Introduction to Soy Wax Candles
Soy wax is a natural, renewable resource derived from vegetable oil. It’s free of toxins, carcinogens, and pollutants and releases no soot when burned. It has a lower melting point than paraffin wax, allowing for a longer, cleaner burning candle that lasts up to 50% longer than traditional candles. Its creamier texture makes it blend well with both essential oils and synthetic fragrances for an even stronger scent throw.
The range of scents available for soy wax candles is incredible. From sweet and delicate florals such as jasmine or honeysuckle to woodsy musks and spicier smells such as clove or sandalwood there truly is something for everyone! You can also choose from a range of single-note scents (single essential oils with no blended ingredients) to create unique fragrances that have subtle complexity and depth to them. If you have allergies or specific sensitivities you can even buy clear soy wax with no scent additive at all!
Apart from the extended burn time, soy candles are also beneficial to the environment due to their minimal nature. Soy wax is generally easier to clean up after burning and biodegrades quicker than traditional candlewaxes making it more environmentally friendly. Soy candles contain less CO2 when compared to paraffin wax which also helps towards reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Lastly, since soybeans are renewable resources they don’t involve any refining processes like oil does so it gives us an opportunity
to create eco-friendly lighting solutions in our homes without contributing towards depleting natural resources.
What You Need to Get Started
Supplies: To make a soy wax candle, you’ll need wick, wick tabs, metal clasps, soy wax flakes (or pelletized), fragrance oil and dye. You’ll also need a double boiler, some canning jars or tins of various sizes for the containers, a thermometer, stirring sticks and an oven mitt or hot pad.
Equipment to Source: Wax flake type can be found at craft stores, candle supply companies and online retailers. Wick can come in either braided or flat types depending on what type of product you want to create. Specialty looped pins with metal clasps to secure the bottom of the wick are available with craft/candle making supplies. To ensure accurate temperatures when melting wax, it is important to search out a very accurate candy thermometer which will go up to 200 degrees (F). The size of the pots used depends on how much candle product you plan on producing. Smaller sizes are completely adequate for smaller scale production. For jar candles specifically look for wide mouthed jars that make pouring easier until you become more comfortable with the process.
Troubleshooting Tips: In order to maintain an even burn its important to check your candles occasionally when lighting them for any smoke emissions from one side. If there is any black smoke stop burning and trim off the off-centered burnt bit from the top with scissors otherwise too much heat can damage the surrounding wax causing it not melt evenly again. Also be sure not melt too much wax at once due to uneven temperature levels as this could harden parts in different areas before they get thoroughly melted resulting in imperfectly finished product. Also before beginning each session make sure your designated space idea is clear away from anything flammable allowing enough room for movement without risk of burning yourself during melted wax transfer portion of recipe (especially keeping children clear!).
How to Choose the Right Container
When it comes to making soy wax candles in the UK, choosing the right container is a key part of the process. There are many different materials available for creating containers for your soy wax candles, and each has its own unique set of considerations and characteristics. Generally speaking, the materials used for candle containers include glass, metal, ceramic, terracotta, and plastic. Glass containers offer a range of style options, from simple and elegant to more decorative designs. Metal containers are often more durable and can either be left plain or embellished with various textures or patinas. Ceramic containers provide an interesting way to combine color and texture without sacrificing durability. Terracotta containers possess an earthy aesthetic that brings a certain rustic charm to any room they would be placed in. Plastic containers can also feature intricate designs or be grouped into sets for visually-appealing presentation pieces.
Functionally speaking, it is important to consider how your soy wax candle is going to be used in order to choose the best material for its container. Glass may provide a minimalistic look but may cause difficulties when transporting around due to its fragility compared to other materials. On the other hand, metal and ceramic are good choices when moving around frequently since they maintain their shape without breaking easily. Containers made out of terracotta provide good heat resistance while being lightweight enough so they can easily move around if necessary. Plastic can be an excellent choice if you want budget-friendly versatility as they come in many shapes and sizes perfect for open flame use or electric burning sources. Ultimately each material offers something different when it comes to crafting soy wax candles in the UK so choosing one should depend on your desired aesthetics as well as usage scenario requirements!
Melting Soy Wax to Create the Candle
Before melting the wax you need to prepare it. This includes weighing it, grinding or chopping it depending on your preference. Soy wax chips are especially easy to work with as they melt quickly and easily in most types of candle-making pots. Make sure that all containers used to measure or melt the soy wax are thoroughly clean.
Once the measured wax is ready for melting, slowly heat on medium-low using a double boiler set up or other controlled heating device. Monitor the temperature as this will determine how much fragrance should be added afterwards (more details below). Soy wax has a relatively low melting point, so do not overheat the wax to prevent scorching and hazardous splattering.
When a full melt cycle is complete and all soy flakes have been melted, hold at a constant temperature for 10 – 15 minutes and then let cool slightly before adding any colorant or fragrance oils. Within each type of soy wax there may be variations in product formulation which can affect its behavior when liquefied; therefore, you may need to experiment until you find what works best for your candles. Make sure to use accurate thermometers when melting & pouring soy candles to ensure that both safety and quality standards are met during production.
