heard of phthalates? They are hormone-disrupting chemicals that are a health risk to babies, young children, men, and women (Powers, 2007). Phthalates can aggravate asthma and are linked to increased incidences of breast cancer (Stuart, 2016).
Luckily, we can leave poorly made candles at the store and make our own with better candle ingredients!
So, let’s get started by choosing your candle making supplies. We’ll cover it all, from wax to wicks to fragrance and containers, before I show you how to make your first candles!
For your convenience, this post contains some affiliate links; read the full disclosure policy.
Related: Beginner Soap Making
Natural Soy Candle Making Supplies:
I can attest that picking up supplies for candle making can be inconvenient. It can take what seems like half a day trying to find the supplies you want and need.
And most of my local hobby stores don’t carry high-quality candle ingredients. The products I’ve tried from local stores left me with a host of candle problems! So, I’m including a link where possible to order online as we talk about the soy candle making supplies you’ll need.
Candle Wax Types
When I began making candles nearly a decade ago, I started with soy wax. I’ve branched out into using a few more eco-friendly candle wax types, but I still find soy to be the easiest to use. Which makes it the best choice for beginner candle makers!
What I love most about soy wax is that it’s non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, and cleans up if spilled with just warm water.
- White Beeswax Pellets
- Soy Organic Freedom Wax for Candle Melts
- Soy Organics Millennium Wax
- Freedom Coconut Wax
- Organic Beeswax Pellets
- Soy Wax Beads for Pillar Candle Making
These natural waxes are all excellent sources for candles. In fact, you can make a half dozen candles at home in just an hour’s time, all while leaving the yucky stuff out!
Unlike paraffin wax, the most commonly used wax in candles and a byproduct of the petroleum industry, that releases toxic carcinogens, including acrolein, acetaldehyde, and formaldehyde, according to the EPA ( Knight & Levin, 2001). Therefore, I don’t recommend it.
I buy my soy candle wax by the pound in beads. It’s really easy to measure out that way. I also enjoy blending soy with other natural choices, such as coconut wax and beeswax.
Candle Wicks
Have you ever noticed a small wire in the center of cotton candlewick after lighting it?
Well, that wire happens to be a lead core, and when burned, it emits lead into the air. Yep, that’s pretty crappy, right?
But did you know it is illegal to manufacture candles in the United States with lead-cored wicks? While that is excellent news, candles made overseas and sold in the U.S. can still contain lead.
Yet, another reason to make candles at home!
Wood Wicks
With that in mind, let’s look at eco-friendly candle wicks, starting with wood wicks. They are non-toxic, eco-friendly, and can be readily made from organic renewable resources. You’ll also need little metal clips to hold the wood wicks in a place like the ones in the photo above. That’s why I’ve featured this wood wick set, which includes metal clips and double-sided wick stickers.
As a bonus, wood wicks add to the ambiance of a beautiful flickering flame with a soft crackling sound. It is reminiscent of a cozy night spent by the fireside. What’s not to love?
Want to see a crackling wood wick candle? Check our video and tutorial for how to make wood wick candles!
Lead-Free Natural Cotton Wicks
Natural lead-free cotton wicks are another great option. Pre-waxed cotton wicks are the easiest to use. Just ensure you buy healthy ones without paraffin wax or other additives.
However, the downside to using cotton wicks is centering the wick. It is really tricky to center a wick. I’ve tried many ideas, like tying wicks to pencils and bamboo skewers. But the only thing that gives me accurate results is wick-centering devices. This featured set includes wick stickers and wooden wick-centering devices!
You really need the wick to be held in the center during the pouring and setting process. I got my first centering devices with this candle-making kit. They have handy options to set wicks for multiple widths, but my current go-to are these wick holders that work for multi-wick candles, too!
Oh, and the little short wicks in the photo above are tea light candle wicks. Aren’t they cute?
Hemp Candle Wicks
Now, if you are making pure beeswax candles, I suggest opting for beeswax-dipped hemp candle wicks. For beeswax pillars and candle sticks, buy a candle wick spool.
To make container beeswax candles, this is an excellent wick set with wick holders and stickers.
How Do You Fragrance Non-Toxic Candles?
It’s easy to create your favorite candle scents with essential oils, natural extracts, or aromatic isolates. Let’s start with the essential oils. How much essential oil do you use to make candles?
I recommend adding half an ounce to one ounce of essential oils per one pound of wax. If you are combining a few different essential oils like lemon and rosemary, make sure to split up the amount.
