How to Make Homemade Candles

Even after the discovery of electricity, people did not lose traction to the world of living flames. We recall candles in the grief and joy; we decorate candles with birthday cakes and light the memorial candles. We celebrate the New Year's with blazing candles and we will definitely use them for the romantic dinner entourage.

Candles - this is a great way to dilute the boring atmosphere and add a personality to a home interior. In addition, some of them are able to provide pleasant aromas; however, such specimens are expensive. But making homemade candles yourself is not so difficult, plus you can save a good deal.

Of course, you can just buy any candles and for any occasion today. But it's much more interesting to make it alone. Did not you try? But it's not as difficult as it might seem. And the time and materials for this will require very little. And some special skills do not require the manufacture of candles. And if it's so simple, then let's find out how to make candles at home and try to apply this knowledge in practice.

What materials do you need for the candle?

Materials for handmade candles can be:

• Wax,

• Paraffin,

• Gel.

The simplest way is to make paraffin candles, as even simple household candles of white colour are suitable for their manufacture. If you want to make a gel candle, you will have to stock up with special materials, which you can buy at a store for needlework. As for paraffin ... Even the scumbags of any decorative candles can become a new DIY candle. If simply white candles do not suit you, then paraffin can be easily painted with ordinary wax chalk or food colouring. In addition, modest white candles can be decorated with decoupage napkins, ribbons, lace or beads. As a decor and a peculiar case, you can use the peel of halves of orange or grapefruit. Scented candles are also quite easy to make on your own. All that is needed for this - any essential oils with your favourite aroma:

• the aroma of sandalwood, coconut, cinnamon and coriander removes fatigue;

• orange, mandarin, lemon, rosemary and wine raise the tone;

• bergamot, lavender, jasmine, mimosa, act as antidepressants;

• the smell of vanilla, bergamot and rose is suitable for a romantic dinner;

• Chamomile, Melissa will help you relax.

In addition to paraffin, dyes, decorative materials and aromatic oils, you will necessarily need oppression. If you take ready-made household candles as the basis for candles, then use the oppression that they have. If you cast candles from cobs, then bend from ordinary cotton yarn or yarn flour. For this purpose, thin threads need to be very tightly wound, for example, with a regular skew, or even crochet. Then the oppression is impregnated with liquid wax (paraffin) and let it freeze.

And, of course, forms for candles.

The shape case is, for example, a regular bowl of orange peel. Well, any metal, silicone or plastic forms (baking dishes, cups of yoghurt, juice, and boxes made of juice or milk, moulds) are suitable for casting candles. In short, all you can do is fill the hot paraffin and then remove the frozen candle. That is, the shape of the bottom should be of the same size as the upper opening of the container, or less.

In addition to all these materials and tools for the candle making, prepare a grater, water bath saucepan and knife. And then you can safely start the process.

The process of manufacturing of your own masterpiece

Step 1

Making a candle at home is really easy. To begin with, chop off the paraffin. To do this, gently break the candles or scones into pieces and remove those parts from the wick. Then these pieces of paraffin are ground on a regular grater. For wax flakes, there is one important rule - they should be exactly twice as large as the candlestick's volume. This means that if the candlestick is a glass - you will need two of the same cups of flakes. If there are kitchen scales at home, weigh the number of flakes that you will need (this figure will be used for calculating the amount of essential oil).

Step 2

For coloured candles tune the wax chalk and mix this chip with chopped paraffin. If you use food colourings, then dissolve dry in a very small amount of water in advance. This solution or liquid dyes then just need to be dipped into molten paraffin.

Step 3

This is not the duty. If you want, your candle will be a regular milky shade. But if you have a desire to experiment and make your masterpiece colourful, cut off 3 millimetres of a coloured wax pencil to get a pastel shade or 6-8 millimetres to get a bright, intense colour and add to the wax cup. But add the pencil in small pieces; do not throw the entire cut off part at once. By the way, do not be afraid, if the colour of the melted mixture is too bright, the cooled wax will add to your overall palette your milky shade and the candle will become much paler.

