Discover the basics of DIY scented candle making so you can easily make your own candles at home. This article, designed especially for beginners, covers the essentials for understanding the creative process and how candle making works. If you'd like to delve deeper into each topic, you'll find further details in our dedicated articles available on our candle guide.
Quality equipment is essential if you are to work in optimum conditions and guarantee the success of your creations.
To go even further, explore our other comprehensive recipe guides for beginners, where you'll find practical advice, innovative recipes and tips for choosing the best raw materials.
Before you start, we recommend you consult our comprehensive glossary to familiarise yourself with the technical terms involved in candle making.
Understanding and making a homemade scented candle
If you want to make scented candles, it's important to understand how they work. Most of the time, scented candles come in containers, glasses, jars, etc.
The wax used to create scented cast candles is different from the wax used for moulded candles.
The principle of scented candles is to diffuse a fragrance, which gives a unique olfactory effect.
When the wax is hot and liquid around the wick, the fragrance is diffused. That's why it's important to choose a wax that's suited to the type of candle, preferably oily so that it becomes liquid at low temperatures.
We're going to talk mainly about poured/container candles, but sometimes we'll talk about moulded candles so that you can understand the subtleties between these 2 types of creation.
Choosing the right wax for my candle
First of all, it's important tochoose a wax that adheres well to the glass. The greasier it is, the better it will adhere to the container. Choosing the right wax is vital to the success of your creation. A wax can be adapted to almost any situation, but some are better suited to certain uses than others.
Each of our wax sheets gives you details of use, temperature recommendations, etc. Discover the different families of waxes.
Vegetable waxes (soy, rapeseed, olive, etc.)
Vegetable waxes for scented candles work well with our fragrances, sometimes requiring blending with additives such as stearin to ensure optimal combustion and diffusion. However, some waxes are ready to use and greatly improve your production capacity.
Forcast/container candles, we recommend using the following waxes:
- Cargill C3 soy wax (add 5% stearin for best results). This wax is very versatile and can be used for almost any type of creation, but is more difficult to work with.
- Kerax 4130 soya wax is perfectly suited to beginners. This wax is easy to use.
- Rape, coconut or olive wax for container candles are less widely used, but give great results.
For your moulded candle creations, opt for the following waxes:
- Kerax soy wax for moulded candles 4120. It's the easiest to use.
- RAPS rapeseed wax for moulded candles. It is widely used, but more difficult to work with.
- You can also opt for olive and coconut wax for moulded candles. These waxes give an incredible shiny result with no imperfections. They're becoming more and more popular!
Rapeseed, for example, has a lower melting point than soya, which changes the way you use this wax.
The advantages of vegetable waxes
It's a plant-based product, so it's much more environmentally friendly. Burning time is much longer than with paraffin wax.
The disadvantages of responsible waxes
In some cases, you need to make up a mixture (soya wax or rapeseed wax + 5% beeswax + 5% stearin) to obtain optimum rendering/combustion.
Mineral waxes (paraffin)
This choice of paraffin wax is much less in vogue today because of its composition. However, it blends perfectly with perfumes and dyes. What's more, it burns evenly and harmoniously, ensuring that your favourite fragrance is diffused continuously. It's a very versatile option and one of the best waxes you can use.
Advantages of mineral waxes
Paraffin wax supports colouring and the addition of fragrance. It has the best fragrance reproduction characteristics. It's a good choice for beginners because it's so easy to use.
Disadvantages of paraffin waxes
Burning time is shorter than with vegetable waxes. Despite the high quality of our paraffin wax, it is derived from petroleum.
Animal waxes (beeswax)
Beeswax is used in the creation of unscented moulded candles, soaps as an additive, and cast candles. It is an essential additive for scented candles in containers, thanks to a clear improvement in the scent and appearance of the wax. Beeswax is the only wax that can be described as natural.
The advantages of animal waxes
Beeswax is a 100% natural wax that comes from bees and is easy to use. It also allows for improved diffusion of certain lighter fragrances.
The disadvantages of beeswax
Bees are becoming rare and beeswax guaranteed to be 100% of animal origin is becoming increasingly scarce! Which means a high price per kg.
What should I use to scent a candle?
You can use specially adapted fragrances. Our scents from Grasse will enable you to add the desired fragrance to your creation. We offer a wide range of over 500 fragrances from the French perfume capital, Grasse, with different themes ranging from woody, fruity or gourmand fragrances, for example.
The choice of fragrance
Scents or fragrances for candles
Our fragrance oils are made in Grasse, in Provence, France. These fragrances are specially adapted for diffusing perfume in candles. More than 500 references with varied themes are available, including more than 200 CMR-free!
Essential oils for your candles
Be careful with essential oils: they may be natural, but they are not ideal for diffusing in your candles, and can even be dangerous.
How much fragrance should I use in a scented candle?
Depending on the concentration of the fragrance, you should dose between 5 and 10% per kg of wax.
