Make Candles at Home

During a yoga class, at the dinner table, or in the bedroom, a burning candle always sets the right mood. A handcrafted candle sets an even better mood! This guide shows you how to make four different types of beeswax candles. All four projects are easy and eco-friendly ☺

GOOD FOR YOU AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Most candles on the market are not eco-friendly. Traditional paraffin candles are made from crude oil, a nonrenewable resource. When burned, they emit dangerous chemicals, like benzene and tolulene.² Wire wicks also contribute to air pollution, and many even contain lead! But you can make candles without all of those carcinogens. The four candle-making projects below use safe, renewable materials—organic cotton wicks and beeswax. You can also use soy wax, but I prefer beeswax because it has a naturally beautiful color and a light honey fragrance.

Time and effort: It depends on what kind of candles you choose to make. Rolled candles are very easy to create, even your five year old child can do it. You don’t need any special candle making tools—you just need beeswax and wicks and a few minutes! Molded candles require more materials and time.

Cost: Low. Check your local craft store or farmers market for beeswax and wicks, or buy them online. As for the rest of the supplies, you probably already have them lying around at home!

Priming Candle Wicks: Before you start in on one of the four projects below, consider priming the wicks with one coat of beeswax. This step is optional, though a coat of beeswax will help your candles burn better.

Materials
Organic cotton wicks
Beeswax pellets
Tin can or old pot
Big pot
Wax paper

Instructions

1. Place a few beeswax pellets in a tin can or old pot, and then place that in a bigger pot filled with water. Heat on medium until the wax melts.
2. Dunk your cotton wick in the beeswax and stir.
3. Once the wax stops bubbling, take out the wick and lay it on a piece of wax paper. Wait for the wick to cool completely.

Rolled Candles³

Rolled Candles Materials:
Beeswax sheets
Organic cotton wicks, preferably primed with beeswax.
Hair dryer (optional)
Beeswax pellets (optional)
Old pot or pan (optional)
Wax paper (optional)
Large cutting board (optional)
Ruler (optional)
Sharp knife (optional)

Rolled Candles Instructions:

1. Cut your wick to the length of your beeswax sheet, plus ¾ of an inch.
2. Lay the wick along one edge of your beeswax sheet. Press it into the wax.
3. Roll the edge of the wax over the wick. Continue rolling tightly, as if you were rolling up a yoga mat. When you’re done, gently press the edge into the candle.
4. If you’re having trouble rolling the wax, try softening it with a blow dryer. ⁵
5. Cut the wick to 1/4” above the candle. Now you’re ready to light your first handmade candle!
6. You can make your candle any size you’d like. Place the beeswax sheet on a large cutting board. To make short candles, place a ruler along the sheet’s midsection. Cut along the ruler with a sharp knife. To make short and skinny candles, cut the sheet again perpendicular to the first cut. To make tapered candles, cut the sheet on a diagonal. ⁶

Hand-Dipped Candles

Hand-dipped Candles Materials:
Beeswax pellets (easier to handle) or bulk beeswax (much cheaper)
Organic cotton wicks
Tall tin can
Cooking pot
Thin stick (like a chopstick or skewer)
2 bricks (or similar objects that are sturdy and at least as tall as your candles)
Candy thermometer (optional)

Hand-dipped Candles Instructions:

1. Cut the wick to twice the height of the tin can, plus about two inches.⁸ String the wick over the thin stick and set aside. This wick will make two candles.
2. Fill the tin can about 2/3 full with beeswax pellets or bulk beeswax. Place the can in a pot about half filled with water. Heat the beeswax on medium until the wax melts completely. Then turn the heat down to low. ⁹
3. The wax should now be about 160°F.¹⁰ You can measure its temperature with a candy thermometer, if you happen to have one.
4. Dip the two candle wicks in for one second, then out for one second. Wait about 15 seconds to dry.¹¹ Then repeat (one second in, one second out, 15 seconds to dry).
5. You can dip as many times as you’d like. If you’d like the candles to fit in a regular taper candle holder, make them about an inch in diameter.
6. To give the candles a glossy finish, increase the wax temperature to about 180°F for their last dip.
7. Hang the candles up to dry. Rest the thin stick on two bricks, two mason jars, or whatever else you have that will get the job done.
8. Once the candles have cooled, strike a match!

