How to Make Scented Candles at Home for Your Home

Candles have been on earth longer than anyone else alive today. Before you had light bulbs and LED lights, candles have already worked overtime keeping the fire burning in homes, especially during times when the technology above fail.

Nowadays, though, people have found new uses for these reliable light and flame source.

The Benefits of Candles

In terms of health and spiritual well-being, it’s been said that burning candles can help you focus and calm your mind. Because of that, practitioners of meditation usually burn candles while meditating. These are also being used while having a therapeutic massage.

When mixed with essential oils, candles can open you to a whole new world of self-care. The scent of essential oils like lavender and patchouli, combined with the gentle flickering of the candle flame, can quiet down your mind to help with mental health.

A calm mind allows you to focus on your thoughts clearly, fixing it on one subject, be that God or a mantra, therefore, helping in your religious or spiritual practices. Meanwhile, a more practical benefit is its capacity to keep bugs away especially during summer.

In homes, candle lights are known to produce a warm ambiance for a cozy or intimate atmosphere. Of course, burning candles also will instantly give off a feeling of relaxation and comfort.

Candles are also good design pieces that offer other benefits like giving the bathroom a spa-like environment or the kitchen a romantic dinner feel. Use candles in different colors and put them in a glass, wood, or metal holder to make a statement.

Lastly, a candle is an excellent practice for doing DIY projects for your home. Since the materials for it are readily available and cheap, it’s one of the most basic things you can do for your next craft project.

How to Make Scented Candles at Home for Your Home

What you need:

• Wick tabs

• Braided wick

• Nose pliers

• Double boiler, or heatproof bowl and saucepan

• Soy or paraffin wax, 2 kg

• Thermometer

• (Optional) Mica or candle powders for color, 1/2 teaspoon or more

• Scented or essential oils

• Spray oil

• Candle molds like small glass jars, tins, or pots

• Hairdryer

What to do:

1. Assemble the wicks by first cutting the cord to an appropriate length, then securing one end to the wick tab. Use nose pliers to pinch the metal firmly.

2. Grate or chop the wax into tiny pieces, since this will help it melt quicker.

3. Prepare the double broiler by boiling some water or use a large saucepan and heatproof bowl on top.

4. Melt the wax on top of the broiler or bowl, stirring every so often. Maintain the wax temperature at 90°C or not exceeding 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Once the wax has melted, add the powder for color, if you wish. Do this over heat to combine the coloring agent and the wax more effectively.

6. Remove from heat and quickly add and stir in your desired scent (a 250ml-sized candle requires around 30ml of oil). Let it cool down to 125 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Quickly prep the mold by spraying it with a bit of oil.

8. Insert the wick by tying it to a pencil or chopstick and sitting it horizontally across the top of the mold, so that the wick hangs vertically.

9. Carefully pour the wax into the mold, to about 2cm from the top. The candle will likely shrink in the center, but you can add more wax if needed.

10. Use a hair dryer to get rid of any air bubbles, then smooth the top.

11. If the wick is too long, cut it off. Leave the candle for a day, then remove from the mold.

Whether you need to have comfort in your home or for yourself, scented candles are a cheap yet effective way to burn away your problems and anxiety.