Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to be featured on Hometalk’s live video tutorial series on Facebook. I had the pleasure of showing the audience how to make and package handmade scented candles for holiday gifts.

These are some of my favorites: a lovely soy candle already wrapped up in a festive tin, a Christmas-tree scented paraffin candle in a matching Christmas Tree mug, and cinnamon candles in poinsettia crackle glass holders. I’ll show you how to make each one.

If you missed the live broadcast, you can click here or the image below to watch the replay.

It was our first live broadcast ever, so we sincerely appreciate everyone’s support and kindness. Apologies if you couldn’t hear; we will invest in another microphone next time.

As a follow up to the video tutorial, I wanted to provide additional clarification for some of the questions in the comments section. I hope you’ll enjoy making candles for gifts or your home this holiday season. Thanks again for reading and watching! — v.

Q&A:
How to Make and Package
Handmade Scented Candles for Holiday Gifts

Q:  WHAT KIND OF WAX DO YOU USE? HOW DO THEY DIFFER?

The blocks of wax in the video are paraffin, which is the most common and least expensive wax for making candles. Paraffin wax is petroleum-based, non-toxic and approved as safe for use in candles. It melts clear and takes on dyes and scents the best.

In the green bowl are soy wax flakes. Soy wax is natural and a little more expensive than paraffin. When bought in bulk, however, the price becomes more comparable (e.g., $20 for 4 lbs of paraffin wax blocks vs. $22 for 4 lbs of soy wax flakes at Michael’s). Soy wax melts yellowish and is a bit tricker to dye and scent than paraffin. Soy wax flakes can also be melted in the microwave.

Beeswax is another natural option, however I don’t have much experience working with it and so I didn’t cover it in the video. It is the most expensive of these waxes (costing $18 per pound at Michael’s), but it burns the longest.

Q:  WHICH WAX DO YOU PREFER?

I like soy wax because it’s natural and has a slightly sweet smell on its own. It’s also softer than paraffin wax, and burns cleaner and longer. For just a few dollars more, I think soy wax is worth the upgrade.

Q:  WHERE DO YOU BUY YOUR SUPPLIES?

I often buy wax, wicks and fragrance oils from local craft stores — A.C. Moore and Michael’s — and take advantage of their daily deep-discount coupons (40-55% off). These two stores also offer a military discount in my area.

To help you get started, there are candle-making kits available for purchase. There were also some suppliers mentioned in the comments, and I’ve provided a resource list at the end of this post.

Q:  CAN I USE WAX FROM OLD CANDLES?

By all means, yes! I am all about recycling and reusing, so if you have a candle that is burned out, place the cooled container in the freezer overnight. The next day, gently run a butter knife around the edge to pop out the remaining wax. Remove the metal clip and any debris from the old wick and you’re ready to melt and reuse for a new candle.

Just note that if the wax is already colored and/or scented, it will retain those features.

Q:  CAN I MIX WAXES?

Yes, you can mix different types of wax (i.e., paraffin/soy blend) to make candles.  I choose not mix: I make only paraffin or all-natural candles.

Q:  WHAT TYPE OF WICKS DO YOU USE?

Whenever possible, I prefer to use cotton wicks that are pre-waxed, pre-tabbed and free of lead and other metals. If you’re buying in the US, you can feel confident wicks will be lead-free, but many container wicks have zinc or tin cores to help them stand while the candle is burning and the wax liquifies.

Q:  WHY HOLD THE WICK IN PLACE?

The skewers serve as a vise to keep the wick from floating around while the wax dries. By pulling the wick taut and tight within the skeweres, the wick stays centered and straight. If you remove the vise before the wax dries, the escaping air will not only shift the wick, but will also pull it down into the candle. (Learn from my mistakes!)

Q:  HOW DO YOU COLOR WAX?

I like using what I already have on hand when appropriate, and so I use bits of crayon to color my candle wax. Crayons work great for pastels, but you may want to consider using coloring chips or liquid dyes to achieve deeper, darker colors. I don’t notice the crayons changing the smell of the wax.

Note that the color will lighten as the wax dries and too much dye can inhibit the performance of the candle.

Q: CAN I USE FOOD COLORING?

No, food coloring is usually water-based and wax and water don’t mix. Other viewers mentioned trying it: the wax and food coloring separated.

Q:  HOW DO YOU SCENT WAX?

I use liquid fragrance oils. Essential oils would probably work fine, too. Add fragrance oils off the heat otherwise they will evaporate and weaken.

Q:  HOW MUCH DO I USE?

Scenting is a personal preference, but as a general rule, I use about 1 oz of fragrance oil per pound of wax. Some fragrances are stronger/weaker than others, so you’ll need to adjust accordingly. When all else fails, give it the Sniff Test: what you smell in the pouring pot is about what you’ll get out of a burning candle.

Q:  CAN I USE PERFUME?

That’s thinking outside the box, but since most perfumes contain alcohol — which is flammable — I would not use perfume to scent candles.

Q:  DO YOU HAVE A STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL ON MAKING CANDLES?

Yes, I do! Click for my post on DIY Teacup Candles.

Q:  CAN I USE ANY CONTAINER TO MELT WAX?

Not any old container can withstand the heat of candle making. I have been using a recycled pasta sauce jar to melt wax for some time and without incident. I like that I can see into the jar, especially when I’m coloring, and that I can just toss it in the recycling bin when I’m finished. That said, I monitor the melting process every step of the way, ensuring there is plenty of water in the pot so that the wax doesn’t get too hot (paraffin wax is combustible).

You can buy a metal pouring pot and thermometer specifically for candle making.

Q:  WHERE DO YOU FIND CONTAINERS TO USE FOR CANDLES?

I love to thrift shop and am always on the lookout for teacups with matching saucers to make into lovely candles. I focus on containers that can withstand heat, such as metal tins, coffee cups and votive holders.

You can purchase glass jars, metal tins, votive molds and tea light containers approved for candle making.

Q:  HOW DID YOU MAKE THE FELT POINSETTIA?

This is the tutorial I followed to make the felt poinsettia. I hot glued a magnet to the back and can use it to dress up candles in metal tins.

Q:  CAN I BUY YOUR CANDLES?

Why, thank you for asking! Yes, the holiday candles on the video as well as a few others are available for purchase in the Shop. Thank you for supporting our creative work!

RESOURCE LIST FOR CANDLE MAKING

paraffin wax blocks / beeswax block
soy wax flakes / microwaveable soy wax
candle-making kit
pouring pot / thermometer
wicks with tabs / fragrance oils
coloring chips / blocks / liquid dyes
glass jars / metal tins / votive molds / tea light containers

Here are a few references for additional information and tutorials:

CandleScience: Learn Candle Making
National Candle Association: FAQs
Lone Star Candle Supply : Step by Step Candle Making Guides