Soy candle making is easy. Let me talk you through it…
Soy candles are so hot right now.
With the focus on natural products, the sustainable production and non-toxic fumes of soy wax means it’s an ecologically superior alternative to paraffin, oil-based wax.
You may have seen designer soy candles in glass jars retailing around $60 – $100 and handmade ones at craft markets in charming vintage containers, retailing around $20.
Making your own is really easy. Let me talk you through it. Here is everything you’ll need.
Soy wax chips – I got mine at Candle Creations in Albany, Auckland (I paid $12kg) but there are loads on Trademe as well.
Pyrex – or any microwave-proof glass jug
Wicks with metal bases- from the candle supplier shop
Sticks – buy from the candle supplies shop (I paid $2 for 9) or use any old iceblock stick with a hole in the middle
Vessel – use any heatproof container such as glass jars, sherry glasses, wine goblets, vintage teacups and so on.
You can use fragrance from a specialist candle supplier, or essential oils. These smell divine but the downside is they are slightly more tricky to make; you need to add it at the right temperature, and they can dry with a lumpy top and create holes. You can fix this by adding extra wax on top or heating it with a hairdryer to smooth it out.
Below: everything you need to make soy candles at home.
Soy wax chips in a 2kg bag and a glass Pyrex jug. I heated about this much at a time in the microwave. As a rough guide, a 2kg bag makes approximately 80 tealights.
1: Select your vessel. I hit the local opshops for old tea cups and sherry glasses as I like the vintage romantic look. You can use anything you like.
2: Melt the soy wax chips in the glass container in the microwave on high for 2 or 3 minutes until melted into a clear liquid.
Note: you can melt it on the stove on a double boiler saucepan, or in the Pyrex over a regular saucepan. If you are using a candy thermometer in order to know when the temperature is right to add fragrances to your wax, you’ll need to do it on the stove.
3: Thread the wick through the iceblock stick.
4. Place the wick in the vessel and pour the liquid wax over then leave to set. The wax supplier recommended leaving it for a couple of days to really harden as this wil give a longer burn time.
Below: the set candle with stick
5. Cut off the excess wick. You can re-use both the stick and the excess wick.
Et voila! My finished candles.
By Megan Robinson
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