Container Candles

Container Candle Materials:
Beeswax pellets or bulk beeswax
Organic cotton wicks
Container (jam jar, Mason jar, tea tin, or any other pretty thing that can withstand heat)
Cooking pot
Gauze
Tall tin can or old pot
Candy thermometer (optional)
Natural colors or scents (optional)

Container Candle Instructions:

1. Cut the wick to the height of your container, plus about 2 inches.
2. Fill the tin can (or old pot) about 2/3 full with beeswax pellets or bulk beeswax. Place the can in a pot about half-filled with water. Heat the beeswax on medium until the wax melts completely and is about 170°F. ¹³
3. Want to add some color or scent? Stir some crushed spices into the wax! Add tumeric for pink, cinnamon for orange, or a few drops of vanilla extract for a warm scent. For a flowery smell, gather up some backyard flowers. Add about a half cup of flowers for every pound of melted wax. Then strain the wax through a piece of gauze.¹⁴ Don’t be tempted to leave the flowers in or to use whole spices because that’s a fire hazard.
4. Carefully pour the melted wax into your container. To avoid air bubbles, pour slowly.
5. As the wax begins to harden, insert the wick.¹⁵ Cool overnight. Trim the wick.
6. Container candles make great gifts because they’re easy to personalize. Wrap a sheer ribbon around your jar candle. Or decorate your tea-tin candle with a mosaic or collage!

Mold Candles

Mold Candles Materials:
Beeswax pellets or bulk beeswax
Organic cotton wicks
Container
Tall tin can or old pot
Cooking pot
Mold remover spray or cooking oil
Candy thermometer (optional)
Dried flowers (optional)
Natural colors or scents (optional)
Pencil (optional)
Scotch tape (optional)

Mold Candles Instructions:

1. Choose a mold. It doesn’t have to look pretty, put it does have to withstand heat. You can use a Pringles can, an old muffin tin, a waxed milk carton, or anything else that you around the house that can be heated—avoid plastic containers.¹⁷ If you’d like to buy a mold, there are many to choose from (but they’re almost all super expensive!). For example, I love this rose bud pillar.
2. Wipe the inside of your mold with a damp paper towel. Coat the inside with mold removal spray. Alternatively, cover it with a thin layer of cooking oil.
3. Cut the wick to the height of your container plus about 2 inches.
4. Fill the tin can (or old pot) about 2/3 full with beeswax. Place the can in a pot about half-filled with water. Heat the beeswax on medium until the wax melts completely and is about 170°F. ¹⁸
5. If you’d like, stir natural colors and scents into the wax.
6. Pour a little bit of melted wax into the container. Make sure that the container is not leaking. Then continue pouring slowly.
7. As the wax begins to harden, insert the wick. If you’re having trouble with this step, try an alternate method for your next candle—before pouring the wax, attach the wick to the center of the inside of the container with a bit of scotch tape. Lay a pencil or similar object across the top of the container and tape the other end of your wick to it, centering the wick in the container. ¹⁹
8. Cool completely before burning your new candle.
9. If you’d like to get even more creative, decorate your cooled candle with dried flowers! With a craft adhesive, attach the flowers to the side of your candle. Melt some beeswax in a container that is at least as big as your candle.
10. Hold the candle by the wick and dip it into the wax or 5 seconds. Remove and make sure that the flowers are still flat against the candle. ²⁰
11. Dip again for 5 seconds. Remove.
12. Trim the wick and let cool. Then light up and set a beautiful mood!