How to make a candle by hand?

How to make a candle by hand?

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A post for beginners, those for whom everything is still ahead, and for those whose candles are not yet perfect.
Perhaps you will discover something new for yourself👌
 
Candle making is an interesting, creative, and captivating process, something that draws you in from the very beginning and uncovers new talents in everyone.
 
But, let's be honest - if you're not ready for experiments, testing, spending time, having a kitchen with wax stains, and facing initial failures - don't even start because it will all happen!
Every candle maker knows what perfect candles cost them. A lot of ruined material, a lot of tests, a lot of time. Every candle maker knows that candles are not just "melt and pour"! If only it were that simple! But the result is worth it!
 
The main things to know about candle making are: 
☝️Start right, buy quality materials, don't learn to make candles from poor material because disappointment and a waste of money await you!
☝️Be prepared for testing, for failures, and don't give up!
☝️Always record all stages of work - what, when, how much; this will greatly help with analysis and process improvement!
 
Don't be afraid, everything will work out, and our instructions will help you make your first candles as successful as possible!
 
Let's get started!
 
First of all, decide what type of candle you will make, molded or container.
 
Molded candle is one that requires a mold for pouring and, when finished, maintains its own shape. Such candles are also called "pillar candles." They require a holder during use, which can be a candlestick or some holder with low sides to contain dripping wax.
 
Container candle requires a container in which it will be poured and in which it will burn. This can be a glass jar, a glass, or a plaster pot.
 
 
Secondly, after determining the type of candle, you need to prepare (or purchase) the necessary materials:
 
🔸 Wax for molded or container candles (soy, coconut, or others) or paraffin;
🔸 Cotton or wooden wick (make sure it fits the diameter of your future candle);
🔸 Holder for the cotton or wooden wick; 
🔸 Container for melting wax (preferably a stainless steel pot with a handle and a spout);
🔸 Container for pouring the candle: mold or container;
🔸 Spoon or wooden stick for stirring;
🔸 If you want a scented candle, then a high-quality candle fragrance specially designed for candles;
🔸 If you want to add color, a special candle dye;
🔸 Scales (preferably jewelry scales, they are the most accurate);
🔸 Kitchen thermometer or infrared thermometer for measuring wax temperature;
🔸 For paraffin candles, stearin is needed;
🔸 Holder for a cotton wick to secure the wick in the middle of the mold (can be made from makeshift materials);
🔸 Office rubber bands (if using a silicone mold);
🔸 Container for a water bath, where you will place a bucket with wax;
You should also prepare a hairdryer, a notebook to record some stages, napkins or paper towels to quickly clean up any accidents 😁
 
All materials such as wax, fragrances, dyes, wooden or cotton wicks, holders, and centering devices for wicks, as well as stickers for securing wicks, can be purchased in our store MadeIS:  go to the store ➡️
 
Third step. The process itself:
 
 1   Measure the volume of the container into which you will pour the candle.
The density of soy, beeswax, or paraffin wax is approximately 0.9 kg/liter,
So if the volume of the mold or candle is, for example, 200 ml, you will need 200×0.9=180 g of wax. If you want to add a fragrance, I recommend using our calculators to determine the correct wax/fragrance ratio.
➡️  Candlemaker Calculators
 
 2   Weigh the necessary amount of wax on the scale. Take a bit more just in case☝️

 3   Place the container with wax to melt in a water bath over low heat. It's convenient to do this in a stainless steel pot with a spout and handle. Do not leave the wax unattended!

 4   Prepare the wick.
🔹If you don't have a pre-tabbed cotton wick, cut the necessary length (with some extra) and dip it into the melted wax for a few minutes. Remove it and straighten it. Place it on a flat surface to cool and solidify (it's convenient to place it on a sheet of paper to avoid waxing the table). 
🔹If you have a pre-tabbed cotton wick (when it's pre-tabbed, it's rigid and holds its shape) or if you have a wooden wick, skip this step.

 5  Attach the holder to the wick.
🔹For a cotton wick, you need to crimp the holder with pliers. 
🔹If you purchased a ready-made pre-tabbed wick with a holder, skip this step.
🔹If you're making a container candle, skip this step; you don't need a holder there.
❗Please note that holders for wooden and cotton wicks are different. For cotton wicks, they typically have a round shape with a hole in the middle. For wooden wicks, they can be round or square with a slot in the middle where the wooden wick is inserted. 
 
 6  Prepare the container for container candles or special molds.
🔹Plastic molds should be greased before pouring (with oil or a special release agent) to facilitate removal. 
🔹It is advisable to heat the container for container candles before pouring, this can be done with a heat gun or in a preheated oven. You can also place it on a warm radiator. It is advisable to degrease the glass container from the inside with alcohol. 
 
