Introduction
Soy candles are candles made from a combination of pure soy wax, essential oils, and other natural fragrance ingredients. This type of candle is becoming increasingly popular due to its environmental benefits when compared to traditional paraffin candles. The production process for making soy candles includes obtaining the necessary ingredients, selecting containers, and melting the soy wax into a liquid state prior to pouring it into the chosen container.
When sourcing for ingredients for making soy candles, you will need to find suitable sources for the main components – soy wax flakes or pellets, essential oils or fragrance oils, wicks, cotton threads and dye chips. The most common cause of inconsistent results when making soy candles is often due to sourcing low-quality components which can affect sustainability and burning performance. Once all the necessary ingredients have been sourced, they should be assembled together so they are ready before you start melting the wax.
The time needed to make soy candles depends on how many batches you wish to make at one go but generally speaking it could take between 2-3 hours per batch. First the soy wax needs to be melted slowly in a double boiler or slow cooker until it reaches a liquid state while stirring occasionally throughout the process to ensure no lumps remain in the mixture. While this is happening resistors must be secured onto each wick so that it keeps its upright position during pouring without moving around in case of spilling hot liquid wax out of its container – as this could cause potential fire hazards if not done correctly. Once completely melted and all delicately pre-wired wicks are fixed onto their vessels with resistors attached at the bottom (to avoid wooden sticks from sinking), then you can start pouring your warm liquid wax lightly from 3” high into each vessel.
Once poured all your containers should be set aside for at least 12 hours (or 24 hours depending on personal preference) before trimming off all 1/8” long resistors attached unto each inserted wooden sticks while ensuring that no trimmed wires left behind among any unseen cavities as these would act like sailboats when exposed against open flames – causing flame extensions reaching beyond 6” length within seconds upon lighting up again which can potentially threaten human safety surrounding open flames irrelevant to where those cavities lay hidden within your finished products henceforth being unsafe! After setting aside as mentioned above one batch can produce more than 8oz worth of end products with an estimated perfect burn time up 145 hours per candle respectively making them excellent sustainable choices when shopping around!
Wax Selection and Melting
When it comes to making soy candles, the type of wax used and the method employed to melt the wax are critical components. There are a few different types of wax available for use in candlemaking, with soy wax being the most popular choice. Before this wax can be melted and poured into a container for making candles, it must be prepared and cut into small cubes or flakes. This will help to facilitate quicker melting time.
The safest method for melting soy wax is in a double boiler — placing a heat-safe bowl on top of a pan filled with boiling water (but never letting the water touch the bowl). Soy wax requires an even low heat temperature between 122°F – 150°F; any higher may cause combustion when lighting the finished candle. Depending on how much wick you need for your planned project as well as how much soy wax you plan to use, this process can take anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour or more. Once melted through, immediately remove from heat and mix in chosen fragrance in accordance with specified fragrance load per pound of wax per manufacturer’s instructions.
Wicking and Scent
Wicking and Scent: When making soy candles, the wick and scent are two of the most important elements. You need to have the proper supplies for wicks including thread, pre-tabbed wicks, wick sustainers, wooden sticks or a wick bar, wick glue dots and scissors. Properly installing the cotton thread in the container is also vital before testing (so as to not waste wax). Different types of fragrances and essential oils should be used to add a pleasing aroma to your soy candle. When selecting a fragrance or essential oil, it’s important to consider how strong it will be when heated in addition to how it smells when cold. In order to incorporate any given scent into your wax it’s recommended to use a ratio of 3-6% fragrance per pound of wax and Melt & Pour soap 1-3%. Test these amounts with small samples of your wax prior to pouring a full batch. After all ingredients have been added, allow time for them to combine and fully melt before pouring.
Container Preparation
Making your own soy candles requires the right containers, tools and supplies. Glass or ceramic containers make good candle holders and are easy to work with. Mason jars and wine glasses work just as well, as long as you don’t choose those made of thin or recycled glass. You can also use stainless steel and aluminum vessels.
Before adding any candle wax to the container, it needs to be prepped properly first. Any decorations like bakers twine, stones or seashells should be added at this time too. Clear wax that is melted slightly can help adhere these elements in place without burning it off when the heated wax melts afterwards. Make sure any decorative elements won’t come directly into contact with the flame when placed in later on otherwise it could create a fire hazard for curious onlookers!
Be sure to leave some extra room in the container before pouring in the wax – this allows room for expansion once heated up and will prevent overflow from leaking out when the hot liquid starts to boil over.
Pouring and Cooling
Making your own soy candles is a fun and easy project that can be completed in as little as two to three hours, depending on the complexity. Soy candlemaking requires careful melting and cooling of both the wax and fragrance, so safe and complete melting, pouring, and cooling instructions should be followed at all times.
The first step for making a soy candle is to melt the wax. This should be done in a double boiler or thermometer-controlled electric pot. For safety reasons, the temperature should not exceed 185°F (85°C). Fragrance oils should also be added during this step, following fragrance manufacturer recommendations as necessary. Once fully melted, the wax needs to cool down before it is poured into its container. Cooling should take place slowly over fifteen to twenty minutes until the desired pouring temperature of 120-130°F (49-54°C) is reached.
Next comes the pour – make sure any fragrances have been stirred sufficiently into the wax prior to pouring into containers – a slow pour speed is recommended so that air doesn’t become trapped as it enters the container. Allow enough time for your candles to settle before moving them; typically between two and four hours depending on size/design complexity will suffice here.
Finally, for cleanup of any spilled or excess wax it is best to allow it to cool completely before attempting removal; solidified wax can easily be popped off hard surfaces like glass or metal with a simple metal spatula or similarly shaped tool surface.
Finishing Touches
Making soy candles typically takes around 2 hours, however, there is more to making and completing the candles than just that. After actually producing the candle in a melting pot, things like trimming the wicks, adding final details to the containers they will be in, as well as options for gift wrapping or selling are taken into account.
When it comes to trimming wicks, this duty is usually done during production when all of the wax has melted and been poured into its respective containers. The ideal trimmed length for a wick should be no more than 1/4 inch long. Trimmed wicks can ensure better burning of the not just for that candle but for all subsequent candles made.
Prior to gifting or selling soy candles additional details may also be added to the packaging such as bows and stickers or simply adding labels that provide information about what kind of candle it is along with any ingredients used. This could help customers identify what type of candle it is and whether or not it fits their individual needs. Finally if you’re looking into gift wrapping your soy candles options such as wrapping paper, tissue paper, clear film wrap and ribbons can make your product stand out from similar competitors.
Conclusion
Making soy candles is an enjoyable experience that doesn’t require much time. The process of making a single candle is as follows: Gathering the materials, melting the wax, stirring in fragrance oils, pouring the wax into the container, and cooling and trimming the wick. Depending on how many candles you are making at once and if your equipment is prepped beforehand this process could take about 1 hour. You will want to allow extra time for setup (about 15 minutes) and each step requires a set amount of cooling or drying time that can take from 30 minutes up to 24 hours. So in total it will likely take 2-3 hours to make one soy candle from start to finish.
Welcome to my candle making blog! In this blog, I will be sharing my tips and tricks for making candles. I will also be sharing some of my favorite recipes.
