DIY Candle Making

There’s something so captivating about staring into a flame and enjoying the ambience of soft candlelight and a calming scent. Candles make gorgeous gifts and are a favourite for most people. Learn how to make handy travel candles and delightful massage candles for loved ones in this latest installment of the DIY Gifting Guide. These candles are made from natural beeswax or vegan wax, with only natural fragrances and no paraffin.

Use pretty little glass jars or classic silver or black tins as your candle molds - these are light and easily portable and make great stocking fillers and gifts. For decor, use a reclaimed teacup, recycled vintage tin or any other upcycled container.

We stock a range of tins and glass jars - try the 50ml or 100ml silver tins for travel candles and the 200ml glass jars for the massage candles. Place in a little box or stick on a custom label and some ribbon for the perfect gift.

Working out how much wax you will need for your container is a matter of using a wax calculator (you can find one on the internet), or else you can fill the container with water and the weight of the water is roughly how much beeswax wax you will need.

For soy wax, you will need twice the volume of unmelted wax flakes as fits your containers. You can take the container/s you have chosen and fill with soy flakes and then repeat. For example if all your candle containers are the same size and you are making 4 candles you will you will need to melt about 8 container fulls of soy wax flakes.

For fragrances try citronella, spirit lifter blend, stress relief blend, lavender, lemongrass, ylang ylang, sweet orange, jasmine, sandalwood or any of your favourite essential oils. Use about 6-10% of fragrance, depending on your scent preference.

 

Basic Candle Recipe

Beeswax or use the following vegan options: soy wax, candelilla wax or carnauba wax

Approx 6 - 10% essential oil for fragrance

Wicks

Glass jar, tin or upcycled container

Melt the wax slowly. Dip the stabiliser part of the wick in wax and fix it to the bottom of your jar. Add your essential oil to the melted wax. Then hold the wick up (it may be handy to tie the string to a pencil and rest it across the mouth of the jar) and pour the wax into the jar. Let it set overnight then trim the wick and you have a gorgeous handmade candle!

Try a spicy cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and sweet orange combination for your dinner table, or citronella and herbs to keep the bugs away from the braai.

 

Portable Citronella Candle

100g beeswax or use the following vegan options: soy wax, candelilla wax or carnauba wax

7 drops citronella 3 drops eucalyptus 4 drops lemongrass 5 drops basil 5 drops thyme 5 drops rosemary 5 drops peppermint

Wicks

Glass jar, tin or upcycled container

Melt the wax slowly. Dip the stabiliser part of the wick in wax and fix it to the bottom of your jar. Add your essential oils to the melted wax. Then hold the wick up (it may be handy to tie the string to a pencil and rest it across the mouth of the jar) and pour the wax into the jar. Leave to set.

 

Massage Candles

Massage candles are the ultimate home spa treatment and also make a lovely romantic gift for couples. Soy wax melts at the perfect temperature to use on skin and you can customise the scent with essential oils.

Try jasmine, clary sage, cinnamon, sandalwood, vanilla, ylang ylang, black pepper, clove, bergamot, neroli or rose essential oils as fragrances, and use carrier oils, butters and Vitamin E oil to add skin-loving properties to your massage candle. Use only soy wax, as it melts at a low enough temperature that is safe for skin.

Here is a simple, easy recipe:

85g soy wax

30g jojoba oil, avocado oil or almond oil

½ tsp Vitamin E oil

30 drops essential oil(s) of your choice

Wicks

100ml or 200ml glass jar or tin

Melt the soy wax, then add in the carrier oils and vitamin E. Set the wick in your container. Add in the essential oils last and stir, then pour into the mold and leave to set. To use, light the wick and let a pool of melted wax form, then dip your fingers in the wax and massage into skin.

Clove, bergamot and sweet orange make a spicy citrus scent combination. They are also warming oils and help improve circulation, perfect for use in massage.

Try lavender, chamomile, clary sage or cedarwood for a calming scent. These oils are balancing and soothing on the skin.

Chamomile, geranium, lavender are wonderfully stress relieving after a long day.

Or go the romantic route with rose oil.

 

Sensual Massage Candle

80g soy wax flakes

25g shea butter, mango butter or cocoa butter (or do a combination)

1 T coconut oil

1 T jojoba oil or any other carrier of your choice

soy wicks

½ tsp Vitamin E oil

12 drops lavender

12 drops rose absolute

20 drops grapefruit

2 drops ylang ylang

10 drops coriander

Glass jar

Melt the soy wax, butter and coconut oil slowly together. Dip the wick stabiliser in the melted wax and fix to the base of the jar. Remove the wax mixture from the heat and stir in the coconut oil, jojoba oil and Vitamin E, then the essential oils last. Pour in the jar and leave to set.