Votive candles are easy to make and known for their lovely, strong scents. This project is perfect for the beginning candle maker.
Making your own scented votive candles opens the door to create countless scent and color combinations. Votive candles are a good choice for beginners because they are easier to mold than larger candles, and making votives gives new chandlers the opportunity to experiment and learn on a small scale. What lovelier gift to give than a lovingly hand-crafted candle?
Candle Making Supplies and Candle Making Equipment
- Metal votive cups
- Wick clips
- Wire core wick
- Paraffin wax
- Candle scents
- Wax dye discs
- Double boiler
- Kitchen thermometer
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Wicking needle
- Old newspapers and greaseproof paper
- Stearin or beeswax (optional)
Wire core wicks are the easiest to use when making votive candles, floating candles, and tea light candles because the wire center enables the wick to stand up by itself after the hot wax has been poured. Lead core wicks used to be popular, but have been replaced by zinc core wicks for safety concerns. There are also paper core wicks. Paper core wicks are not as sturdy as zinc core, but the flames they create are bigger and brighter. If you are new to candle making, choose zinc core wick for your votive candles. It is the easiest to work with.
Candle Making
Cut pieces of wick longer than you think you need; you can always trim them later. For each votive candle, thread a piece of wick through a wick clip. Center the wick clip in the bottom of the votive cup, and make sure your wick is standing up strait and tall in the middle of the votive cup.
Place your measuring bowl on the kitchen scale, and set the scale to zero. Measure your candle ingredients into the bowl, such as a pound of paraffin and two ounces of stearin.
Always melt wax in a double boiler. If using stearin or beeswax, melt one or two ounces first. Melt a small piece of candle dye in with it, and stir with wooden spoon. Now add a pound of paraffin wax. Bring the mixture up to 199 degrees F, and stir gently.
Add 1.5 ounces of liquid scent for every pound of paraffin. Stir gently with spoon.
Carefully pour the hot wax into each votive cup. Fill the cup, but be careful not to overflow. Tap the sides of the votive cup gently to release air bubbles. Center the wicks, and leave the candles to cool for an hour.
When you return, you will notice a well has formed in the middle of the candle. This happens because wax shrinks as it cools. Take your wicking needle or strong piece of wire (an old piece of coat hanger works nicely) and poke a hole in the middle of the well.
Reheat the remaining wax in the double boiler to 199 degrees F. Carefully pour this wax into the well in the votive candle. Try to fill the candle without letting hot wax seep between the candle and the inside of the votive cup. (If this happens, it will be difficult to remove the votive candle from the mold.) Leave for another hour.
When you return, you may or may not want to repeat the last two steps again. In any case, when the candles are cool, place them in your freezer for ten to twenty minutes. When you remove them from the freezer, the candles should slide right out of their molds.
Candle Making Tips and Advice
Many kitchen items, such as scales and double boilers, work perfectly for candle making. Please always keep candle tools and food preparation tools separate.
Wax can be stored in the double boiler or poured onto grease-proof paper for later use. Never pour hot wax down the drain, and never wash candle making tools in the dishwasher. The wax will clog.
