Ben Carter
Candles are a great way to create a cosy atmosphere, especially during the winter months. Making your own candles is a rewarding craft with very little preparation and clean-up, and rolled beeswax candles are a great place to start for beginners. They are easy to make, with minimal equipment required, and can be decorated in a variety of ways. In this guide, we will cover the basics of how to make your own rolled beeswax candles and explore the use of essential oils to add a natural scent. We will also discuss the importance of choosing the right wick size and provide tips for a safe and enjoyable candle-making experience.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Beeswax, essential oils, coconut oil, glass jars, wicks |
| Wick type | Natural, organic, wooden, cotton, or wood |
| Wick size | Dependent on candle diameter, larger candles require larger wicks |
| Wax temperature for adding essential oils | 160-165° F |
| Ideal pouring temperature | 155-160° F |
| Essential oil quantity | 1-2 ounces of scent per pound of beeswax, 60 drops for every 4 ounces of wax, 2 teaspoons for every 4 ounces of wax |
| Wax quantity | 1/2 lb beeswax for a candle with coconut oil, 1 lb beeswax without |
| Wax source | Local farmer's market, local beekeeper, or pre-made pellets |
| Wax preparation | Melt beeswax in a double boiler, do not boil, stir in coconut oil, let cool to 180° F, add essential oils, stir, and pour into jars |
| Wick preparation | Secure wick to bottom of jar with hot glue, trim wick to 1/4 inch |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right wick
There are several factors to consider when choosing the right wick for your beeswax candle:
- Diameter of the candle: The larger the diameter of your candle, the larger the wick will need to be. Containers under 3" in diameter typically require a smaller wick, while containers larger than 3" may need a double wick.
- Type of wax: Beeswax is a dense, hard wax that requires a larger wick than softer vegetable waxes such as soy or rapeseed wax.
- Burn time: The desired burn time will also affect the size of the wick. A larger wick will consume the wax faster, while a smaller wick will result in a slower burn.
- Material: Modern wicks can be made of braided cotton, paper, or even wood. Square braided cotton wicks are a popular choice for beeswax candles as they provide a stable structure that allows for a consistent and controlled burn, minimising the formation of mushrooming, soot, and carbon buildup.
Once you've chosen a wick, it's important to test it by making a sample candle. Burn the candle for a few hours to ensure that the flame is steady and the wax is melting evenly. If the flame flickers or the wax melts unevenly, try a different size wick. It's always better to use a wick that is slightly too large than one that is too small.
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Melting the beeswax
Melting beeswax is the first step in making your own candles. It is a simple process, but it requires careful attention to avoid overheating.
To melt beeswax, you will need a heat source, such as a stove, and a pot or pitcher to hold the wax. It is recommended to use a double boiler setup to ensure even heating and prevent overheating. Place a large pot on the stove and fill it halfway with water. Then, place your smaller pot or pitcher inside the larger pot. If using a glass container, be sure it is heat-proof. Turn the heat to medium and keep an eye on it. If the water boils, it can burn the wax or cause it to splash.
Once your setup is ready, it's time to add the beeswax. You can use beeswax pellets or shred a block of beeswax with a cheese grater. Slowly add the beeswax to your container. The amount of beeswax you need will depend on the size of your batch and the desired number of candles. For a single candle, you may need around 1/2 lb of beeswax.
As the beeswax melts, you can stir it occasionally to ensure even melting. This process can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the amount of beeswax. Keep a close eye on the temperature to avoid overheating. The ideal pouring temperature for beeswax is around 155-160° F. If you don't have a thermometer, you can look for a film forming on the surface of the melted wax, indicating it is ready.
Beeswax has a delightful honey scent, but you can also add coconut oil or other cooler oils like palm oil to help the beeswax burn more evenly and prevent tunnelling. Add the coconut oil after the beeswax has melted, stirring until well combined.
Once your beeswax is melted and any additional oils are incorporated, you can move on to adding essential oils for scent and preparing your wicks.