 7  Secure the wick in the mold or container at the bottom. 
To secure the wick in the container, there are several methods.
- Hot glue gun: apply a drop of glue to the back of the wick holder and try to attach the wick to the bottom of the container on the first attempt, hold for a few seconds. I'm not sure about the safety of this method, but many people use it.
Lifehack! To secure the wick in the center, draw a dot on the bottom with a marker and aim for it.
- Melted wax: dip the wick with the holder into melted wax for a second and secure it to the bottom in a similar way. If the container is deep, you can use a wooden skewer for assistance.
- Special adhesive wick holder: easy, quick, and reliable. Use it according to the instructions: remove the adhesive from the paper it's attached to, stick it to the holder from the back, peel off the protective film from the other side, and attach the wick with the adhesive to the bottom of the container.
To secure the wick in the mold: If it's a plastic or metal mold, there should be a hole in the bottom; thread the wick through it from the inside of the mold to the outside (without a holder!!! it's not needed here), leave about 2 cm outside, bend it, and pour melted wax from the top so that the hole and this end of the wick are filled, about 0.5 cm high. It's convenient to do this with a teaspoon in 2 stages: pour, let it harden a bit, and pour again. In this case, you can't pour the candle all at once; you need the bottom to harden first.
🔹The option with plasticine didn't work for me; the plasticine came off due to heating, and the wax leaked out through the hole. It's also difficult to clean the mold from plasticine.
🔹Don't make my initial mistakes; put something under the mold in case of a wax spillage accident. 
Use your imagination; maybe you'll find a better way to secure the wick at the bottom of the mold.
🔹In silicone molds, you need to create a hole yourself using a knitting needle; you can thread the wick through the hole using a needle. Additional securing of the wick at the bottom is not necessary in silicone molds.
 
 8  Secure and center the wick in the mold or container from the top.
🔹This is done using makeshift tools such as sushi sticks or special candle centering devices, which can be wooden or metal. Wooden ones are more convenient and cheaper, in my opinion.
🔹Only cotton wicks should be secured because they can soften and lose shape during wax pouring. Wooden wicks do not need to be secured.
Tip: From this point on, document the stages: which wick, which container, at what temperature you added the fragrance, what percentage, what temperature for pouring, etc.
 
 
 9  Measure the temperature of the melted wax to add fragrance or dye, follow the instructions for the temperature of adding them to the wax, which is typically 70-75°C for dye and 70-85°C for fragrances. 

 10  Add dye and mix thoroughly. If necessary, heat the wax to add fragrance.

 11  Add fragrance and mix thoroughly for 2 minutes.

 12  Cool the wax to the required temperature for pouring. 
🔹For vegetable waxes, this is between 70 and 45°C.
🔹For paraffin, it's 75-80°C for a smooth shiny surface and 60-65°C for a matte finish.
☝️ If you're using molded wax, the pouring temperature is between 70 and 55°C, but for container wax, it's between 60 and 45°C.
Read the instructions for the waxes, try different temperatures, and find what works best for you and your circumstances.
🔹For container waxes, you can pour even when the wax is cloudy as it cools.
 
 13  Pour the wax into a container or mold, leaving 10% for topping up in case the wax settles (for paraffin, a three-stage pouring is desired: 80% / 15% / 5%) 
🔹After cooling the main layer but before it fully hardens (this requires some practice to get the timing right), pour the remaining wax.
🔹If necessary, at this stage, decorate the candle with dried flowers or other decor. The bottom layer of wax will prevent the decor from sinking👌 Don't place the decor too close to the wick!
☝️ Top-up pouring is done to achieve a smooth and beautiful candle surface. The same effect can be achieved using a heat gun: pour the candle in one go, then after the wax has hardened, melt the surface with the heat gun to a depth of up to 5 mm and let it cool. If you didn't decorate the candle's surface earlier, you can do it at this stage.
 🔹Wipe the container of any wax residue or drips with a paper towel.
 
 14  Wait for the candle to harden and let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature, avoiding drafts. 

 15  Carefully remove the candle from the mold, if it's molded. Trim the cotton wick to a height of 0.6-1 cm and the wooden wick to 0.3-0.5 cm from the candle's surface.
If you decorated a molded candle, its bottom will be the bottom. If you didn't decorate it, usually, the bottom of the candle becomes the top due to a smoother surface, so trim the wick entirely from the pouring side and cut it to a length of 0.5-1 cm from the side that will be the top.
☝️ Light the candle at least 48 hours after it has hardened, but preferably 3-5 days later.
 
 16  Enjoy the result and analyze any flaws if there are any🤗
 
Have a great time making candles and enjoy the pleasant emotions!😊