DIY soy wax candle
If you’re a fan of having candles in your home and want an affordable, fun and eco-friendly way to enjoy them, making your own soy wax candles is a great activity to try. Soy wax is a good alternative to other wax types used in candles because it is made from renewable resources. Typical candle wax is made from paraffin wax, which is made from petroleum and is non-renewable. Soy wax candles also tend to burn with less soot than traditional candles so they are a cleaner alternative. The wax is vegan and you can also add your own essential oils if you prefer your candles scented. Ready? Let’s get started with the DIY soy wax candle tutorial!
7 minutes to read
DIY soy wax candle – ingredients and equipment
In order to make your own soy wax candle you will need:
- Soy wax. Look for soy wax that is 100% soy for a cleaner burn with less soot.
- A container. You can upcycle your empty cosmetics tins or jam jars, but make sure that any glass jars are burn proof. This article is a good source of information on choosing containers that are safe for candle making.
- A wick. Local craft shops or online are both good places to look for wicks. If buying online, just search “soy wax candle wicks” and maybe add the name of your local town to support a small, local business rather than one of the usual big online corporations. Or you could make your own!
- Lolly stick or skewer and string to help hold your wick in place.
- A heatproof bowl or jug to melt the max in.
- Optional: Essential oil.
Tip: In order to figure out how much wax you need for your chosen container, you should fill it up with raw wax twice. This is approximately the amount of wax your container will be able to hold once it’s melted.
DIY soy wax candle: step-by-step instructions
1. Place the wick in the centre of the container and tie it to a stick as shown below:
2. Melt the wax in your heatproof jug or bowl over a pan of boiling water. This method stops the wax from burning onto the bottom of the pan, like it could if you were melting directly
3. Once the wax has cooled down slightly, you can add your essential oil if using and pour the wax into your container. I added 10 drops to 100 ml wax, but note that some oils are more concentrated than others so it’s best to have a quick search online for guidance for the specific oil you’ve chosen. Our favourite scents are tea tree oil and grapefruit.
4. Once the wax has solidified, trim the wick and remove the stick that was holding it in place.
5. That’s it! Now you can light your candle and enjoy your handiwork.
Prefer video tutorials? You can watch our DIY soy wax candle tutorial video below:
