7 Candle Making Tips for Beginners
Candle making is a popular craft among beginners and professionals as both a hobby and a profession. Whether you want to create decorative, religious, or scented candles, you’ll be faced with decisions about wax and container types. If you’re planning to open a candle business or just want to practice the craft, purchasing wholesale candle supplies is a great way to stock up on the essentials. Whatever your candle making goals are, here are seven tips for candle makers who are just starting out:
1. Shop for Wholesale Candle Supplies
To begin your candle making journey, you’ll need to buy wax, wicks, containers, and fragrances. Shop at a wholesaler to save money on your products and ingredients. Buying wholesale supplies also saves you time in the candle making process as you can keep the necessary products and ingredients on hand, reducing the need to shop for replacements each time you start a batch.
2. Choose a Type of Wax
Paraffin wax is one of the most common candle wax types. It is inexpensive and popular because it holds scents well. Paraffin wax candles do release trace amounts of hydrocarbons into the air when burned. If you want to create non-toxic candles, choose a natural wax instead. Some of the most popular natural waxes for candle making are coconut wax, beeswax, and soy wax.
3. Use Essential Oils as Fragrance
While natural products like vanilla or almond extract provide warm, delicious scents, they are not often recommended for use as candle fragrances. The chemical makeup of natural extracts can cause candle wax to separate during the curing process, creating lower-quality candles. Instead of extracts, use essential oils as fragrances for your candles. Essential oils come in various scents, including lavender, tea tree, lemongrass, and more. You can choose to add a single fragrance oil or combine your favorites to create unique candle scents.
4. Measure Your Fragrance
Finding the proper fragrance load for your candles can be tricky. You can experiment with different amounts to create a stronger or weaker fragrance throw based on your preferences. Once you’ve determined the scent strength you prefer, measure out your fragrance oil to avoid over or under-scenting your candles. Doing this can help keep your candles consistent if you plan to sell them to other people.
5. Consider Add-ins
To further customize your candles, add gemstones, dried botanicals, glitter, mica, ground spices, and other elements. Make sure any flowers, leaves, herbs, or spices are completely dried before adding them to the candle. The moisture from undried botanicals can cause the wax to separate around them, resulting in a longer curing process.
6. Find the Right Container
Wax can be poured into glass jars or unique silicone molds depending on the candle’s intended aesthetic and functional purpose. Only purchase glass jars that are designed to withstand high temperatures. Mason canning jars are a good option for beginner candle makers as they can be easy to find and are created to be used around high heat. Silicone molds are some of the most common wholesale candle supplies because they come in many forms, from geometric shapes to human figures.
7. Cool Your Candles at Room Temperature
While it may be tempting to place your candles in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process, don’t. The sudden temperature change can cause glass containers to shatter or crack. Candle wax can shrink when exposed to the cold, creating an uneven texture and sunken areas. The cold also reduces the intensity of your candle’s fragrance. The best option for cooling your candles is to let them sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
Start Your Candle Making Journey Today
As a beginner candle maker, take the time to perfect your craft. Try to keep things simple at first by choosing one fragrance, container type, and wax type. Once you are confident in your ability to create high-quality, simple candles, start experimenting. Try adding in extra materials like glitter or botanicals to show off your unique style and creative flair. Combine your favorite fragrances and use eccentric molds to add character to your candles. Consider purchasing wholesale candle supplies so you’ll have enough wax, wicks, and fragrance oils to get you started on your candle making journey.
