Making a homemade candle can be an exciting way to pass the time, but it can also be quite an intense and difficult hobby if you don't know what you're doing.
How to make strong scented soy candles? We have an easy to follow recipe below. You can get the job done if you don't know the first thing about candle wicks or fragrance oil.
When it comes to a homemade candle, there is a lot to consider: the type of wax, candle dye, and various types of candle wick available as well.
Candle science thankfully isn't too insanely complicated, and the candle making process is something anyone can manage at home.
Fragrance strength is usually the difficult point. Over doing it with your favorite candle fragrance oil can have the strength levels of the smell become overwhelming.
However, not putting enough of your fragrance will leave the oil pools left by wick candles totally devoid of anything meaningful, ruining the candle experience.
Soy wax has several desirable physical properties that make it an excellent candle base. For example, soy candle wax resists attacks from bacteria, mold, and insects much better than other candle bases.
Additionally, unscented soy candles are ideal for burning dirt, ash, and other unwanted debris out of your home or office environment.
As an alternative to paraffin base candles, soy candle wax has several advantages over this base ingredient. Not to mention, it's easier to source for the home.
To follow our specific recipe, you will need to source several ingredients. Thankfully, they are easy to find and can be grabbed without any hassle:
You should be using 100% pure natural ingredients if you want to manufacture soy candles with powerful scents. Your candle's fragrance level will also depend on the potency of the oil you use.
Four cups of soy wax flakes should be added to a double boiler's base. Warm water should be poured into the double boiler's bottom section.
Filling the boiler with water is an essential step as a container with water will help shape your candle wax and bring out fragrant oils when burning.
The amount of wax shavings you have to add will differ based on the size of your vessel. A Yankee candle jar can be quite large, so aiming for that size demands a lot of wax.
Finding the perfect size can be hard, so you should try to over do it more than risk not having enough wax when going through the process.
Generally, you should heat larger amounts of wax than you anticipate using since you can simply use it again should you be unsure.
Heat the boiler. You want to turn that hot water into boiling water, and those wax pellets into melted wax pools. There is no exact and correct temperature for this.
Temperature variations don't matter, so long as you choose a suitable temperature that is medium to high for the cups of wax flakes to properly melt.
Four cups soy wax flakes can take a while to melt down properly, so find the optimal temperature that works for you to turn those solid flakes into liquid wax.
After applying medium heat or medium high heat, you will want to prepare the candle jar itself, or another solid container.
Using hot glue, secure some wicking for candles to the bottom of your planned candle container, aiming to keep it centered.
Wick size can vary, but for a single wick candle you will want to avoid taking up significant amounts of space that can lead to a shallow melt pool, and accidents when burning.
A hot glue gun will do the trick nicely, or for wooden wicks, you could even get away with using common glue sticks.
Wicks are important for candle appearance and function, and the glue melting later will not be an issue as the wick will be secured by solid wax.
When the wax melts and achieves a temperature of 185 ℉, add your favorite oils to it. For intensely fragrant candles, use 1 liquid ounce of oil fragrance per pound of wax.
Based on how potent the scent of specific plant oils is, you might need to add more. Fragrance loads can also demand you add less.
There is no maximum fragrance load when it comes to making a beautiful candle at home, but beware: you will likely flood your home with a smell for hours if you add too much.
For these essential ingredients, we do suggest that you use natural ingredients and oils. For example, lavender oil or vanilla extract. Even lemon juice can work.
Melted wax and oil are mixed together. Before you get the intended result, you might need to try various oils.
There could be too much oil for the wax if you add over two ounces for every pound. The different states of oil, melted wax, and warm water may struggle to the mix.
It is important to stir these ingredients together for homemade soy candles. We all know oil floats on water, but we're trying to get it to set into the melted wax.
For perfect soy wax candles, including your favourite candle scent, you may have to apply some trial and error. Find what works for you, and your wax candles.
Slowly pour and mix the candle color with the wax. Adding a little dye at this stage can completely change the look of your finished candles.
By adding some wax onto a piece of white paper and allowing everything to cure, you may determine the wax's hue.
Making your natural wax candles look different with block candle dye can be a great way to change your latest craft obsession for the better.
However, we suggest using natural dyes and colorants. Mainly because artificial and synthetic ones use toxic chemicals you don't want to burn.
Once 200 ℉ is reached by your molten mixture, transfer it to the jar you prepared earlier with the wick centered and ready to go.
Two hobby wood craft sticks made from wood should be inserted; one on either side of the candle to hold it in place.
Discard the sticks after the wax has cooled and become firm. Since wax contracts as it cools, a depression or indent will develop in the wax. Then you'll have to apply more wax to seal it in.
To close in the depression which will appear in the middle of the candle once it solidifies, heat the excess wax and apply it there.
To ensure the wick remains upright, you might be required to change the wooden craft sticks, or reapply them if you have removed them too early.
Once the candle wax sets and your candle is fully formed, trim the wick of your candle to avoid excessive black smoke, and to ensure a proper burn pool forms
