Maddie James
Candle dressing is an ancient practice that involves adding decorations and ingredients to a candle to enhance its appearance and give it a special meaning. It is often used in spellwork to amplify and intensify the magic. The decorations and ingredients used can include herbs, oils, glitter, stones, ribbons, charms, and crystals, each chosen for their unique properties and ability to support the intention of the spell. For example, if the intention is to attract love, one might choose to use rose or jasmine herbs and Come to Me oil. The process of dressing a candle typically involves cleansing the candle, rubbing it with oil, and rolling it in herbs, focusing on the intention of the spell throughout. Once dressed, the candle is ready to be burned during a ritual or spell, often involving lighting the candle, focusing on its flame, and visualizing intentions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Spellwork, prayer and meditation, protection, decoration |
| Timing | Perform the ritual without interruption, let the candle burn down in one night or relight it many times |
| Candle colour | Choose a colour that complements your intention: red/orange for pleasure spells, green/brown/gold for abundance spells, orange/yellow/blue/purple for creativity spells, blue/purple/silver for intuition spells, brown/black/blue for protection spells, yellow/orange/black for releasing spells, red/orange/pink for love spells |
| Carvings | Carve a short message or symbol, such as a "sigil", into the candle |
| Intention | Write your intention on a piece of paper and put it away from the wick, visualise your intention and imagine it coming true, release your intentions into the universe |
| Anointing with oil | Choose an oil that aligns with your intention, such as essential oils like lavender, rosemary, frankincense, or sandalwood, or conjure oils like Come to Me Oil or Wealthy Way |
| Applying oil | Use a spoon or paintbrush to apply oil without making a mess, rub the candle with oil, focus on your intention while doing so, use the UP technique (base to wick) to draw something to you, use the DOWNWARD technique to remove something |
| Herbs | Choose herbs that align with your intention, such as rose or jasmine for love, cinnamon or nutmeg for money, lavender or rose petals for pleasure spells, basil or cinnamon for abundance spells, tangerine or verbena for creativity spells, myrrh or mugwort for intuition spells, clove or mugwort for protection spells, bergamot or rosemary for releasing spells |
| Applying herbs | Roll the oiled candle in herbs, use a spoon or paintbrush to apply herbs without making a mess, blow powder onto the candle |
| Crystals | Place small crystals around the base of the candle or affix them with glue or wax, use clear quartz, rose quartz, amethyst, or citrine |
| Ribbons and charms | Tie ribbons around the base of the candle, affix charms with glue or wire |
| Stones | Use tweezers or chopsticks to place stones |
| Glitter | Use biodegradable glitter |
| Sealing | Seal dressing materials with sealing wax or natural oil to prevent them from falling off, let the candle sit for at least 24 hours before burning |
| Cleansing | Cleanse the candle with salt, smoke, sound, or any other cleansing tool |
| Naming | Baptise the candle with the four elements (earth, water, fire, and air) by sprinkling sand/dirt, water, passing through flame, and incense smoke, then saying "by [element] I baptise you as [target's name]" |
Explore related products
$44.99 $51.99
What You'll Learn
Choose a candle colour that aligns with your intention
When dressing a candle, it is important to choose a candle colour that aligns with your intention. The candle's colour is believed to hold different types of energy, and burning a candle of a specific colour is thought to help access that colour's energy.
For example, if you want to protect yourself, choose a black candle. If you want to enhance your intuition, choose a purple candle. If you want to ignite romance, opt for a red candle. You can also choose a white candle for peace, purple for spiritual enlightenment, or blue for clarity and calmness. A green candle is good for luck, yellow for abundance, orange for connection, and pink for compassion. Gold candles can be used for manifestation, silver for intuition, and brown to ground yourself.
You can also use multiple candle colours in a single spell or ritual. For instance, if you want to manifest a new job, you can use gold, orange, and green candles. If you want to connect with the divine, silver and purple candles are a good combination.
Remember, candle magic is a personal practice, so feel free to choose candle colours that resonate with your intentions and goals. The colour of the candle is just one aspect of candle magic, and you can also incorporate other elements such as herbs, oils, crystals, and symbols to enhance your ritual.
Unity Candles: Catholic or Cultural Tradition?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Anoint the candle with oil using the UP technique
Anointing a candle with oil is a way to consecrate and bless it, enhancing its energy and aligning it with your specific magical intentions. The choice of oil is important, as different oils have unique properties and correspondences. For example, lavender is used for relaxation and purification, rose for love and beauty, and frankincense for spirituality and protection.
When using the UP technique to anoint your candle, start by choosing an oil that corresponds to your magical intention. Take a few drops of the oil and gently rub it into your palms. Beginning at the middle of the candle, draw the oil up towards the top. Then, return to the middle of the candle and draw the oil down to the base.
