There’s just something about candles, isn’t there? The mix of soft light, delicious scent and general cosiness can make any day seem not so bad. Whether you didn’t even get to leave your desk for lunch or were stuck in rush hour traffic a matter of minutes ago, there’s little that can’t be fixed by lighting up a candle as soon as you get through the door.
Everyone loves a scented candle, with a total of more than £90 million a year being spent on them in the UK alone! But if you want to fuel your love for cosy nights in, without the hefty price tag, you should try making your own. Not only is it super easy but it puts the power in your hands, allowing you to have fun mixing scents that you love. They also make amazing gifts on their own or as part of a homemade hamper. Although, we’re totally not judging if you decide to keep them all for yourself!
How to make aromatherapy candles:
Ingredients:
- wax flakes or pellets
- pre-waxed candle wicks
- essential oil(s) of your choice
- Optional: wax dye chips
Equipment:
- candle containers (e.g. recycled jars and tins)
- a pan
- old glass bowl or jug
- skewers or straws
- tape
- scissors
- a hob
Step One: Prepare your containers
Before you get started with the wax, you’ll want to make sure that your containers are ready to be used as soon as you need them. Stick the metal plate of your wicks to the bottom of your candle containers/jars with a dot of glue. Then, tape the wick to a skewer or straw to keep it straight after you’ve poured in the wax.
Step Two: Melt your candle wax
Before you get started with the wax, you’ll want to make sure that your containers are ready to be used as soon as you need them. Stick the metal plate of your wicks to the bottom of your candle containers/jars with a dot of glue. Then, tape the wick to a skewer or straw to keep it straight after you’ve poured in the wax.
Step Three: How to add scent to candles?
Now for the really fun bit – choosing your scent. Use our aromatherapy map to figure out which essential oils could best benefit you and play around with combinations!
Once all of your wax has melted, remove it from the hob and then stir in your oil of choice. The optimum temperature for wax to make candles with is about 70°C. We recommend using about 16 drops of oil per 450g of wax. You should add the scent as the wax cools, so it does not evaporate. 
Step Four: Pouring your wax
Make sure that your containers are out of the way and won’t need to be moved for a couple of hours and then carefully pour your wax into each container. We recommend using a bowl or jug that has a lip to make this a lot easier (and less messy)!
Step Five: The waiting game
The hardest step of all will be waiting for your candles to set but, trust us, it’s worth it!
Make sure that you allow them to cool at room temperature to avoid the wax cracking and to keep them looking pretty. Smaller candles will take about two hours to be ready and larger ones could take up to four hours.
Step Six: Enjoy!
Now just bask in the cosiness of your room and the smugness that you made that!
Share your creations with us on Twitter or Facebook. If you want more recipes and ideas like this, then you can find them in our book Bright and Beautiful – Making Your Own Natural Cosmetics, available here.
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