The gentle scent of melting wax, the flicker of vibrant lights, the magical and romantic aura – all these things have kept candles with us long after the discovery of electricity.
Dinner for two, birthday cake, fortune telling, lack of electricity in the apartment – a candle is useful in many situations. It’s a great decoration, a way to deal with unpleasant smells, and an obligatory element of evening relaxation in the bathtub. Some are true works of art. But if you still can’t find one that suits your taste, you can easily make your own with any additions.
Making your own scented candle at home is neither difficult nor expensive. Everything you need can easily be purchased at craft and art supply stores.
This will be the base for your candle. You can buy pre-made paraffin paste at the store and natural wax from beekeepers. Natural beeswax is a better choice because, unlike paraffin, it does not emit harmful substances when burned. Another healthy option is organic soy wax, which you can use for body massages after burning the candle.
You can make it yourself, by twisting together some thick cotton thread or dental floss. However, it is much easier to buy a ready-made one from the store. Pay special attention to the thickness of the wick – it has a big impact on the quality of the candle burning. Too thin will give a weak light that will go out, suffocating the melted wax. Too thick is a guarantee of too intense burning and soot.
It must be heat resistant. For a small candle any metal tin will be suitable – it is convenient to work with it (remove, hold, tilt, etc.).
There is one requirement – it must be wider and lower than the wax melting pot.
Pigments for coloring the mass can be in the form of powder or hard granules. They can also be successfully replaced by regular wax crayons. Keep in mind, however, that water-soluble dyes will not be suitable.
You can also use synthetic fragrances, but oils have a rich assortment and strong therapeutic properties. You are sure to create a satisfactory composition.
They are useful for fixing the wick exactly in the middle of the candle, mixing dyes and aromas in hot paraffin, and also for “scratching” the original ornament on the finished candle.
Specialty stores will surprise you with the selection of molds for pouring paraffin, but making candles at home does not require such an expense at all. You can use whatever you have on hand – a beer can, a yogurt cup, or a milk carton.
In a word, anything that you want to decorate your candle with. Remember, however, that you can decorate with paper, fabric or herbs only candles with a large diameter and a thinner wick.
The whole process requires caution above all: hot wax spilled on a towel, clothes, skin can cause fire and burns. Making a candle yourself is interesting and exciting. Before you start working, think about the design and fragrance composition for the future candle. Calculate the required amount of pigments, choose decorations, prepare the mold and wick.
If you will be pouring wax into an improvised mold, make a small hole in the middle of its bottom. Thread the wick through it and tie a knot on the outside of the mold – this will later be the top of the candle. Pull slightly so that the knot fits snugly into the hole. Lightly grease the mold with vegetable oil or liquid soap. Stand the mold up and secure the wick snugly in the center with thin sticks.
Prepare the water bath: Remember that the water in the pot should not be boiling. You can place a cloth or napkin on the bottom. Cut (smash, grate) the candle mass into small pieces, place them in a heatproof dish and put them in the pot. The maximum temperature you can bring the paraffin to is 75 degrees.
Add stearin if necessary – it gives hardness to the paraffin. Pour the pigments into the molten mass and then add the essential oils. Mix thoroughly.
Carefully, without moving the wick, pour the wax into the mold. Leave for 15-30 minutes. The time depends on the thickness of the candle.
Untie the knot at the bottom of the mold, gently pull the wick from the other side and remove the candle. If you can’t do this, put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. After that, it should slip easily out of the mold.
Trim the wick from the bottom to a length of 1 cm and the other to zero. Your candle is ready to decorate.
You can make a candle in a glass, jar, coconut shell – in this case you need a special metal wick holder. It must be glued to the bottom of the chosen vessel. When choosing a fragrance composition, pay attention to the properties of individual essential oils and avoid intense, suffocating scents.
Main Photo: Sixteen Miles Out/unsplash.com