For example: a Jasmine candle fragrance will be much more powerful than a Rice Powder fragrance. It all depends on the intensity you want, your sensitivity and the fragrance itself.
We also offer a unique special range with a dosage of just 1%! Each fragrance in this revolutionary range does not require a 1% UFI declaration, and there is no mandatory CLP labelling(except Boost your life).
Our guide will give you a clearer idea, and we've also included a very practical tool. A wax and fragrance calculator.
The hardest part: the right wick
The choice of candle wick is very important when creating a scented candle. A wick that is too powerful will result in a flame that is much too large. This will cause smoke...
Conversely, if the wick is too weak, your candle will burn poorly, resulting in a small flame that won't be powerful enough to make the wax liquid and diffuse the fragrance. The choice of wick is complex and varies according to the type of creation, the type of wax, the diameter of the container, and so on.
But don't panic! We've put together a complete guide to choosing and using your wick, and to solving any problems you may encounter.
Using waxed wicks to make scented candles
We recommend using a range of wax wicks called "Series" such as TCR, STABILO, ECO or LX for your container candles, but avoid using them for moulded candles.
Focus on the advantages of waxed Series wicks
They are coated with a vegetable or mineral wax, which makes them easy to apply to the bottom of the glass and quick to light. This saves a considerable amount of time for high-volume production.
Disadvantages
These wicks are somewhat fragile when handled, which can make them difficult to use, especially for beginners.
The differences in our Series TCR, ECO, STABILO and LX range
Here are the main characteristics and differences between Series waxed wicks for your perfume creations:
- TCR, ECO and STABILO wicks: These wicks are coated with a blend of vegetable waxes (soy wax) and animal waxes (beeswax), and made from a double cotton braid. They are particularly well suited to vegetable waxes. A paper core at the heart of these wicks gives them ideal rigidity for candles containing them, preventing the wick from lying or drowning in the melting basin. TCR wicks can be used for larger diameter containers. TCR wicks are braided, while ECO and STABILO wicks are twisted.
- LX wicks: Made from spun cotton, these rigid wicks are specifically optimised for scented and coloured candles, particularly suited to paraffin waxes. They offer improved combustion, making them an excellent choice for candles requiring consistent burning performance.
Our wicksare untreated and comply with European REACH regulations.
Of course, you are free to choose uncoated flat or round wicks.
The choice of cherry wood wicks
Original and with a gentle crackling sound when burnt, they give a beautiful result for your cast candles, although they can (sometimes) slightly tint your wax. This is normal.
Advantages of wooden wicks
Compared with cotton wicks, cherry wood wicks produce less soot and smoke, which extends the life of your candle and reduces residue. They even add a gentle crackle that enriches the sensory experience.
Made to last, these wicks don't degrade as quickly as their cotton counterparts. Made from natural, renewable materials, these wicks are a more environmentally friendly option.
A few drawbacks though
Their advantages come at a price. Cherry wood wicks are generally more expensive than cotton wicks, which can affect the overall cost of your candle.
Although they offer many advantages, these wicks can be a little trickier to position and use. You'll need to be precise to make sure they stay straight as the wax solidifies.
Sometimes, a normal reaction can cause your wax to tint slightly.
A container or mould to embellish your scented handmade candle
Glass, ceramic, metal or aluminium tin: the choice is enormous! The important thing is to choose a container that is preferably medium-sized, as people tire of a fragrance fairly quickly, and that is sufficiently heat-resistant. The container will need to be pre-heated during the wax casting process.
On average, candles weigh between 120 and 180 grams and burn for between 25 and 40 hours. An original design or packaging will attract the attention of your customers or friends.
For a moulded candle, choose a mould suitable for your wax and pour your mixture inside.
Remember to add an AFNOR safety label to inform your consumers(compulsory for professionals). You must also comply with current European labelling rules if you wish to sell your creations (CLP, UFI, etc).
Please leave your candles to rest for at least 48 hours. We recommend that you leave it for about 1 week before enjoying its fragrance. This gives your scent time to mature and bond with your wax for better diffusion when melting your creations.
In conclusion,
Be patient! A scented candle is like cooking. One dish = one recipe. In our world of candle creation, this rule also applies. The dose of fragrance will vary depending on the fragrance, the type of wax, the wick and the container. Don't hesitate to consult our various guides!
Example : You've just made a superb scented candle in a glass. You decide to use the same composition and wick to make a travel candle in an aluminium tin. You light your travel candle and nothing works like the glass candle! This is simply because glass heats up more quickly than an aluminium can... So you'll have to change your wick and your wax mixture.
If you want to make a scented candle, you'll need to choose the right type of wax and wick.
It is possible to scent a moulded candle, but it will not have the same olfactory effect as a scented candle in a container. Discover all the secrets of making moulded candles.
We are available to support you by telephone or through our training courses: we will advise you on your creative choices.
