DIY Guide: Craft Your Own Scented Candles

Discover the joy and savings of creating your scented candles at home with this easy, beginner-friendly guide. If you regularly buy and burn aromatic candles, why not try a more budget-friendly and personalized approach? You only need a candle-making kit, your favorite essential oils, and a stylish, heat-resistant jar to house your creation. Once you have these simple materials, you can craft multiple candles simultaneously. This DIY project could be your solution for unique, homemade gifts for holidays, birthdays, or any occasion throughout the year! So, let’s get started on this fragrant journey.

Working Time: 25 minutes 

Total Time: 12 hours

Skill Level: Beginner

Estimated Cost: $25 

Yield: One fragrance candle

What You’ll Need Equipment / Tools

  • Double boiler pot
  • Silicone spatula
  • Wick-centering tool or chopsticks
  • Wick trimmer Materials
  • Candle wax
  • Heat-proof glass jars
  • Essential oils
  • Candle wicks

Instructions For Creating Your Own Candles:

Follow these straightforward steps to make personalized scented candles at home.

Prepare Your Container 

The simplicity of an empty jar with lid.
Photo by Kier in Sight on Unsplash

Select an appropriate container before initiating the wax melting procedure or concocting your unique fragrance blend. We advocate using sturdy glass containers for your candle-making project for safety purposes. Sixteen-ounce Mason jars are an excellent option. Alternatively, if you possess a previously used candle jar, you can eliminate the residual wax and give it a new purpose. To avoid hiccups, ensure your candle jars are sparkling clean, completely dry, and ready to house your homemade scented candles before you start melting the wax.

Calculate Wax Quantity

Soy wax - ingredient for handmade candles on black plate and white background
Canva

 While the option exists to purchase candle-making materials individually, acquiring a comprehensive candle-making kit is more cost-efficient, providing you with all the required wax, wicks, and wick-centering tools. Calculating the necessary wax is quite straightforward: fill your container with wax flakes to the anticipated candle surface level. Next, pour these flakes into a double boiler pot and replicate this step. Given that the volume of the flakes reduces considerably when melted, you’ll need twice the amount of wax flakes, based on your container’s size, for each candle.

Melt the Wax 

Woman melting wax on stove in kitchen, closeup. Making homemade candles
Canva

Having measured out your wax flakes, zmelt them by placing them in the double boiler and applying medium heat. Without a double boiler, you can easily improvise by positioning a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with water, thus creating a makeshift but equally effective double boiler. As you carefully heat the wax flakes, use a silicone spatula to stir them delicately. Ensure you maintain a slow, steady pace, taking care not to agitate the flakes overly. Continue this patient process until all the flakes have dissolved into a smooth, homogeneous liquid, completely free of residual solid particles.

Incorporate Your Chosen Scent 

Selective focus photo of bottle with cork lid
Photo by Mareefe on Pexels

Once the wax has completely transitioned into a liquid state, it’s time to infuse your personal touch by adding 10-20 drops of your selected essential oils. This process customizes your candle to suit your preferred aroma. For example, for a 16-ounce candle, you could create a calming blend by adding six drops each of eucalyptus and lavender oils, providing a delicate balance that’s not too overpowering. Infusing these essential oils transforms your candle into an aromatic delight, ready to fill any room with your unique scent combination.