Another option for soy candle making is all-natural fragrance oils composed of aromatic isolates from nature and essential oils. Did you know this type of fragrance oil has zero additives like essential oils?
Yep, compared to typical fragrance oils, they do not contain parabens and phthalates. They can be a more affordable candle making supply than essential oils. And are quite helpful for creating a candle without synthetic ingredients.
You can even start with a sample candle fragrance kit to find your favorite candle fragrances! (Get 10% off your total order at Makesy with my coupon code CREATEWITHKRISTY10)
No matter which candle fragrance type you choose, the key is getting the fragrance load correct. Use our fragrance load calculator to get it right every time!
What are your favorite candle fragrances?
Find some of my favorite candle scents and more in the Simple Living Library with printables for candle making! And don’t miss our fun Candle Scent Quiz!!
What else do you need to make candles?
Candle Containers
You truly can use a variety of options for candle containers. Take stock of your pantry for containers like mason jars. Or visit your local antique shop for teacups and other unique containers. I personally love these amber glass jars with lids and metal candle tins.
Sometimes, I find colorful ramekins in the Thrifty Spot section at Target. And when I’m feeling very creative, I make candles in lemon halves.
Browse through my favorite candle containers. Whatever you decide to use, just make sure to avoid these!
Candle Melting Pitcher: A Must-Have Candle Tool
This one always seems to throw people off. What is a candle-melting pitcher? It’s a big pitcher to safely melt and pour wax in. Can you melt wax in a pot on the stove? Sure, but that’s pretty messy, and it’s really difficult to pour the wax evenly. (Plus- you really shouldn’t use the pot again.)
A candle-melting pot or pitcher has a spout and a handle that stays cool. Which makes pouring candles a breeze. This is the candle pitcher I use when I’m making a lot of candles because it holds up to four pounds of wax. When I’m making tea light candles are just a few candles; I use this smaller candle pot.
Related: Pressed Flower Mason Jar Candles
Soy Candle Making Tips:
I’ll be honest: the first time I made candles was stressful. Worrying about burning the wax, getting the wicks in the center of each container, and adding the scents at the right temperature – is a lot to handle!
But, you know what? They turned out great! And I was hooked from the start on soy candle making.
So, here are a few tips to help your soy candle making be less stressful from the get-go. And once you get the hang of it, you’ll be hooked on making candles too!
What temperature do you pour soy wax?
When making candles, the temperature of the wax is one of the most important steps to achieve professional candle results. Therefore you will need a thermometer to measure the temperature often. I recently switched to a new no-touch infrared thermometer. It’s very fast, always accurate, and doesn’t require any clean-up since I don’t have to place it in the wax.
Another option is one with a clip like this, it will clip inside your candle making pitcher, keeping your hands free. If you don’t have one you could use a candy thermometer, but you may not want to make candy with it after.
Overall, soy wax should be poured anywhere between 115 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind soy wax can be quite sensitive to temperature as it is a softer wax than the typical paraffin. Do not heat it above 200 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid burning and discoloration. I prefer to heat it to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
What’s the best temperature to add essential oils to soy wax?
Fragrance oils for candle making come with flashpoints listed on the labels. Essential oils do not! Which can make it difficult to figure out what temperature to add essential oils to soy wax.
In my experience, if you add essential oils at a temperature above 125 degrees Fahrenheit the scent does not blend well. I see the best results by adding essential oils at 120 degrees Fahrenheit with a two-minute stir.
How much wax do you need for a candle?
The answer to that requires a bit of math. So get your calculator; just kidding. We’ve got this!
We’ve made candle making easy with a candle wax calculator. No matter what candle vessel you choose, our candle wax calculator can tell you exactly how much candle wax you’ll need! It even takes the amount of fragrance or candle dye being added to the wax. This means you can count on a good melt pool and no wasted materials!
Just remember, when measuring soy wax flakes, use a digital kitchen scale to get an exact measurement. Otherwise, you’ll be left with too much wax or not enough to fill your containers.
How to Make Candles for Beginners
Now that we covered the most asked questions about candle making and where to find candle making supplies, it’s time to make your first candles!!