Pouring the Wax into Your Container and Adding Scent
When pouring the wax into your container, a steady underhand pour should be used to prevent wax splashing. When releasing the wax add in a circular motion to give an even fill in the container almost like winding. This technique helps to prevent air pockets and reduce any overflow at the edges of the containers. To ensure an even fill try using a thermometer and aim for temperatures of approximately 60°C when pouring in your melted soy wax.
Using essential oils or fragrance oil is key when crafting soy candles. Start by either adding 1-3 teaspoons per 500g (1lb) of melted soy wax for essential oils or 5-15% for fragrance oil, adjusting according to how strong you would like your scent throw (the way it smells when lit). Always use a heat proof measuring jug as some essential oils can react with plastic so it’s important to also make sure it’s non-reactive before adding to any melted candles. Adding scent can be slightly trickier than traditional paraffin candles as adding too much too quickly can cause clumping or frosting on your candle surface. To prevent this slowly add small amounts at a time, stir gently and wait 2 minutes between each addition. If necessary turn off the electric melting pot during stirring and have patience! After you are happy with the scent strength cover and leave for 24 hours before removing any excess wax from around the edge of your container with a damp kitchen towel which easily wipes away any mistakes that may have occurred throughout filling and decorating your precious creations!
Additional Creative Decor Ideas
Embellishments: Adding embellishments such as ribbons, jewels, charms, and dried herbs to your soy wax candles can add a personal touch to them and help make them stand out. For example, adding charms of a dog if you’re making a candle for someone who loves animals or adding small shells along the outside of your container for an ocean-themed look. You can also tie corresponding colored ribbons around the candle jars to match the colors and mood associated with it’s scent.
Coloring: Soy wax is available in different pigmented colors that you can choose from while making your candles so they are aesthetically pleasing before even lighting them. If you’d like, you can also add concentrated dyes specifically made for soy candles in order to get bolder color variations and gradients.
How Tos: To create a unique candle jar for your handmade soy wax candles, try breaking out some Mod Podge! This material provides an excellent canvas for decoupage techniques—Just use bits of paper printed with images of things like birds, flowers, patterns etcetera to design one-of-a-kind jars that incorporate both texture and color into the finished product. When it comes time to finish off your candle creations, take extra care with melting temperatures – Depending upon the type of soy wax used, too much heat can compromise its longevity an cause inconsistency when melted down so keeping an eye on temperature is key!
The Final Result
Once you have completed the steps to make your soy wax candles, you can start admiring your beautiful creations! However sometimes things don’t always turn out as intended and there might be issues that result in a product that is not ideal. Many of these issues can be prevented through careful measurement, preparation and attention to detail when making the candles.
If your candle has too much scent or color be mindful not to add large amounts at once – use smaller increments so that the perfect balance for you can be achieved. If the wicks are either too large or too small it could result in an uneven burn or pooled wax on one side; this can be remedied by using wicks specific to the size of candle being made and testing before pouring. Be aware of cold spots around the Wick that do not fully melt from heat of ‘hot throw’ of fragrance which will lead to a weakened scent. If wax is difficult to remove from containers it could be due to incorrect cooling times – ensure a slow cool down period after pouring before taking out containers with cooled candles resulting in minimal mess and easy removal.
Finally if your soy wax candles are dull or have an oily or sticky residue on top they may have taken on moisture while cooling, this can generally be fixed by sitting them upside down in a warm place such as near central heating. The aim here is create some heat which will draw moisture out of the wax by melting it off again without affecting the other components of design you have created – eventually this should give you back a shiny finish as desired!
Conclusion
Making soy wax candles in the UK provides many benefits to those who engage in crafts or are looking for a hobby. Soy wax is a renewable resource and there are fewer pollutants associated with it than with traditional, paraffin wax. In addition, soybean oil is much more affordable compared to other types of candle waxes and can be purchased affordably in bulk online.
The process of making soy wax candles at home requires minimal equipment to get started, such as a double-boiler, containers for pouring into and clean storage jars for holding melts. Additionally, you may need wicks, dye chips of your desired colour, fragrances if you plan on scenting your candles and other containers for melting the wax – but we’d suggest trying your hand at basic soy candle making before investing in these items. Likewise, if you have any space outdoors or a safe place indoors that you can use for cooling finished products this step would come in handy.
The UK has some amazing resources available when it comes to finding tips and tricks on how to create your own perfect candles from top trade professionals – whether you are looking for its health benefits or want to add an exciting new skill set. The Complete Guide: How To Make Soy Wax Candles At Home Or For Profit offers an interactive yet detailed overview of each step along the way – right down to adding those exciting finishes like glittery rainbow lines – so users never feel overwhelmed! It’s filled with clear videos guiding users through every stage of their journey so they can rest assured they will be able to make their very own creations confidently.
Lastly, once you have mastered these skills there is no greater confidence boost than being able to proudly hold up a unique product that you’ve created yourself! So why not give it try yourself?
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.
