I AM MAKING...

I don't know about you, but I think there is nothing better than being cozied up under a blanket with a cup of tea, feeling relaxed and uplifted by the subtle scent and calming glow of a candle or two.

I'm known for having candles on the burn constantly, and I've always wanted to learn how to make them. I never realised how amazingly easy it was until I gave it a bash myself.

The Wax

Making candles is easy but it's full of decisions, like choosing the right wax and scents – to colour or not to colour? There are a lot of options out there, but I decided to use soy wax. Candles are often made with paraffin wax, however I much prefer a soy wax candle because I think it burns cleaner and for longer. There isn't a sooty residue left behind on the containers, and soy wax is much more environmentally friendly. And when you burn candles as often as I do it pays to be a little bit conscious of the wax that you're burning. Soy wax is made from soy beans. As it is a vegetable extract it is more sustainable and environmentally friendly than paraffin wax, which is a by-product of fossil fuels. 

It is said that soy wax burns about 50% longer than a paraffin wax candle. Now I don't know how accurate this statistic is, but I have definitely noticed that my soy wax candles burn a lot longer. From this perspective you could say that soy wax is better value for money. I love that soy wax is eco-friendly, and personally think it is a nicer product to work with and to burn, but of course it's down to preference. 

I bought my first packet of wax flakes from Amazon but I couldn't find the same product after, so I bought the next batch from Ebay (which was cheaper at £6.95 with free P+P). I buy the wax a kilo at a time, and this makes around six medium candles, or four medium and four smaller candles. 

The Scent & Colour

There are many ways to scent a candle. You can buy a liquid fragrance (I've seen it in hobbycraft) and fragrance oils, but I used essential oils. I wanted to give the candle an "aromatherapy" feel and use products that are less likely to be synthetically made. I am a strong believer in aromatherapy, in the sense that I do believe a smell can change my mood for the better, whether it's burning a candle or sticking a couple of drops of oil in my diffuser. Not only does it make the place smell INCREDIBLE (who wouldn't want to stay somewhere that smells like heaven?!) but it can be quite calming and uplifting. Especially with citrus and floral fragrances. 

The way that I'd chosen my scent blends was pretty simple. I have a collection of essential oils and I decided which ones I liked the best. I then researched which scents work with the one that I liked and wanted to use. For example, I wanted to incorporate rosemary into the mix, and found it worked well with peppermint and lemon. Following this, I made a few different combinations, such as: orange, geranium, patchouli and bergamot; lemon, rosemary and peppermint; lemon and cedar wood; orange and patchouli and "The Nordic Bun," a combination of cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla. For a medium candle, I used about 100 drops, but I might increase it next time. It's not that you couldn't smell the candle, but it was just quite subtle and some may think it lacks in scent.

When it came to colouring the candle, I chose not to. You can by blocks of wax-dye that can be incorporated in the melting process, and I may give it a go at some point. But I just luuuuurve the colour of the soy wax. The creamy, solid-white chic of a soy wax candle is gorgeous and I think it has quite a luxury feel to it. Again, it's all down to preference! I may play about with colour when I make them as gifts near christmas time.

Containers

I just used small to medium kilner jars because I had them spare. I had four big(ish) ones, four smaller ones with the metal flappy opener bit and a teeny, tiny personal-sized marmalade jar for a tea-light sized candle. Keeping and washing jars is quite good for this, I think it looks quite cute and effective having odd jars of all shapes and sizes. 

Also, vintage teacups from the charity shop are a GREAT shout! They look beautiful, are cheap as chips and designed to withhold heat, so less likely to crack under the pressure. 

Or use old candle jars, or candle holders - anything really! Just make sure that your container can stand the heat and won't crack. Say crack again. Crack. 

How to Make

This is the fun bit. I spent hours out in the kitchen on a Sunday afternoon making them and loved every second of it. If you're into cooking, you'll be in your element. If you're not, you'll still be in your element because it is so. damn. easy.

You will need: Soy wax flakes, essential oils, containers, glue dots, pre-waxed wicks, glass/pyrex bowl, saucepan, water, funnel, pen, labels

1) To measure the wax, spoon the wax flakes into the container that you are using for your candle. Tip this amount into a glass bowl and then do it again. You need to double up, because when it melts down you get rid of the gaps of air between the flakes. 

2) Grab a saucepan and add in water about a third of the way up to halfway. Bring the water to a gentle simmer and place the bowl on top. Ensure that the bottom does not touch the water when melting. It's the same process as melting chocolate. 

3) Whilst the wax is melting and doing it's thang, grab a pre-waxed wick and a glue dot. Stick the dot to the bottom of the wick and then carefully place it in the middle of the bottom of the container. Press it down to make sure it's secure. 

4) When the wax has melted, take the bowl off of the heat. Leave the wax to cool for about five minutes and then add the essential oils. This stops the oil from burning off too much in the hot wax. 

5) Fill the container with the melted wax. I used a funnel to do this and I recommend doing so otherwise things can get EXTREMELY messy. Move the container to somewhere it won't be knocked  (essential if you are as clumsy as I am), and place a pen along the top of the container to help keep the wick straight when setting. 

Set the candles for 24 hours and et voila! You are good to go. 

I loved the whole process of making these, from selecting the scents to burning one on a groggy afternoon. For a first attempt I am so impressed with the outcome! I think I'll make a few changes next time, like adding more oil and filling them a bit more evenly. You can tell they are homemade but I think that is part of the charm ;) 

So if you have an afternoon free and are as obsessed with candles as I am, give this a go.

Happy candle making, 

Ashley x