Making candles can be a messy project, but it doesn't have to be! Let me show you how to easily make beeswax jar candles without the mess.
Why Do We Love Candles?
Nothing makes a home feel cozier than candlelight. The soft glow affects your mood. It is relaxing and stress-reducing. Candlelight calms your mind and makes your space feel intimate and warm. I enjoy candles all year long, but they are a necessity in my house throughout the winter. With all the gray, cold days and long nights, candlelight keeps me sane. When it's dark and snowy, a little candlelight can lift my spirits and allow me to enjoy this hibernation time. For other tips for getting cozy and finding enjoyment during cold, dark weather, learn about Hygge here.
Why Make Your Own Candles?
Quality and cost are the 2 main reasons to make your own candles. And it's fun too.
When you make your own candles, you control the ingredients. I love candles, but often worry about what’s in them. I don’t want to burn a bunch of chemicals in my home.
Buying pure beeswax candles can be expensive. However, the ingredients can be purchased quite cheaply. The method I use to make candles is pretty easy, so it’s a no-brainer to simply make my own.
What Do You Need?
Heat-safe containers such as canning jars, mini loaf pans, and recycled jar candle glass. Just keep in mind that a tall thin container won't burn well, and a very wide container might require multiple wicks to burn properly.
100% cotton wicks. Fatter jars require a wider wick or multiple wicks. Start with an average wick for most containers. Be sure your wicks are longer than the height of your jar.
Glue dots to hold the wicks in place.
Coconut Oil or Shea Butter (optional)
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Want to learn more about the benefits of beeswax? Visit https://thehomeintent.com/benefits-of-beeswax-candles
The Easy Way to Make Jar Candles
When I was first interested in making my own jar candles, I watched a few tutorial videos and they all required melting the wax in a double boiler and then carefully pouring the wax into your jars. Everyone mentioned that the cleanup was horrible and the opportunity to make a mess seemed big. Plus, it required you to dedicate yourself to the project, as you had to stir the wax often while it was melting, then let it cool to a certain temperature before pouring, then use a Crème Brule torch to keep the edges of your pouring vessel from clumping up with cooled wax.
It didn't make sense to me that it would have to be that complicated...and it doesn't.
My steps:
1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat your oven to 200° F.
2) To each jar, use the glue dots to attach a wick to the bottom, making sure it's centered. Place jars on the baking tray.
3) Fill each jar with wax pellets, stopping now and then to push the wax down into the jar removing air space between pellets. (It may be helpful to make a cone with parchment paper or use a funnel to pour the pellets into the jars).
4) Place the baking tray in the oven. Check back later, after the wax is mostly melted. Add more wax if necessary. In the end, you want your wax to be about 1/2 - 1 inch from the top of your jar. Return the tray to the oven and allow it to melt completely. (the total melting time will vary depending on the size of your jars).
5) Remove the baking tray from the oven and use chopsticks or skewers laid over the tops of your jars to keep the wicks centered while the wax cools. (if you want to add essential oil, add it a few minutes after removing the candles from the oven)
6) Allow the candles to cool, trim the wick to just shy of 1/2 inch, and enjoy.
Watch Me Make Candles
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