If you are using a Come To Me candle, you can anoint it with a specially crafted conjure oil designed to attract love, friendship, and money. Alternatively, you can create your own blend by infusing a carrier oil, such as olive oil or coconut oil, with dried herbs or flowers.
Remember, it is important to use high-quality oils and to be mindful of any potential skin sensitivities or allergies when working with them.
Explore Scentsy's Candle Collections: Aroma and Warmers
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$44.99
Roll the oiled candle in herbs
To roll an oiled candle in herbs, you must first select the right herbs and oils. Different herbs and oils have different magical properties, so be sure to pick ones that align with your intentions. For example, if your intention is to attract love, you may want to use rose or jasmine herbs with cardamom, jasmine, or ylang-ylang oil.
Next, you will need to prepare your herbs. It is important to grind the herbs into a fine powder to ensure they stick to the candle and do not fall off. You can do this with a pestle and mortar.
Now, you are ready to roll your candle in the herbs. First, rub your candle in oil, focusing on your intention as you do so. Then, sprinkle the ground herbs onto greaseproof paper or into a dish larger than the candle. Pick up your oiled candle and roll it in the herbs until they are stuck all over.
Finally, place your herb-covered candle into a candle holder. Be aware that the herbs and oil will come off on anything that touches them, and they may also catch fire as the candle burns down. Therefore, it is important to place the candle in a suitable fireproof container, such as a cast iron cauldron.
Candle-Making: Are Essential Oils Flammable?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Decorate with crystals, glitter, ribbons, and charms
Crystals, glitter, ribbons, and charms are all great ways to decorate a "come to me" candle and infuse it with your energy and intentions.
Small crystals can be placed around the base of a candle or affixed to the candle using glue or wax. Popular crystals for candle dressing include clear quartz, rose quartz, amethyst, and citrine.
To add glitter to your candle, use a paintbrush to spread a thin, even layer of Mod Podge or glue on the candle. Sprinkle glitter over the candle, making sure to cover it thickly for a neater, more professional look. You can also dust glitter on top of oil that has been anointed on the candle. Remember to put down newspaper beforehand to catch the excess glitter. Avoid burning candles decorated with glitter, as glitter is typically made from plastic and aluminium, emitting toxic fumes when burned.
Ribbons can be tied around the base of a candle or used to tie flowers or cinnamon sticks onto the candle for decoration. You can also use yarn or fabric to create a striped, candy cane effect. Charms, such as hearts, stars, or moons, can be affixed to the candle using glue or wire.
When decorating your "come to me" candle, be sure to select materials that will not melt, stain, or damage the surface of the candle when burned.
Pray Tell Candles: A Whiff of Comfort
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cleanse and baptise the candle
Candle magic is a powerful form of manifestation and divination. Before engaging in candle magic, it is important to cleanse your candle of any previous energies it may have picked up during the manufacturing process. This ensures that your intention can be more easily bound to the candle.
Using Salt
Salt is a magical ingredient that has naturally cleansing properties and can remove even the densest of energies. To use salt to cleanse your candle, prepare a bowl of sea salt and bury the candle in it for 24 hours. Most practitioners discard the salt after use. Alternatively, you can rub the candle with sea salt.
Using Smoke
Smudging is a fast and easy way to clear your candles. Light some incense, or choose a smudge stick like sage, cedar, or sweetgrass. Once the smoke starts to flow, pass your candle back and forth through the smoke several times, repeating a chant to help you focus your intention.
Using Moonlight
Leaving magical tools in the moonlight is another popular cleansing method. Set your candle outside or on a windowsill indoors overnight to soak in the moonlight.
Using Other Tools
You can also cleanse your candle with sound, or any other cleansing tool that feels good to you. For example, you could say a cleansing prayer or Psalm, such as Psalm 51.
Soy Candles: Are They Worth the Hype?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Dressing a candle means adding extra items to it, such as oils, herbs, glitter, stones, or other decorative items to amplify its energy and intentions.
You will need a candle, herbs, and oils. Choose a candle colour that aligns with your intention. For example, red, orange, or pink are often used for love spells. Use herbs like rose or jasmine to attract love, or cinnamon or nutmeg to attract money. Oils such as Come to Me Oil or Follow Me Oil are also used to attract love.
First, cleanse your candle with salt, smoke, or sound. Next, rub your candle with oil, focusing on your intention. Then, roll the oiled candle in herbs. Finally, seal the dressing with wax or natural oil, and let the candle sit for at least 24 hours before burning.
Once your candle is dressed, you are ready to set your intention and perform the ritual. Find a quiet space, light the candle, and focus on your intentions. Visualise your intentions coming true as the candle burns down, and release them into the universe.