To keep things as simple as possible, we’re going to start with a basic candle recipe. It’s one I’ve used time and time again with great success! This beginner candle recipe will make 4 average-sized candles.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 4 ceramic 4-ounce ramekins
- 1 lb soy wax
- 4 medium wood wicks and clips
- 4 glue dots or wick tab stickers
- candle making pot
- kitchen scale
- infrared thermometer
- 1.5-ounces natural fragrance oil or more essential oils (see tips above)
Instructions to make candles:
1. Insert a wood wick into metal clips. For a louder crackling sound, double up the wood wicks. Then, add a wicker sticker tab to the base of the metal clip. Place it in the center base of one container. Repeat for all four until you have 4 containers with wicks inserted and set aside.
2. Next, fill a large saucepan with about 2 inches of water and place it on the stove to heat. Measure 1 pound of soy wax flakes with a digital kitchen scale.
3. Pour measured wax into a candle pitcher and set it inside the large saucepan. Whisk often and heat on low heat, up to a simmer at most, until melted using the double boiler method. Heat up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and check often with a no-touch infrared thermometer.
4. Remove from heat immediately to prevent wax from becoming too hot. Insert a candle thermometer and allow the wax to cool to 125°F before adding essential oils or just below the flashpoint of your natural fragrance oil.
5. Once the wax has cooled to the correct temperature, add fragrance and whisk for 2 minutes to thoroughly combine. Carefully pour the scented soy wax into prepared jars. Let cool for 1 hour or more until the wax is hard and white before cutting wicks to an inch or so.
Wait for 3 days before burning candles for the best scent throw. Candle Science even recommends 1-2 weeks of preferred curing time for natural waxes such as soy and coconut. However, they agree that 3 days is the minimum curing time for candles.
Soy Wax Candles
It’s time to make your first candles!! Start with this simple soy wax candle tutorial.
Materials
- 4 ceramic 4-ounce ramekins
- 1 lb soy wax
- 4 medium wood wicks and clips
- 4 glue dots or wick tab stickers
Tools
- candle making pot
- kitchen scale
- infrared thermometer
Instructions
- Insert a wood wick into metal clips. For a louder crackling sound, double up the wood wicks. Then add a wicker sticker tab to the base of the metal clip. Place it in the center base of one container. Repeat for all four until you have 4 containers with wicks inserted and set aside.
- Next, fill a large saucepan with about 2 inches of water and place it on the stove to heat. Measure 1 pound of soy wax flakes with a digital kitchen scale.
- Pour measured wax into a candle pitcher and set it inside the large saucepan. Whisk often and heat on low heat, up to a simmer at most, until melted using the double boiler method. Heat up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and check often with a no-touch infrared thermometer.
- Remove from heat immediately to prevent wax from becoming too hot. Insert a candle thermometer and allow the wax to cool to 125°F before adding essential oils or just below the flashpoint of a natural fragrance oil.
- Once the wax has cooled to the correct temperature, add fragrance and whisk for 2 minutes to thoroughly combine. Carefully pour the scented soy wax into prepared jars. Let cool for 1 hour or more until the wax is hard and white before cutting wicks to an inch or so.
Notes
Wait for 3 days before burning candles for the best scent throw. Candle Science even recommends 1-2 weeks of preferred curing time, for natural waxes such as soy and coconut. Although, they agree 3 days is the minimum curing time for candles.
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Are you ready to begin more soy candle making now? Browse my candle making recipes here. Have more questions? Pop one in the comment box for me below!
References
Farley, P. (2016) Essential Oil Diffuser Recipes: 100+ of the best aromatherapy blends for home, health, and family. CreateSpace. Charleston, SC.
Knight, L. and Levin, A. (2001). Candles and incense as potential sources of indoor air pollution: market analysis and literature review. Environmental Protection Agency. Research Triangle Park, NC: Report EPA-600/R-01-001.
Powers, J. (Sept 2007). Common Air Fresheners Contain Chemicals That May Affect Human Reproductive Development. New York, NY: Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Stuart, A. (2016) Go Lo Tox. New South Wales, Australia.
I would love to start making these candles, but, where are the instructions?
Lucia, happy to hear that, candles are so much fun to make! Next to the last photo in the article is a link to all our candle making recipes. You can also find them by going to the top menu: Natural Living and selecting candlemaking from the drop down.
Can you make a YouTube video? I’m more of a visual learner lol
I totally understand Angela, you can find my you tube channel on the top menu and featured videos including candle making on the home page.
Thank you so much for this wonderful insight! Can’t wait to get started! I was wondering about how well the glue dots hold when the wick is low. In a video, someone mentioned to make sure the glue heat was high heat resistant because because the burning wick can tip and burn through thin glass and be a fire hazard. Was wondering your thoughts and experience? Thank you so much for being so helpful
The glue dot is only helpful when placing the wick. Once you pour melted wax around it and the wax hardens, it holds the wick in place not the glue dot.
