How To Make Candles: 10 Simple Steps For Beginners

Learn how to make candles with our easy to follow 10-step tutorial. Discover tips, and essential supplies for creating candles, perfect for an online store.

If you’re launching a candle-making business, choosing what types of candles to craft and sell is an exciting part of the process. With a wide array of fragrances, waxes, and decorative elements like pressed flowers to explore, this creative journey can be both thoughtful and energizing.

Creating candles at home can be relatively straightforward, provided you plan carefully and use the right tools. Your candle-loving friends will likely appreciate these handmade additions to their home décor. 

Your venture could evolve into a profitable side hustle or small business. Entrepreneurs of all ages have built successful candle-making enterprises—take nine-year-old Lily Harper, for example, who manages the candle company Lily Lou’s Aromas with her mom’s support.

Ahead, you’ll discover the essential materials you need to make and sell candles, along with our 10-step candle-making beginner's guide.

Candle making supplies

Before you start selling your creations online, here’s an overview of the supplies you’ll need to craft homemade container candles.

Wax

Candle wax is typically available as shavings or flakes, which you can purchase in bulk online or from local craft stores. Some popular types of wax for DIY candle-making are:

• Paraffin wax
• Beeswax
• Soy wax

Wicks

Candle wicks are usually made of paper, cotton, zinc, or wood. Thin wicks suit most candles but may extinguish easily in larger ones. Thick wicks, with their larger flames, melt wax faster and are better suited for larger candles. Consider investing in a wick trimmer for precise cutting.

Common wick types for candle-making include:

• Flat-braided cotton
• Square-­braided cotton
• Cored

Molds

If you’re not using a container for your candle, molds help shape it to stand on its own. You can find affordable, reusable molds on platforms like Amazon.

Skewer

A skewer keeps the wick upright while the surrounding wax solidifies. You can substitute this with tape or adhesive putty if you’re on a budget.

Dye

Enhance your homemade candles with color by adding candle-specific dye. Using non-candle dyes may alter your wax composition and affect the solidifying process.

Fragrance oils

Scented candles derive their aroma from essential oils or fragrance oils added to melted wax during production. The amount of fragrance oil and wax type determine the scent intensity. Waxes with a higher melting point (like beeswax) emit less scent than those with lower melting points (like paraffin).

Double boiler

Double boilers evenly distribute stovetop heat for controlled warming—ideal for melting wax. You can use a store-bought double boiler or create one by placing a metal bowl atop a pot containing a small amount of water.

Thermometer

Use a candy thermometer, digital infrared thermometer, or deep-fry thermometer to monitor your wax temperature.

Spatula

A heat-resistant spatula ensures even wax melting during the candle-making process.

Candle containers

Mason jars, glass containers, or even tin cans make excellent candle vessels. Remember, larger containers yield bigger candles with longer burn times. 

The Gill brothers founded their own candle business, Frères Branchiaux.

How to make candles at home in 10 steps

1. Prep containers and supplies
2. Measure the wax
3. Melt the wax mixture
4. Add your fragrances
5. Place the wick
6. Stabilize the wick
7. Pour the wax
8. Clean up
9. Wait for the candle to cure
10. Light your candle

Creating candles at home is simpler than you might think. With a few specialized items, some planning, and a little time, you can craft beautiful, fragrant candles. Follow this step-by-step guide to start your candle-making journey.

1. Prep containers and supplies

Choose your candle containers: votive holders, specific candle jars from craft stores or candle-making wholesalers, empty Mason jars, or even tin cans work well. Select a vessel that you like, as most poured candles can’t be transferred once set.

Ensure your containers are clean and dry, and place them on a flat surface. Keep your wicks, fragrance oils, and wick holders (like Popsicle sticks or chopsticks) within easy reach.

2. Measure the wax

Use your candle containers as measuring tools. Fill them with wax flakes or shavings, remembering that melted wax takes up less space. A good rule of thumb is to use about two containers’ worth of flakes per candle.

3. Melt the wax mixture

Pour your measured wax into your double boiler and warm it slowly until completely melted. Stir carefully with a spatula, catching any bits that rise up the pot’s edges.

Different waxes have different melting points:

• Paraffin wax: around 100°F (38°C)
• Soy wax: approximately 124°F (51°C)
• Beeswax: around 145°F (63°C)

Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.