Step 4

Also, pre-prepare the wick and shape to fill the candle. If the forms you have one time and in their den can make a small puncture, then pierce the bottom in the middle and insert a yoke in it, fastening it from the reverse side with a knot. If the shape is not one-time, attach a metal part to its lower end, and place it on the bottom of the candlestick, and then, using a sticky tape, stick the upper end to a simple pencil so that the wick remains as smooth as possible.

Step 5

Lubricate the form with a liquid dishwashing detergent, and fix it to the toothpick (stick for barbecue, knitting needles), extend it through the mould and put the toothpick on its edge. That is, the oppression must be exactly in the middle of the form, extending from the bottom up. And do not forget that over the edge of the form should remain at least a couple of inches of the free wick (while wounding on the toothpick).

Step 6

After the components are completely melted, remove the pan from the plate and add the essential oil at the rate of 10 drops to 500 g of wax. So you get a smell of moderate concentration. Or make it brighter or thinner, you’ll decide. And do not hesitate to experiment with flavours, try adding 2 or 3 types of essential oils that you like.

Step 7

Now put paraffin in a mug, a jar or a small pan and put this container in a water bath. At medium heat, melt the paraffin and allow it to dissolve in dyestuffs. For aromatic candles, dip in paraffin a few drops of essential oil. Then add liquid and even hot paraffin gently to the prepared form and leave the candle to freeze.

Step 8

If you use a form in which it is not possible to make a hole for a wick, proceed as follows. Melt the paraffin, dip it into a wick and hang it up right to make the thread hard and straight. Pour paraffin into a form and let the candle harden. During this time hardens and oppression. Now heat the metal knitting needle and make a hole in the centre of the candle. Then insert the oppression in it and gently fill the hole with liquid paraffin.

Step 9

Remove the sealed candle from the shape. To do this, simply put a mold with a candle in hot water for a few seconds and pull the wand - the candle easily slipped out of shape. And do not forget to cut the knot on the back of the bottom of the shape, if you just sealed the yoke in the candle.

Step 10

It remains to decorate your homemade candle. You can simply decorate it with beads, lightly heating the candle with a hairdryer, so that the beads easily cuddle in paraffin. Glue tape, bar, lace, simply wrap around the candle. And if you use a napkin for decoupage, then cut the motive of the desired size, attach it to the candle and disassemble the napkin with a hot spoon. Under the influence of heat, the wax melts impregnate the napkin, and the picture is engraved on the surface of the candle.

It is important to know

• Do not use glassware to warm the wax.

• Almost all types of waxes have a melting point equal to 90 degrees. Use the special thermometer to monitor the temperature. He has a steel rod and a top scales. It can be used when mixing wax.

• If the wax melts on an open flame, there is a chance that it will blow up. To extinguish the fire do not use water, you need to use baking soda.

• Overheated wax secretes a toxic substance. Therefore, it is extremely important to carefully ventilate the room.

• Usually, the candle is completely freezing for 4 hours. Do not try to accelerate this process with the help of a refrigerator or a winter balcony. To prevent cracks from waxing, cooling should occur gradually, at room temperature.

  

• A person is so arranged that can look endlessly for a long time on water and fire - natural elements give him strength and calm. In the decor of the interior, you can use the most diverse elements that bring us closer to nature - decorative gardens and fountains, vases with flowers and fireplaces. But perhaps the candles are helping us to create the most unique atmosphere of calm and intimacy.
  If you make candles with your own hands, the interior of your home will be truly unique and individual. It adds warmth and comfort notes. Original candles with your own hands can become a universal souvenir, which carries a practical purpose along with aesthetic pleasure. In addition, the self-made candle making takes a little time and money, while bringing incredible satisfaction both to the one who produces them and the one who gives them.

  

• A flavoured candle, purchased or made with your own hands, immerses into the world of luxury and dreams and gives you unforgettable pleasure. By the way, the manufacture of candles can become an exciting hobby. So, make such a gift to yourself or your loved ones and they will thank you.