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Adding coconut oil
Beeswax candles are a beloved candle-making material due to their long burn time, natural air-purifying properties, and beautiful golden colour. However, beeswax can be challenging to scent, and this is where coconut oil comes in as a secret ingredient. Coconut oil has a great ability to hold and throw fragrance, which means that when added to beeswax, it can give off more scent and do so more quickly than if beeswax was used alone.
Coconut oil also has a lower melting point than beeswax, softening the wax and slightly lowering the melting point of the candle. This may decrease the burn time of the candle, but since beeswax is already the longest-burning wax, even softened candles tend to last longer than most other candles.
When making beeswax candles, you can add coconut oil to help the beeswax burn more evenly. Coconut oil also helps to prevent tunnelling in beeswax candles, which can occur when the flame is not hot enough to melt the wax. To prevent this, you can also try using a larger wick.
To make beeswax candles with coconut oil, place a large glass jar or tin in a pot of water, ensuring the water line stays well below the opening. Transfer beeswax to the jar or tin and melt over medium heat. Once the beeswax is completely melted, add coconut oil and your favourite essential oil blend. For example, you could use 30 drops of jasmine, 15 drops of cedarwood, and 10 drops of ylang-ylang.
After adding your essential oils, stir the mixture with a wooden chopstick and pour the wax into your jar. Place the wick in the centre by taping it to a pencil or straw placed across the jar, or by threading the wick through the centre of a clothespin. Place the candles in a warm area to harden, as they may crack if they cool too quickly.
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Adding essential oils
When making beeswax candles, you can use any essential oils you like. However, it's important to note that the scent of the essential oils may change over time as they synergize with each other. To ensure the scent of your essential oils is not destroyed by the heat of the wax, it's recommended to let the wax cool to around 160-180°F before adding the essential oils. You can use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
The amount of essential oil you use will depend on the desired strength of the scent. A general rule of thumb is to use at least 60 drops of essential oil for every 4 ounces of wax blend. For a stronger scent, you can use 2 teaspoons of essential oil for a 4-ounce candle. If you're using a blend of essential oils, you can scale up or down depending on how strong you want the scent to be. For example, for a woodsy, floral candle, you can use 9 drops of cedarwood essential oil, 9 drops of vetiver essential oil, and 7 drops of geranium essential oil.
Once you've added the essential oils to the melted wax, stir well to combine. If you're using coconut oil or another carrier oil, make sure it's fully incorporated before adding the essential oils. After stirring, you can immediately pour the wax into your prepared jars with wicks.
It's important to note that essential oils are heat sensitive, so you don't want to burn them off by letting them sit in hot wax for too long. To prevent this, some candle makers recommend pouring the wax at a lower temperature of 155-160°F.
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Pouring and setting the wick
Now that your beeswax has melted, it's time to pour the wax and set the wick.
First, attach a candle wick to the bottom of your jar. You can use a wick sticker, hot glue, or even a little melted wax, although the latter method is not recommended as the wick may detach when you pour in the hot wax. Alternatively, you can secure the wick to the centre of the jar's lid with a clothespin or by placing a pencil, straw, or wooden skewer across the jar and taping the wick to it.
Next, carefully pour the melted wax into your jar, leaving about half an inch of space at the top. If you've added essential oils, pour the wax immediately. If you've used fragrance oils, wait until the beeswax cools to 175°F or 180°F. The best temperature to pour the wax is 155-160°F, or when it has a film on top. Pour the wax in one smooth motion, as stopping and pouring again can create a visible line.
Finally, place your candle in a warm area to harden. If the wax cools too quickly, it may crack. You can preheat your oven to 170°F while pouring the candles, then turn the oven off and place them inside.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need beeswax, coconut oil, essential oils, a heatproof container, candle wicks, skewers, a large glass jar or tin, a saucepan, and jars or moulds for your candles.
You should add essential oils to your beeswax when it has cooled to around 160-175°F. If you add essential oils when the wax is too hot, they may burn off. If the wax is too cool, it may harden and form clumps.
This depends on how strong you want the scent to be. Generally, you will need quite a lot of essential oil to get a strong smell. You can add up to 2 tablespoons of essential oil per pound of beeswax, but you may need to experiment to find your preferred ratio.
