Learn How to Make Your Own Scented Candles
Let’s face it; scented candles just seem to create a wonderful atmosphere in any room. Just the flickering light of burning candles already does much in terms of ambiance, but when it’s accompanied by a delightful fragrance, the effect tends to be more intense.
In order to make scented candles you can easily purchase fragrance will from most craft stores, or if you prefer, you can order some online. With that said, it is always better to use oil based fragrance rather than water based or alcohol based perfumes, in at the latter do not mix with the candle wax.
One of the great things about scented candles is that you can smell them even when they’re not burning, and of course they make the most amazing gifts, particularly if they’re handmade. Apart from the fact that you add fragrance oil to the wax, the process for making scented candles is just the same as it is for making regular candles, but of course you’ll need to take into consideration the type of wax you intend using. Bear in mind that there are nowadays several different types of wax available on the market. These would include a number of natural waxes such as beeswax and soy wax for example, and also traditional paraffin wax and gel wax. Any type of wax can be used for making scented candles, but if you intend using gel wax, then you’ll need to plan ahead, in that you get three different densities of gel wax, and of course, the lower the density, the less fragrance oil it can hold.
Of course, the first step in making your own candles is the melting of the wax so that they can be poured into the mold. If you intend using paraffin wax or one of the natural waxes, then you’ll need to use a double boiler. This is essentially a large vessel of water which you place on a stove, and then you place a smaller vessel containing the wax inside the larger vessel. The use of a thermometer is strongly recommended because the wax should be heated to between 170 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the wax is ready to be poured you’ll need to place the wick in the mold in such a way so that its secured in the center. Before you actually begin pouring the wax, you’ll need to mix in the fragrance oil. In order to achieve a fragrance concentration of 6% you’ll need to mix one ounce of fragrance oil for every one pound of wax. Don’t be tempted to add too much fragrance oil, in that it could prevent your candles from burning properly. Most candle makers will usually keep a record of their own personal recipes, and of course this can be helpful in order to avoid future failures.
The great thing about using different colors and different fragrance oils is that it allows you to enjoy a greater variety in terms of what you can do when you make your candles. Now that you have a general understanding as to how scented candles are made, nothing’s stopping you from trying it yourself.
