By Request: DIY Candle Recipe

 



So I recently got a question asking if I had any candle recipes. And, while I did not, I was more than eager to do some research and find one and also provide examples of how to do it from scratch inexpensively or how you can take the "FREE-WAY" and do it using things you probably already have in your house.



MOLD

you first want to start with a mold. From my understanding, you can use a variety of different candle molds from glass to plastic (you have to be careful with temperature,) metal and latex.

Metal Mold $7.99-$9.99 from Hobby Lobby

Latex Mold $4.99 and up from Hobby Lobby

Glass Mason Jar $2.99 and up from most grocery and super stores (Wal-mart, Target, etc.)

 

TAKE THE FREE-WAY
1.) Now some of these you may actually already have in your kitchen or around your house. That would bring the cost of a mold down to FREE (my favorite word.)

WAX

Next you have to choose a wax. You can use a variety of waxes from Bee's wax (kind of expensive)  to parafin to gel (highly flammable) to wax crystals (found at hobby stores.)
For this segment, we'll use wax crystals since this appears to be least expensive

Wax Crystals $3.29 at Hobby Lobby (and they have a variety of colors)
 

These packages generally have heating instructions that you follow on them.

TAKE THE FREE-WAY
1.)Use old burned down candles from around the house

 



 

 

2.) Use old broken crayons (those of us with kids are never in short supply of these)

These can be melted down in a microwave, crock pot or pot. I recommend some kind of liner (maybe foil) for easy clean up.


SCENTS

You can buy products that are designed to scent your candle like scent blocks. I was not able to find any online to do comparison pricing.There is a company called Scentchips. They make little chunks of scented wax that is meant to be melted in electric warmers.

However, they are quite fragrant and could probably be added to wax to scent it. You can even create your own scents! They have a few retail stores around the country. If there is not one near you, you can always order online here.

For those of you in Colorado, there are two stores, one in Estes Park and the other in Colorado City.


TAKE THE FREE-WAY

1.) You can use aromatherapy or essential oils to scent your DIY candle. I've read that these oils aren't really designed for the intense heat so I would not add very much of it and would recommend doing this at the very end of the melting stage, right before you pour it into your mold.



WICKS

You can buy wicks

$2.79 from Hobby Lobby

 

TAKE THE FREE-WAY

1.) Use Twine. Attach it to popsicle stick or fork and lay across the top of your mold until wax sets.


So you can make an unscented candle for as little as $10.. OR you could make one from things around the house for as little as FREE!


If anyone has done this and has some tips and pointers to make it easier, better or less messy, we'd love to hear them!