Thank you for this great information. I am now ready and looking forward to start making candles.
Awe, that’s great news! Have fun!
Nice information, I love scented candles! I would like to make one myself one day.
Thanks, Anna you should really make some candles! It’s so much fun and you’ll always gifts on hand if you do…
Forgot to ask, whats the best place to get good mason jars for these candles?
You can find mason jars at any hobby store even Target. If you watch the spot area in the front of Target you’ll find a lot of pretty mason jars and ramekins for candle making. But, I typically order mine by the dozen from Amazon.
If I have a pot that has a pouring spout, is it okay to put the pot of wax on direct heat? Also, if I wanted to try using vanilla extract, would that work well?
Hannah, I guess you could try, but I would heat it on a very low temperature and stir the wax often to avoid burning. You can use vanilla extract but the scent won’t be as strong or last as long as a vanilla oil.
My candles tunnel and dont burn wax across what am I doing wrong
Ana, I came across this problem last year. This happens when the wick used is too small and the flame does not sufficiently melt the whole surface of the candle. I’ve come across this more often when using wood wicks. It’s important to get the size of the wood wick right for your container it cause several other problems too.
Love this tutorial and can’t wait to try it. I had a question though, in your instructions it says to remove from heat immediately. Do you remove it once it’s all melted or at a certain temperature? Thank you!
Thanks Katie, you remove the candle wax from the heat once it’s all melted.
This looks like a great candle to make when starting out. Could the same mix be used to make wax melts rather than the candles? Thanks
Yes, it can! We have a candle melt tutorial as well under the candle making tab.
Hello
I’ve started making candle with differing success after following your instructions. I am using soy wax, wood wicks and essential oils. When I let the candle cool they sometime sink in the middle around the wick but i can’t work out why? Can you help? Thank you
Hi there,
Would you add colour wax and how much At same time as fragrance 1oz per pound of wax?
Joanne, for tips on adding color to candle see our recent article – https://www.lifenreflection.com/candle-making-kit/
Hi! I found your website and blogs to be very insightful! But I do have a question for clarity on soy wax candle making. You suggest four 4oz jars, 1lb wax and 1.5oz essential oils. But if we are converting ounces to drops, that is around 150 drops per jar(according to another site). Is this correct? Is there a more specific recipe? This will be my 1st attempt but that seems like way too much scent for a single candle.
Yes, that is correct. Essential oils have a great cold scent throw but a poor hot scent throw. So if you want your candle to smell strong when lit you will need that amount. And depending on the jar you select for your candles you may need to reduce the wax by 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce total to allow for a melt pool.
how long are these candles potent for? if i make them a month or two in advance and then give them as a gift will they still smell as strongly as the would after a two/three week cultivation period?
Absolutely!
Hello! So I’m wanting to make 5 9oz candles. My fragrance load is 6.25% per pound of wax. How do I determine how many ounces to use? Would it be 1ounce if fragrance oil? I’m overthinking this!!! Please help! Thank you!
Amanda, if you use our fragrance oil calculator it will give you the answer of 2.80 ounces of fragrance oil needed to achieve 6.23%.
This calculator and the wax calculator dont seem to be working. When clicking on the link it’s a blank page. 🙁
We are working on a new solution.
I read your article and I like to ask you, I made for a first time two candles soy wax, cotton wick, add essential oil and some flowers. I had the same result as Joane above, in the middle near the wick the wax is sinking. I didn’t use colour only what I mentioned above. Thank you very much!
Koralia, that sounds lovely! It’s likely the wick may have shifted or you used wax that needs a second pour. You can remedy it by melting the top layer of wax with heat gun for a smooth top.
What causes, and how do I avoid cracks in the candles? It seems like they crack almost immediately after start to harden
Jamie, cracks are caused by pouring too hot and too fast. You also need to warm up your containers – especially glass containers with a heat gun right before you pour the wax. For tips read how to fix 12 common candle problems.
Can you use planting pots to put candles in? wasn’t sure if they were safe or not? Thanks!
Shontel, great question! I often see gorgeous planters and think the would so pretty with candle, but it depends. Are they ceramic or terracotta? Then maybe. Are they sealed or unsealed porous clay? You can use a waterproof sealer to seal clay pots, but it’s still not fail proof. I’ve made a candle in a separate jar, then placed it inside a planter, so I still get the glow when lit, but the planter looks great on shelf or mantel.