4. Add your fragrances

For scented candles, it’s time to get creative. If using candle-specific fragrance oils, follow the package instructions. For essential oils, add 30 to 40 drops per eight-ounce candle. Add oils slowly and stir thoroughly.

5. Place the wick

Center one wick in each container. Secure it to the bottom with a drop of melted wax or glue. Ensure the wick is centered for an even burn.

To keep your wick centered, use a wick holder or a clothespin across the top of the container to secure it in place while the wax cools. If the wick moves slightly, reposition it while the wax is still warm but not fully set.

6. Stabilize the wick

Before pouring the wax, place two Popsicle sticks (or chopsticks, pencils) across the jar’s top, sandwiching the wick between them. This keeps the wick upright as the wax hardens.

7. Pour the wax

Carefully fill each container to just below the rim, pouring slowly to minimize air bubbles.

If your candle cools unevenly or forms a sinkhole, try reheating the surface with a heat gun or a hairdryer on a low setting. This will help smooth out the top layer.

8. Clean up

Wipe up any wax drips with paper towels while still warm. For hardened wax spills, use hot water to clean surfaces.

9. Wait for your candle to cure

Curing times vary by wax type:

• Soy candles: Harden in about four hours, fully cure in three to four days
• Paraffin wax candles: Cure in about two days
• Beeswax candles: Take up to 10 days to cure completely

Once dry, remove the wick holders and trim the wick. If you notice pockmarks or indentations from air bubbles, warm a little more wax and add a thin layer on top for a smooth finish.

10. Light your candle

Enjoy the fruits of your labor! Handmade candles make great gifts and online store items, and are a cost-effective way to achieve a beautifully lit, aromatherapy-infused atmosphere in your home.

Candle-making ideas

Stuck on ideas for your candle project? Here are some good options to inspire you:

1. Layered candles. Create fun candles with alternating layers of different colored wax. Experiment with contrasting scents for each layer to make your candle a multisensory experience.
2. Pressed flower candles. Incorporate dried flowers into the wax for a rustic, decorative look. Pressed flowers work best on the exterior of a clear container, encased in a layer of translucent wax.
3. Marbled candles. Swirl together multiple wax colors to create a marbled effect.
4. Holiday-themed candles. Use molds shaped like snowflakes, pumpkins, or hearts to create candles for specific seasons or holidays. Pair these designs with festive scents like cinnamon, peppermint, or pumpkin spice.
5. Citrus Peel candles. Hollow out an orange, lemon, or grapefruit peel and fill it with wax to make a natural candle holder.
6. Crackling Wood Wick candles.Use wooden wicks that crackle as they burn to give your candles a cozy, fireplace-like ambiance. Pair them with warm scents like vanilla, sandalwood, or amber.
7. Floating candles. Make small, lightweight candles that can float on water for decorative centerpieces. These are perfect for weddings, parties, or creating a spa-like atmosphere at home.

How to make candles FAQ

What type of wax is best for candles?

Paraffin wax is often considered ideal for candles due to its affordability and excellent fragrance-holding capacity, resulting in long-lasting, beautifully scented candles.

How do you make homemade candles?

Follow these steps to make homemade candles:

1. Prep your candle-making supplies.
2. Measure the wax.
3. Melt the wax.
4. Add fragrances.
5. Place and stabilize the wick.
6. Pour the candle wax.
7. Clean up.
8. Allow the candle to cure.
9. Light your new candle.

What ingredients do you need to make a candle?

To make a candle, you’ll need the following ingredients:

1. Wax
2. Wicks
3. Fragrance oils
4. Spatula
5. Heat-proof candle containers
6. Double boiler
7. Thermometer
8. Wick holders (e.g., Popsicle sticks or pencils)

Is it cheaper to make your own candles?

Yes, making your own candles is typically more cost-effective. While high-end store-bought candles can cost more than $100 for an eight-ounce pour, a pound of soy wax flakes (enough for three eight-ounce candles) usually costs between $2 and $10. Many fragrance oils also retail for less than $10, making DIY candles significantly more economical. Candle making kits also run for anywhere between $60 and $120. 

How do I make my candles smell stronger?

To make your candles smell stronger, try the following:

1. Select potent essential oils.
2. Consider using fragrance oils designed for candles.
3. Choose wax with a lower melting point.
4. Optimize the oil-to-wax ratio.
5. Allow candles to cure fully before burning.