DIY Non-Toxic Candles

Today’s DIY is another one that I am SHOCKED I have not attempted sooner. I am a recovering Yankee Candle ADDICT. Like, I used to buy ALL the scented candles every season and I’d burn them in every room of my house and it was glorious.

And then, I learned about the dangers of those candles and my heart got a huge case of the sads.

Look, I am NOT an alarmist by ANY stretch of the imagination… but there’s A LOT of research (very, very viable research, not just like some opinion article out there) that shows a lot of the dangers associated with many of the mass-market scented candles that are out there. The fragrances are often made with toxic synthetic chemicals and even some of the waxes used can emit toxic chemicals into the air. Many of those candles also have lead-wicks that omit lead into the air. In any event, once I did some reading and further research, I just no longer felt comfortable burning them anymore. And I had a case of the sads. Because I love candles. My diffuser does a GREAT job of making the room smell nice, but man, I just love the look and feel of a burning candle!

So, I was on the hunt for an alternative.

Now, I have found some AMAZING companies that make and sell non-toxic candles (my girl Emily over at The Flourish Market sells some AMAZING and gorgeous non-toxic candles and I have a few of them burning in my home as we speak –*cough cough* use code “STILLBEINGMOLLY” for free shipping… *cough cough*)… 

HOWEVER, I did want to try my hand at making candles just to see if I could make some using my essential oils… I also thought they might be a little more cost effective AND they could even make great homemade gifts for people!

Well, I attempted and SUCCEEDED! I am so excited! This ended up being a SUPER easy DIY, the candles are so pretty, and they smell great. Now I’m kind of on a candle making kick and I want to make ALL THE CANDLES and try ALL THE SCENT COMBINATIONS. I’m so excited!! 🙂

I wanted to share the DIY success with you in the hopes that you’ll give it a try!! 🙂

Check it out:

DIY Non-Toxic Candles

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Soy Wax Flakes (Get it here – you could also use Beeswax (since I have a sensitivity to beeswax, I stuck with soy wax))
• Candle Wicks (pack of 100 wicks, pack of 50 wicks)
• Mason Jar(s) or other glass container (I used an old, empty candle jar)
• 30-40 drops of any desired essential oil combo (I used Christmas Spirit, Pine, and Peppermint – get started with essential oils here)

Directions:

First step is to melt the wax… Now, this process is going to be a little different depending on whether or not you’re making a bunch of candles at once or if you’re making one candle at a time. Since this was a new project for me, I started off by making just one candle to give it a test run and see how I liked it…

If you’re making a BUNCH of candles at once, I would melt the wax in a big batch. Since I made one candle to start, I filled my empty glass jar to the top with the wax flakes.

You can melt the wax in one of two ways:

1. In a double boiler on the stove
2. In the microwave

I am lazy efficient so I went the microwave route and it worked great for me. I just heated and melted the wax in 30-60 second increments until it was all melted. Now, the wax, when it melts, will “settle,” so you’ll need to add more wax flakes along the way to fill your jar. I just eyeballed it, to be honest.

Once your wax is totally melted, CAREFULLY remove the jar from the microwave or double boiler (it WILL be hot!! I used a hot pad to hold it…) and add in your desired essential oils. I wanted to make a “Christmas scented” candle so I chose Christmas Spirit, Pine, and Peppermint.

The jar I used to make the candle is 4 oz, so I did a total of 30 drops of essential oil. I did 20 drops of Christmas Spirit, 5 drops of Pine, and 5 drops of Peppermint. The candle has a nice light scent to it. If you want your candle to smell stronger, just add more oils! It also depends on the oils you use as some oils have a much stronger scent than others.

Once you’ve added in your oils, make sure to “stir” and mix the oils and wax together. I used a wooden skewer to mix it well.

Then, take your wick and make sure it’s centered in the bottom of your glass jar. Wrap the top of the wick around a skewer (I used a kabob skewer) to hold it in place. Then, place the candle in the freezer for about 30 minutes!

VOILA! Remove your candle from the freezer, trim the wick, add a little flare or decoration (twine, chalkboard paint, washi tape, etc.) light, and enjoy your beautiful new non-toxic candle!

What do you think? Have you made candles before? Will you give this DIY a try? What oils would you use to scent your candle?

 

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Looking to get started with essential oils? Visit my essential oils page for more information on how!